Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1903-04-22

settled down for long ride acros
the great state of Texas to the quain
old city of San Antonio, the secon'
oldest in the United States, ant
abounding in interesting historical
associations. Its settlement date
back to 1859 when it was founded b,
the Spaniards, and is now a city o.
about 10000, large proportion Of
whom are Mexicans and negroes. 1t!
short, irregular streets, ancient abode
buildings, large and beautiful plazas
are its main characteristics. We were
greeted by the Business Mems Clut
and given trolley ride to Fort Sam
Houston, one IF the large southern
military posts, where about 1000
soldiers are stationed; to the Hot
Sulphur Wells, famous resort fol
invalids; to San Pedro Park, the
large public park of the city, with
its famous springs and attractive
features and to the old missions near
the city. whose magnificent ancient
structures are rapidly falling into
decay. Returning to the city we
were allowed to visit the historic
Alamo, the wonderful old fort mission
built by the Spanish missionaries in
17lS, where one of the greatest battles
in history was ragged in 1926. Here
1873 brave Americans kept off 1000
besieging Mexicans for eleven days,
finally every one of them perishing by
choice in the Alamo instead of escap-
ing, after killing 1000 of the Mexicans.
The pages of history contain no more
touching story of bravery than the
legend of the Alamo The evening
was spent in the Mexican quarter of
the city, where we were shown the
Mexican gambling dens, the palace of
the first Spanish governor, Cordova,
and other historic places.
During the night and the next
morning we rode across the coast
country of Texas. through the great
fruit section, abounding with
orchards, Strawberries and wild
flowers, to the famous city of Calves
ton. which was nearly wiped out of
existence three years ago by the
great tidal wave which swept over
the city, at heighth of from twelve
to eighteen feet, carrying death and
destruction in its pathway. Nine
thousand lives were lost in the awful
catastrophe, and the city left almost
a total wreck. 1t is situated on an
island, anu is approached from the
mainland over long trestle bridges.
With wonderful pluck and energy the
people have taken up the task of
restoring the city, and have made
splendid progress. a sea-wall of
solid masonry seventeen feet high and
four to twelve feet wide is being
erected about the city at an expense
of So, 900. 900, which it is expected
will place the city out OF danger from
a recurrence of the tidal wave calam-
ity. Our party was escorted by a
committee of prominent citizens
about the city, viewing the immense
docks having frontage of nine miles
ON one of the finest harbors in the
world, They are capable of accom-
modating 500 vessels at time, and
the immense ocean steamers load and
unload direct from the mammoth ele-
vators, ships from number of differ
ent foreign countries being in pert
when we were there. We were given
delightful three hours steamer ride
on the gulf, seeing much of interest
to one living so far inland.
Returning to the city we were
taken on trolly cars about the city
and shown the public buildings, the
inviting beach. many ruins of the
food and the rebuilt portions of the
city. The beautiful streets and
yards, filled with roses, palms, mag
nolias, oleanders, etc., together with
the balmy atmosphere, formed a
marked contrast to the snow storm
which we had left in Iowa.
A run of an hour and half the
next morning brought US to Houston,
one of the most enterprising and
progressive cities of the south. II
contains about $4,000 people, and is
destined, we believe, to become the
great shipping center of Texas. Work
has commenced on the dredging of the
bayou running up to the city from
Galveston, which will permit the
large ocean vessels to run to Houston,
whose railroad and other facilities
will make it great shipping city.
After a pleasing reception at the
Cotton Exchange by the citizens OF
Houston we were shown the workings
of the greatest cotton market in the
world. aad given ride to the immense
ice factories. breweries, cotton mills
and to Brunner Park, where lunch
was served, and we then returned t(
our train.
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