Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-03-08

a State superintendent of Pub
A lie Buildings and Grounds A.
- B. Conley, and approved by
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
selves Governor Colquitt wants the
old mission, where the seed that
sprouted into Texas liberty was first
planted. to be restored to az nearly Its
original condition as possible.
There has been for years q differ-
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 Colquitt 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 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.
Nobody thought any the less Of
them under the circumstances, and
when q movement to have the state
take over the land and the old walls
was crystallized. the price fixed BY the
Hugo-Schmeltzer interests was so sat
isfactory as to seem generous. The
property bought for $4,000 would
probably sell today for ten times this
sum.
II Is the purpose OF the governor to
have the entire mission renovated and
made to look just like II did when II
was used by the Franciscan monks
and the sisters who conducted the
convent Already the tenants who
were using the old buildings have
been ousted. II Is desired after all
the debris Is removed, to make a park
OF the Enclosure and to have It just as
much Of beauty spot as Is the re-
mainder OF Alamo plaza. Architects
and landscape experts say this can be
done within very few years, and
there Is not q San Antonian who does
not hail the plans with pleasure.
Nobody ought to form the idea that
the Alamo chapel, the old church
where the massacre of Crockett ana
Bowie and the rest of those dauntless
souls took place. has ever been used
except as show-place. as the shrine
Of many thousands who have journey
ed thither from all parts of the
world. It IL true. however. that
tradesmen for years occupied the old
convent. which once formed the lar.
ger part Of the mission proper. II
was not until few months ago that
all these men were forbidden to use
the premises.
No other spot In Texas, and few
anywhere In the world, are filed with
half the historic interest that at
taches to the Alamo. II has been
known 70 historians for rs years as
'the cradle of Texas liberty" and It
deserves. in the mind Of every Texan.
all the glory that has been heaped
upon 1t. 1t is matter Of regret and
humiliation to every Texan that bet.
ter care has not been taken of the
old pile and all its adjuncts bv the
state authorities.
Story Of the Alamo.
Know the story of the Alamo! IT'S
fine stun for American men. II stands
out In the historic pages of tha
past century as the true expression Of
the Lone Star spirit.
It vas on the 2sd Of February Isss
that General Santa Ara. with an armv
Of 1000 Mexicans, invested the VII
lage OF San Antonio, and storned the
Alamo. Texas had been declared IN
state Of rebellion. the inhabitants
had been ordered to disarm. and the
invasion Of Santa Ana had followed
as thunder follows the Lightning fash
Gen. Sam Houston. the military lead.
er Of the rebels" had no army. Thare
were no railroad or telegraph lines nv |
which to summon the scattered fight.
ers. But Colonel Travis, with Davy |
Crockett and Jim Bowie, ]. B. Bonham
J. Washington and 1873 "exas frontiers
men, were In San Antonib when the
Mexican army appeared, and at once |
resolved to barricade the Alamo. and
hold the enemy until Houston was
ready. At first there was a slender
chance of rescue, but It disappeared
as the days went by. and the rife
men quickly knew that the fate of
Texas rested upon them There was
no talk OF surrender. OF safety. of es-
cape. They knew that the world
would not hear Of their prowess until
after they were dust: that there was
no gallery Of admiring friends to
cheer them to their doom; the foe |
outnumbered them 20 to L; horse.
foot and artillery stormed. enfiladed,
rushed them. Hungry. falnished and |
without sleep. they crouched upon the
nat roof Of the Alamo. behind the |