El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-02
A Brief Sketch Of Texas
BY ETHEL HARRISON

, same for both words, hence they called
the country Texas.
Independence Day.
On March =, 1886. Texas freed her
self from Mexican power and became an
Independent state or republic and re-
manned so for nearly 10 years, when in
1916 she annexed herself to the union.
Texas enjoys a distinction granted to
no other state in the union, that is, the
ownership of all her public land.
CHANGING back through the history OF
the state it is found that the historian
first made note of a dispute between
France and Spain for possession. An
accident, however. brought about by
the French expedition under La Sale
landing on the coast Of Matagorda in
stead Of at the mouth Of the Mississippi
river, was the immediate occasion of the
contest &E Z
Cabeza de Vaca had crossed the terri
tory in the south and Coronado and
others in the northwest and an indian
pueblo had been established in 1852 IN
der Spanish protection at Ysleta near
FL Paso.
La Sale, after reaching the Gulf of
Mexico, went TO France for the purpose
of planting a colony at the mouth of
troll of the valley drained by. the river.
but his expedition missed ITS destina-
ton and landed on the MatagOrda coast
three years later.
Here a colony, called St. Louis, was
established, but destroyed four years
later by the indians. And the Span
iards meanwhile Were searching for the
French settlement 10 destroy it, but
found that the indians had forestalled
them. They in order that further in
reference from the French might be
prevented, the Spanish established a
chain of missions. The first. San Fran
cisco\de los TEXAS, was built about As
miles from the town of Nacogdoches,
southwest between the Neches and Trim
ity rivers, in 1880, and abandoned in
1893
French ReIinquish Rule.
For 20 years after this no effort was
made on the part of either France or
Spain to gain supremacy, but the
French had established trading posts
n Louisiana and wishing to extend
their trade to the Spaniards in Texas
the rule was surrendered to the Spanish
in order TO engage them in trade rela-
ions.
Two groups of missions were now
one in the east or original
Texas and one in the west Those in
he west were near the present city of
san Antonio.
Canary Islanders made the settlement
If San Fernando in 1890, which was
he first civil settlement found in the
state. This villa. the Alamo mission,
md the preside of San Antonio. were
he original elements of the city of San
Antonio. Toward the nineteenth CEN
Jury the missions declined.
Invasion of Texas.
After Mexico secured her indepen- |
lence. Texas. Nuevo Leon and COahuila
composed a single state, but later Nuevo |
leon was segregated.
The Anglo-American movement began !
coward Texas in the latter part of the |
Sth century, first by invasion, as the |
spanish adhered to exclusion and re-
'ented intruders. then peacefully after ]
Mexican independence. until systematic |
was inaugurated by Moses /
Austin, for whom the capital city is |
famed.
Peaceful times. however, were brief. !
or the Anglo colOnists. and the fric- |
ion with the Mexican government, be-
gun then, finally terminated in Texas |
The most notable event /
or freedom was the heroic defence OF /
he Alamo b. 1873 Texans under Col. /
" B. Travis against several thousand
Aexicans under Cen. Santa Anna, when
very American met death. I