San Antonio, the Metropolis and Garden Spot of Texas, and Fort Sam Houston, U.S. Army Headquarters, Department of Texas.

San Antonio: Paul Ebers, (1909). First edition. Oblong octavo. 80 pp. Predominantly full page photographic illustrations (most full page). Publisher's printed pictorial wrappers in red green and blue. Lower corner of title page excised but not even extending into the border. A very good copy.Quite unusual on the market although OCLC records 12 copies. While the numerous views of early San Antonio are excellent, the real interest in this item lies in the Fort Sam Houston section (the second half of this book). In it are views of soldiers manning machine guns and a machine gun mule, soldiers at parade, four wonderful views of cavalry charges, heavy munitions, signal corps, etc. "1890 the post at San Antonio was designated Fort Sam Houston in honor of Gen. Sam Houston. In 1886 Apache Chief Geronimo was held in the quadrangle before his exile to Florida. During the Spanish-American War, the First United States Volunteer Cavalry, commanded by Col. Leonard Wood but known as Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, mobilized in San Antonio and received their equipment from the depot in the quadrangle. Fort Sam Houston expanded again after the war, with the construction of the Cavalry and Light Artillery Post Addition, 1905–12. The War Department began purchasing land near Leon Springs in 1906 for firing ranges and training areas. This area became Camp Bullis in 1917. The first chapel on post was built with funds donated by the citizens of San Antonio and the soldiers and dedicated by President William Howard Taft in 1909. It was named the "Gift Chapel.” In 1908 a new hospital was built at the artillery post" (Texas Historical Society)