278 TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES. 



park, and the business districts 

 further east of the city. 



Also, some of the old Mexican 

 settlements, the Alazan Creek dis- 

 trict and the ancient Mission "Es- 

 pada," with several separate orig- 

 inal photoviews are depicted in 

 these sketches. These olden times 

 Mexican districts with the quaint 

 old jacals and Mexican life sur- 

 roundings, have always — and yet 

 today, been of much local interest 

 — especially to tourists and sight- 



mentioned in various articles here- 

 in. It was built by the Spaniards 

 about two hundred years ago, and 

 this sturdy old structure with its 

 three large tower bells has with- 

 stood (though several times re- 

 paired) the weather elenjents as 

 readily as all the other ancient 

 Missions around San Antonio. A 

 large high and square solid rock 

 fence had originally encircled this 

 mission, in order to protect the 

 inmates of the many separate an- 





Eastern Part of San Antonio as Seen From the Tower of the City Hall 

 (From an Old Original PhotograpK) 



seers in general; and our art stu- 

 dios photographers in general 

 throughout the city are teeming 

 with excellent views of Mexican 

 life and curios. 



The few photos reproduced 

 herein are all original old time 

 views and they explain themselves 

 without further detail. One of 

 them is of particular interest — the 

 Mission "Espada," ten miles be- 

 low San Antonio, as it has been 



cient rock houses from attacks 

 of wild jungle animals and the 

 savage Indians. Two separate 

 photo views ( one outlined some- 

 what herein) show a rounded 

 tower at the southeast corner of 

 the now delapidated and crumb- 

 ling rock houses, with a large 

 cannon hole and several smaller 

 holes for rifle use — all drilled" 

 through heavy and very thick 

 rock, and leading to the open 



