San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-22
LAREDO AS SHE is.
A City Destined to be a Metropolis--
What a Ride Around the
Country RavaalS
Country Reveals.

A City Destined to be METROPOLIS
What a Ride Around the
Country Reveals.
Laredo does not i'm press the man
who arrives by rail, spends few days
rambling through the narrow streets,
inspects the adobe dwellings and the
jacals OF the citizens and departs on
the next train. He goes away with
the idea that Laredo is fiat town, a
level sand bed above the Rio Grande,
without any natural charms. No
greater mistake could be made. Let
him take carriage and cross the new
bridge which now spans the Arroyo
Zacata, and drive out over the cas- tern
section of the city, where in days to
come its principal residences and
some of its pest business are destined
tn be and change will come over the
| spirit of his dream. Let him follow
the road winding up and out to the ter
minus of the street car line now under
| construction, out Sycamore street say
to the intersection of Kearney
street, and he will find himself on one
of the most slightly spots imaginable
| To the north stretches the Rio Grande,
| its waters plainly in view. Across
It's dividing waters the city of Nuevo
Laredo is laid out as map and
in the distance some 20 miles
away the Lampasas range shows
dark and distinct against the deep
blue, of the vault beyond. On this
side the Rio Grande, the undulations
of the ground lead down to the level
on which the old city is built, across
the green slopes to where the concen-
trating works and railroad shops give
evidence of what Laredo is preparing
to do this winter in the way of indus
trial movement down to where the
Rio Grande takes its great sweep to
the south and passes down to the
gulf between its red banks. Every
root of these natural heights is coy
cred with good soil and the years to
come will see these beautiful sites
covered with charming cottages and
villas. The LIGHT acknowledges its
obligations to a friend in Laredo
whose mOdesty desires his name
Withheld, for drive over the city,
along the proposed street railway
line, over to Fort Mcintosh, down by
the railway shops, over the heights
as well as through the business por-
ton of the streets. The extent of the
city itself Is underestimate, until
one drives through it and then from
some outlying right, mile or so
away from its center, OverlOOks the |
whole. Nature has provided we'll for
the future city and her people seem |
alive to supplement what nature has |
done. Substantial structures are ris-
ing everywhere, both for business |
and residence purposes. Street i'm
pr0vements are being everywhere |
pushed. The electric street car line |
will be running out two miles from |
the heart of the city before ninety |
days and all along its lines are eligi- |
ble anG desirable residence proper |
ties. These all lie to the east and |
face the south thus aff0rding the |
most delightful summer breezes and
giving rush of uncon taminated air
fresh from the open gulf.
The railway shops have taken form.
The roof of the immense rOundhOuse
is ready for its coat of gravel and the
walls of two other immense buildings
are up. 1t is only question of day
or two and foundry matters will be
adjusted and and a large foun dry
building will be contracted for. Evil
dences of increasing activity are seen
on every hand, and there is no more
question that Laredo has shaken off
the sleep of generations than that she
is tOdOy the most promising center
for investment that southern Texas
offers. The town is filling up with
young live energetic business men.
They have come to stay and build the
city which in another generation will
count its hundreds of thousands of
people as monument to the foresight
and business brains of today.