The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-06-23
LANDMARK MUST GO.
HISTORIC SPANISH PALACE IN
TEXAS TO BE RAzED.
San Antonio Structure 10 Be Replaced
by a Modern Ten-story Office
suIldins-Was tho Home OF
Spanish Governor.

After having been in stu since 1875
the stones and mortar Of the Veramendi
palace will be used In the construo-
ton OF q modern ten-story office build
Ing, a New York Herald's San Antonio
correspondent says. Instead Of hear.
Ing the gasconades Of Spanish con-
~quistadores and the dolce voices of
senoritas they will hereafter listen to
the click Of typewriters and the giggles
OF those who work them. No more
Will they look upon proud Dons from
far Hispano, armed cap-a,pie and in.
oased in helmet, visor. doublet and
cuirass, for hereafter twentieth CEN
fury business men with green ties,
pink socks, ~pigeon-toed shoes and pad
ded garments will be the only oompan-
ions. Before the stones get that far.
however, they will be put through the
mill and made Of the size used in con-
crete construction. They are lime
stone, Of excellent quality and well
adapted for their future mission.
With the Veramendi palace passes
one Of the best known architectural
remains of Spanish American civiliza-
ton. It was erected almost simulta-
neously with the Mission San Antonio
de Valero, now the Alamo, and for
many years was the white house of
the Spanish province of Bexar, a ter
Ttory comprising all of Texas. In
those days. however, it was merely
known as the governors house, a de-
scription more suitable than Vera
mendt palace. The latter name Is
received because of its by
the last Mexican governor Of Texas.
The building stood in Soledad street,
Its site marking formerly the north
eastern corner of a large public
square, the center of which was occu-
pied by the Plaza des Armas of San
Fernando Presidio. In it's rear was a
big garden, which extended to the
n OF the San Antonio river. the
whole house and garden being at one
time surrounded with a very strong
palisade and deep bitches. 1t was no
uncommon thing to have the Indians
make raids right in the city in those
days and for that reaso defenses of
that kind were necessary.
The old building was the scene of
many a romance of love and murder,
Almost in it's shadows a Mexican gen.
ara caused to be %butchered like pigs
a number of Spanish and other pris-
oners, who had been unfortunate
enough to side with the Spanish gov
eminent during the Mexican revolu-
ton. The description of this scene,
picturing the assassin as he whetted
the knife on the soles Of his shoes
every time he had slit the throat of a
prisoner, forms one of the most stir
ring chapters in Texas history. In
he Veramendi palace Ben Milan met
his end at the assassin's hand, and in
Its patio and the shaded walks of its
gardens James Bowie, designer of the
famous knife bearing his name, court
ed and won Ursula Veramendi, said
to have been by far the prettiest WON.
an in Texas.
All that remains intact of the "a
nous old structure now are a pair of
old cedar doors which had swung on
their hinges since 1875. They are
deliberately carved and unusually well
preserved. For some time to come
they will swing in a private residence
in this city, but it is hoped to put
them in some museum In the near fu-
ture.