The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1890-12-06
LETTER FROM BIsH0P GALLOWAY
Interesting Description Of San Antonio
Beautiful Streams-San Jose A Tex
as Veteran, Who Still Holds a
Commission Signed by Andrew
JacIeou

lither officially to preside over the
West Texas Annual Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
South. Few places in this or any
otheI state, have so many and
thrilling associations as San An
tonic. 1t unites in Picturesque
way the past and present civiliza-
tion-the Aztec and the Anglo
Saxons. On the same street may
he seen Mexican adobe hut and
the splendid mansion of an Ameri-
can merchant prince. Along the
same paved boulevard moves the
peon and his pony, with the lux
urious carriage drawn by swift
footed thOroughbreds.
Right through the city mean
sders the beautiful San Antonio
river, the water as blue as the
,cloudless sky above and the cur
rent as swift as a mill-race. Not
less than six iron bridges span this
sstream within the ciUy's limits. So
circuitous is its channel that a
stranger has to stop aud calculate
whether he is Cn the east, west.
north or south side of the river.
1t furnishes ample and healthy
drainage for the growing metropo.
lis Of the west. AT the head Of the
stream, few miles above the city,
the water works and reservoir are
located. The San Pedro springs
are also within the corporate limits,
and send out an immense volume,
which forms another large creek,
as clear as crystal and as beautiful
AS a picture.
or course the chief attraction in
sSaH Antonio is the Alamo, around
which 50 much tragic and heroic
history gathers. In that very build
ing as brave q battle was fought
as any in all the annals OF war.
Within those walls Travis and
Crockett and Bowie ANA their
gallant soldiers, displayed c0ur
age and tortitude, which shames
the fame Of Spartan heroism and
humbles the crest Of the Roman
legion. For eleven days little
band of 1S0 resisted the hordes OF
Gen. Santa Anna and never ran
mp the white flag. Every man was
killed. And by the brutal com
mand of the Mexican general, their
bodies were burned outside the
Alamo. The only Survivors We're
the wife of Lieutenant Dickinson
and her babe. But by theaiames
of those burning bodies, which
cast i CHASTITY glare over the land,
tile Texans vowed the OverthrOw
of Mexican domination, and in a
few weeks had Santa Anna in
prison Thanks to the teachings of
a higher civilization, his body was
not burned, but mt length be re-
turned to his native lanI and there
died. have seen his tomb5on the
lhiN above GuadalOupe, about
.thrae miles from the City of MeXi-
eco. s s nV fFE
The oil mission buildings ncar
sSan Antonio, now in partial ruin,
aase of historic interest. Four miles
out from the city is San jose, the
most beautiful and curious of all
the Texas missions. The building
was commenced in 17lS and com
pleted'in 177l. a celebrated nj fist,
by the name of Huican, sent out
from Spain, spent years III carving
the statues and other ornamental
work OF the building. About ten
years ago the dome and portions OF
the arched roof fell in Tile old
cathedral OF San Fernandes on the
main plaza in the city still stands,
though renovated and mOdernized.
From the dome of that building
Santa Anna unfurled his red flag
and announced to Travis in the
Alamo that no prisoner would bt
taken alive. l met an interesting
old genlleman-a veteran OF thu
Texas forces of that early day
who gave me much valuable in
formation. He fought through th'
streets of San Antonio in 1880, tn
year preceding the stormine OF tn
Alamo. He was in the battle 0
San .Iacint0 and served on the dc
tail to guard Gen. Santa Ann
after his capture. He yet holds
commissi0n signed by Andre'
jackson His father was JEWS
rabbi. but for fifty years he ha
been Il christiau and WAS a lay de
egate to the annual conference.
The climate Of west Texas is so
and halmy III winter, save whe
varied by the sweep and chill Of
ssnorther.n 1t is much sought att'
by ccnsumptives and genaTkaa
cures are reported The snmme
must be very hot ana oppressiv
For several days during my 81;
here the thermometer has reacill
eighty-tive. A genuine, but said
be mild n, r.her, swept dowl su
denly upon us the other night u
sent chill to the bones. Many G
travagaHt stories are told abe
the t.northers.p | do not liks the
but the Texan thinks they are t
health-laden treezes Of the prairi