The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-03-29
An Old Document.

The following Is q translation of az
official report of Don Manuel Munoz,
the Spanish commander at San Anto-
Mo in 1894, which contains some very
interesting statistics about our old city
and lis population, in those primitive
days. The document itself is written
on thick, yellowlsh paper, the hand
writing being as clear and legible as
copperplate. The signature of the
Spanish Governor has the usual compli-
Gated and elaborate ru6icO or flourish,
indispensable to the signature of every
Spanish grandee:
PROVINCE OF TKXAS-TOWN OF SAN FER
NANDo, OF AUSTRIA.
This town is composed of it's capital
and three towns, inhabited by 3470
souls, to-wit: Twelve priests (relig-
ioso, priest who belongs to a regular
order), III Spaniards, 437 Indians,
800 Indian women, 500 males and 565
females of the different Indian nations,
or tribes, of this kisgdom.
Governor-Lieut. Col. Don MuRoZ,
salary, $4,000; Presiding Alcalde-Don
Manuel de Arocho, salary, $4,000; Sec
chaca, salary, $4,000.
This capital of San Antonio de
Bexar, as am informed, was originally
garrisoned by troops in 1915, and in
the years 1922 following, his excel
lency the Viceroy commissioned the
Governor of Coahuiia, Marquis of
San Miguel de Aguayo, to occupy that
province of Texas with q company of
fifty men and priest of the Order of
the Holy Cross of Quintana. He
founded two missions, San Antonio
Yalero and that of Texas.
By report from his Excellency the
Marquis of CasafUerte, dated Novem-
Der 80, 1880, directed to the Governor
of Coal.uila, Don Juan Antonio Bustil
10 Bustamente, and in his absence
to the captain of the Fort (Presidio) of
Bexar, Don Juan Antonio Perez de AL
mazan, it appears that the same year
fifteen families from the Canary Islands
entered said province, and that at the
same time tbs place was erected into a
town, according to said report, al
though no documents can be found in
the archives of this province to show
IuO idCb SACCpG thC SOpJ VI IhO dioPo|Sh
above mentioned, which can be found
in the municipal archives of said town,
and winch fact still lives in the men,
DRY of some of the people who lived at
that time and are still living here. 1t
may be that those documents exist in
the archives of the government of Goa
hula, as this province of Texas was
then united to that of Coahuila, and
under one governor,
THIS capital is situated in latitude
800. industry is developed except
agriculture, and five merchants, whose
capital amounts to $50, 900, including
the interest of others. Money on de-
post. ..
We have had favorable crops, and
all the frontier Indians are at peace.
Only few cases of horse stealing have
taken place, principally caused by the
carelessness of the owners, for it is in
herent in the nature of the Indian to
steal horses.
There are some Indian missions, un-
der the administration of our Lady del
Pillar de Nacogdoches, which are adj
ministered by the twelve priests already
mentioned, including that of the Mac
ogdoches, and the supernumery of said
mission, with stipend SALARY allowed
missionaries in Americaj of $3.50, each
of said salaries paid by the Royal
Treasurer at San Luis Potosi.
MANUEL MUNoz.
San Antonio dc RszGr, Jan. 10, 1894