Ottr Cat/1olic Heritage in Texas
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Mexico, demanded the fulfillment of the order issued in 1740. The Fiscal, Licenciado Vedoya, recommended that the sum be paid to Alvarez Travieso, the accredited representative of the Villa, who was now in Mexico, with instructions that the twelve thousand pesos were to be used to complete the building and purchase the necessary furnishings and ornaments. The experienced official further pointed out that to prevent the money from being spent for other things and to insure its use for the purpose intended, the viceroy should issue orders that the sum paid out be placed in a chest with three distinct locks, whose keys were to be kept individually, one by the Cabildo or its representative, one by the Curate, and one by the Captain of the Presidio. 47 The viceroy acted upon the recommendation of the Fiscal and informed Alvarez Travieso on January 18, 1748, that the money would be delivered to him upon presentation of sufficient bond. Far from being satisfied, Alvarez Travieso replied that the sum granted was insufficient and would cramp the size of the proposed church as contemplated and its ornaments. all of which would have to be scaled down to the funds granted. He further declared that he was unable to post the required bond personally and that the Cabildo was in the same condition, its poverty being well known. He suggested, therefore, that the money be paid over to Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, former Governor and now resident of Mexico City, whose integrity was recognized as well as his interest in the construction of the proposed church, who could pay out the money, as orders signed by the Curate, the Cabildo, and the Captain of the Presidio were drawn on him, when needed. He justified his proposal by declaring that the transportation of this sum of money from Mexico to the Villa de San Fernando implied great risk. The matter was referred to the Fiscal again. In his new report, this official agreed that it would be best to pay over the sum stipulated to a resident of Mexico City of recognized integrity and solvency as sug- gested, upon whom the Cabildo of the Villa could draw, as funds were required. He did not agree, however, with the statement that the sum was inadequate for the purpose. He explained that the designs had been originally submitted to an expert architect who had estimated the total cost of construction at twenty-four thousand pesos, that in view of the fact that approximately half of the church was already built, the sum stipulated was ample. It was his opinion, he said, that when the Curate,
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47Qpinion de! Fiscal Vedoya, January 15, 1748. Bexar Archives, University of Tens.
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