The morning times., 1896-12-20
ABOUT OLD NACOGDOCHES
A Town That Has a Stirring
History.
Founded by La Sale ana was 'he
First Seat of the GovefhhnehI
of the Texas Republic.
Ne,g York EceRing san.

When the time comes to write the ms
tory of Texas. for Texas has history Of
singular interest, the historian Will llnd
abundant material i'll the quaint oid TOWN
of Nacogdoches. Little is heard today
about old Nacogdoches. The tlde oi I'M
migration has swept over ii to the pralfie
lands. To the west and southwest. Al
thoueh Nacugdoches is said TO be the-eldest
town in the State, even older tialt oht
ancient mission town OF San ANTONIO, II
long since ceased TO occupy an important
place among the towns OF the sldue OF 70
exercise the slightest influence upon It's
politics. I'm ,,o
northeastern corner of the State, In Il
county of the same name.
The country around the old town Is
wooded and hiliy. There are dense forests
of Dine. giant magnolias and 1--we OAKS
These hills and forests gave Ihe haiuS
pioneers protection against the lhulals
and the MeNicanS, when thcy came oNcl
from the more crowded Eastern states III
the early part of this century. Inc MeAl-
cans were always hostile TO these set
tiers, for they foreSaw the Impending con-
flict. They watched the wagon Trains
which came from year to year Win suiien
disapproval, and often melted the INDIANS
to war against the whites. Buu Whel lhe
beaten MeXicanS had retired beyond the
Rio Grande, leaving the new comers IN
undisputed possession, the settlers packed
I'M their effects, loaded their wagons again,
and continued their journey to the feTtiie
prairies where it was mot necessary To
cut away timber and dig stumpS III order
to find space for their crops.
1t was thus that Nacogdoches, which ten
wears before and for a longer period after
hn S-N
important trading post west or New Or-
leans, gradually lostits prestige and became
what 1t is nova sleepy Old countr y tow n
If anything it is sleepier and rustier
now than it ever was, for. as there is still
plenty of room on the pralries or tue west
ern part of the State, and the wooded nils
of the eastern section are as unlnvlting
as ever, the immi grants continue TO pass
it by. On
The streets are rugged and uneven, tue
old log houses built by the pioneers are
tumbling about the ears OF their occupants,
and the logs are rotting away. Even the
old brick court house, which was built
not more than fifty years ago, LOOKS
like a ruin.
But the sorriest locking place in the
town is ali old stone building facing the
public square, and commonly known sthe
''old stone fort" Its walls are rough and
yellow with age and they would plobably
have fallen down long ago were 1t not
for their remarkable solidity. Its builders
evidently put the walls there to stay, for
they are about thirteen feet thick. The
stones were put together without much
regard for the rules Of masonry, but they
were welded solidly with mortar. Moth
ingless than cannonade could batter them
down. When this tld fort was built there
is no means of determining, but there are
various traditions concerning its origin AID
history.
One OF the largest and smoothcst stones
in the front wall bears the inscription.
'1619, Ammo Domini.'' Nacogdoches folk
who venerate ancient things as much as
people iii other parts of the world, are
disposed to accept thisinscription as truth.
although hone OF theInis positive about 1t