Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-05-22
DOWN IN TEXAS LAND
Travelling Through the Lone Star
State IN a Special Train.
Beautiful San Marcos, and
Austin, the State Capt.
GEORGETOWN, TEMPLE AND WACO
Continued from last week
Wednesday. April %

Wednesday, April 20
We left San Antonio early in the
morning of Wednesday, April 29ths
the next stop being San Marcos. q
beautiful little town Of 5000 people, so
miles northeast of San Antonio.
Stately Little San Marcos
s.San Marcosl San Marcos !u dron-
en- the ebon-hued porter passing
through the train, and having realized
at New Braunfels that we were In a
section ofTexas distinct from all others,
a score of heads were protruded from
the train windows. What we saw at
first was two yerdant hills each crown
ed with an extended building of clas-
sic architecture, and spread about their
slopes clusters of dwellings, evidently
the abodes OF well-to-do people. 1t
was plain at a glance that the build
ings on the bills were colleges-perhaps
even universities from their size-and
beyond these school-crowned heights
were others topped by pretentious
dwellings. Drawing into the station
we discovered that San Marcos has
not merely two but three hills crowned
with colleges, and on leaving the town
we found that the view from the north
surpasses ever that from the south.
But 1t was not alone the beauty of the
town which we appreciated, but also a
new kind Of greeting, a cordial, whole
some neighborly hospitality which
made even that of the Texas cities we
have previously visited pale somewhat.
At the station the Chamber of Com
merce band met US and after a sere-
made Mayor Ed. ]. L. Green turned
owe the key to the town and an auto
ride brought us to the Moose hall,
where q wholesome breakfast was
served by the Chamber of Commerce,
opposite which stands the stately court
house of Hays county, the latter hav-
Ing a population Of v 10000. By
the way, that organization recently
completed a membership contest and
IN a city of 8 900 people can boast of a
300 membership.
lFifty-six autos were in line and a
trip was made tt the head Of the San
Marcos river. En- route we passed
through the grounds of the United
States Fish Hatchery. AT the head of
the river row boats were put at the
disposal of the party and many OF US
rowed to the Big Spring, which is the
source At this point the banks of the
river slope upward to q beautiful emil
hence which commands a view Of the
picturesque town and of its noted in
situations. Near here Is the quaint old
homestead Of the boyhood days of
Postmaster General BuFleson.
On the return trip the editors were
taken past the two colleges located in
this prosperous city, the San Marcos
Baptist Academy and the Coronal In
stitute, founded in 1858 by the Metho-
dist Episcopal church, south. The
Southwest Texas Normal school is also
located here, and a pretty picture pre-
scented itself as the students lined the
road way and smiled q welcome as the
party passed. Being a college town
San Marcos advertises itself as 1.-THE
City Of Culture and Education" The
wild frontier Texan has long since been
tanned by the educational and relig-
ious atmosphere which pervades the
entire community. The saloon was
long ago banished from the city and
county. The town has a handsome
500, 900 post Office building. The coun-
ty produces annually about 10000 bales
of cotton, the value Of which last year
was estimated to be two million dollars.
The entire arrangements were in
charge OF Sam r. Kone, president of
the Chamber of Commerce, who was
very ably assisted by the ladies. 1t
had been planned to give the editors a
fish breakfast at the head of the San
Marcos river but this had to be aban-
doned owing to the severe storm Of the
night before. At the bountiful break
fast each guest was presented with
roses, the first time Of our Texas tour.
The first visit to San Marcos was as
pleasant to us al the beauty of the rose;
as genuine as the scent; and as lasting
as Its beauty.
On to Austin, the Capital
It was q merry, happy family that
boarded the special at San Marcos for
Austin, some 30 miles to the north
ward. The day was pleasant, the sky
blue and we ran into Austin before we
knew We were close to it. Far larger
than San Marcos, this city is equally
beautiful and more impressive. The
train emerges from q strip of woods
and before the passengers is spread out