The Washington times., 1917-04-01
SAN ANTONIO MADE
by REVOLUTIONS
Trouble in Mexico in Reiuyenat-
ed Ancient City. Near
Texas Border.

Mexican revolutions have cost Msx.
leo and the United States millions es
dollars-but they are largely, though
indirectly, responsible today for the
rejuvenation OF Texas city 200 years
old.
Ordinarily fits far cry from revolu.
tions to city development But San
Antonio, Tex, where the District Of
Columbia national guardsmen spent
pany months during the border
tspubles, may date a changed order OF
things from the Madero assassination.
In times of Mexican peace San An
tonic was the logical clearing house
for Mexican business. Millions OF dol
\ lars annually found their way across
the Rio Grand into the business.
channels OF this old city. With the
passing OF piaz there began a grad
ual dimfnution in the flow of Mex
lean. money. With the staying OF
Madsro It became apparent TO San
Antorians that Mexico was about to
enter a long period OF unrest. and
that II San Antonio would continue to
grow she must look about for other
business.
Became Winter Resort.
This San Antonio did. She began
with q municipal housecleaning and
installed a liberal, progressive city
administration More than $5,000, 900
in municipal bonds were voted and
half as much more Of county bonds.
Neighboring counties Joined In the
bond issues for highways and other
1 improvements.
They began to talk about San An
tonic as a winter resort Already the
! winter colony was an asset, but the
tourists wanted some things San An
tonic could not then supply. That the
city eventually would be hostess to
| tourists OF another sort-aboQt $4,000
national guardsmen sent TO protect
the borded and get Villa-was not an
ticipated.
The city government set to work
spending its millions Improved city
streets, stretching into country high
ways OF maeadam, soon made the ter
ritory a haven OF comfort for the tour
lists and the natives. New sewers,
modern office buildings. new hotels
and apartments and school buildings
| Of the latter-day type, were some OF
the evidences Of civic awakening. To-
| day one may ride for miles and miles
out OF San Antonio-whether toward
the mountains, the famous Media dam,
the Gulf coast or the interior-and
find smooth roads. San Antonio deter
mined to be a progressive American
city irrespective of the flow OF Mexi-
can money that so long had helped 70
support the town.
Six Golf Courses.
Golf courses were added to the at
fractions of the resort There are
now q half dozen eighteen-hole courses
accessible to the man from the North
who comes to the balmy cline of the
borderland each winter. Hunting and
fishing haunts were developed San
Antonio, in fact, did everything to
make herself attractive under changed
business conditions and she is get
ting by" with 1t. She built almost
over night a tourist city and. the
American who decided to "see Amer
lea first" when the Europeen war
came found San Antonio ready.
Last winter San Antonio welcomed
thousands OF visitors, exclusive of
the national guardsmen, who saw
evidences OF unusual development in
city that had heretofore been In
clined. to meander along on the road
of progress and was regarded a.
udlA-4ne4 anu ndiI-AmerlCanO.
San Antonio still has her Mexican
quarters The easy-going Latin still
lolls about her streets and plays his
circumscrfbed part in civic affairs.
But the pep" of the modern Amer
lean city Is now apparent, and San
Antonio, in sight of revolutions that
have continued for six years and In
terrupted the natural business inter
course Of the border, has found her
self.
When Uncle Sam decided to protect
the Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico
border, at all costs, he sent Pershing
and his troops to Mexico and most
Of the country's national guardsmen
to Texas
This meant, first OF all, that Fort
Sam Houston, already a big and stra-
tegic military point, would be the
center for thousands OF troops. Nearly
$4,000 guardsmen and regular troops
have been stationed at and near Fort
Sam Houston since the border
troubles became acute.
Fort Sam Houston Enlarged.
1t also became necessary that Fort
Sam Houston be enlarged, and upon
the Recommendation Of the War De-
partment Congress spent $3.50, 900 at
San Antonio. An additional sum came
from the contingent fund, and even
tually the War Department plans to
spend several million dollars at Fort
Sam Houston.
Some OF this money will be spent
during the next few weeks in the
establishment OF the first exclusive
aviation post, at which will be taught
the aviation OF modern warfare.
At the San Antonio post aviators
who have already learned the rudI-
ments OF flying will be trained in the
higher essentials-wiIl be taught that
flying in time OF war is far different
than flying for exhibition purposes.
The dollars OF the Government and
the dollars OF the tourist have acted
as a magnet for other dollars at San
Antonio. Permanent residents have
been added, and the rejuvenation of
the 2O0-year-old place goes ahead
while the spirit of revolution dies out
in Mexico. Revolutions as a rule are
considered bad things, but the San
Antonian, looking backward and for
ward, probably will say that they have
their compensatinR features