San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-17


New Year parties We're many and
|. in my rounds, We're at some of
these. There were fine menus and the
wine and champagne flowed freely,
At on of these parties one made
toast that is worthy of repetition:
Here's to thee friend.
Oh friends of mine.
May fortunes store
Be ever thine;
And to dear friends,
Though far away,
Oh. gladstone be
This New Years day.
And may we all. through coming
year.
Have cen. as now. the hest TO
cheer.
All things have their lights and it
is that which makes the pictures of
life. On Christmas day died Major
General Miguel Negreti, one of Mex
icO'S foremost heroes. He fought in
the American war and in the French
invasion. went to the aid of JuareZ,
He was an important factor in the eS-
adjustment of the republic and was
ut one time secretary of war. He
was buried with military hOnOrS at
the Pantheon and President DiaZ at
tended the funeral.
According TO the bible the Lord
sent Il plague of lice on the Egyptians
and he seems to have afflicted the
MeXicans in Il like manner Among the
poorer classes they are. of course. the
most prevalent but the better class
in one way and another comes in
close contact with them and unless
they are very careful and watch their
clothing they will find themselves
lousy too. 1t is no uncommon thing
to see women on the streets picking
lice out of their children'S heads. or
out of the head of Il female friend.
and they even go as far. publicly. as
To search the upper part of their
ChpmiSeS for game But that is not
remarkable. The lower class have
no sense of decency, rs we understand
it. and do many things publicly that
| cannot relate for fear of shocking
your readers.
Mr. J. b. Olsen, formerly of San
Antonio. has gone into the export bus
mess and is associated with Mr.. Nc
Coy. superintendent of the Mexico,
Pacific and Cuernava railroad. is
shipping ZacatOne to Europe and the
states. ZacatOne is a fine material
for brOOmS and brushes and the sup
ply is limited to few districts which
they practically control and there
seems to he every probability that
they will clear Il good fortune by 1t.
They propose also handling guano,
which finds Il ready sale and yields
Il good profit.
Talking of Olsen'S enterprise or luck
| am reminded of one thing that San
AntOnianS ought to know. This is a
rich country for men who have grit
enterprise and capital. for these can
make big money. but TO the man with
out capital or knowledge of the Span
iSh language. | would recommend
him to stay at home. He might be
lucky and strike it but the chances
are that he would not and would
have a mighty hard row to hoe. There
are many Americans here that have
come in search of fortune. who have
failed and are practically from force
of circumstances "bumS." diSGraCeing
themselves and their country. This
is sad. but true.
In connection with this subject Il
Young lawyer friend Of mine i'll San
Antonio writes me that he proposes
TO come to Mexico to practice. My
advice is stay at home. In the first
place he would have to have thor
ough knowledge of the Spanish Ian
guage and in the second place his le-
cal knowledge. would be useless for
the Code Napoleon law prevails and
he would have to begin his studies all
over again. and it would take him
some years to get a license 10 prac-
tice. Even then he would find the
profession crowded and difficult to
earn n living. l know several Texas
lawyers here that have been glad to
accept clerical positions to keep
themselves from absolute starvation.
4 prominent young Mexican named
Antonio Garcia Rubin was at New
Years ball on Tarasquilla street when
he fell from the upper window to the
pavement below. He alighted on his
head and at first it was thought his
injuries were fatal, or if he accident
ally recovered he would be an inva-
lid. but he is now doing well and
every evidence that he will recover
The case is regarded by the doctors
here as a most remarkable one.
Horse racing is a prominent feature
here. and we have fine races every
Sunday afternoon at the Indianilla.
one of the finest in the Americas. Adj
ditiOnal interest to the races is added
by the fact that several fine Ameri-
can horses have been sent here from
st. Louis. 1t would pay Il. II. Banks
H. d. Kampmann, the Dwyer boys.
and L. T. Peck to send their equine
pets down here and / have no doubt
that the president, Col. Pate, also the
famous Jockey club, would make it
interesting for them in more ways
than one. OF course some object to
Sunday racing, but this and the
Spanish hand ball game attract from
the brutal bull fights nei,' nearly ev-
org Sunday at the Bucareli rtnS in
this city aud the adjoining village of
Tacnbaya. In all Catholic countries