San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-01-16
Ell Paso Correspondence.
Ell PAso, Tex, Jan. IL 1898.

y
Ell Psso, thought that a few lines
concerning 1t would not be out of
place.
Ell Paso (The Pass, as every one
knows, was first settled by Spaniards
and until about the year 1880 Ii was
nothing but sleepy old town, con-
sisting of Q few adobe buildings. In
that year the Southern Pacific Rail-
way, which had been building east,
reached the town and Immediately 1T
took q start and sprang into Promi-
nence as trading post with the In
dams and Mexicans. In the year fol-.
lowing the G. n. & 3. A. Ry. came In
and from 1854 the Texas & Pacific ex-
tended as Tar west IS Ell Paso.
The A. T. & s. Fe and Central Mex.
icano recognized its importance as q
railway center decided to make their
terminus Ell Paso. Ever since that
time Ell Paso has been on q continual
boom, people coming from all parts of
the American continent, have settled
here at least, the greatest number of
business men are from the north and
east.
There Is but one bad feature our
beautiful city has and that is the
gambling going On here now although
long after election gamblers are still
rattling their chips day and night al.
most In full view of the passing pub
lie. Even minors are allowed to buck
the tiger as they call 1t. But all
things have their limits and it would
not surprise your correspondent one
bit, but what some day in the near
future these hell holes will be taken
in by our efficient force of officers and
kept under control the same as all
larger cities In Texas which would be
God send to our community.
Another nuisance to our city Is the
tramp element. There are more
tramps and general loafers here than
in any city of its size in the south.
One can walk through the public
park and find at least twenty-five
tramps to every one hundred persons
seated or walking there. Occasional
ly police walks amongst them and
take as many IS four or five along
and work them on the streets for
number of days and then gives them
about twenty hours to leave the city,
but their places are soon filled by
others of the same class, but so much
for tramps and q little more OF
city news.
Ever since the holidays are over
business seems to be on what might
almost be termed stand still,
great many persons being thrown out
of employment, principally clerks and
bartepders and one stands rather q
hard show of securing a position
of any kind, as this is great health
resort, and is roted for it's mild eli
mate u large number of young men :,
mostly invalids of small means, flock
here and take positions in all kinds of
trades just for their bare expenses
over the winter and return to their
homes both north and east, In spring.
The only thing that hindered our
visitors here Is the bad water we
have; il is always the same, dirty and
clouded, and almost unfit for drink.
1t Is earnestly spoken of now that we
are u have new water works SYSTEM,
and may the time be not far off. The
city council has been squshbling for
some time to vote new aid more
water works bonds in order 10 secure
better water for the public. Whether
or not they will be able to agree on
the question is yet puzzle.
Your correspondent called upon Mr.
Logan at his rooms in the Vendome
hotel some days ago. This gentleman
has been here with q view of dam
ming the Rio Grande, but would not
speak on the subject, as he says he
will not say anything whatever about
ituntil he is certain whether or not he
will take the enterprise in hand.
People both in and around Ell Paso
are anXtously looking for the day
when this monster of q river will be
damned aud proper irrigation can be
secured. A factory of any kind would
stand a very poor show here, as it Is
we'll known that the Rio Grade Is dry
from three to four months in the year
Even the smelters have q hard time
of it and have to use water out of their
own wells to a great disadvantage
and at an enormous cost.
BUILDING NOTES.
Mr.. A. Morehouse, one of Ell Paso's
most enterprising citizens. is contem-
plating the erection of a business
block at the cost of forty thousand
dollars, in the ear future.
The new Sisters hospital, now un.
der construction, lis progressing nicely
This will be one of the finest build.
ings In the city and to cost one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars
MIsCELLAN EOUs.
The screen and counter for the reg
istry department of the postoffice and
furniture for the U. s. courtroom ha.
arrived; also the boilers and heating
apparatus for the new custom hous,
and work is rapidly progressing il
putting them in place.
II lie rumored that several cases o
small pox and typhus have mad
their appearauCe both in FL Paso anC