San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-10
OLD AQUEDUCTS
Of MISSIONS
R { NJ A | n +.
IN 8. A.
Canals Built in 1929 Defy
Time and Aid Modern /
Agriculture.
By BESS CARROLL

Are the gnOSS OF 1OrSoCleu irlhs
guarding the banks of Bexar's Oldest
canal, the acequia Palajache?
1t almost seems that this may be:
for, though the decay and change OF
two centuries have wiped out or
ruined or stopped the usefulness Of all
the other water bitches of old San An
tonic, the Palajache-built about 1729
is still sending its waters out to tbs
fields of the lands that border this
missions; still making flowers bloom
and causing trees TO bear fruit.
STILL AID AGRICULTURE.
Few people know that the hours
Of water" eked out to frontiersmen
200 years ago by ancient Spain are
still the source of agricultural devel-
opment in many fields bordering tbs
southern suburbs of San Antonio. For
the rest of the acequias are now only
romantic memory of bygone times;
where their courses ran, tall buildings
and paved streets are today. But the
proud Roman spans of the Palajache
and the arches that were built so long
ago still stand; defying time, assist
ing modern progress
Thus, though it seems unreal and
weird-padres who sleep in the lost
graves of the missions of Bexar are
still of service to the people who have
come to live after them; the work
they did remains and goes steadily on,
though their chapels are in ruins and
their last angelus has tolled.
ONCE WIDE CANALS.
Tradition says that the Palajache
was so deep and so -ide 200 years ago
that boats sailed on it. For 40 years
mission wine" from the lands irri-
gated by the Palajache was the most
priced beverage of Spain.
Built by the Franciscans of San
Jose mission, the object of the Pala-
jcahe was to make the fields of the
Indians and monks more fertile. Ira
dition declares that the great stones
Of the ditch-still in their original
positions-were cemented with goats
milk and eggs. Lasting mortar it was,
for the picturesque bridge over the
Piedras creek is so perfectly preserved
and of such antique, remarkable archi-
lecture, that artists from everywhere
20 to the acequia to paint it. Near
the mission of San Juan de Espada,
the acequia is part Of the great irri-
CATION ditch which waters the fields
in that neighborhood. And sharehold-
ers in the old ditch still use so many
hours of water" according to the old
contract that entitled landowners to
their share of the acequia.
AIDED ALAMO DEFENDERS.
The story of the acequias of San
Antonio is a tale that has been lost
in the passing Of time yet it was the
Alamo Madre ditch that made possible
the long stand made by the heroes OF
the Alamo, who took their water from
lit; it was the Upper Labor Ditch that
took citizens west of the San Pedro,
and the old San Pedro ditch that vir-
tually caused the permanent settle
ment of the village of San Fernandez
Second in age and in historic inter
est is the San Pedro, constructed
about 1T3S-dug through the heart OF
what is now the downtown section OF
the city, passing by San Fernando
cathedral: built to supply water to tho
Canary Island settlers, who lived
good distance from the river. Sections
of this ditch still remain along IT'S
course toward the river from Main
Plaza.
SUPPLIED MISSION.
The Alamo Madre ditch was built
to supply water to the mission Of San
Antonio de Yalero, later the Alamo. Il
followed Broadway, went west along
roundabout course. and finally sent
one branch by the Alamo. This ditch
is said to have supplied water to the
Alamo in the siege Of 1896, thus play.
ing very important part in the IA
nous stand of Crockett and bis men
County records contain curious dot-r
ments relating to the Upper Laboi
ditch, which was built in 1857. Set
tiers decided to irrigate lands lying
between the upper part Of the sar
Icontinacd On Pass 30. part b