New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-03

attract tourists, and few people suffering from
throat and lung diseases come to try the virtues OF
this peculiar climate. If they keep Wei housed
during the NtvtfoTs they benefit by their stay. Tor
the bright warm dayg that intervene, with their
dry, pure atmosphere, are peculiarly Wholesome ana
cXhiaratlng. The cIts gained ITS prosperity before
the railroad reached il, but IT has since taken new
start Its present population Is about 10000 anu
might be doubled in ten wears If the fine water
power furnished by the river were utilized for man
ufactOries. There should be cotton mill and
a wo0llen mill here, and number OF hourlng mis-
tanueres and foundries but thus far the enterprs-
ing citizens have thought of nothing but selling
goods OF raising cattle.
san Antonio is rich in historical interest. II is so
old that the inhabitants themselves don't know
when IL was first settled and there riiiing DIT
ference of fifty years III their calculations. / ne
most recent date is 171s. One OF the ruined ms
sion churches on the river was completed IN 1856.
The grandeur Of these ruins estifcs to the earnest
ness OF the religious spirit which moved the Spanish
priests to plant the cross dstaut regions ana III
the midst of savage tribes. Every mission was
fortress. school, factory and farm as wei as
church The surrounding lands We're irrigated ana
cultivated and the Indians taught some rudinents
of agriculture and mechanics along with the pre-
cepts of Catholic Christianity. Tie nearest mission
10 the town. that of Conception four miles dstants
still intact, the reiectOTy domltones ana QUO
works. which have crumbled down. IAe TWO
towers of the church, its stOne-roOfed nave ana
dOmed transept are well preserved, and thrifty
German family, which houses IN the ruined cOisJels
show the the interior for fee of two bits. 10 come
suddenly front Of tins brown old vestge - past
age after a drive along the bright streets OF INC
pecans and mesquite trees, gVcS sensation 10 even
! the most blas6 tourist. Much finer = the mas
sive ruin of san jose two miles further an. CROWN
! ing a ridge and Oversbadowlnga little village 81
| Mexican hUts. The FACADE, h. Ily carved WIN
images of the Virgin and the Saints Is still STANG
ing together with part OF the aIched ToOl, si1e
chapel and one Of the main walls. The rest IS pic
of picturesque ruins, disclosing here and there an
arched doorway beautifully carved; broken plIiar
| OF headless image. a row of rOOhess dOrmltOrles
are used as cOWsjdbles, but little side chapel, run
nng parallel to the nave, has been saved from ne
general wreck OF time and contains an aIlaI anu
few benches. priest - SEM out lIOui te ,"Nl 10
| say mass once a fortnight and pOus Old MeAlc99H
| woman shows the chapel TO strangers without ask
| ing for a fee. There are other ruined MISSIONS
lower down the river sand 10 be of almost equal IN
! terest In the town stands the mission church OF
! the Alamo, place rcvered by every true 1eAai 20
| the ThermOpylR of his state. This reverence mas
not however, saved the building from fate almost
as dep!Ora BILE as that which lately meuaced the ga
| South Church IN Boston lot the chuicn W V t
| Travis and his heroic band were "XlellIii'it ~
| the last man while fighting for Texan liberty Is
now a stOTehOuse for grain and corn, ana tle cou-
vent building. from which they were driven 10 me
church. Is being modcrnZed into dry goods store
/ The enterprisiug Frenchman who Is renting, 10 IS
not destitute OF sentiment, though lie has ld tAree
| wooden battlemented towers constructed on tle
I roof and is mounting wooden guns upon them 10
remind the world that his bursting trade IN SILKS
| and calcoCs is car u on IN what was one p'.U
| of the famous fortress OF the Alamo IHc 0tdIV
ought 10 have DO tch the buildings long ago or AZ
least the church there the final struggle tooh place:
| History records D more gallant ana tIdgIC dct VI
patriotic courage 7d Ge50tiOu than the defence OF
the Alamo, but there "a nothing IL Texas 10 VlslDiy
commemorate 10 save mean d tile monument scarce
! ten feet high under tine pOrtloo OF the Capitol AZ
/ Austin. ~
! San Antonio has many factions for Northern
people apart from It's mud, ung-like Winters ITS
! ANTIQUITIES % pretty winding river, It's homehke
| stone cottages emboweret IN trees ana ITS PIE
! tme>Que miugliu( Of natlOndlJes. IL is very
liberal cosnoDo ,an place and there is none of the
political intolerance here which still fingers in most
southern cities The Germans, who compose nearly
half fine pooulation exert an excellent influence.
Wherever yCu find German in the South yOu ind
a friend of law order .oeraton, freed ON OF speech
and good government These excellent cltlzens
have done a great deal toward sOfteuing the rude
ness and crudeness of Texas life. The city Is well
governed has an efficient police and good schools
and the presence of military headquar-
tiers adds TO society an element very congenia TO
cultivated Northern visitors OF resdents-a number
of army officers and their wives, who are as a rule
people Of culture and fine social qualities doubt
if there is IN Texas any large town where North
ern family could live comfortably aud agreeably
as in san Antonio far rs society and city advan-
| tages are concerned. J.. '. 5.