The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920 Page: 59
319 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas in 1820
them there are the greatest commodities and advantages for the
establishment of haciendas, and pueblos of great importance.
Toward the north, on the Colorado river there are minerals known
to the Indians but not worked. Cattle, horses, mules, irrigable
and non-irrigable lands are afforded to the admiration of all who
have seen them, but all under the domination of the barbarians.
To the north of Bexar, and for a considerable distance, the cli-
mate is very healthful because of the altitude of the country and
the purity of the air. Toward the coast and frontier of Natchi-
toches it is subject to chills because the country is so low, so cov-
ered with vegetation-some of its being marshy--rainy at all
times and especially during the rainy seasons.
On the San Antonio river at Bexar there are four missions
which the priests of la propaganda fide of the college at Zacatecas
had held. They are Purisima Concepci6n, San Jose, San Juan
Capistrano, and San Francisco de Espada.
That of Concepci6n, distant one league from Bexar, has a
church of hewn stone carefully constructed with arches, although
it is is a bad condition because of damage by time. It has de-
teriorated considerably because of the absence of the priests and
natives. The buildings of the convent and the other offices are in
the worst condition. Of other buildings, there remain only heaps
of rubbish. This mission has a large irrigating ditch, although
not in use now. With it they irrigated a considerable piece of
land from which they gathered crops of all kinds. For three
years some citizens of Bexar have been planting these labores, but
without irrigation since their poverty will not permit the expense
of rebuilding the dam and cleaning the ditch. But, because that
land is so rich, they have not lost their labor.
The mission of San Jos6 is one league from Concepci6n. It
has a chapel which is well built of hewn stone although it is dam-
aged by time through lack of repair. It owns rich ornaments,
sacred vases, and much silver set with jewels and ornaments. All
these show its former splendor and riches. The convent has a
portion which is threatened with ruin. As for the rest, some have
fallen down and others are poorly repaired by certain vecinos
agregados. There are also some casts among the descendants of
the Indians who formerly inhabited it. It has a large irrigating
ditch and a considerable quantity of farming land which is culti-
vated with great success by these citizens. In this mission there
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 23, July 1919 - April, 1920, periodical, 1920; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101075/m1/65/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.