The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-02-18
Down in Texas.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, feD. lO, lJUS.
EDITOR REPoRTER:- spending
a most enjoyable hour in the Alamo,
| wondered if it would interest your
readers if give them the benefit of
my time spent there. became ac-
quainted with the custodian of the
building, most charming, refined and
educated lady who was born here in
San Antonio and is typical southern
woman. To know Mrs. Eagar is to
know one of the ladies of the south
a prisoner to Perota, and was one Of
bean. Shall l tell the story? 120
white beans and II black beans were
put in vessel. Each man that drew
black bean was Immediately shot, the
rest were liberated. This shows the
methods used by Santa Anna during the
conflict over Texas.
In the course of our conversation l
asked about the trouble in regard to
the Alamo and about the heroic (?)
woman that tried to hold it against all
odds. 1t seems that there are two
factions in the Daughters of the Re-
public" and this lady is president of the
chapter trying to get control Of the
Alamo property which is owned by the
state, although under control of the
d. of the r. The reports sent out were
incorrect and it seems strange doesn't
it, as reporters never get accounts
garbled do they?
The old original Alamo is the church,
a very interesting building that Miss
De Iavala staid in two days and a night
is generally conceded to be in no way
connected with the historic Alamo but
was built as store house. 1t was
owned for years by wholesale grocery
and liquor house, and through the work
of the chapter here bought by the state
for $4,000. We read such glowing ac-
counts of this woman, was very anN-
ious to hear $he true facts. 1t seems
to me that the attitude Of Miss Adina
De Zavala was quite grand stand play,
pardon slang. At least that is the
version of the different people | have
talked to; it seems there was rivalry
between Miss Driscoll (who advanced
$4,000 to the Daughters Of Republic to
buy this building adjoining the Alamo)
in regard to the state presidency of
this order at their meeting two years
ago at Goliad, Miss Driscoll withdrew
her name, and Miss De Zavala was
beaten in the election.
Immediately she and her friends
. formed new chapter with her as presi-
dent, and in this office she tried to get
control of the building. She never was
in the Alamo during her "seige;' the
doors were open to the public and it
was considered a huge joke by many
here.
1t is to be regretted that such 6
grand historic building should be al
lowed to go to decay as the Alamo ha.
= gone. In fact nothing was done tt
restore it from the day of the "Fall o
the Alamo" March 6, 1886, until 1S49-
when Mai. Babbitt took possession ant
n used it as quartermaster's depart
: ment.
What history this massive stone
e building has, at first as church where
Y mass was daily said in all solemnity ant
the chant "Glory to God, on cart
y peace, good will to men," was sung. Il
!. short time the scene Of many a con
j. tlict, of suffering and death; instead Q
, a haven of peace a scene of bloody wal
There are many interesting relics to b
seen here and one hopes that befor
long a monument of some kind viii
mark tho place where 120 bodies of TIL
brave defenders of Texas were pile
Santa Anna. The accounts of the .fa
of the Alamo are very meagre and n
authentic record is left of this spo
but is thought to be in front of tn
church in the Alamo Plaza.
s. The architecture of the church is no
y as grand as some Of the ruins of th
~ old missions of which there are fou
g near the city, yet you can trace gran
5 carvings and beautiful lines in tn
,: buildings built by the Francesca
II Fathers or rather under their supe
- vision as the work was done by tn
:. Indians.
50 San Antonio is certainly boomin
=. there is a great deal of building bein
% done, streets are being paved ar
general activity all over the city. The
a estimate about 10000 tourists in tt
city this week. We are feeling lit
of the blizzard that the papers tell I
= is raging in Iowa and Nebraska, b.
tomorrow it will be too warm for WI;
as it has been the past week. Texas
grand but ] sign thorough, Iowa
! FLORENCE MYERS.