hundred pesos a year. Later the former received the title of governor, but in 1730 his civil functions were the same, though he received from the viceroy the rank of lieutenant captain-general and military governor. Between 1730 and 1733 it was ordered that this official should also have authority over the garrison of Ulúa, a resident commander of the fortress being appointed as his subordinate.[1] After the establishment of intendencias in 1787 the powers of the former were greatly enlarged, the offices of governor and intendente being afterward combined.[2]
At the close of the eighteenth century the intendencia of Vera Cruz contained a population of about one hundred and fifty-four thousand.[3] The second town in importance was Córdoba, founded, it will be remembered, in 1618.[4] In 1746 it contained over seven hundred families.[5] About thirty years later its population was about the same. Most of the houses were of stone; the streets were wide and well paved, and a plentiful supply of water was obtained from the mountain streams in its neighborhood. In the center of the plaza was a large fountain, and on one side of it stood the cathedral, the three remaining sides being adorned with Gothic arches. The surrounding vegetation was rich and of many hues, and
- ↑ Reales Cédulas, MS., ii. 233-4. It is there stated that Antonio de Benavides was the first one vested with these powers. He was appointed about the year 1734.
- ↑ The intendente was also subdelegado of the city of Vera Cruz and its district. Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, 164. The first intendente of Vera Cruz was Pedro Corvalan, appointed in 1788. [In Id., i. 165, Cervalan.] In 1792 Pedro Gorostiza held that office. Id., 164. In 1795 Diego Garcia Panes received the appointment. Gomez, Diario, in Doc. Hist. Mex., série ii. tom. vii. 4.36; and in 1798—Plan de Defensa de San Juan de Ulúa, in Col. de Diario, MS., 510.
- ↑ Distributed among 372 poblados. Cancelada, Ruina de la Nueva España, 73-5. Lerdo de Tejada states that there were 2 cities, 5 villas, 147 pueblos, 60 haciendas, and 157 ranchos. Apunt. Hist., 365-6. It extended from the bay of Términos to Tampico, a distance of 210 leagues, with a varying width of 25 to 35 leagues. Its boundaries are defined in Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, i. 150-1, and remained the same until 1824.
- ↑ See p. 27, this vol.
- ↑ Two hundred and sixty Spanish families, 126 of mestizos, 60 of mulattoes and negroes, and 263 of Indians. The town had now an alcalde mayor. Villa-Señor y Sanchez, Teatro, i. 265.
