San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-17
THE ALAMO.
A CITIZEN TELLS THE PLAIN ST0-
RY OF HOW IT WAS SOLD
TO THE STATE.
It Was the Profitable Result of an
Advertising Scheme and Shows
That Advertisement Always Pay
Good Dividends,


Newspapers" said a prominent
citizen to a LIGHT man, Gotten play
more prominent part behind the
scenes than before the curtain, and
the proposal to repair the Alamo
reminds me that the Alamo was
sold to the state, mainly owing to
the enterprise and tact Of a local
newspaper man. The story, I be-
lieve, has never been told, and
know that it happened in
this way. At that time the
lease of the building was
vested in the Grenet estate, but the
Catholic church was virtually the
owner. The late Major, J. f. Dwy-
er was executor of the estate and
had his office in the Grenet build
ing, where the Hugo & SchmeltZer
company is now located. The his
toric Alamo, as it was POLITICALLY
called, was simply used as ware
house and as repository for pack
ing boxes, and was a disgrace to
the city and the state. 1t was
Christmas and the local newspapers
preparing their holiday editions.
Major Dwyer was usually a liberal
advertiser, and, of course, the So
licitor for one of our papers nat
urally waited on the major, who
received him, as he always did
newspaper men, with pleasant
courtesy. The Grenet cellars were
stocked with the finest wines and
liquors, and the oldest, and, like a
true southern gentleman, the ma
jor invited the newspaper man to
''take something" and like a
true newspaper man, the latter
did not decline. A bottle
of fine old "Martell Cognag" was
was preached and over this the
newspaper man did his song and
dance business showing the I'M
parelled advantages and the i'm
mense fortune to be made by adj
vertising in his paper. The Major
smiled, he heard that fairy tale
before, and answered "Fm sorry |
can't do anything this year, | in
tend closing out the business next
year and it would not be Of use"
and all the Establishment of this
and other newspaper men failed to
secure a big business sad" and
write up as was usual at this time.
Somehow the conversation turned
upon "the Alamo" and it's present
condition, and both agreed that it
should belong to the state. "Why
not sell it to the state?" asked the
newspaper man. That's just what
Pd like to do" answered the major,
'for the state should own it and
must eventually do so. | have
tried ito do sos but cannot get
any hope or encouragement.
l suppose I'll have to sell it to
some fellow who'll keep it and
make money out Of it in the end"
II have an idea mayor" said the
newspaper man, "that the Alamo
can be sold TO the state. Publish
an article in our paper saying the
Alamo is to be sold at a bargain,
and the state should take the OPP
pOrtunity of buying it ere it is too
late, describe its, present disgrace
full condition and appeal to the
patriotism of the late Legislature.
Publish this as editorial. t will cost
you twice as much as the ordinary
way, but it will do more good.
Then secure 400 or 800 copies of the
paper, mark the article and send it
to every legislator and every one
having any influence in the mat
ter, to the newspapers and others.
Then get the matter before
the Legislature and the thing
is done" The Major gave an
| incredulous smile when the
newspaper man added, 81 will
prepare the article tonight and
submit in the morning. If you APP
prove of it take my advice, if not
why it won't cost you a cent" The
mayor agreed to read the article
and consider it, and the newspaper
man retired. Next morning they
met again and the newspaper man
had the article ready. 1t recited
the history of the Alamo, it's dis
graceful condition the Opportuni-
| ty of the state to secure the build
ing now at small cost, whereas
it would hereafter, cost thousands
of dollars more and appealed to the
patriotism of the legislators. Then
it landed the mayor for his great
liberality in offering the Alamo
at such nominal price which was
really far in advance Of what could
be secured from any other source.
Thn nnnunr this time smiled.