San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-21

Madison Square, attention has been call
ed to the conditions attached to the
gift of that park to the city. l quote
from the deed from Paschal and Lewis
dated July 70, 1858: The undersign-
ed hereby agree and declare that block
No. Is, in the plan of the upper San
Antonio, south of the public square,
as well as said public square, shall be
perpetually dedicated to the use of the
public to be used as a common or pub
lie square, but subject TO be turthencd
with the erection of a public fountain
on each of said blocks and to the en-
closure of n space Of fifty feet in each
direction around said fountains to be
under the control OF the public author
titles.
Squatters Claimed Plaza.
"Both Main Plaza and Military Plaza
have also an interesting history. Ger
tain parts Of Military Plaza, in par
ticular, were at one time claimed by
squatters, and the history of their re-
mOval may be found in the official rec
Ords. Some of these claimants appear
TO have lived on the plaza 50 long that
the city was compelled TO buy them out.
Others were removed by litigation. As
early as 1852 the City brought suit
against certain Mexicans to recover
the title and possession of a part of
this plaza, and / quote part of the
facts alleged in one of these suits: That
said public square (beins Military
Plaza, claimed by the city as a public
square common since its foundationl
so destined for public use, extended
from the public buildings on the north
now occupied as clerks office, etc, TO
the lower buildings on the south known
as Flores buildings, and on the west
by other buildings of Flores and others,
and on the east by the Catholic church
enclosure and others; that the space
within said enclosure has always been
known and used as n public square ex-
cept at occasional intervals when in
dividuals were permitted to reside there
temporarily by the authorities in time
of danger and invasion of the Indians
Similar statements were alleged in a suit
brought about the same time against
party who had erected upon Main
Plaza n one-story frame building and
was using il as carpenter shop, the
NiAA dlSu lHio Il ut
pleadings set forth that at the fCunda-
ton of the city, about the year 1882, the
King of Spain, through the vice roy
atty of Mexico, caused the Town to be
laid off and established on the San
Antonio River, where the city Of San
Antonio is now situated commonly call
ed the town of San Fernando, and in
the plan of said town, two plaZas or
a.. he ~
the public. one as a main plaza or
square, and the other as a military
plaza or square.
"On June /, 1871, the city purchas-
cd from the Catholic church little be-
ing made by c. NJ. Dubuis, Roman
Catholic Bishop of the State of TexasD
what was designated as the 'Galera'
property. the deed containiI G this pro-
vision, it being understood that the
property hereby conveyed is so con-
veyed on condition that il shall be dedi-
Gated to the public use as an open
space and be made a part of. and ont
with the plazas above and below it,
now known as the Alamo Plaza and the
Plaza de ValerO.' On the property so
purchased was a building which judging
from its name was presumably used
as n store room, but which from old
maps showing the property of the
former Mission of San Antonio de Va
lero (now the AlamO) was the carcel
or prison. At this point in the old
days was the entrance to the Mission
property. This building was located
approximately at the northern end of
the southern park on Alamo Plaza.
The part of Alamo Plaza north of this
building was then known as Plaza del
Alamo, and the part to the south as
Plaza de Valero.
Much Has Been Donated.
"SOme of the park property OF the
city has been bought and paid for. but
most of it has from time to time been
donated. Another interesting point is
that many of the older subdivisions of
the city when laid out contained park
ground dedicated TO the public. such
as South Heights. East End and Lake
view, but in the later additions the re-
verse has been the rule. However, in
Collins Gardens there was conveyed to
the city in 1919 a tract of S.3S acres,
extending from Somerset Road west
across the addition. Let US hope more
may follow.
MANY large tracts have been given
to the city and some of these lately.
Mahncke Park was conveyed by the
Water Works Company and George W.
Breckenridge in 1905, some of the re
strictions being that no part of same
at any time shall be used for any other
purpose than public park. Elmen-
dOrf Lake and Park were conveyed to
the city in 1917 by the l.akeview Town
site Company, on condition that the
city would rebuild the dam at the foot
Of Elmendorf Lake and beautify the
property by planting trees and flowers,
laying out walks, and so forth. West
End Lake Park was acquired in 1918
from Julia W. Anderson and the Uni
versity of Cincinnati with various re-
quirements concerning the improve
ment of the lake and the roadway
around it.
1--WE have COO acres of parks, and
a population of 10000. That gives us
one acre to each 800 of the population.
Should we not somehow determine that
this ratio shall be maintained? Within
our thirty-six squares miles of city
territory there are still large tracts that
are practically in a state of nature,
and relatively cheap. Can we not,
either by acquisition, dedication or do
nation, add to our park area at least
rs rapidly as the city adds to its popu-
Iation."