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Our Cat/10/ic Heritage in Texas
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and desired to visit the villa and the presidio, he would not allow them to enter within either. Their entrance, now that they knew the full impo- tence of the Spaniards, might prove a stratagem to repeat the tragic massacre of San Saba. The five missions had reenforced their outer walls and strengthened the defense of the various entrances in anticipation of an attack. Nothing had been done at the presidio nor could anything be done under the present conditions. He had neither the men required nor the means with which to do it. He frankly confessed he feared the consequences of a serious attack and was warning the authorities, as was his duty, in order that, if misfortune overtook the presidio and villa, he might not be held respon- sible for negligence in making the danger known. He strongly urged and pleaded for the restoration of the full garrison of forty-four men as the first step in placing San Antonio on a sound footing for defense. 1 ' Mention should be made that in spite of the serious troubles endured by the heroic band of Spanish settlers, they had succeeded in completing the Church of San Fernando with the aid of funds from the royal treas- ury. Early in 1757, one of the missionaries declared that the parish church had been completed and he described it as "perfect and harmonious in every detail." The cost of the edifice was seven thousand ,pesos. Some idea of the salaries paid to workmen may be gained from the details concerning the cost of the building. The ordinary masons or bricklayers, who mixed the mortar and put the stone in place were paid at the rate of from twelve to eighteen pesos a month with board. The helpers to the masons received only fifty cents a day and were not given board. The master masons, who directed the work, were paid at the rate of two ,pesos a day and board. 15 La Bahia del Espfritt, Santo. Almost ten years after the removal of the Presidio of Nuestra Senora de Loreto to its new location on the San Antonio River we have a description of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Bahia del Espiritu Santo given by Father Fray Francisco Xavier de Salazar to the new Governor of Texas, Don Jacinto de Barrios y Jauregui. In 1758 there were living in the mission forty-nine Indian warriors 14 Luis Antonio Menchaca to the Viceroy, May 11, 1763. In Testimonio de los autos fonnados a representacion de Don Toribio de Urrutia ... A. G. /., Audiencia de Mexico, 92-6-22 (Dunn Transcripts, 1748-1763, pt. 2), pp. 191-:rn4. 15 The details given here are found in a long report in which various persons testified as to what It would cost to build a church at San Saba, using the expenses incurred in building San Fernando church as a basis. See Testimonio de las diligencias practicadas por el Coronel Don Diego Ortiz Parrilla ... A. G. /., Audiencia de Mexico, 92-6-2:2 (Dunn Transcripts, 1748-1763, pt. 2), pp. 60-100.
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