Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-04-12
TEXAS A FINE LAND


The fineStScOpe of country have pas
sed through in Texas is between
Austin and Taylor. Corn and cotton
are the principal crops here. At
Taylor l saw more than ten thousand
bales of cotton on the platform at the
depot waiting shipment. Much of
this was grown by convict labor.
| had the pleasure of attending the
opening of the State Legislature at
Austin at their second special session.
[ met many of them on the trains and
in the hotel, and found them fine
body of men. just before the house
was called to order the scene was one
of unusual interest. In the large
crowd the one that received the most
attention and whose company seemed
the mosy eagerly sought, and the one
that looked the best to me was child
about one year old that was passed
from desk to desk over the whole AS
sembly chamber. The state capitol Of
Texas is building that is in keeping
in every respect with the state. 1t, is
next in size to the National capitol
and the grounds are the finest of any
State House ever visited. 1t is con-
|Structed of red granite and the dome
is more than three hundred feet high.
L secured an excellent view here. from
an elevation of 1S5 feet. 1t is the
proper time to see Texas, | mean,
especially, the southern part. The
green fields ands forest stretch away
in every direction as far as the eye
can reach. 1t is a scene that comes
at rare intervals in any life. The city
of Austin is not noted for its business
activity.
l next visited San Antonio, which
is decidedly the most interesting city
l ever visited, and place that l
would not hesitate to call 'home".
The climate is ideal; for two days it
was eightysix above zero. 1t is truly
a tropical city. The streets are mar
row, winding and irregular and the
side walks are not all of the best, but
there is something in it's makeup that
is wonderfully attractive. San
Antonio was settled in 1859. The
Alamo on Alamo Plaza was butt in
171S. San Fernando Cathedral Oh
Main Plaza was built in 1874. The
old Catholic Missions outside the city
are of much interest. Eight BATTLES
for the Independence of Texas were
fought in and around San Antonio
This city has lived under eight diff
farent flags. Previous to the Civil
War, General Robert E. Lee anl
General Albert Sidney johnson were
stationed at San Antonio. There arr
many well kept parks scattered al
through the city covering more thar
three hundred and Seventy-fve acres
Winding and we'll kept drives through
a large grove of oak and pecan tree.
reach the skirt of the San Antonio
river and lake. The court house is {
fine building, costing six hundred
thousand dollars The Federal build
ing cost two hundred and seventy-fvt
| Thousand dollars. The majority %
the streets are lined with splendid
shade trees. The San Antonio rive
which purSues winding course O
thirteen miles through the center o.
the city and the San Pedro creek thai
| is so crooked that for ten miles of it,
course are with the municipa
bounds. The old Spanish Irrigatins
canal to bring water to the Mission
Gardens is still in active service. L
is seven miles long and will easil!
endure another two hundred years
Points of special interest are defnatel,
located by the dome of the public
building and stately spires. Their,
are fifty-fve places of worship in tn,
city. In one place of business, fount
one of the finest collections O
mounted heads and horns to be foun(
anywhere in the United States, if no
in the world. Old time Texas stee
heads were on exhibition that mea
sured more than seven feet from til
of horns. There is still excellen
hunting for the sportsmen within
few miles OF the city. The grey tim
Der wolf is found in the dense thick
cts, and between San Antonio ant
the gulf the wild hog is still found
1t must be remembered, that eSpeci
ally in southern Texas there are bu
few of what we call the common
people. They are either rich Or poor
and the poor are very poor, yet tn
country as whole, is very prosper
GUS. The Texans are a boastfu
people and they have much to b
proud of. They are proud of thei
beautiful city nesting so GRACEFUL