Our Cat/10lic Heritage i11 Texas
River bottom, destined to become the site of the largest city in the state and one of the richest agricultural areas in Texas. Let us return to Governor Barrios and the Presidio of San Agustin. When the governor made his report in July, 1756, he was enthusiastic concerning the enterprise and gave no hint that the location of the new presidio was unsuited for settlement. On the contrary, he requested six cannon and a competent sum of money for the construction of permanent forti- fications, a decent church, and other buildings, as had been done in the case of San Antonio and San Xavier. He inquired what price he should charge the garrison for corn and other supplies, pointing out that it took twenty days to transport them from San Antonio and ten or twelve from Los Adaes. Everything seemed to indicate the permanence of the new presidio. Three months later he made the first proposal to move from Orcoquisac. This was followed by a bewildering series of proposals and counter proposals that makes one's head swim and which must have been exasperating to the officials. Mouing frenzy and beginning of difficulties at San Agustin. In November, 1756, he explained how in August he had gone personally to the Orcoquisac, accompanied by Fray Anastacio de Jesus Romero, with the intention of making a reconnaissance to select a site for the proposed civil settlement. Unfortunately, he had been forced to abandon the exploration because of the urgent need of his presence in Los Adaes. He had commissioned, therefore, Bernardo de Miranda, Marcos Ruiz, and the friar to make the investigation. The three had examined the banks of the Trinity River upstream for thirty leagues without finding a suitable site. They discovered that the tide came up the river for twenty- two leagues. All along the river the land was subject to floods for a distance of three leagues. The only good site found was at Los Ojos de Santa Rosa del Alcazar, where Chief Gordo's ranclzeria was located, some eighteen or twenty leagues from the sea. This was about ten leagues, some twenty miles, west of the San Jacinto where two springs joined this river. The two creeks have been identified as Mill Creek and Spring Creek. 47 The site was pleasant and offered facilities for a successful settlement. The rancluria of Chief Canos was only ten leagues away and that of Calzones Colorados six. In view of the unsanitary conditions of the site where the presidio was at present and the marshy character of the land, the governor urged its immediate removal to Santa Rosa del Alcazar where the civil settlement could be founded. The survey
47 The identification was made by Dr. Bolton. See Bolton, Texas, 350.
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