Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-13
tFrom the KichtEa,,aEa E$$siniQer.l
San Antonio (TCxas and is Eis;rnn,

six missions established by the Spaniards
for the purpose Of christian;zing the In
Gi;,,s, during the segeltcoistfs scalftmry, and
was founded in the same year with Phila-
dclphia. AS far as regards fertility of soil
a hca; climate, and beauty Of location,
Is.he Spaniards certainly displayed, III the
CHOICE fills rcgion, that Judgment, tast,
and experience which haze. always accom-
panied their industry in thc early settle
mcnt of America. Mexico, Cuba and many
Of the Central 4 ncrican States as far sur
pass the Northern States Of this continent,
III climate, fertility Of soil aud natural
wealth, as it is, possible to conceive. From
them We have torn the golden land q fall
fornia aud the long coveted and rich Cuba
J! bids fair, at no distant day, to reward the
Yankee for his pcrtinacous cumdity; While
the soil Of Nicaragua has already drank the
/ blood Of Americans, and the bones of un-
buried thousands can testify to the atlyanta-
ges of its acquisition
/ But to return to our subject. OF all the
territory acquired by the Texas resM4sio:l
from Mexico, that portion which lies be-
tween the Colorado and Nuccys rivers is the
most salubrious and productive; and Of this,
the valley Of the San Antosio siver is TIC
garden spot This river has its source
in Eve maIsmotA s;;ariiags Ct crystal water,
whose beas4ty aad grandeur strike the
stranger with rapture and .asteuisss me,it
and without any other tributaries, this 81
gantic spring branch, the average depth Of
which is twelve feet here, and width fifty
yards, flows from its native hills as pretty a
streaa4 as the vide world can boast. After
gliding nolsiesssg -ess,aS i grassy bottom for
the distance Of ,foar miles, it reaches the
city, whereof takes serpentine course,
. meandeFisag through all its parts, and after
having spoft8d Nth the tres:es of many a
dark eyed s'Senorito," it BIDS them adicu
to lave the banks of the howvry psailies.
The city of San Antonio contains about
ten thousand inhabitants, composed Of a.
mericans, Germans and Mexi,ans Th,rs
are about Eve thousand Americ ms, three
Thousand MEG icaaas, AID t2.n IL onsand Ger
MANS mixed vita ,f'rcnsn and Itaiians -
Those of each class composing this tripid
population are, generally speaking congrc-
gated together according to their nationah-
ty, IN three distinct parts of the city. The
Germans, for the most part. occupy what is
called ''Alamo City" on the east .s,itle.of the
! river; the Appa leans Size northern and
southern portions; the Hsees e;.s.ls 4lse part
west Of San Pedro creek, called s11aa;esh-
to- while some Of all, but chiefly Ameri-
cans, possess the middle, Of which the pla-
zas are the centre.
! There elsa tive .b'azas Of about enc hun
dred arc thirty yards square h-e = e.
camille and Military" alost Of, tie
principal hotels, s,tosss., LsaFling hosses,
saloons, places ef amusement, &c, are situ-
ated around the former; the Court House
and public buildings are located on the Mil
itary. This plaza is also the arena for pa
rades, nlaromas, travelling circuscs, and the
like.
The Church of San Antonio, from which
the city and river derive ther name, has
been standing for nearly two hun1r d
/ years, sad ,soyes;s thccentral space between
the two plazas.
Besides the river aud Sga i'etro creek,
the city is also .Ei4tsrcd by ''Acequ:&3 or
conduits, formerly used for irrigatin- pur-
poses by she Sraui;s L., which compete the
conveniences for gardening, washing &c ,
in every part Of the town.
The appearance Of The place is quite an
ti1ue, but its venerable looks begin to be
considerably rejuycnated Of late years by
Yankee 3nnayatlons iln the style Of bplaai4qsg
The CID aasks@ued Spanish onc-story hou-
SEES, with Their comfortable thick walls and
cement roof, are now giving place to large
and fine stone houses, but which like eve
rything Ameilean bear more show than
comfort. 1rosa tie Shane Of the streets,
however, the MexicsI Houses viii nevcren-
tirely disappear, for these, in all Mexican
towns, are comparatively narrow and crock
ed, as q means Of protection to the ilfaabi-
tants in time Of 81 invasion by an enemy !;
it is not possible to rake street with grape
for any distance, being crooked. The town
on the Alamo side of the river has been
laid of since the advent ef klie Americans,
and therefore bears tic proportion and reg
ularity Of an American city. There are a
number OF fine residences in San Antonio,
some of which cost frem twenty five to fifty
thousand dollars, and ere the lapse OF many
cities i'll the United States.
The headquarters Of the Army in Texas
are established here, and occupies The old
Alamo fort, whence issues the stores, pro-
visions, &C., for the inbumeahe posts on
the northern aud WESTERN frontier. San
Antonio is also the grand depot Of trade tc
all the Northern States Of Mexico, New
Mexico and Northern Texas. Much Of the
emigration to California also passes through
here, and large numbers Of beef cattle are
dnkyen to that State annually. This gives
the place qsite a business appearance, and
it is not extraordinary to sec. both plaza
filled with cart and wagon trains to and
from the different trading points, north and
west.
The rrling passion Of the people Of San
Antonio is amusement Though industri-
Gus and entcrprising, still their genial cline
warns their hearts to beat a response to TIC
impulses of their nature, and the hall room
is lie constant resort of the American IA
dies; while the Germans have their lager
beer saloons their gardens Of pleasure and
their music the NeZicans their Fiestas, Z
their "Maromas," and tLeir cock-pits- -
The Germans, for the most part, are me-
clanics and agriepltrrists, and supply ths
city market with an abundance of.ve gotablcs
of every description The Mcxicans pass
their time in co.foc, torrillas AMI chilc colo