The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-02

"A soon as plans. designed by |
"a State Superintendent OF Pub
AM lie Buildings and Grounds 4. /
B. Conley, and approved by
sA'' A1@@ Governor Colquitt, can be car
ried into execution, the historic Ala
mo will present different appearance
to visitors to San Antonio, and, for
that matter, to San Antonians them
gelyes.s Governor Colquitt wants the
old mission, where the seed 1has
sprouted into Texas liberty was nrst
planted. to be restored to as nearly IFS
original condition as possible.
There has been for years diner
ence of view as to just what was the
physical condition of the Alamo on
the 9th OF March, 1886, and an even
greater divergence of opinion as to
! the actual arrangement OF the OLD con-
! vent structure adjoining. but Gov
ernor CoIquitt is not willing for mere
differences Of this nature to longer re-
tard the doing Of a public work that
should have been attended to long
ago.
At a cost Of $4,000 the state, sew
eral years ago, bought OF hugo
Schneider & Co. the old convent
property adjoining the Alamo chapel.
This wholesale grocery firm had been
using for commercial purposes part OF
property dear to liberty lovers eV-
eryWhere.
4 NOBODY thought any the less OF
them under tho circu nces, ant
when d movennsn tgIo have the sfate5
take over the land and the old walls
s was crystallized, the price fixed BY the
Hugo-Schmeltzer interests was 50 sat
& isfactory as to seem generous. the
property bought for $4,000 would
probably sell today for ten times this
j sum-
) Il Is the purpose Of the governor 70
j. have the entire mission renovated anu
. made to look just like 1t did when II
= was used by the franciscan monks
g and the sisters who conducted the
: convent. Already the tenants VINO
q were using the old buildings nave
d been ousted 1t is desired after all
!
of the Enclosure and to have 1t just as
much of q beauty spot as is the re
mainder of Alamo plaza. Architects
q and landscape experts say this can %
! done within very few years, ane
4 there is not San Antonian who does
c not hall the plans with pleasure.
II Nobody ought to form the idea tha
81 the Alamo chapel, the old cnurci
le where the massacre of Crockett an
q Bowie and the rest of those dauntles
e souls took place, has ever been use'
81 except as a show-place, as the shrin'
g Of many thousands who have journey
@ ed thither from all parts OF tn
a world. It IS true, however, tina
Y tradesmen for years occupied the OF
convent, which once formed the la
ger part of the mission proper.
: was not until few months ago tha
all these men were forbidden to US
:. the premises.
No other spot in Texas, and fe'
I anywhere in the world, are filed wit
81 half the historic interest that a
4 taches to the Alamo. It has bee
q known to historians for rs years
q 1.-THE cradle Of Texas liberty and
Il deserves, in the mind Of every Texa
r all the glory that has been heape
I upon it. It Is a matter of regret ar
humiliation to every Texan that bs
ter care has not been taken Of Il
old pile and all its adjuncts by Il
state authorities.
Story of the Alamo.
Know the story of the Alamo? Il
~ fine stuff for American men. 1t stan
out in the historic pages OF t
past century as the true expression
the Lone Star spirit.
an. It was on the 23d of February, IS;
me that General Santa Ana, with an arr
ey. Of 1000 Mexicans, invested the
, lage of San Antonio, and stormed t
Alamo. Texas had been declared
Ind a state Of rebellion, the inhabtta1
not had been ordered to disarIn, and
ing invasion of Santa Ana had follow
,as. as thunder follows the lightning fla
ap- Gen. Sam Houston, the military le
owe er Of the rebels had no army. Thu
100 were no railroad or telegraph lines
lev which to summon the scattered ne
the ers. But Colonel Travis, with DE
,as. Crockett and Jim Bowie. j, B. Bonhs
an 7. Washington and 1873 Texas frontie
emf men, were In San Antonio when
to Mexican army appeared, and at o.