The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-19


in the san Saba Valley, rests the quiet
town of Menardville. Its widespread, irri-
gated fields, covering miles of rich river
bottom with luxuriant growth and scat
toring orchards of bright-colored fruits.
would make the locality notable, because
so unusual in all the arid country sur
rounding it, But 10 the tourist anu
archaeoiogist il is attractive rs tho loca-
fion Of the ancient Mission OF san Shna.
The ruins are about "A mile above the Town
on the opposite side of the river Inc
walls are in very dilapidated condition.
The outside wall of the chapel is from 10
% Il feet in height. Connecting with the
side walls of the church "A thick wall OF
rock some 4 or feet in height contlpues
around back TO the end of the church,
again inolosing some three or four acres
Of ground i'm nearly perfect square. AZ
each corner an outwork or bastion extends
far enough to protect the long side walls
by enfilading fire. These outworks had been
connected originally by covered way
under the wall of the lnclosure, and there
were underground ways down 20 the river
10 insure a supply OF water In case oil
siege This mission was evidently better
equipped for defense than any of tho
Others in Texas and had cannon in each
bastion, as cannon balls with large per
cent of silver have been found buried In
tbe earth of the floor mt different times.
The cannon were found years ago in tho
ted of the river with the mission bell,
where the Indians as they thought, had
securely hidden them forever. Nodded
bullets OF silver have been found by differ
ent people In digging around the old mis-
sion This fact is often mentioned as
corroborating the universal tradition Of "a
rich silver mine near by and that silver
was more plentiful than lead.
This mission was founded principally
for the purpose of collecting and reducing
ores rich i'm the precious metals. A short
distance above tbs fort. as the Enclosure
l. generally called, there is large smelter
or crucible on the bank of the river. cnp-
able of holding several tons of ore. About
four miles below is "a smaller one supposed
10 be near the site of the mission and
prasidio completely destroyed at the time
Of the first massacre in l75s. Some OF the
refuse H. still lying scattered around. Orig
inaiIy there must have been a quantity
of this refuse as their methods OF extract
ing the precious metals were very crude
and laborious, leaving enough To well pay
for working over with our modern pro-
cesses For the last fifty or seyeuty-iive
years people have been picking up and
taxing away this Stag, and many of these
pieces have been valuable.
This mission was founded by the Fran
ciscan fathers in the spring OF 1884 As
il WAS located in one of the richest val
leys of New Spain, IL prospered beyond
expectation. A dam was built just above
the mission and n canal cut down through
the bottom land for irrigation. This i'm
mediate front Is now all grown ur with
large trees and vines, where the franciscan
fathers once looked down the line of In.
dian jakals for miles and saw tho luxuri-
ant growth Of corn, potatoes, frijolcs,
pumpkins and vines Of their fostering.
The remains Of some Of the old vineyards
are still growing amid the wild growth
along the river, and after 100 years of no.
glect still bear loads of luscious fruit, far
superior to the native grapes surrounding
them.
The inspector Of missions for New
Estramadura, (Texas) Rev. Father
Anselmony Gutierez, in 1919, and again
in 11i9, visited this mission, and thus
eiewiHely- describes the surroundings
"The mission San Saba Is veritab.o
paradise on earth. The simplicity OF the
1ndios mansos converted or tame
Indiansl their eagerness Co receive in
struction, their docility, their devotion
to their spiritual fathers, Gomez and
their frugality and Industry,
surpass anything Of the kind have ever
seen during period Of 40 years service
for the church in Espana Nueva."
Speaking of the valley of the Rio San
Saba, he says: "Her beautiful climate,
her broad valleys and fair savannahs, her
groves Of spreading timber and soil of
virgin richness, plentifully
render n life more to be desired
here among these simple children of
nature than among the vine-clad hills of
ndalusia or the green valleys of tho
Avarice TO these people
Is unknown. and the bancful influences OF
gold have never reached this happy vale
% gentle dichos.
Little did the good old father dream
that the demon avarice would so soon
enter this happy fold and cause one of
the blouhiest tragedies of Spanish history
this peaceful state of affairs con
finued until the discoveries of the rich
deposits Of silver in 1850
The news of the discovery of LAS
A lnagres Minas'' soon reached the cities
Of Monterey, chihuahua and Mexico. and
a reckless class of miners hurried into the
valley. "This influx of miners
brought with it a train of evils heretofore
unknown 10 the Indians converts. They
were regarded as lawful prey by the adj
venfurers. The products of their gardens
were seized and appropriated. Many of
them were driven TO work in the mines
without pay. Their flocks were killed,
heir fields ravagcd their women abducted
and In many instances outraged. Thcir
ipleals Co. their bcnefactors, che good
IatiBCi-. WGrc nlter % tlf8e NiuNal1Ing. rs |
these pious men were powCrlcss to afford
projection 10 their devoted children. 4
roop cf twenty or thirty soldiers was at
he command of the fathers, but the mum
Der was too small TO afford the protection
'equiroh, aud repeated calls were made
lpon the coinmandants at Presidio del |
jrande and Bexar for more soldiers. At
ast troop of thirty horsemen. under |
Captain Dominigue2, was sent from san
Antonio but matters continued 20 grow
worse as the soldiers turned ont 20 bo |
luits as bad us the miners.
1he Indians became suspicious Of the |
sthers in their Inability To help them and |
ornoi an alliance with tribes 90 the |
'orth. The first uprising occurred during |
March, lbs. but early in the same month |
yaptain Dominique was Intercepted |
while returning from an expedition with !
Ourteen men, on tho divide between |
Brady Creek and Menard. 4 runner was |
cat to the mission for assistance but the !
garrison was too weak Co send any, and !
he gallant captain and his men were
,vcr powered ana slain. The fathers had !
low but forty remaining soldiers for de-
cnse. The Indians appeared before the |
pission the next morning with the horses |
~ n