, 1935-03-17

March is, 1885, Galveston Is
land, which had been successfully
visited. occupied and abandoned at
periods extending over 800 years,
was o almost entirely uninhabit-
co. and its SO mile length and 3
mile width was a barren sandy
waste. Three oaks. which stood
near its west end, was its diStin-
guished feature to the mariner. The
newly appointed Mexican custom
house official, who had been order
ed to the island, had thought II
best TO 20 on TO Anahuac." on the
other side Of the bay. The island
was named in honor OF the greatly
admired Don Jose Galvez, spanish
Governor OF Louisiana IN l771. In
1920 1t was the headquarters OF
the pirate chief, Lafitte. and around
1t there still fingered tales OF snug
gled African slaves, rum, the ghosts
OF gibbeted man and chests OF
buried treasure. once an inmate Of
q West Indies Spanish prison, La
fitte escaped and made his way TO
Charleston, S. c., and thence TO an
island in the Mississippi delta. There
ne ruled q motley crowd OF cut
threats and sent them out 70 sea IN
search Of Spanish merchant vessels
OF slave ships. He sold captured
merchandise 70 men who visited his
island. and the slaves he took were
smuggled al night through the maze
Of lower Louisiana bayouS and de-
hvered to planters at 81 a pound.
When Louisiana's governor offered
$500 for Lafitte's head. the impudent
buccaneer posted a like reward for
TIE head OF the governor. Services
lie rendered the United States az
,hc Battle OF New Orleans brought
L1fitte conditional immunity and he
never interfered with its commerce.
Moving TO Galveston in 1917, he
built, at its east end. wharves. a
tort. 200 Shacks and a boarding
house Tor visitors with whom he
traded. No n was allowed on the
ls.and without a permit. Early IN
iS2 some of his men committed
crimes on citizens OF the Unltec
States. Lafitte hanged them Tor
their error. But in May, 1920, an
American warship anchored off the
island, and. regardless OF II being
foreign territory, left a note with
Lafitte. the concluding line OF
which read.-"It is the desire OF
the American Government that you
leave the island al the end OF three
months" Knowing the import OF
that message. Lafitte, at the end OF
the allotted time, burned his village
and sailed away.
March II, IS35.-The day was the
first anniversary Of the location Of
the site Of the town OF san Patricio
Spanish form Of the name OF the
patron saint OF Ireland), on the
NueceS river, and in the present
county Of the same name. II was the
occasion OF the initial effort to col
onize several millions Of acres lying
between the NueceS and the Rio
Grande with emigrants from Ire
land, France and Germany under
concessions made by the Mexican
government TO DR.. John Charles
Beales and James Grant. A story Of
the sailing from New York Of the
Schooner Amos Wright. with SO emf
grants aboard. appeared IN this SER
les on November 18th. Entering Co
PIANO Bay, their vessel could not ap-
proach within 400 yards Of the
beach, and 1t was necessary TO run
a wagon into the water as far as II
would 90, and after loading 1t from
boats, haul 1t ashore by long ropes.
The capital Of the colony. villa de
Dolores" was established about ten
miles west of the site selected for
San Patricio. II did not survive. Dis
heartening experiences incident to
this effort TO colonize the district
OF the Rio Grande and the lack Of
a~daptability Of the coloniStS. coupled
with the confusion resulting from
the approaching revolution. caused
II to fail. It's failure, contraSted
with the continuing success Of 9TH
er such efforts in Texas. has been
noted as important In that II ev-
dences the superiority Of Anglo
Americans In forming colonies. San
Patricio, however. did live. and was
now the center OF a Municipality
tan area) bearing the same name.
with a population Of about 600
mostly Irish-and the only part OF
the department OF Bexar not peopled
with Mexicans. II was soon TO be
the scene OF several important en-
gagements connected with the ef-
forts Of Texans to free themselves
Of tn despotic Santa Anna and all
that he represented.