San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-09-06
SCENES IN WONDERLAND
Down in the Tropics of Mexico
The Scenery Between Victoria
and TampiCO Products
Climate. Etc. EIc.
TAMpIco, Tamaulipas, Sept. 8, 90

i U IUe Ddllf Ll1hl'
A trip over the Monterey and Mexi.
can Gulf railway from Victoria to
Tampico lie picturesque, and is one
that no tourist who comes TO Mexico
should miss taking.
AS Victoria is the first tropicslcity
on the line of the road; the. road from
there to Tampico runs through q
tropical country; country where
spring, summer and fall prevails; a
country where the cold northers,
frost and snow are unknown, where
fruit and vegetables grow the year
round; sweet roses bud and bloom and
perfume the atmosphere with the
sweetest of odors S65 days in the year,
while the woods and dsles are full of
bright colored birds and parrots
whose merry songs and chipping, can
be heard morning room and nighl.
The first thing that Will attract the
tourists attention when the train
pulls out from Victoria, is the groves
of banana. agut cite, and palm trees
that the road passes throul h, Tn y
line the banks of the river aLu
as they are always green they
would make q picture fit to adorn
the Queens palace. But as the
train rushes on it passes small
farm houses and through fields of
corn and sugar cane, until il arrives
at LAWN station, twenty-five miles
from Victoria. This station is pamed
after prominent merchant In VIC
toria, VINO owns large ranch in that
vicinity.
After leaving there, there is some
beautiful scenery TO the right. The
mountains parallel to the road, and
although they are not IS lofty as
those We left behind, they are yet as
picturesque.
The next stopping place is San
Francisco. This is situated at the
foot OF table mOun taiDs, whose sides
are covered with palma sOllate," q
species OF palm that never fails to at.
tract attention. We saw some that
were from six to ten feet in diameter
at the ground. and not more than
from ten to fourteen inches in dis-
meter four feet from the ground
None of them were over twelve feet
high.
After pulling out from there the
tourists should keep q sharp lookout
for they soon will come in sight Of a
beautiful mountain stream of spark.
ling water, the "Fsrlon." whose
banks are lined with large cypress
cedars, spruce, poplar and willow
trees. AS there is q water tank on
the bank OF the river all tralus stop
going up and down take water, go
that the tourists have few minutes
to enjoy the scenery. The scenery
from here down IL broken; the noun
tains are growing smaller and spread
out over the plains until they become
lost TO view.
me next place Nof importance is
Oral Gonzales" This station IL
located on ex.Presldent Gonzales
hacienda and is eighty-tbre miles
from Victoria, off to the left mile
and half away Is small
mesa (table) OIL which are erect-
cd the buildings for the hands
aud company of soldiers which are
stationed there, while Fl to the right.
teu miles away, is Somprera Mexi
cana, or hat mountain, which rises mp
in the plains and can be seen for
thirty miles away. 1t derived its
name on account OF it's resem blsnce to
the Mexican hat presume they
took their model for their hats from
that mountain. This is the meeting
place between Victoria and Tsmpico,
ami passengers get dinner there.
This hacienda IL the largest in the
state and contains about 1,066, $50
acres. 1t lie well stocked with cattle,
horses, mules, burros, sheep and
goats. 1t is not only fine stock
ranch but it is q fine agricultural
ranch also; but there Is not much of it
in cultivation.
The country from here to Alta Mira
Is interspersed with open prairie and
belts of timber. There is every vsrie.
ty of soil, from heavy clay TO black
sandy and aIluvisl soil. All of it is
well adapted for agriculture. 1t is as
rich farming land as we ever saw in
any country.
Alta Mira (Tall View station is the
last station on the road. The church
tower and q few buildings only can
be seen from the depot, but as we did
not have time to visit IL we cannot
say much about it at this time. We
have been told that 1t Is lovely
little town. There is q broad lagoon
that comes up to the town, and the
citizens enjoy bathing, fishing and
bunting in it. From here on to Tam
p'co the road runs through 8 dense
forest of timber. Here for the first
time the traveller will see the "Laural
Ia India" or Indian timber. This
tim Der grows very large, throws out
large branches, and they in turn
throw out roots which descend to
ward the ground and take root, from
which spring up other trees, so that
from one tee large grove can grow.
all united to the main one. AT dis
lance these roots look like moss, but
rs you approach them you will see
that they are roots thrown out from
the branches. Whenever they come
In n. NTH q him their