The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 84

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Southwestern Historical Quarterly

families of Islanders are relieved of their crops so that they can proceed
to the selection and location of the plot for the villa of San Fernando,
ordered founded and erected by the superior order of the viceroy of
New Spain which is at the beginning of these records, I therefore in
conformity therewith commanded that the said families present
themselves to me-as they did-at the plateau and spot designated in
the said order for the said establishment bringing two cart loads of
large stones and ten stakes for each of the families. With all of these, I
went in person with the most intelligent persons that could be found
in these regions to the plateau and spot mentioned in the said superior
order which was found to be a gunshot's distance to the east from this
presidio and from the Arroyo which washes the walls of the presidio
and which is to form the boundary of the location of the villa of San
Fernando to the west. And arriving at the said plateau and loca-
tion, with a sundial and a cord of fifty common Spanish varas in
length, I located the southwest and northwest points of the compass,
and began measuring from the place marked as the square which was
to serve as the location of the church. Starting from the middle of the
point designated as the door of the church, I ran the cord to the north-
east and measured Zoo varas which are equal to 6oo geometric feet,
as is ordered in the said superior order and as is shown on the map
as the length of the plaza. And having finished this measurement, I
laid off a square facing the church, designating it for the casa real.
This square and that for the church are equal, each of them being
the width of the plaza. To mark this quadrilateral both in length and
breadth, I ordered that there be placed in the center of the plaza and
in the corners and openings of the streets tall thick stakes, and large
stones, and that its outline be marked with a plow, so that a plaza
two hundred varas in length and 13 and 1/3 varas in breadth was
marked out, there being included in this last the width of the streets,
which measured 13 and 1/3 varas each. ...
On the following day four blocks intended as homes for the
settlers were laid out, two on the northern side of the plaza and
two on the southern. Each contained eighty square varas. Three
streets were to issue from the plaza on each side. The northeastern
square was reserved as the aduana or grain market; the others
were assigned to the principal families. In this respect the assign-
ment of land for homes did not conform with the Spanish laws
which stipulated that all such grants should be made without
respect to individuals. To insure this protection to all concerned,
land should have been assigned by the drawing of lots.
On July 4, the presidio captain, in company with the leading

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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963, periodical, 1963; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101196/m1/98/ocr/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.

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