The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-10-10
SPANISH TANG
STICKS TO CITY
San Antonio Is Mixture of Old
Spain and Mexico, and Hus-
Ting America of Today.
ALAMO, SHRINE OF TEXAS
Scene of Recent Disastrous Flood
Famed in Story and Legend
Once Spanish Town Now Hus-
Ting Thriving Metropolis.

Washington, ID. C.-San Antonio
Texas, scene of the latest destructive
flood in the United States, is the sub.
ject of the following bulletin issued
from the Washington, d. c., headquar-
tiers Of the National Geographic so
ciety.
San Antonio is an intimate mixture
of old Spain and Mexico, and the hus-
fling America of today" says the bull
letin. 1T began its life in ZIG as a
tiny Spanish military settlement-'El
Preside de San Antonio de BeXar.
But that leisurely name officially lost
most of it's trimmings when the town
became an American community, and
to many who have known it best-in-
Guiding 0. Henry-it has taken on the
unofficial cognomen, 'Sanantone,'
Losing Its Foreign Flavor.
"a hundred years ago San Antonio
was almost entirely Spanish and Mex
lean. Fifty years ago it could be CON
sidered only half American. Then the
railroads came to quicken its life, the
rich COW country round about was
developed, and few far-sighted bust
ness men woke up to the fact that it
was situated without competitors in
the very center of Il territory that
would need unmeasured supplies.
Since that time San Antonio has grown
its forest of sky-scrapers and factory
chimneys like scores of its fellow
American cities. Approaching the POO,
600 mark, and with a greater popula-
ton than that during the winter tour
list season, it leads all sther cities in
Texas though it is closely approached
by Dallas and Houston. An observer
set down suddenly on Commerce or
Texas street might easily imagine
himself in Syracuse, Atlanta Mem
phis, Dayton or any one of a dozen
other cities of similar size.
''As it has grown, San Antonio has
lost most Of its 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 pedestrians
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
mystery. Those who like the peppery
dishes of Latin America may find them
of a quality not equaled outside the
City of Mexico and few Of the larg-
er cities of the southern republic.
sand 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, ITO Amer
lean frontiersmen held off for ten |
days a Mexican army of 5000 until |
the last defender was killed. 1t is
a battered old building raised by, the
hands of Franciscan monks 203 years /
ago as an outpost of the Christian re- !
ligion among the Indians. Because of
the part it played in their war of in !
dependence it is sacred shrine to
all Texans.
"A string Of four other missions ex-
tending for fifteen or twenty miles
down the San Antonio river represent
ed with the Alamo and the Preside
and the village of San Antonio. all
that there was Of civilization in that
part of Texas 200 years ago. Automo-
bile buses now whisk tourists over
the mission loop and they Chamber /
over the crumblng walls and halt |
over the liquid Spanish names-Puri-
cisco de la Espada, and San Juan
Capistrano.
River Hidden by Business Buildings.
"a visitor to San Antonio could
hardly imagine destruction from the
San Antonio river. He might even
I'll, only creek. In the forest Of
modern business buildings the river
s as effectively hidden as is the :
5enesee in Rochester The San An :
ONTO rises practically within the city
limits, gushing full grown from rocky
ountains. It's narrow bed has been
aved, and 1t meanders sluggishly
through the city for all the world like
medium-sized irrigation ditch In
troll through the business district one
ill cross the little stream half q doz-
n times in going less than a score Of
locks.
"San Antonio's little river has al
'ays added a picturesque touch to
re city. Throughout the business
strict the banks Of the wall-cOnfined /
ream have been parked and groups =
luse constantly on the many little
-idges to admire the sloping. close
opped lawns set with flower beds
Id shaded by tall, deep green clumps
banana trees"
Tall Husband.