September 22 in San Antonio history…

1921
The San Antonio Commissioners pass an ordinance “prohibiting any person, firm or corporation, excepting regularly licensed druggists and practicing, licensed physicians, to have in his or their possession, or to smoke, or in any manner use marihuana, Indian hemp, loco weed or Cannibis Indica.  Anyone found with any of the above named substances, in any form, except those indicated, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $10 dollars and not more than $200 dollars.”

1925
Local police were seeking the authority to destroy more than 100 marijuana bushes growing on N. Colorado Street.

1989
The Hertzberg elephant that has stood outside the San Antonio Library for almost 51years gained a companion today.  The original cast-concrete elephant was a Christmas gift to Harry Hertzberg from a fellow circus lover, jeweler Tom Scaperlanda in 1938.  The creator, Julian Sandoval, originally cast five elephants from the mold, one of which was bought by Joaquin Abrego for his wife.  Today, his family donated the little elephant, nicknamed “Pokey,” to the library.

 

July 14 in San Antonio history…

1925
The Dodge Brothers Automobile Company has offered a bulletproof car to the San Antonio City Police.  The sedan is of standard construction, but which, it is claimed, will ride through a fusillade of .45-caliber bullets with perfect safety to the driver and other occupants. The body, mounted on a regular production Dodge passenger car chassis, is made of 10-gauge bulletproof metal. The windshield and windows are of bullet-proof glass.

1930
The Sunken Garden Theatre is dedicated and opened with a performance of “The Bohemian Girl” by the San Antonio Civic Opera.

1972
Demolition of Fox Tech high school has begun. The 70-year-old buildings will be replaced with a $5 million, 3-000-student complex slated for completion in the fall of 1974. Tech students will go to Brackenridge High School while the work is under way.  Construction starts in October.

July 8 in San Antonio history…

1922
Robert E. O’Grady, owner of the Argyle Hotel, was chosen as the first mayor of Alamo Heights in today’s election. Aldermen are W. H. Hume, J.C. Talcott, Paul Villaret, Dr. W. S. Hamilton and Ben Hammond. W. G. Tobin was elected town marshal.

1925
Despondent over the drowning death of his only son nearly four years earlier, Alexander Joske fatally shoots himself. In mourning, Mayor John W. Tobin honored the merchant and community leader and ordered city flags flown at half–staff. Joske Brothers Company closed for two days, while throughout the Southwest people remembered Joske as a pioneer merchant who had played a key role in transforming Texas retailing industry by leading the change from 19th century dry goods stores to the modern department store of the 20th century.

1935
Postmaster Dan Quill suggested San Antonians take a last look at the old post office as crews would begin razing it soon to make way for the new building.

May 9 in San Antonio history…

1925
A tornado sweeps Stinson Field doing $75,000 damage to planes and hangars.

1946
Two bids on downtown underground parking lots were opened by the city council and terms of the two proposals read.

1979
UTSA archeologists announce that a skull dug up two months ago at the Alamo belongs to a victim of the battle but they do not know which side he was on.  The unfortunate man was about 20 years old and struck in the head with a sword.

December 28 in San Antonio history…

1947
Brackenridge High School brings San Antonio its first state football championship with a 22-13 win over Highland Park High school in Alamo Stadium.

1925
A one-inch snowfall, together with sleet, fell on San Antonio today, just three days too late for Christmas.

1943
An early morning blaze destroys the third floor of the Turf Bar, located at 121 Soledad Street.  The cause is presumed to be a cigarette dropped on an overstuffed sofa which was probably smoldering when the bar closed at 3 a.m.  The blaze was discovered by a passerby who spotted flames shooting from the roof at 7:15 a.m.

November 26 in San Antonio history…

1925
The city health officer today urged that San Antonians desist from kissing until the current epidemic of colds go away. He admitted his proposal is impractical.

1975
That “Little Ol’ Band from Texas,” ZZ Top, plays a concert in Convention Center Arena.  The Ramiro Cervera Orchestra opens the show.

2004
The city’s newest hotel, the 82-bed Comfort Inn Alamo/Riverwalk, opens in the old Bexar County Jail Building on Camaron Street (right). Bars that prevented inmates from escaping through the jail’s many windows along the sides of the building were cut to meet fire code requirements, but the bars remain in place on the front façade and backside facing South Flores Street a half-block away.

June 28 in San Antonio history…

1912
Within a few days it will be possible to tell the time by looking at the clock in the tower of the city hall. The machinery has been repaired and work was begun today painting the four faces.

1925
Fort Sam Houston and San Antonio officials turn out to welcome Col. Billy Mitchell as new air officer for the VIII Corps area.

1977
Construction workers began lifting the roof of the Convention Center Arena in order to add 6,000 extra seats.  The 2,260-ton roof will take three days to be raised 33 feet.  The construction work should be completed in the fall of 1978.

June 21 in San Antonio history…

1877
Work on the Quartermaster’s Depot and Water Tower at Ft. Sam Houston is begun by Braden & Angus. It will have a height of over 88 feet.  The United States Congress has appropriated $100,000 for work on this Depot.

1885
A herd of 300 cattle stampedes through Military Plaza, down Houston and Commerce streets.

1925
The Missouri Pacific railroad announced plans for a $50,000 Monte Vista station to serve 100,000 people every five years.

March 6 in San Antonio history…

1836
The final assault on the Alamo begins at approximately 5:30 a.m. Mexican forces take huge losses but capture the compound, killing the last of the 187 defenders who had held out within the walls of the fortified mission for thirteen days.

1898
The Cincinnati Red Legs baseball team is in town for three weeks to begin spring training at San Pedro Park. They are staying at the St. James Hotel. The Reds will divide into two teams, the Vets and the Colts, for their first game today. Any vacancies will be filled by members of the San Antonio Bronchos.

1925
Parachutes save the lives of Kelly flyers, Lt. C. D. McAllister and Cadet Charles A. Lindbergh, today when their planes collide in mid-air.  This is said to be the first time that two pilots have saved themselves by use of parachutes after a mid-air collision.

January 18 in San Antonio history…

1886
Leopold Wolfson buys the White Elephant Saloon to expand his dry goods business. The $2000 mirror smashes as it is being taken from storage.

1920
The deed to transfer Kampmann property at 4th and Avenue E to the Scottish Rite Masons of San Antonio has been filed with a consideration set at $65,000 in cash.  Plans are to erect a temple on the site.

1925
A fire damages the old Hot Wells hotel.  It was the second, after lightning struck and extensively damaged the building in 1894.