USA > Texas > A Twentieth century history of southwest Texas, Volume I > Part 22
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1,000
Laredo
1,500
El Paso, with Presidio.
8,500
Lower Rio Grande counties.
3,000
Goliad and Nueces counties.
1,000
Other parts of state.
1,000
Floating, say
3,000
Total
25,000
In July, 1857, Chas. G. Edwards, who kept a small store and a mill eight miles below San Antonio on the river, was attacked near Goliad by a party of seventeen men and dangerously wounded. At the time he was in charge of a small train of carts transporting merchandise from the coast. The assault was charged to the guerrillas conducting the predatory campaign against Mexican cartmen. The sentiment of the people of San Antonio, as voiced in the Daily Herald, branded the entire movement as outlawry, the expressions of abhorrence at the outrage being concluded as follows: "Persons here in whose judgment we have confidence recommend a call for volunteers from among us, and the formation of a body of citizens sufficiently large to repair to the scene of conflict and chastise the miscreants in a summary and effective man- ner. The whole subject is full of difficulty; but of one thing there can hardly be a doubt-inaction will never stop the outrages. To admit that our people will ever give up the employment of Mexican carts and Mexican cartmen would be equivalent to signing the death warrant to the prosperity of San Antonio."
Opinions as to the causes of this so-called "Cart War" were di-
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HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
vided. It was said that the opposition to the cartmen was caused in con- sequence of their hauling at lower rates than American and German wagoners could. Yet for the preceding ten years, it was asserted as another reason-the citizens on the Goliad road had complained of the thieving of cartmen upon their stock, and the citizens had long threatened they would not submit to it.
A wordy war was carried on between citizens and newspapers of Goliad (in which vicinity many of the outrages occurred) and of San Antonio. The latter alleged that the warfare was carried on with the practical connivance of Goliad authorities; while the people of Goliad replied that outlaws from San Antonio were taking a leading part in the hostilities against legitimate carting and also in the thieving itself.
It was averred that the teamsters with "four-wheeled carts" (Amer- icans) were endeavoring to supplant the "two-wheeled cart owners," and such a distinction must have had a conveniently invidious force in such a contest. Undoubtedly race antipathies were complicated in the hostilities, and those actively concerned in the attacks palliated their actions with this prejudice.
The resentment by Americans against Mexicans was doubtless ex- aggerated by some contemporary writers, but that racial prejudices fur- nished pretexts for a hostility that resulted in economic loss, is clearly proved. For a time it was found necessary to provide military escorts for wagon trains between La Vaca and inland towns. Commenting on the serious aspects of the problem the Austin Intelligencer said (Sep- tember, 1857) : "The subject affects not that place (San Antonio) alone. The driving the Mexican carts out of the trade has already withdrawn a portion of the teamsters accustomed to deliver freights at Austin, from this trade ; and as a consequence, our merchants are paying an increased price of 33 cents on their freights. The rise is attributed by the La Vaca forwarding merchants alone to these cart difficulties. Consumers are thus enormously taxed for the benefit of the selfish, murderous butchers who are making an exterminating war upon cheap labor. It is useless to disguise the matter. This is the sole cause of the war. It has been gaining ground in all the western counties ever since the short-sighted movements here in 1853 (referring to attempts to drive out the Mexican population). It has been excused under the various pretexts which law- less violence always assumes."
Eventually the governor (Pease) did call out the militia to put a stop to the outrages, and thereby, according to some accounts, aggra- vated the tension between the parties. The governor in his special mes- sage to the legislature on this subject enclosed some documents from the secretary of war at Washington, showing that the matter had assumed a national importance. The secretary's letter refers to protests from the Mexican minister in relation "to an organized system of persecution. violence, expulsion and even murder, which it is alleged is directed against peaceable Mexican citizens resorting to Texas in the prosecution of their lawful business." The Mexican minister's letter reads. in part, as follows: "It is averred that in the neighborhood of San Antonio de Bexar committees of armed men have been organized for the exclusive purpose of hunting down Mexicans on the highway, spoiling them of
164
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
their property and putting them to death. It is stated, moreover, that the number of victims is rising of seventy-five; whilst it is also affirmed that from the neighborhood of San Antonio de Bexar the residents of Mexican origin have been expelled. . . Sundry families, the vic- tims of these persecutions, had commenced reaching the Mexican territory in utter destitution.
December 4, 1857, a public meeting of Karnes county citizens was held to make protest against the action of Governor Pease. The resolu- tion adopted read, in part, as follows :
WHEREAS, great injustice has been done the citizens of this county by numer- ous articles published in the San Antonio Texan and Ledger and some of the papers of Austin City, containing false statements in reference to difficulties with cartmen on this road; and WHEREAS. our county has been invaded, our citi- izens seized and held in duress, our dwelling places threatened to be made deso- late. AND WHEREAS, the Honorable E. M. Pease, Governor of the State of Texas, having, as he says, "repaired to San Antonio for information on the sub- ject," and being influenced by the counsel of badly informed and designing men, has given his official sanction to those rumors, and without any authority of law called out a company of armed men, and stationed them in our county when there existed no cause for such measures, whereby aroused men where all was quiet, and has continued the same course of unjust conduct by submitting to the Legislature a special message containing statements in reference to the affairs and citizens of this county, that he does not know to be correct, and which we know to be false; and WHEREAS, the Governor's special message, from its tone and tenor, will leave the ruinous impression upon the public mind that the laws have been suspended and could not be enforced within this county; we therefore feel it due ourselves and the public abroad to publish a true statement of the occur- rences that have taken place within our county; and the accompanying resolutions are expressive of our views on this subject (one at first of but little importance, but now rendered momentous by the acts of high officials), and also of the con- duct of our chief executive. The following is a correct account of the attacks that have occurred in this county, as well as can be ascertained : On or about the 12th of September last, a train of twelve or fifteen carts, laden with mer- chandise from the coast of San Antonio, were assaulted about two leagues above this town, by a party of about twenty men, in disguise, and by the Mexicans said to be white men. One Mexican was killed and two or three others wounded. The carts and merchandise were not disturbed. This was the first and only assault made within the county previous to the coming among us of a troop of soldiers. No information was lodged with any magistrate or other officer of the county by which they could proceed to issue warrant of arrest.
Since the invasion of our county by order of the Governor, and on or about the 22nd of November last, two Mexicans were found upon the prairie, one dead, and the other mortally wounded, who died in the course of the day, said to have been shot by two white men. An inquest was held over their bodies, the result of which and the proceedings thereon, are herewith given to the public in full. In view of all the facts above set forth. and of others not mentioned in this preamble, and the causes of these disturbances, it is there- fore Resolved,
Ist. That we consider the conduct of a certain party of armed citizens of San Antonio who recently invaded our county, as outrageous, and deserving the condemnation of all men.
2nd. That we regard the conduct of the editors of a portion of the San Antonio and Austin press, in preventing the truth concerning the difficulties on this road, as an abuse of the press.
3rd. That we recognize the calling out of a company of militia, . and stationing them in our county, by the Governor, an uncalled for measure, un- authorized by law, and tending eminently to arouse the passions of men and create disturbance where none existed, and entailing unnecessary expense upon
165
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
the state. We therefore request our Senator and Representative to vote against any measure introduced in the Legislature to pay those troops for their services.
4th. . That we regard the remedy, proposed by Governor . Pease in his special message to cure the evil, the giving of jurisdiction of offenses to courts that had none at the time of their occurrence, as novel and extraordinary, con- trary to all known and established principles of law, subversive of the principles of the constitution of the United States, as set forth in the sixth article of the amendment thereto-which declares that the accused shall enjoy a speedy trial by an impartial jury of the state and district where crime shall have been committed-and tending to arouse an opposition to a proper execution of the laws, and entail an unnecessary expense upon parties who may be accused in attending upon courts at a distance, when competent courts of jurisdiction are near at hand to try them. We therefore request our Senator and Representative to vote against any such measure that may be introduced into the Legislature.
5th. That there never has been a time when the laws could not be en- forced in this county, and that our officers are not deserving the censure that has been heaped upon them by the public press and the Governor; inasmuch as they have ever been ready, willing and able to afford protection to all who should call upon them, and cause the arrest of, when furnished with information as required by law.
6th. That though we discountenance, and have always discountenanced, the conduct of the parties who have from time to time made assaults upon cart men, in this and Goliad counties, yet we regard the continuance of peon Mexican teamsters on this route as an intolerable nuisance; and we therefore request the citizens of San Antonio to withdraw them as early as practicable, and sub- stitute others, or provide some means to prevent them from committing depreda- tions upon our property, at times when it is impossible for us to guard and watch over it .- San Antonio Daily Herald, December 12, 1857.
Cortina's Rebellion.
Somewhat later, beginning with 1859, the Rio Grande border be- came a scene of conflict between the settled communities and an army of desperadoes which assumed considerable importance. Cortina was a Mexican who, while confining himself to civilized pursuits, was a stock- man, but, finding that occupation desultory and insufficiently gainful, he turned cattle thief and bandit, gathered a crowd of similarly minded ruffians about him, and later, under the guise of carrying on a war for the liberty and welfare of his Mexican kindred oppressed by American aggression, led his cohorts against the armed soldiery and set order and law at defiance. Cortina found it to his advantage to assume the role of protector and champion of the Mexican population so outraged in the Cart war and by the various acts of hostility between the two races.
In July, 1859, Cortina and some of his followers got into trouble in Brownsville, and in the month of September he led a body of mounted men against the town, took possession, killed one or two men, terrorized the place, and then retired. He issued a proclamation setting forth his purposes in engaging in hostilities against the Americans, and threatened- to relieve the country of all enemies of the Mexican inhabitants of the state. A little later his lieutenant was captured by the Texans and hanged, an act that roused the bandit leader to vengeance. Towards the latter part of October the American troops, reinforced by a Mexican company from Matamoras, attacked Cortina, but were discomfited and had to retreat. This was followed by an ambuscade of an American troop, and for a time the Mexican seemed to be master of the situation. In the latter part of November another ill-organized attack of the Amer-
166
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
icans failed, and Cortina's forces were rapidly increasing. But in De- cember a company of United States regulars and a troop of Texas rangers captured one of Cortina's camps, and then rapidly followed him up on his course of devastation and completely defeated him near Rio Grande City, finally driving the border ruffian out of Texas. This was not ac- complished, however, until a large area of country had been ruined and many lives lost.
2
"The Alamo" at the time when it was used as a United States barracks.
CHAPTER XIX.
SOUTHWEST TEXAS FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Going back half a century, just before the war, we find the great region now developed into the empire of Southwest Texas practically at the beginning of its growth. From the immense "Bexar District" many of the counties had just been carved and a few had been organized. The country to the west and south of San Antonio was for the most part still a wilderness, and the settlements that had been made were largely those of the German colonists. The cattlemen were spreading their flocks over the range country, but even to this independent and fearless class hostile Indians, cattle thieves and other perils of a new country were obstacles almost prohibitive of successful industry.
The status of the country in 1850 is well shown by the census re- turns for that year, being the first census taken under United States au- thority. The population of the Southwest Texas counties at that time is shown in the following table, the first column giving the white popu- lation, and the second the total, from which the number of negroes, free or slave, is estimated :
Counties.
White.
Total.
Bexar
5,633
6,052
Caldwell
1,054
1,329
Cameron, Starr & Webb
8,469
8,54I
Comal
1,662
1,773
Fayette
2,740
3,756
Guadalupe
1,17I
1,5II
Gillespie
1,235
1,240
Goliad
435
648
Gonzales
891
1,492
Medina
88 1
909
Nueces
650
698
Refugio
269
288
San Patricio
197
200
It will be noted that west of San Antonio was only a sprinkling of population, and that in Medina and Gillespie counties. A large pro- portion of the total was in the lower Rio Grande counties. While the colored population was almost entirely confined to Fayette, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Caldwell and Bexar.
The only towns given in the census of that year are the following :
167
168
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
Towns.
White.
Total.
Castroville
335
366
Comaltown
286
286
Corpus Christi
532
533
Fredericksburg
376
754
New Braunfels
1,237
1,298
San Antonio
3,252
3,488
Zodiac
160
160
It is fortunate that Texas, from her first years as a distinct coun- try, has had observing visitors, and who, observing with keenness and discernment, have set down in writing the results for the instruction of later generations. In 1857 appeared a book entitled "A Journey Through Texas," which it should be the delight of every Texan to read, though the volume is now rare and not found in every book shop. The writer, Frederick L. Olmsted, a northern man and writing from a northern and anti-slavery standpoint, was nevertheless possessed of the breadth of mind, discriminating insight and ready sympathy and adaptability that set a dignified value on everything he said.
There is hardly a trace
of sectionalism in his writings. He was studious and painstaking, and willing to endure many hardships to learn the facts about a country. He did not observe this country from a car window or from a hotel lobby, as is too often the modern usage; and because his experiences were tinged with personal hardship and hence less vicarious, it is prob- able that his judgments touched more closely the real life of this section.
Routes of Travel.
Before abstracting some of the excellent passages of Olmsted's work, it will be interesting to note what the facilities for travel at that time were. Half a century ago the traveler consulted the following guide for the route from Austin to San Antonio: "Three times a week ; through in eighteen hours [now in less than four] ; leaving Austin on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening at eleven o'clock, and San Antonio every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evening. This line of excellent stages passes through the following noted points-Man- chaca Springs, Travis county ; St. Mark's (San Marcos), Hayes county ; Stringtown, Hayes county; New Braunfels, Comal county ; Hillsbor- ough, Bexar county ; San Antonio, Bexar county."
Those who journeyed inland from the coast, would take a four-horse coach at Indianola, on Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday, and travel "via Lavaca, Victoria, Yorktown and Sulphur Springs" to San Antonio; or, on different days of the week, could go to San Antonio, by way of Vic- toria, Gonzales and Seguin.
Traveling west from San Antonio, one would probably consult this time table :-
"Western Texas U. S. Mail Stage
"Between San Antonio and Eagle Pass, via Castroville, Quihi, D'Han- nis and Leona, "Leaving San Antonio every Monday at 6 A. M. and arriving at
3
Alamo Plaza 50 years ago.
Looking Northwest from Menger Hotel across Alamo Plaza towards present site of :-
1. Grand Opera House.
2. Reuter Building, corner Crockett Street.
3. Park and Band Stand formerly Old Market House.
169
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
Eagle Pass on Wednesday at 4 P. M .; leaving Eagle Pass every Thurs- day at 10 A. M. and arriving at San Antonio on Saturday at 4 o'clock. "B. David, Proprietor."
According to the Texas Almanac of 1859, San Antonio was the 4 southern terminus of the "Great Northern Mail" route, by which a mail and passenger stage went via New Braunfels, San Marcos, Aus- tin and intermediate points to Clarksville, thence through Arkansas to Memphis, Tenn. The almanac states that "nearly every portion of the state is accessible" by coach and hack service, and that the average fare for passengers was about 10 cents per mile, with travel both day and night."
San Marcos.
"By the stage from Austin, Mr. Olmsted came toward San Antonio. He describes San Marcos as a town of about three shabby houses : "Beyond it our road approached closely the hill range, which is made up of spurs coming down from the mountains north. They are well wooded with cedar and live-oak. With such a shelter from the north- erners and such a soil, it is no wonder that the settlers are numerous. We passed a house perhaps every mile, beyond San Marcos, and, in general, they were of a better character than we had seen anywhere before, unless in the neighborhood of Bastrop or Austin."
New Braunfels.
It is a happy picture of the German town of New Braunfels that Olmsted depicts : "The main street of the town was very wide-three times as wide, in effect, as Broadway in New York. The houses, with which it was thickly lined on each side for a mile, were small, low cottages, of no pretensions to elegance, yet generally looking neat and comfortable. Many were furnished with verandahs and gardens, and the greater part were either stuccoed or painted. There were many workshops of mechanics and small stores, with signs oftener in English than in German; and hareheaded women, and men in caps and short jackets, with pendent pipes, were everywhere seen at work."
Stopping at the inn, the traveler met with a sudden and complete transfer of associations. "Instead of loose boarded or hewn log walls, with crevices stuffed with rags or daubed with mortar, which we have been accustomed to see during the last month; instead of four bare. cheerless walls of whitewashed plaster, which we have found twice or thrice only in a more aristocratic American residence, were were-in short we were in Germany," and he finds much in the "Guadalupe House" to remind him of one of those delightful little inns along the Rhine. After dinner "we then spent an hour in conversation with the gentlemen who were in the room. They were all educated, cultivated, well bred, respectful, kind and affable men. All were natives of Ger- many, and had been living several years in Texas. Some of them were travelers, their homes being in other German settlements; some of them had resided long at Braunfels."
170
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
New Braunfels in 1858.
J. De Cordova's "Texas," a statistical book published in 1858, has a very interesting sketch of New Braunfels and its people.
"New Braunfels, the county seat, is situated on the banks of the Guadalupe river and Comal rivers. Its streets are very wide and well graded, the houses without any pretensions to elegance, have a peculiar air of comfort and neatness, as every house is either neatly painted or stuccoed, and has its own little well cultivated garden attached. In the town there are two taverns, one of them kept by Matthew Taylor, the other by Gustavus Schmidt. There are seven wagon makers in this town. who are justly celebrated for their workmanship. These wagons. although not very beautiful in appearance, are highly and justly prized for their solidity and lasting qualities. Indeed, the mechanical arts are here carried on to a considerable extent, as the Germans are generally excellent workmen. There is an ably edited weekly paper, the New Braun- fels Zeitung, edited by Mr. Lindheimer, the eminent naturalist. This is one of the few counties which have as yet established free schools. In them are taught both the German and English languages.
"This city was laid off in 1844, and by its charter its limits extend for three miles in every direction from its center, whereon the public square is located. On the Comal river, which divides it from Coma and Comaltown, has recently been erected a substantial bridge. The city proper contains about 2,500 inhabitants, besides those settled in the adjoining villages of Hortontown, Neighborsville, Comaltown and Coma. The population of this town, though very fond of lager beer, of which article there are two breweries, is perhaps as quiet, orderly and industri- ous a community as could be desired. Although far from their father- land, by the aid of their pipe and the charms of music, they appear to enjoy life : for within a circle of ten miles, including New Braunfels, we believe that there is more first-class musical talent to be found than in any district of country in the United States of ten times that dimen- sion. It is no common thing to find men who have passed the day in mauling rails or driving oxen presiding in the evening at the piano, and executing in a superior manner not only the ordinary music of their country, but the choicest morceaux of the Italian opera. Sundays and festival days are more thoroughly days of rest and recreation here than in any other portion of the state; and although the churches, of which they have two Protestant and one Catholic, are not overcrowded, the casinos and beer saloons are well attended; but strange to say, the ap- pearance of a drunken man on the streets would be a novelty.
"Already the water power of the Comal and Guadalupe has been turned to some advantage, two mills having been erected near its head. two more about a half a mile below, and near the middle of town. di- rectly above the bridge, is one of the largest flouring mills in the state. a building three stories high, and connected with it is a door, sash and blind factory: and there is now an effort to establish a cotton factory here, as the German farmers in this neighborhood have commenced the cultivation of cotton.
"The Germans own comparatively few slaves as yet. This is not
4
C MONOD
VINCE & WRO
Alamo Plaza 50 years ago. Looking Northwest from Menger Hotel, across Alamo Plaza to the present site of Frank Brothers' Branch Clothing Store.
I71
HISTORY OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS
to be attributed to their being abolitionists, but simply to the force of circumstances, as the most of them commence life on a small scale: ten acres of land is sufficient for a farmer ; but then they generally cultivate it properly I am well acquainted with a blacksmith who in 1848 had not five dollars in the world; he bought land on credit, went to work, built himself a small house, married, and is now worth from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars, and has besides a half dozen fine healthy children.
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