San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-03-13
Laredo Letter.

EDIToR FREE PREss.
One cannot long be cosual OBJ
server OF the wonderful enterprise the
Gate City is daily accomplishing with
out manifesting n desire to let the in
ner world know something Of her pro-
gress, Southwest Texas with her
wealth OF undeveloped resources,
from Beeville, Corpus Christi and
Brownsville. to Laredo, is the COM
ing country, and the Gate City will
be its Metropolis. With her wealth
OF cheap fuel, raw material for manu-
featuring and cheap transportation
and cheap labor, she is destined to
be the Pittsburg Of the state. Al
ready abe can boast Of the largest
machine shops west Of the Missis-
sippi river. Smelling works and ore
concentration, iron foundry, water
works with capacity OF 100000
gallons q. day, two electric light
cos, motor car line. cotton mill and
ginning company, half dozen or more
immense brick yards, large tame ry
is soon to be erected in connection
with shoe factory. and the largest
and best of all is the Kauka kee
wooden mills. The contract was
closed yesterday for THE plant, the
cost of which will be 100000 and
will work q large number of skilled
laborers. Shale of very superior
quality for the manu- facture of vitri-
fed brick and thing has recent ly
been found to exist near tho city in
enexaustible mines. A company
has already been formed for the
manufacture of this material. This
adds new and valuable industry to
the commerce OF Laredo, as this will
be the only enterprise Of this kind
south OF Kansas City, and the de-
mand is good for that kind OF materi-
al inMexico and in the United States
Under the stimulus of modern enter
prise the old Mexican style OF bust
ness houses is fast disappearing and
large two and three story buildings
are daily taking their place. One Of
the prettiest spots west of San
Marcos in that portion OF the city
known as Arlington Heights, one
mile east of the business part flown
and situated on large table-land
IT'S feet higher than the Rio Grande
liver. and 125 feet higher than the
city. One year ago this locality was
the feeding ground Of the Mexican
buro, and the gay and festive goat,
and lots were worth ten dollars
apiece. Now it is literally dotted
with hundred or so residences vary
ing in cost from $1,000 to $4,000,
motor cay line runs through the cen
ter, and the streets are laid out to
make broad avenues, and beautiful
drives, interspersed with parks and
gardens. The Improvement com
pany have contracted for seven thous-
and and five hundred shade trees to
be planted this spring, and it is need.
less to say TINT in one year the change
will be as great as it has been In the
past year.
On yesterday the Catholic Cathe
dral in New Laredo caught fire from
altar tapers. No permanent damage
was done. Your correspondent saw
an ancient Aztec woman weaping
and bitterly lamenting over a wooden
Image that was partly injured by the
flames. The kitchen of our $780,
900 Hotel Hamilton also caught fire,
with no serious damage,
Your correspondent with several
others of his ilk ampulated the lip Of
the senior Captain OF the Custom
house guards on the Mexico side q
few days sidce.
H was buried yesterday, with all
tho military pomp due to his rank.
OCCASIONAL.