San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-29
WHAT HE SAW


are not confined to the limits of the
official requirements set forth in the
ordinances and public acts of the city
council, but embrace a multitude of
affairs of which the general public
have little conception. The demands
made upon his time and attention are
incessant and furnish study for the
observant looker-On.
The other morning his honor, still
weak from an attack of "la grippe"
took his seat at his desk to look over
his accumulated business and TO re-
ceive people who desired to see him.
The city marshal was his first caller.
the peace of the city rests in the
hands of this official and his
corps of assistants, and his commune
cation with his chief were of conf
Dental character.
A young Mexican lady, neatly dress
ed, came in and was given a'seat. She
had a pleasant face and graceful fig
ure and evidently no great sorrow
Swallowed her visit, but she had some
petition to make and the mayor, in
softer tone than generally character
ICES his speech, asked, What can
do for you?n The lady came forward
to his desk and addressed him in
Spanish. His honor replied in the
same tongue but there was firm
"No" interspersed in his reply. Evil
IDENTIFY it was some request he could
not grant, but the fair petitioner left
with pleasant "good day"
A reporter of one of the daily pa
pers had in the meanwhile entered
and taking seat began to inter-
view the mayor and if possible extract
some startling news item. Our re-
porters are Oblivious to much of the
drama of life that is continually going
on about them; they only seek for the
startling happenings, the accidents,
or the palpable acts of the public
functionaries of organizations. They
should drop their lines deeper in the
stream of human life. The reporter
complained that his honor had fur
nished a rival paper with an item
about the electric wires and had not |
given him chance to get the same |
Information and finally arose and in a |
despairing sort of way declared that |
he was sorry he could not get even q |
local item out of the mayOrs's office, |
and left to visit other public offices |
and interview other public officials in |
the same way, hoping to find an item |
of news" for his readers.
A knock at the door is responded to |
by the mayor who is confronted by o |
hurley gentleman who introduces his
friend as Secretary of something from
Iowa. He would not stop, he simply
NO n 10 N for Of
the mayor of San Antonio, he would |
call again. Evidently the introducer
was showing his friend from Iowa the
lions of the city.
A well-dressed, brOnze-faced young
man who looked as if he had been
serving a time as brakeman on some
railroad and was seeking softer job,
came in and took a seat, wnirling his
hat in his hands to steady his nerves. |
His honor asked, "What can do for
you sir!n The seeker after a soft job |
came forward aud began to make his |
little speech, when the mayor cut him |
short by telling him to put in his APP |
plication and papers to the city coun-
Gil.
The next caller was a rather young |
white woman, who did not enter but |
called the Mayor to the door She
wanted a grave III the city cemetery |
to bury an infant; the Mayor softened |
his voice, believing it case of chart
ty and told her that the city clerk |
would give her an order on the city |
SECTION for a coffin and grave; but the |
women protested that she only want
ed a grave, she would furnish coffin
and take it to the cemetery. The may
or asked her if she had certificate |
from doctor of the cause of death; |
she replied she had not, and the !
mayor told her to go and get the GER
tificate and then return andher request |
would be granted. Where was our
reporter Here, mayhap, was a full |
chapter of human sorrow, frallty and |
disaster, or simple leaf from the an
mails of the poor.
A gentleman entered whom the |
mayor greeted with friendly warmth;
he was an officer of the L. 5. A, VS.
iting the city on leave of absence |
from his post in Nebraska. They had |
known each other dozen years ago |
at Fort Stock ton, and for several min |
utes their conversation consisted of |
inquiries about old friends and &C
quaintances ont on the frontier who |
they had associated with in the by
gone years.
The chief of the fire department
came in to ask the mayor to in
spect pair of horses which he had |
hitched to fire engine in front of the
mayors office, with view ofpurchas-
ing for the use of the city. Excusing
himself to the many who had accu.
mulated, the mayor went to inspect