The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-02-20
LETTER FROM TEXAS.


door open cannot help thinking how
much pleasanter this climate is in
winter than that in the keystone
State. Men are to-day wearing straw
hats and linen busters, women are
carrying faus and parasols while the
delicate dude may be heard to ex.
claim that it is "deuced hawt ye knaw."
The farmer is plowing and sowing, the
cowboy is feeding his kline upon the
verdant grass and the spring poet is
abroad in the land.
San Antonio is one of the old.
est cities in the United Staets, it
being formally laid out in the year
1852, or at the same time that Will.
lam Penn and bis followers founded
the city of Philadelphia. It was
chartered as a city by the King of
Spain over $50 years ago, aud it now
presents many interesting relics of
antiquity to the lover of the old and
curious. The streets of the city are
extremely narrow and as crooked as
the tracks as Star Route politician.
Like all cities of castilliau origin,
San Antonia is not without its plazas,
or public squares, of which there are
three, respectively designated as the
Main, the Military, and the Alamo
plaza. The city abounds 10 many
ancient buildings of Spanish con.
struction, but within the past few
years large number of fine business
blocks and private residences have
been erected in the latest style of ar.
chitecture. San Antonia has a popu.
latiOn of about $4,000 but during the
winter season this is augmented by
at least 5000 persons who come here
from the north and east. The ener.
getic Spanish Catholics who first set.
tied this country h&ve left many en-.
during monuments in the shape OF
missions which were erected by their
Indian converts and used both as
places of worship and as fortresses oi
defence against their enemies. There
are several Of these ancient structures
in and about this city, but the one
around which clusters the creates,
historical interest is the celebrated
Alamo, in the defence of which the
gallant Davy Crockett and his noble
compatriots lost their lives. The
history of this remarkable defence is
familiar to all, and as an exhibition
of human bravery and patriotic devo
ton it should certainly be ranked
with Thermopyl@. Of the 1872 fear
less men who assisted in this heroic
defence not one was spared to tell the
tale, but it cost the lives of a.
least 1000 Mexicans to accomplish
the capture Of the Alamo. The rec
ords in this famous mission show thai
1t was founded in the year 1903 By
the order Of St. Francis, and although
now over 1S0 years old, it is at pres
ent in fair state of preservation, anc
its massive walls Of stone are as firm
as when first erected. The severa
} churches Of the city frequently holC
festivals within the sacred walls O
this old building, and on the occasion
of my visit the place was strewn witt
} wilted wreathes, semi-petrifed sand
wiches, aud other evidences of al
: ecclestical frolic. The Alamo ha
given a name to so many organization
!, and business firms of San Antoni.
that it has been nicknamed "The Ala
mo City" Next to The Alamo, il
point of interest, is the Cathedral .
} San Fernando, which is situated be
tween Main and Military plazas. TIL
, front part of this enifce has bsel
recently rebuilt, but the rear has stoot
for over century. A few miles be
low the city are to be seen the mis-
sions of Espanda, San Juan and sew
eral others that are somewhat NOR,
ancient than the "Sage of Greystone.
A mile north of the city are situated
: the militery post and supply depo
: Of the United States army for tn
department of Texas. San Antoui
was selected by the Spaniards as
| NJ nilita ~. ..onl 3. IL azan 1