January 24 in San Antonio history…

1905
The State Legislature passed a bill to purchase the Alamo for a historic shrine for $65,000.

1938
Demolishing of the old market house on Market Plaza started today.  After the 37-year old structure is razed, construction will begin on a new $168,981 market house.  It will be one story of brick and concrete.

1999
“Old No. 794″ Southern Pacific steam locomotive is moved from Maverick Park to Sunset Station.

December 15 in San Antonio history…

1905
Burglars ransacked Albert Friedrich’s Buckhorn Saloon early this morning, taking whatever they wanted including $40 in cash behind the counter, the contents of various slot machines and $10 in a charity box for the Salvation Army.

1917
Johnny Reynolds, “The Human Fly,” a steeplejack and building climber of nationwide reputation, held a great throng breathless today as he scaled the Wolff and Marx Building.  On reaching the roof, he took a chair and sat on the edge.  He then climbed the flagpole and balanced himself across the knob surmounting the pole.

1960
The 10-cent comic book joined the ranks of the deposed 5-cent cigar, nickel glass of beer and the cigar store Indian. Dell comic books on San Antonio newsstands went up to 15 cents.

August 22 in San Antonio history..

1905
According to the records in the office of the city engineer, there are 71 automobiles in San Antonio, representing a value of about $37,200.
(Automobiles were quite expensive. One could buy an average house for $3000 then.)

1968
Plans for a special San Antonio Day at Hemisfair were announced today by Chairman David Straus.  Tickets will be 2 for 1 this Sunday, August 25.  There will also be free parking on a first-come, first-served basis in the Hemisfair parking lot east of the fairgrounds and south of Durango.

1987
The Pope’s upcoming nine-day visit to the United States, including San Antonio, is expected to cost at least $28 million.  Texas bishops are raising $2.5 million for the San Antonio visit on September 13.

 

July 12 in San Antonio history…

1911
Lt. Benjamin D. Foulois, Signal Corps, has been ordered from San Antonio to Washington for work in connection with the aero squadron. It is his opinion that the aeroplane will be left here and another army aviator will be ordered here.

1991
The team of Johnson, Dempsey & Associates, Legorreta Architects and Davis Sprinkle are chosen in a design competition for the new 180,000 square foot Central Library to be constructed on the site of the Sears building on Romana Plaza.

2001
It’s the end of an 85-year era as Kelly Air Force Base, America’s oldest, comes to a close.

July 11 in San Antonio history…

1878
A stone marker is placed on Ben Milam’s grave in Washington Square Park [now Milam Park.]

1905
The morning low temperature of 60 degrees is still a record low for the month of July.

1917
This classified ad appears in the San Antonio Light:
One red monkey escaped July 9 from cage at Brackenridge Park.  Return same to Commissioner Lambert for reward.

May 30 in San Antonio history…

1905
A steel cable in the City Hall bell tower broke, dropping a 700-pound weight through the building to the second floor.

1953
The hours for the Bolivar Library in La Villita have been announced.  The hours will be 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

2009
The $74.4 million upgrade to the Museum Reach expansion of the San Antonio River is completed on-time and $2 million under budget.

January 24 in San Antonio history…

1895
Mayoral candidate Bryan Callaghan ordered a boycott of The San Antonio Light newspaper for its attacks on him.

1905
The State Legislature passed a bill to purchase the Alamo for a historic shrine for $65,000.

1938
Demolishing of the old market house on Market Plaza (right) started today.  After the 37-year old structure is razed, construction will begin on a new $168,981 market house.  It will be one story of brick and concrete.

January 22 in San Antonio history…

1905
The City Health Board called for an ordinance prohibiting persons from spitting on streets and sidewalks.

1933
Only in chasing criminals or in answering emergency calls will radio patrol cars be allowed to exceed a speed limit of 25 miles per hour in the future, this according to an order issued today by Chief of Police Owen Kilday.

1940
San Antonio awakened today to see its first snowfall in 10 years.  At noon, the snow measured three inches.  San Antonio received its last heavy snowfall – 29.9 inches – Dec. 21, 1929.

November 26 in San Antonio history…

1877
John James dies at the age of 56.  He became Bexar County chief surveyor, surveying and establishing the city’s boundaries in 1846. He participated in the Battle of Salado in 1842 and in 1844 he surveyed and laid out the city of Castroville. In 1853, he and Charles de Montel established the city of Bandera and set up a horse-powered lumber mill there. He also established the first lumberyard in San Antonio and introduced Merino sheep to the Bandera area. In 1854, he and 35 others headed to California with more than 1,000 head of cattle. James also surveyed Fort Davis, Boerne, D’Hanis, and Quihi. He is said to have surveyed more land in Texas than any other individual surveyor. James was also the father-in-law of well known architect Alfred Giles.  Lastly, he was one of the three bondsmen who underwrote for the City of San Antonio the payment of $300,000 to the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio Railway Company on completion of the first railroad into San Antonio February 19, 1877.

1905
Two steam locomotives collide in a staged exhibition at the International Fairgrounds.  Unlike the Crash at Crush, the boilers do not explode and no one is harmed.  It is estimated that over 35,000 spectators witnessed the event.

1955
Duke Ellington and Nat “King” Cole (right) appear in person at the Majestic Theater for a special midnight showing of their new full-length motion picture “Rock ‘N’ Roll Revue.”  (photo from the UTSA Digital Photo Archives)

September 18 in San Antonio history…

1905
San Antonio was shown by the census to be the largest city in Texas, with a population of 59, 581.

1947
Advanced corrosion of the electrical wiring that controls the gates of the Olmos Dam was disclosed.  A routine check showed the wiring had almost disintegrated.

1986
Joint public TV stations KLRN-TV of San Antonio and KLRU-TV of Austin vote to split up and work toward operating independently.  Starting in October, each station will begin keeping its own books.