San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-12-22

tory-Present Condition of tho Blood
Stnined Fortress.
Especial Cor. of the Globe Democrat.]
GALVESTON, TEXAS, December "a
few days ago Bishop Pellicer, of the
Catholic Diocese of San Antonio and
West Texas, sold to Mr.. Grenet by far
the most Valuable portion of the Alamo
property, in the immediate vicinity of
the now fourishing city of San Antonio.
The remainder he has reserved, in order
to give the State Of Texas an opportu-
nifty of redeeming II spot made sacred
by the death and blood of her defend
ers while struggling with the Mexican
tyrant and ruthless butcher of men,
Santa Anna. Mr.. Grenet, it is learned,
will apply his new purchase to purposes
of trade and traffic. A movement will
be made in the next Legislature of Texas
to buy up the whole, if it can be had,
and thereupon erect a magnificent mon
ument to the memory of the heroes who
fell there over 40 years ago.
ITS ORIGIN.
In the year 1908 some pious Francis
can monks of the Apostolic College of
Queretaro, smitten with desire of con-
verting the Indians, founded "mis-
sion" in the valley of the Rio Grande,
under the invocation of San Francisco
Salano. In 1918 the friars moved their
mission, on account of the scarcity of
wafer, to this day prevalent in Western
Texas, to the west bank of San Pedro
Creek, about three-quarters of mile
from the site of the present City of San
Antonio. Here, as the savages and
especially the Comanches, had become
troublesome, it was put under the pro-
lection of the Spanish military post of
San Antonio de Valero. In 1744 the
foundations of the "Church of the Ala
MOI were laid, and from the time of its
building to 1883 it was known and con-
Quoted as the Mission of San Antonio de
Valero. On the Cd of January, 1893,
the Bishop of Monterey directed the
good Franciscan Father Lopez, then in
charge of the mission, and who had Ia
bored in the Alamo, to turn over its rec
ords and papers to the Curate of San
Antonio de Bexar. The following year,
Texas being portion of Mexican Ter
ritory, Don Pedro de Nava, Governor
of chihuahua, ordered the seculariza-
ton of all the missions under his juris-
diction, which extended likewise over
the Province of Texas. In 1925 the
Aalmo ceased to be place of worship
altogether.
CONSTRUCTION AND DIMENSIONS.
Built for defense, as well as Church
purposes, the Alamo is of stone. The
walls are feet thick, and the principal
building, indosing court or square, is
so yards long and 40 wide. On the
southeast corner of this fort is the
church of the Mission proper, built like
wise of stone, the whole reminding the
spectator of the baronial castles of
European feudal ages. On the west
and east of the structure were two
accouisa, or bitches, emptying into the
San Pedro.
SANTA Annals SUMMONS To SURRENDER.
The Texan revolt against her Mexi-
can masters was not yet successful, and
Gen. Santa Anna, then considered the
Napoleon of the West" crossed the
Rio Grande with an army, determined
70 reduce his rebellious subjects of
Texas. lie had formed at Matamoras a
iuuctisn with Gen. Urea, whom he dis
patched with portion of his forces to
occupy San Pairico, on the Lower Texan
eosst. With the remainder he set out