San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-05-29
HOW HE LIKED 1T.
An Ohio Doctor Writes of his Visit
to San Antonio.

| The following is description OF
a visit to San Antonio by DIR. G. A.
Henry, a member Of the National
Railway Surgeons association,
that visited the Alamo city few
weeks ago, taken from the Fostoria,
(OhiO) Daily Times:
We left Galveston on the morn
ing of May 18th, passing through
Houston and Austin, reaching San
Antonio at twelve at night. We
took quarters at the Mahncke ho-
tel, where we had good accomoda-
tions at reasonable rates.
San Antonio is built along the
banks of the San Antonio river
which bursts forth from the rocky
foot hills just above the city.
This city has a population of
about sixty thousand. Its general
appearance, manners and customs
are different from any other place
that we have ever seen. Inmy
Judgment it is the historic city OF
this continent. The first place of
interest we visited was the Alamo,
situated on the Alamo plaza. This
ancient building is in a fairly good
state of preservation. Here, in 1885,
one hundred and seventy-five
Americans resisted the siege of
Santa Anna with 5000 Mexicans
and fought them until every
American soldier was killed. The
guide pointed out to us the place
where Col. Crockett lay to the left
of the front entrance, nearly COW
cred with dead Me cleans, also the
room where Mrs. Dickinson and
child, the only survivors, re-
manned during the siege.
The marks of the Next
cans cannon balls on the stone
walls are still plainly visible. Our
party next secured a hack and
visited the old missions located
about four miles south Of the city.
These missions were built in us
and appear to be constructed as
much for defense as for the idea of
teaching religion. They are now
in partial ruins. After dinner
party, consisting of six OF our So
ciety, with a guide, crossed the
San Pedro to the Mexican part OF
the city, to witness some cock
fighting. After taking an upper
seat in the pit and looking about
me to take in the surroundings,
concluded that this was the most
villiainous looking crowd that
my eyes ever rested upon.
1t consisted of Mexicans, greasers,
darkies and a few Americans. One
of the latter, an old back number,
who ought to have been in better
business, occupied seat beside me.
He told me that he was engaged in
raising chickens for the pit, and
that the crowd consisted of thieves
and scoundrels, also that they had
stolen more than $1,000 worth OF
game chickens from him. He
pointed out two MeXicans whom
he said were guilty OF murder.
After witnessing two fights in each
of which one cock was killed, we
left in disgust, and with no very
exalted opinion of the city's
morals. After supper Mr.. Mar
tin Rakoiweoz, an employee of
our hotel and one of the most
genial and kindhearted men have
ever met, volunteered to show us
the city. Scholz's palm garden, on
Losoyo street, with a court filed
with trees, which were worth see-
ing. Harnisch & Baer's ice cream
garden, on Commerce street, with
mulberry trees for a canopy and
madeira vines for a side enclosure
and tropical plants reminded us of |
a fairy castle. Mr.. Albert Fried
rich's restaurant, at 800 Dolorosa
street is place Of interest. 1t is
said to contain the most remark
able collection of heads and horns
of animals in the world. There
are over 1000 specimens, for which
he has refused $4,000. The head
Of Texas steer wlrhhorns measur-
ing seven feet two inches from tip
to tip, is among the curiosities.
We next visited Milan square,
where the Mexicans serve their
favorite dishes, consisting Of hot
tamales, and chile con carne, with
other Mexican dishes and coffee,
ETC. From there we went to our
hotel, we'll satisfied that we had
spent the evening to good advan-
tage.
l am satisfied that we came here
too late in the season to endure
travelling well, and we shall start
for home as soon as possible. ~.