San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-10-20
A Picture Of Some of Her Pioneer
Citizens and Business Men.
WHAT THE CITY EXPECTS TO
ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE
WITH RAILROADS AND
HARBOR.
The Beautiful Bluff City" whose
Crescent Shores Stretch Round
The Finest Bay Upon The
Coast.

On the southern border of Texas,
at the head of that splendid bay,
the fame of which is as widely
known as that of the great state
whose shores it washes, lies
the beautiful little city of Cor
pus Christi. Who that has
read the history of the Lone
Star state with the magnifi-
cent cities which her resources and
energies have built, can not have
felt al interest in learning of the
progress of this beautiful "city by
the sea-" associated as it is, with
so much of historical interest.
Corpus Christi it's very name,
how suggestive. Given as it was
by people who have ever been
fond of christening their cities,
their mountains and their rivers
by names which associate them
with something of a sacred charac-
ter, the name of Corpus Christi, in
its very Specification suggests to
us here, a spot on which the hopes
of man might safely be built.
gave this little city its peculiar
name had in mind it's superior
location and the many advantages
il offered had thought Of the great
Gulf over whose waves might some
day be carried from this favored
port the rich and varied products
of our noble state; of its fine elm
mate, it's health-giving atmosphere,
the fertile soil surrounding and,
above all, the splendid bay whose
peaceful waters wash it's sunny
shore like the playful waves of a
gentle sea. Notwithstanding it's
many natural advantages, to give
a faithful account of this little city
from its first establishment to the
present time, would be to write the
history of more unequal struggles,
more fruitless efforts, more hopes
raised and blasted, plans formed
and defeated, and advantages part
ly won only to be lost, than can,
perhaps, be shown by any other
city within the broad domain Of
Texas. Yet, through all its trying
times, under defeat as well as sue
cess, the staunch men who had cast
their fortunes here, never gave up
hope, nor wavered from a firm con-
fidence in the ultimate prosperity
of her future. And now as these
lines are being written, that city,
so full of possibilities, is just
awakening into new activity; en-
tering on a new era of permanent
prosperity and destined soon to
take a foremost place among the
thriving and beautiful cities of this
great state.
1t may be of interest to take a
passing glance back to the early
history of this city and Nueces
county. This, one of the Gulf
counties of the state. was formed
from that of San PatriCiO in 1916.
in April of the same year, the
city of Corpus Christi was incor-
pOrated and established as its
county seat. 1t is matter of his
tOrical interest that only little
over a year before this,in the fall of
1874, Gen. Taylor in his raid into
Mexico, camped here, and threw
up Notifications whose remains
may still be plainly seen only a
mile or so beyond the center of the
city. Visitors to Corpus Christi go
out and wander over the grounds,
gazing with an ever curious inter
est at these remaining vestiges.
silent witnesses of that bitter and
unhappy struggle.
1t would be useless here to re-
count the many vicissitudes which
this little city has passed through,
from it's first beginnings to the
present time. We enter it now in
its modern life. We see here a
growing city of 5000 population
with many happy and prosperous
homes. Its charming beauty of
location can not be surpassed. The
business portion of the city, run
ming parallel with the beach, lies
within a stones throw of the beau
tiful waters of the bay. Just back
of this rises into commanding pro-
minence that long range of heights