Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-08-07
TRAVELLING IN THE SOUTH.
Fred Alters Writes an Interesting Letter From
San Antonio. Texas.

San Antonio, Texas.
Alters to his mother, will be read
with much interest by the people of
Grand Rapids. Fred Alters was we'll
known iu this city. His parents
moved some time ago to Jennings,
La, where they have since resided.
Dir. Alters has travelled extensively in
the south and the letter below was
written from San Antonio, Texas.
DEAR MoTHER:-After a tireSOme
all-night ride / got here Sunday
morning and am now living easy in
the metropolis of Texas. This is a
pretty good sized place, the largest
city in the great Lone Star State and
very beautiful with its numerous
''plazas," parks and iDe public build
ingS. All the main streets and
plaZaS are swept clean every morning
and as many of them are asphalt and
smooth as floor, They are very fine.
In the center Of Military Plaza stands
the city hall, a most magnificent
building, surrounded by a beautiful
lawn, bordered by a neatly trimmed
hedge and traversed by gravel walks
through beautiful Shrubbery. A few
blocks up the street and we come to the
Main Plaza" and still farther up we
come to the alamo PlaZo." the very
heart of the city. In the center is
the band stand surrounded by palms,
roses and other shrubbery, while on
The sides OF the great square stand
such buildings as the great Menger
Hotel, post-otfice, opera house, THE
Alamo" etc.
Sunday afternoon [ went out to San
Pedro springs where thousands of
people were lounging around in the
beautiful park, playing with the
swans in the lake, taking a peep at
the animals in the Zoo,-going through
the museum and listening to Carl
Beck'S great concert band. I must
now stop writing and go out there
as the great General Fitzhugh
Lee is going to speak there this after
noon.
Sunday night the city was "wide
open" as it is every night. They have
certainly got the hinges clear off of
this place and couldn't shut up if they
wanted to. Although it was Sunday
many of the stores were open. There
were shows at both opera houses and
all the saloons crowded. The prin-
cipal saloons and palm gardens had
OrcheStras playing and at every turn |
heard music and singing, and If l
tried to recognize the song | would
generally be disappointed, for it
usually was love song in the Mexican
or Spanish language sung to the
drumming accompaniment of a
battered guitar or an Italian harp.
They say in the winter time that
San Antonio is crowded with a big
floating population from all parts OF
the United States. A large and
beautiful city, standing apart and
quite different from all other cities
in the center Of southwest Texas and
the cattle country, it seems to be a
Mecca for the lover Of historical and
curious sights. Here one sees the
quaint old Mexican buildings, narrow
streets and still narrower sidewalks.
And ever as you go you elbow your
way through Swarthy MeXicans with
their broad brimmed high peaked,
'SOmbreros," tight pantalo0ns and
broad SaSheS, and at every few steps you
stop to look into the shop windows at
the ''curiOS from Mexico" They are
very interesting.
There are several attractions here
such as San Pedro Springs, Hot Sui
phur Wells, Government Hill, Fort
Sam Houston, the six Historic Mis-
SiOnS, the greatest of all being the
"Alamo." Yesterday was a Texan
holiday commemorative the battle of
San Jacinto and the fall of Santa Anna.
There are several conventions here
this week and big horse show which
has brought in a great many people.
Yesterday / was IN the biggest crowd
ever saw. There was parade in
the morning representing the NUM-
cipal workings of San Antonio. First
came twenty mounted policemen in
uniform and then followed the
mayors carriage, the fire departments,
street cleaning apparatus, etc, all the
different departments having on uni
forms suited to their respective
occupations. But the main event of
the day was the BATTLE of Flowers"
parade in the afternoon which started
about o'clock. Alamo Plaza was
crowded with thousands of people, all
assembled to partake in the fun and
celebration of the day--the day
which marked a bloody battle and
Texan Independence now celebrated
by great peaceful gathering and
floral display which
in which the former fierce enemies,
MeXicanS and Americans, now elbOwed
each other good humOrOuSly, to catch
a first glimpse of the ''dOingS." The
parade itself was quite an affair.
First came mounted policemen with
their fine horses and elegant saddle
tra FFhpn fnIlowa1 r
Cavalry band mounted on black horses,
a detachment of the original Rough
Riders" followed next. then three or
four companies of the Texas National
Guards, and the armed and uniformed
cadets from the military schools.
Then followed twelve beautiful floats
representing the twelve months, etc.
It's too much for me to describe.
but there were beautifully trimmed
carriages. horses, automobiles, bicy-
Giles, ETC., and four brass bands, all of
which served to celebrate the revenge
of the Alamo, of which will give you
a short account for fear that you may
be slightly deficient in Texas history
| will tell you of 1.-THE Alamo"
1t is not very large building but
its bloody history makes it a sight
worth seeing. Its open certain hours
each day and visitors are admitted
free and it is needless to say that
hundreds enter its venerable portal
every day. AS one enters and steps
on the dirt floor which was soaked
with the blood of martyrs-one feels
a sense of awe and yeneratiOn creep
DER him, while in mute silence he
reads the historical sketches which
are framed and hung about on it's
crumbling walls. One gazes with
interest at the old and rusty Mexican