Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-25
TUNNEL UNDER THE ALAMO.


TUNNEL UNDER THE ALAMO.
If Famous Defenders Had Known
They Could Have Escaped.
II the defenders of the Alamo had
known that the holy fathers who con-
structed the old adobe fort had also
dug a secret tunnel several miles long
they might have saved their lives and
the celebrated massacre would have
no place in history. Such tunnel ex-
lists, but, strange to say, 1t has never
been explored, declares the Chicago
Inter- Ocean.
The mysterious excavation leads In
two directions from beneath the an
cient Alamo building. 1t is known
that one branch of the tunnel runs
south for at least two and one-half
miles to the old Conception mission,
and that another branch extends north
from the Alamo to the ruins Of the an
tiauated stone blockhouse which
stands in what Is now San Pedro Park.
1t is about two miles from this block
house to the Alamo.
The early historic accounts of the
string Of ancient missions which are
situated along the San Antonio river
make no reference to the system OF
tunnels, which was evidently con-
structed about the time the buildings
we're erected. 1t is evident that the
existence of these tunnels was not
known to the early settlers.
When the American garrison Of the
Alamo was surrounded by the Mexi-
can troops it knew of no way OF es-
Gaping the death that surely awaited
It, So we'll did the Franciscan faith
ers, who built and inhabited these
missions, keep the secret Of the exist
ence of the tunnels that this knowl-
edge did not even come to the early
Mexican settlers Of San Antonio. 1t
was not until about twenty years ago
that the discovery was made that a
tunnel led from the Alamo to the Con-
ception mission. 1t was quite by ac-
cident that the underground passage
was found.
Louis Teborah was digging well
at his home on South Presa street,
when the picks of the workmen struck
a hard substance that proved to be
adobe plaster, such as the Franciscan
fathers taught the Indians Of this Sec
In, fho A
strokes Of the pick made an opening
in this concrete wall and cavern was
exposed to view. Mr.. Teborah and the
laborers who were digging the well
descended into the opening and found
that 1t was not a cave, as they sup
posed, but a tunnel, with width Of
about five feet and height Of seven
feet. The concrete layer Of two or
three inches in thickness formed the
walls and arched roof, while the floor
or bottom of the passageway was of
dirt.
The tunnel was explored by Mr..
Teborah and others for a distance Of
several hundred yards in both direc-
tions. Further progress was blocked
by cavings which had occurred, filling
the passage with dirt and debris.
One end of the explored tunnel
crossed under the San Antonio river.
In order to get safe distance below
the bed Of that stream the tunnel was
lowered several feet at the crossing
point, flights of stone steps connecting
the two levels. 1t is thought that the
tunnel runs in almost a direct line be-
tween the blockhouse on the north to
the Conception mission on the south
by way of the Alamo, and II this
Is correct the river crosses above II no
fewer than a dozen times.
The opening into the tunnel In the
Alamo Is situated in one of the cells OF
the monks. Centuries Of disuse have
caused 1t to fill with debris and no ef-
fort has ever been made to clean 1t
out and conduct an exploration, so far
as known. The same condition Is true
of the entrance beneath the block
house and at Conception mission. Since
the discovery was made by Mr.. Tebo-
rah several years ago the tunnel has
been encountered at other points
on its course. While excavating for
the outfall sewer that leads south Of
the city the tunnel was broken into
and considerable difficulty was expe-
rienced in building the brick sewer
across 1t. 1t not infrequently happens
that the tunnel Is struck while exca-
waiting for the foundations for houses.
1t is considered remarkable that no
systematic exploration Of this ancient
relic of the Franciscan fathers ever
has been attempted. 1t Is believed by
many people that the tunnel does not
stop at the Conception mission, but
that it extends all the way to the San
Francisco de la Espada mission, sit
uated nine miles south Of San Antonio,
connecting en- route the San Jose and
the San Juan missions. All these an
cient structures are built close to the
San Antonio river and are surrounded
by little villages Of Mexicans.
These mission buildings were erect
ed nearly two centuries ago, and 1t Is
supposed that the tunnel which proba-
bly, connects all of them was con-
structed about the same time. The
blockhouse in San Pedro Park was
built at a later date, and 1t is consid-
cred likely that the branch tunnel
which leads to it was built some time
sfter the passageway to the missions
was finished.
There Is much speculation as to the
original objects Of the system Of tun-
nels. 1t Is considered likely that In
dian labor was used to dig the tunnel,
and If this is true it could not have
been kept a secret from the tribesmen.
1t is considered probable that the real
object of this tunnel connecting
some, II not all, Of the missions along
the San Antonio river was to afford
the monks an opportunity Of visiting
each other without the knowledge Of
the Spanish military and civil au-
thorities who made their headuuar-