San Antonio, Texas

“ Eighty miles southwest of Austin is the ancient city of San Antonio, known as the "cradle of Texas liberty," a Spanish town upon the San Antonio and 432 San Pedro Rivers, small streams dividing it into irregular parts, the former receiving the latter and flowing into the Gulf at Espiritu Santo Bay. There are sixty thousand people in San Antonio, of many races, chiefly Americans, Mexicans and Germans, and it is a leading wool, cattle, horse, mule and cotton market. ”

“ The land immediately around the city is level. A mile distant rises a chain of limestone hills, which furnish an excellent building material. The sources of the San Pedro and the adjacent land belong to the city, and are set apart as a public park, which has long been the principal pleasure resort of the citizens.—San Antonio is the chief city of W. Texas, and has an extensive trade. Its most important manufactories are three large flouring mills, a soap and candle factory, a wood and stone cutting establishment, two ice factories, a meat extract factory, and three breweries. ”

“ It is at San Antonio, one hundred and fifty miles from the Rio Grande, that one first enters a really Mexican settlement. Beyond San Antonio, running south, the great inclined plane of Texas, which slopes to the Gulf of Mexico, and which is fertile in the northern and central portions of the State, becomes more sterile, and is covered with chaparral, of cactus, yucca, and mesquit,—vegetation anything but attractive, though shading a peculiarly sweet and nutritious grass, which renders this region desirable for the cow-boy and ranger. ”

“ La Presidio de San Antonio de Bexar, established by Aguayo in 1722, was located at San Antonio, Texas.
The work of Aguayo in establishing the presidios along El Camino Real gave permanence and protection to the Spanish settlers who were to follow, from San Antonio to the Adais in Louisiana, seeking a new kind of freedom. Their source of food and other essentials was so far away that they learned to live “off the land”, and became dependent on no one. ”

“ Its population is sparse and occupied almost exclusively in cattle-and sheep-raising, mining, and irrigation-farming, with a limited amount of lumbering. All its vast territory contains only a little more than half as many inhabitants as the city of Chicago. Its largest city, on the extreme eastern edge of the arid land, is San Antonio, Texas. All of its other cities are much smaller. It is traversed east and west by two, in Texas three, great railroads, running generally parallel, having many branches, and connected by several cross-cuts running north and south. ”

“ The sun shone with a genial warmth, and the air was soft and perfume-laden from the thousands of wild flowers exhaling the rich aroma from the wide prairies. It was an eminently respectable party who travelled from San Antonio on the stage that day. There were in the company the Right Rev. Bishop Gregg, of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and Mr. Breckenridge, president of the First National Bank of San Antonio; three ladies, and six other gentlemen, merchants of San Antonio—in all, eleven travellers, well provided with the means to get through the world without fear of famishing. ”

“ San Antonio has a fine public-school system, with 21 buildings and 150 teachers, colored teachers being employed for colored children. Its broad plazas are overarched by fine old trees, and Brackenridge Park, near the head-springs of San Antonio River, contains 200 acres, is kept in its natural state and maintains a rare collection of wild animals. In the Mexican quarters of Laredito and Chihuahua may be seen Spanish manners and customs, markets, shops, cafés and churches. In San Antonio, as elsewhere in Texas, many Germans have settled, and have greatly helped to build up the city. ”

“ THE MEXICAN ARMY AT SAN ANTONIO.
The day was almost spent when, from a slight hill, they came in sight of San Antonio, the setting sun gilding the tops of the church steeples, and making the sluggish river appear like a stream of gold.
"No white mustang yet," said Dan. "I reckon we might as well give up the chase and go right into the city."
"Not yet!" cried Poke Stover, pointing with his hand to the northwestward. "Thar ye are, Dan!" ”

“ Other officers are appointed by the mayor with the confirmation of the council. The city water supply, owned by a private corporation, is obtained from artesian wells with a capacity of 40,000,000 gallons a day. The city has a sewer-farm of 530 acres which the charter forbids it to sell.
San Antonio was the capital of Texas during the periods of Spanish and Mexican rule. The presidio of San Antonio de Bexar and the mission of San Antonio de Valero were founded in 1718 under the direction of Martin de Alarcón, governor of Coahuila. ”

“ The missions established earlier in the century prospered, expanded and then declined. In 1793-94 they were secularized and ceased to function as church settlements. Then followed a period of waning Spanish religious and political influence. In 1811 Mexico revolted against Spain and San Antonio was occupied several times, alternately by Mexican Revolutionists and Spanish Royalists.
In 1820 Moses Austin, a Connecticut Yankee living in Missouri, left his home and traveled to San Antonio, seeking permission of the Spanish authorities, still in power, to establish a colony of Americans in Texas. ”

“ In 1861, during the war between the States, Texas seceded from the Union. New times began in 1865 at the close of the Civil War. San Antonio became the center of a cattle empire. Longhorns were driven northward up the trails to market; mile-long wagon trains from Mexico began to come through the city. The Southern Pacific Railroad was constructed through this section in 1877. In 1898 the Spanish-American War again stimulated military activity in San Antonio and Colonel Theodore Roosevelt trained his Rough Riders at the site now marked by Roosevelt Park. ”

“ No permanent settlement was established, however, but later other expeditions passing this way encamped here. The French explorer and trader, Louis Juchereau de Saint Dennis, claiming his interest to be the establishment of trade relations between Louisiana and Mexico, stopped near the headwaters of the San Antonio River in 1714, admired the charms of the place, and declared the location to be an ideal spot for founding a permanent community. St. Dennis’ activity in the area aroused the Spanish authorities. Rivalry for the possessions of Texas broke out anew. ”

“ However happy and well off the slaves may be as a general rule, yet there must be many instances (like that of Mr Sargent) of ill-treatment and cruelty. Mr Sargent is a Northerner by birth, and is without any of the kind feeling which is nearly always felt by Southerners for negroes.—July 1863.
25th April (Saturday) .—San Antonio is prettily situated on both banks of the river of the same name. It should contain about 10,000 inhabitants, and is the largest place in Texas, except Galveston. ”

“ The gardens in and around San Antonio, and along the river for miles and miles, are irrigated from its waters, by little ditches running in all directions, from a big ditch or canal, that was originally built by the Spanish government when its various missions were established along the San Antonio valley. But if nothing of the kind should be done in the future, that country will forever remain the finest stock-raising section in the United States—the paradise of horses, sheep and cattle. There is little doubt that the tame cattle herds of to-day outnumber the wild ones of half a century ago. ”

“ I knew more about Texas than the Texans and when they told me I would find summer here I smiled knowingly— That is all the smiling I have done—-Did you ever see a stage set for a garden or wood scene by daylight or Coney Island in March—that is what the glorious, beautiful baking city of San Antonio is like. There is mud and mud and mud—in cans, in the gardens of the Mexicans and snow around the palms and palmettos— Does the sun shine anywhere? Are people ever warm— It is raw, ugly and muddy, the Mexicans are merely dirty and not picturesque. ”

“ A mild West show, which would be equally accurate, would surprise him even more; at least, if it was organized in the wildest part of Texas between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
When he leaves this first city and touches at the border of Mexico, at Laredo, and starts forth again across the prairie of cactus and chaparral towards “Corpus,” he feels assured that at last he is done with parlor-cars and civilization; that he is about to see the picturesque and lawless side of the Texan existence, and that he has taken his life in his hands. ”

“ San Antonio was the leading wool market in the State, many clips having sold as high as forty cents a pound for several years past on the streets of that city. Free range and the high price of wool was inviting every man and his cousin to come to Texas and make his fortune. Money was feverish for investment in sheep, flock-masters were buying land on which to run their bands, and a sheepman was an envied personage. ”

“ San Antonio was much the largest, richest, most influential city of Texas of that period. It was remote from the seat of government. There was no intervening population between it and the Mexican frontier. For its protection, and that of the country, a considerable squadron of cavalry was stationed in that city. This squadron was, indeed, the only military of Texas kept mobilized that was ready to take the field. Major Western, who commanded this body of cavalry, had by some acts and significant innuendoes intimated that he cared very little for the one horse Government in the city of Houston. ”

“ There are no large towns in Texas. Bexar, or as it is commonly called, St. Antonio, is the capital, and contains about thirty-five hundred inhabitants—the other villages are small, varying from one hundred to one thousand souls. St. Antonio, like all the Spanish towns, is composed of houses built of logs and mud, and makes a squalid appearance. It is situated about twenty miles east of San Antonio river. The principal towns are, Nacogdoches, St. Augustine; and on Galveston Bay, Harrisburg and Lynchburg: on the Brazos—Velasco, Brazoria, Columbia, St. ”

“ This hundredth year that Texas had been independent of Mexican rule had to be something unique. The sculptor wrote a letter about his idea to Jesse Jones, the managing director, stating that the great fair should begin in San Antonio, the ancient Mexican capital, then proceed to Dallas and Fort Worth and end in Houston. He outlined the historical features of these cities, listed their natural advantages as exhibition towns and finished with an unusual thought: “These cities will draw enormous income from the tourist travel that the centennial will surely set in motion. ”

“ Whenever a settlement was passed, the inhabitants were made to give the hungry Mexicans all the provisions they could possibly spare. Once the whole army came close to open rebellion, but Santa Anna's orders were supreme, and on the 22d day of February, 1836, the first of his troops appeared within sight of San Antonio ”

“ It is very suitable for a religious house. It is not far from the Plaza, yet secluded in its beautiful garden. Fray Ignatius has long desired it. When he has removed you, possession will be taken, and Santa Anna will confirm the possession.”
“God succor our poor souls! What shall we do then, Senor? The Mexican army has entered Texas, it will soon be here.”
“Quien sabe? Between the Rio Grande and the San Antonio are many difficulties. Urrea has five thousand men with him, horses and artillery. The horses must graze, the men must rest and eat. We shall have heavy rains. ”

“ San Antonio (53) , the second city of Texas, of Spanish origin, on a river of the name, 80 m. W. of Austin; has a Catholic college, cathedral, arsenal, &c.; does a good trade in the produce of a fertile neighbourhood, and manufactures flour, leather, beer, &c.
San Diego (16) , a thriving port in S. California, situated on a handsome bay of the same name, 124 m. SE. of Los Angeles; wool is the chief export.
San Domingo (25) , capital of the Dominican Republic, a fortified port on the S. coast of Hayti; has a 16th-century Gothic cathedral, college, hospital, &c.; founded by Columbus. ”

“ The Alamo, then, is, or rather was, an old Spanish mission located in a cottonwood grove that gave it its name—for Alamo means cottonwood—near the San Antonio River in southwestern Texas. On an opposite bank of the stream stood the Mexican town of San Antonio, built of low flat-roofed adobe or stone houses, and containing at the time of my story very few Americans, though in other parts of Texas these already formed an important part of the population. Texas was then a Mexican state, and Mexico itself had but recently thrown off the yoke of Spain. ”

“ On the 28th of March, 1813, a bloody battle took place on the Rosillo Creek, nine miles from San Antonio. The Spaniards were defeated with the loss of one thousand men. The victorious army marched into San Antonio, flying their flag in triumph. In the fortress of the Alamo they found seventeen prisoners, whom they released; the private soldiers taken prisoners at Rosillo were all set at liberty. The officers were at first paroled; but afterward by order of Gutierrez, or at least with his consent, they were marched by a company of Mexican soldiers to a place on the river below the town ”

“ Emboldened by success, they advance on San Antonio, defended by General Cos with a large Mexican force, and after eight days of continuous skirmishing compel him to surrender. Entering the town, they garrison the Alamo with Texas troops and hoist over it the Lone Star Flag. The Alcalde, loyal to duty, had rendered valuable assistance to the Mexican commander and, when the latter retreated, retired with [92] his family to his Salado ranch where, detained by Donna Inez’s serious illness, he remained until the recapture of San Antonio by Santa Anna restored Mexican supremacy. ”