The Newtown bee., 1904-03-18
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
e. L, JOHNSON
WRITES INTEREsTIN9LY OF HIS TRIP
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONEl.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNE].

by daylight. We reached San Antonio
about noon on Monday. 1t was Wash
ington's birthday, and as we neared
the town the first thing to attract at
tention was Old Glory floating from a
nag star 1000 miles distant from our
Connecticut home. Did it stir any
emotion in the heart? What do you
think? San Antonio occupies an in
teresting place in American history,
and We were wide-awake to take in all
We could Of it. It was a singular coin
cidence that our first sight of the
place should be on the day of the an
niversary of the siege of the Alamo,
February ~, 1886. And right here we
would call the attention of our chill
dren who are studying American his
tory to the fact that for Texas, from
the time San Antonio was settled by
the Spanlards, in 1889, until the defeat
Of the Mexican dictator, Santa Ana,
who marched into Texas with the
avowed purpose Of conquering the
Texans and bringing them under the
rule Of Mexico in 1886, there was al
most constant trouble for $50 years,
during which time the Texans showed
themselves capable of self government
and made heroic sacrifices of both
blood and treasure to obtain their in
dependence. It was at the battle Of
the Alamo, now in the heart of the
city Of San Antonio, that one of the
bloodiest battles of modern times was
ever fought. The Texans to the num-
Der of 100 retreated to the Alamo to
make their final stand against a Mex
lean force of 5000. The siege lasted
for several days, and when the final
attack came not man would Surren-
der, and when at last the enemy en-
tered the fort, the slaughter was kept
up until every man within was killed;
1000 dead bodies of Mexicans testified
to the terrible conflict. Do you won.
der that the Alamo is preserved as q
sacred relic of unexampled Texan
bravery, and that the city will ever
guard 1t with jealous, as we'll as Jealous,
pride? 1t is open daily. from 8 a. m
to s p. M, and admission free. No
American going through the place
should fail to see the building of such
historic fame. 1t has been said
'Thermopylae had It's messenger OF
defeat; the Alamo had none." Santa
Ana captured the Alamo, but he met
his final defeat at the battle of San
JacintO in 1886, which closed the wal
and gave Texas her independence.
While later: the defeat OF Mexico by
the United States brought about the
annexation Of Texas, and made her one
with us in the galaxy of states. There
are several old Spanish mission build
ings in and about the city, that are of
peculiar interest, and its nearness to
the Mexican line gives quite a Mexican
mixture to its cosmopolitan popula.
ton. just before our train hauled in
an excursion train had gone out on q
six hours run to take excursionists at
$3.50 the round trip to witness a bull
fight just over the border line. So you
see how near we came to witnessing a
bull fight. But then we can see bull
fight at home If we try hard enough
My Yankee inquisitiveness led me tt
ask lots of questions, and we were tol6
that there was great laxity Of law an6
order In San Antonio, and that, ir
fact, with the exception of three
things, a man could do anything he