The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-03-29
Mr.. Fritz Does Not Agree
With Gen. Sheridan.
CORPUS CHRISTI IDEAL PLACE
Many People Go There i'm Winter To
Get Warm and in Summer to
Keep Quite Cool.
TBY NJ. D. FRITZ.l

(BY NJ. D. FRITZ
Corpus Christie, Texas. March Is,
l9O7.-It was during the sixties OF
shortly before the war when General
Sheridan drove MaXimillian from Tex
as over into Mexico. When questioned
as to his opinion of Texas said: III
/ was to choose between Texas and hell
as a place in which to live L would pre-
fer hell" | have not found this to be
true. and it is fair TO presume that his
travels through Texas did not bring him
To Corpus Christie on the Corpus
Christie bay. The climate here is said
to be unequalled and that none IN the
United States can compare with it.
Summer the year round and warm
enough to battle III the salt water bay
any day in the year. There is always
a breeze. Roses bloom perpetually, and
crops of one kind and another grown
continually.
Corpus Christie has been known for
a hundred years as health resort. The
main street running north and south
practically fronts on the bay, and the
main business buildings are confined to
two streets. These two streets are but
a few feet above the level of the bay.
Back of this is bluff, where are lOcat-
ed many beautiful residences. Per-
haps the handsomest home on the bluff
is that of Mrs. H. Nj. King, the cattle
queen. who owns the largest ranch i'll
Texas 100000 acres-located on the
St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico rail
way, southwest of Corpus Christie.
Mrs. King is about 20 years old, and has
conducted this immense cattle ranch
since the death of her husband.
Corpus Christie has population of
1000 The store buildings are for the
most part of the old style architecture.
practically all frame and many in a
tumble down condition. Seven hotels
are filled the entire year and as i'll Man
kato nearly everyone takes roomers.
Houses located directly OH the bay are
the most sought for, and many cottages
costing from $500 to $500 are now in
course of construction. These cottages
rent for from $40 to $50 a month, net
ting the owner Il pretty good profit. The
average home of six and eight rooms
will average the owner $40 and $50 a
month in the rent of spare rooms. The
bay is so shallow that several fish and
oyster houses set out on posts i'll the
water.
- The surf bathing here is uneXcelled, a
smooth sandy beach reaching far out
into the breakers, making it an ideal
spot for those who enjoy bathing in the
sea, with no danger attached. The
water. of course, is very salty, and the
salt breezes are refreshing and health
full.
Soft water is used almost entirely for
drinking, although the city pipes water
from well sixteen miles distant.
The pipe line passes through the best
farming section in reaching the city
giving farmers on the way an oppor-
tunity to use it for irrigation purposes.
Lands along this line are worth from
$50 to 5000 per acre, according to dist
ance from city. | am told that al
though it does not often rain in Texas
it is noticeable that heavy dew covers
the ground every morning, which is held
by growing crops, especially cabbage,
onions and corn. The cisterns i'll this
section are a large tank setting either
on the ground OF blocked up few feet.
Water pipes when laid are either placed
OH the ground or put down a foot to
get them out of the way. As it seldom
freezes here, it is unnecessary to cover
them except to have them out of the
way.
Near the central part of the city is
located the artesian park, which fur
nished lounging place for the thou,
sands of people who come here for their
health. Here is an artesian well flow
ing an inch stream of blue colOred water
that is said to be very healthful, and
there is scarcely moment during the
day that some one is not there drink
ing or filling bottles and jugs. The
drinking of this water, the surf baths
and healthful bay breezes and warm eli
mate are the magnetic features that
draw the thousands from the north tC
this city.
OF the 1000 population here about
l,500 are MeXicans and negroes.
Texas is now having land boom
and during the past year the prices here
doubled and in some instances trebled
Last season 600 car loads of cabbages
were shipped from this place, and SO fan
this season about 100 cars have been
sent out by express and freight. Several
cars of onions have also been shipped
out. Farmers and town teamsters, con.
tinue to use the antiquated two-wheeled
OK cart, which is drawn by small
horse or mule usually of inferior size
and off color.
Many northern farmers are now com