The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1908-03-09
OLD HISTORIC TRAGEDY
OF ALAMO IS RECALLED

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March O.
Today is the anniversary of one Of
the greatest battles in the history OF
America-the final scene III the trag-
edy of the Alamo, when David Crock
EFT, William Travis and James Bowie.
with their few devoted and fearless
followers, yielded up their lives. 1t
was seventy-two years ago, on March
6, 1886, that these heroes wrote their
names in blood on their country's roll
of honor in letters that time and
change W. never dim.
Interest in today's anniversary is
heightened by the warfare that is be
ing waged over the custody of the his
toric old church building, and, which
recently led Miss Auina de Zavala.
leader of one of the factions Of the
Daughters of the Texas Republic to
maintain a siege of three days and
nights in the cradle of Texas lib
erty.
The Alamo still stands pretty much
the same in appearance as it was
seventy-two years ago or a hundred
years before that. From time to time
movements have been set on foot to
make some special use of it, with a
view of making it a national mem
orial, and there has been several at
tempts by Contemplating persons to
get hold of it and turn it to some sort
of money making purpose; but these
have all been defeated. The latest is
a tentative proposition to construct a
handsome park about the historic
SPOT. with a tourists hotel. In every
I1c AHArfc IN nrnf0nn what
is now a sacred spot, patriotic women
have beer instrumental in defeating
the vandalism.
Now the patriotic women are fight
ing among themselves. and the end of
the battle is not yet in sight.
The Alamo is now in the hands of
w. G. Day, State superintendent of
buildings and grounds, who will hold
the property until a Texas court oe-
cides which of the factions of the
Daughters of the Republic is to man
age it..
The fight for the possession of the
building began about two years ago.,
when the Legislature appropriated
$4,000 to repay Mrs. Clara Driscoll-
Sewer. Just preceding the session of
this Legislature, a portion of the old
Alamo structure was threatened with
destruction, and Mrs. Sewer advanced
a part of her fortune to save it.
At that time Mrs Sewer was re
garded as a leading spirit in the eoun-
ellis of the Daughters of the Republic.
Miss de Zavala was for some time
secretary to Mrs. Sewer. In appropri-
ating the money, the State became the
owner of the building and Alamo prop
erty, although the custody thereof was
to remain in the hands of the Daugh-
tiers of the Republic. Then came a
split in the organization.
Both factions had keys to the doors
of the old building AT nightfall, on
February 10, Miss de Iaala slipped
within the walls and sent out her
declaration of war.
Telephone and electric light wires
leading to the building were cut and
the first night in the building she
spent in darkness, without food OF
water. The following day her sup
porters came with food, which was
passed her through a small opening
in a door.
And so she maintained a siege of
three days and three nights, Then
she surrendeed and turned the Alamo
over the state.
The siege OF the Alamo seventy-two
years ago began on February %, 1896,
when the Mexican general, Santa Ana,
surrounded the church with an over
towering force, and began a canon
ade.
Everyone in the Alamo realized the
defense could nave but one end. Yet
none would yield. They knew what
mercy they might expect from Santa
Ana. At last on March 6. the can
non tore a breach in the walls and
the Mexicans rushed in. Worn out
as they were with fatigue, starvation
and constant fighting, the Americans
twice drove back the assailants with
heavy losses. But at the third charge
the Mexicans. by sheer weight of
numbers. gained a foothold inside the