The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-17
THRILLING STORY OF A SOIL
 BAPTIZED WITH BLOOD
By J. MARVIN NICHOLS.

the country that he determined to es- tablish a mission--or colony, as we American expansionists would say. Hs placed Fra Marquenet in charge ana called 1t San Francisco de TeJas. Don de Teran. who succeeded Don de Leon visited this Spanish possession in leel. and changed the name to San Francisco de la Espada est Francis of the Sword) It was near the site of the present ruin that bears that name Tn "Espada" Is to be seen tho whole pur- pose of the colony--the saint and his sword. The tower Is in the shape of a sword hilt. For some cause 1t was abandoned In 1G93 and was not estab- iished again for over twenty years t71s.
 In I71e. a Spanish settlement was begun on the present site of San An tonic. Tn order to convert the Indian. and at the same time protect their own, these mission forts were erected. Tn I716, nine Franciscan monks, under Father Antonio Margil de Jesus. began this stupendous work. Espada Q7l6). San Juan u7l6). Alamo ial0' san Jose n71S), Conception G73D, and San Fernando (1732) are monuments of their amazing zeal. skill and daring.
 Tn l7I4. Saint Denis established the hrst great military highway that con- nected the new possession with the old Presidio on the Rio Grande. The Marquis de Casa Fuertes made them visit about that time. So intensely in- terested was he that he persuaded Spain to send sixteen Spanish fami- lies from the Canary Islands They arrived in 1730. The name of the pue- bio was changed to that of San Fer nando In honor of Fernando III, King of Spain. On November 2s, 1730. presidio or garrisoned town. called Bexar. after the Duke of Bexar, was created.
 The province of Texas. which includ- ed the New Philippines. was created by Marquis de Casa Fuertes. the Vice roy of New Spain, as Mexico was then called. The Marquis de Aguay was appointed Governor. This was in 1731 anl the city was laid out after the Spanish ideas The town seems to have consisted simply of what is now known as the Main and Military Plazas The eastern half-now Main Piaza--was then known as Plaza de los Islas. It was reserved for church and eccfesias- tical purposes. This square was then. and is now. fronted by the old San Fernando Cathedral. Around this plaza were built the homes of the Span ish immigrants who came over from the Canary Islands. For them 1t was called the Plaza de Constitution. The western half--now Military Plaza was known as the Plaza des Armes. Around this famous square were quar- tered the soldiery and officers of the army. For the history of these famous plazas I am indebted to the generally accurate History of San Antonio. pulp lished by Mic Tengg. Esq. The princi- pal one is the Military Plaza, which was then the Plaza des Armes. It was laid out in I731 by the royal commits sioners. Don Jose Antonio de Vile and Senor Sanchez. Around this were the quarters of the army. the palacio of the Governor, and the residences of the civil officers. On the west side. near the north west corner, is low building with an ancient coat of arms over the door. There is an old hitching ring nearby, after the maner of the Spanish Dons. These are remnants of the pal acio of Governor Antonio Cordero. From this low adobe he was taken on a charge of high treason. He was executed after their savage fashion. In the center of the plaza his head was erected on pole. It was a gruesome spectacle not uncommon in those far. off days.
 On the northwest corner is an old building erected somewhere near I735. It was used as the quartermaster's department of the Government. On the opposite corner Is the old Navarro house. It figured prominently in