The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-16

lk
 wv tspeciai)-san Antohio'
 V V Tex, scene of the latest de- structive flood in the United States is the subject of the following bulle- tin issued from the Washington, D. C., headquarters of the National Geo graphic society.
 san Antonio IS an intimate mix ture of old Spain and Mexico, and the hustling, bustling America of today, says the bulletin. Tt began It's lire in l716 as a tiny Spanish military set tlement-'El Presidio de San Antonio de Bexar.' But that leisurely name officially lost most of its trimmings when the town became an American community, and to many who have known it best-including o. Henry it has taken on the unofficial cogno- men. 'Sanantone.'
 "A hundred years ago San Antonio was almost entirely Spanish and Mex ican. Fifty years ago it could be con. sidered only half American. Then the railroads came to quicken its life, inc rich COW country round about was developed, and few far sighted business men woke up to the fact that if was situated without competitors in the very center of a territory that would need unmeasured supplies. Since that time San Antonio has grown it's forest of skyscrapers and factory chimneys, like scores of it's fellow American cities. Approach ing the 100000 mark, and with a greater population than that during the winter tourist season, it leads all other cities in Texas, though 1t IS closely approached by Dallas and Houston. An observer set down sud denly on Commerce or Texas street might easily imagine himself in Syr- acuse, Atlanta, Memphis. Dayton or any one of dozen other cities of similar size.
 'sAs it has grown San Antonio has lost most of it's exotic flavor; but touches of old Spain and Mexico are still to be found if one searches for them. A few of the narrow, winding streets of the old days are left, with sidewalks on which two pedestriani can hardly pass. Iron-barred Win dows are to be seen behind which coy senoritas have stood as Spanish or Mexican youths played the bear Grated doors and gates in yard-thick walls of the mission days hint at mys- tery. Those who like the peppery dishes of Latin America may find them of quality not equaled outside tbe City of Mexico and a few of the larger cities of the southern republic.
 .And in the center of the town, strolling down ordinary business streets, one comes suddenly upon the historic Alamo, the Thermopylae of America There in Texas war for independence from Mexico, 179 Amer. ican frontiersmen held off for 10 days Mexican army of e,Ooo, until the last defender was killed. It is battered old building raised by the hands of Franciscan monks POS years ago as an outpost of the Christian religion among the Indians. Because of the part it played in their war of inde- pendence it is a sacred shrine to ali Texans.
 "A string of four otAei missions extending for 15 or % mlies down the San Antonio river repgesented with the Alamo and the IresiGio and the village of San Antonio, " thai tAere was of civilization in that peI or Texas 200 years as9 AV{oppoile busses now whisk tourists cWk the mission loop and they cianl1Ar ever the crumbling walls and fAls ever the liouid Spanish names -parisma Conception. San Jose, San Francisco de Ia Espada. and ssn ]aaa Capis- trano.
 "A visitor to San Artonio could hardly imagine destsactlon rom the San Antonio river. if miGnt even maintain that tho cfay has 10 river at all. only a osses lr the forest of modern busirsss Auiidinks