USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > A thumb-nail history of the city of Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1836 to the year 1912 > Part 5
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very troublesome features. There were obstacles to navigation near Morgan's Point, where there were two bars known as Red Fish and Clopper's bars. The water was shallow at these two points and whenever a severe norther blew the water out of Galveston Bay, these bars became impassable. At that time there was no remedy for the evil, so it had to be endured. At this end of the bayou there was a less formidable though serious obstacle. Be- tween Houston and Harrisburg, for a distance by water of about sixteen miles, the bayou was very tortuous and overhung by large trees. The limbs of these trees played havoc with the wood work of the steamboats and sometimes did serious damage to the boats themselves.
The work of improving navigation of the bayou was done exclusively by the people of Houston, without outside assistance. This seems strange, for among the first measures passed by the Texas Congress was one setting aside $300,000 for the im- provement of Texas rivers and harbors. For some unknown reason no request was ever made for this money, certainly not for the improvement of Buf- falo Bayou. The work was rather crude and sim- ple and was chiefly that of cutting off overhanging limbs, removing sunken logs and cutting down trees that could be gotten rid of in no other way. The importance of the bayou has always been recog- nized by the people of Houston first, and then by the people of Texas and of the Southwest. In the early days it afforded the only safe communication
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between the people of Texas and the outside world, and in later days it has been made the basis for ad- justing fair and equitable freight rates over the rail- roads. Aside from its importance as a freight car- rier for Houston, it is important in regulating freights for the entire Southwest, and that fact creates interests in the bayou in territory remote from Houston. Really Buffalo Bayou should have pages devoted to it instead of this, necessarily, brief mention.
A year after Houston was laid out as a "city," the first steamboat, the Laura, came up here from Harrisburg, though she had a terrible time in ac- complishing the passage from Harrisburg to Hous- ton. The Laura seems to have cleared the bayou of so many obstructions that after that several steamboats and sailing vessels came here and soon there was a regular service established between Houston and Galveston, which continued for some years after the war, the railroads finally destroy- ing the passenger business, and since then the im- mense traffic, amounting to millions each year, has been done by means of barges.
During the latter years there were some magnifi- cent steamboats engaged in the Houston-Galveston trade, the two most magnificent ones being the "Diana" and "T. M. Bagby," sister boats which compared favorably with any of the famous Mis- sissippi river boats. They were each 170 feet long, 32 feet beam and five feet hold and were furnished
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in the most luxurious manner. Each was a veritable floating palace.
There are only stray pieces of records and sta- tistics relating to cotton shipments during early years, in existence. In 1839 only eight bales of cot- ton were shipped down the bayou. By 1844 those eight bales had grown to 7,000. The next year, 1845, a large cotton crop was made in Texas and the receipts and shipments here amounted to 12,000 bales. Nine years later they had grown to be 38,000 bales and the growth has been steady ever since, until today Houston handles more actual spot cot- ton than any other market in America. The local sales of spot cotton in Houston average about 750,000 each season, while its receipts and shipments are between 2,500,000 and 3,000,000 bales yearly.
Although there were such men as Ewing, Ash- bel Smith, McAnally, and others of lesser promi- nence practicing medicine in the very early days of Houston there seems to have been no effort made by them to form a medical association. Ten years later there were several additions to the medical profession in Houston. Among the new-comers were Dr. S. O. Young, Sr., Dr. William McCraven, Dr. W. D. Robinson, Dr. W H. Howard and Dr. L. A. Bryan.
More than ten years more passed before a suc- cessful attempt was made to form an association. In 1857 the first Houston medical association was organized. Dr. J. S. Duval was elected president; Dr. H. W. Waters, vice president and Dr. R. H.
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Boxley, secretary. The following was the full list of members: J. S. Duval, W. H. Howard, Green- ville Dowell, R. H. Boxley, and H. W. Waters. The objects of the organization were: "To culti- vate the science of medicine and all its collateral branches; to cherish and sustain medical character; to encourage medical etiquette and to promote mu- tual improvement, social intercourse and good feel- ing among members of the medical profession."
The first resolution adopted by the association was one aimed at the Homeopaths, and was as fol- lows:
"Whereas, The scientific medical world has proven Homeopathy to be a species of empirism, too flagrant to merit the confidence of rational men, and too fabulous to deserve even the passing notice of an educated physician, and as we are convinced that it is a delusion, far surpassing any other ism known to the world, witchcraft not excepted, there- fore we will not recognize, professionally or pri- vately, any man who professes to cure diseases through the agency of Hahnemanic teachings.
"Be it Resolved, That as a diploma from a reg- ularly organized medical school is the only evidence of qualification which our community can obtain in regard to the doctors in their midst, we respectfully recommend to the citizens of this flourishing city that they demand of every man who assumes the responsibility of a physician to their families, their diplomas as certificates of their worthiness of pat- ronage, and that they see to it that they are not im-
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posed on by a diploma from a medical society or a certificate of qualifications as a dresser in a hos- pital."
Two years later, in 1859, the Houston association issued a call addressed to the physicians of the State asking them to meet in Houston for the pur- pose of organizing a State Medical association. There is reason to believe that such meeting was held but there is no record of it. The best evidence that there was such an association formed is the fact that Dr. W. H. Howard, who was a member of the City association in '1859, always spoke of the forma- tion of the present State Medical association as the re-organization of the old association.
The following named physicians met in the par- lors of the Hutchins House on December 8, 1868, for the purpose of forming the Harris County Medical association: L. A. Bryan, W. H. Howard, J. Larendon, D. F. Stuart, T. J. Poulson, R. W. Lunday, Alva Connell Sr., Alva Connell Jr., G. H. McDonnall, W. D. Robinson, T. J. Devereaux, J. M. Morris, W. P. Riddell.
After issuing a call to the physicians of Texas inviting them to meet in Houston, April 15, 1869, for the purpose of organizing, or rather re-organ- izing the State association, the Harris County asso- ciation adjourned and never held another meeting until resurrected in 1904, since which date it has been one of the largest and most useful county asso- ciations in the State.
The State Medical association was formed in the
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parlors of the Hutchins House, April 15, 1869.
If the early lawyers of Houston had any associ- ation they have left no record of the fact. There were great lawyers then and they set a standard of professional ethics and courtesy which, be it said to the credit of those who followed them, has never been lowered. From the earliest date the bar of Houston has always been great and influential. Among the big men when Houston was in its swad- ling clothes were such men as Archibald Wynn, a criminal lawyer of marked ability; Peter W. Gray, W. P. Hamblen, E. A. Palmer, A. N. Jordan, J. W. Henderson, Benjamin F. Tankersley, Gus Tompkins, A. P. Thompson, A. S. Richardson and C. B. Sebin. The mere mention of these names is sufficient to show the high standing of the Hous- ton bar at the very beginning.
During and after the close of the war there were many very brilliant and able lawyers who came to Houston. Among the most distinguished of these was Hon. Charles Stewart, D. U. Barziza, John H. Manley, Frank Spencer, George Goldthwaite, E. P. Hamblen, W. H. Crank, Judge Wilson, James Masterson, C. Anson Jones, son of the last President of the Republic of Texas; W. A. Car- rington, F. F. Chew, J. C. Hutchinson, Judge James Baker, W. B. Botts and others of equal prominence. These as all know, were men of the greatest probity and honor and would have reflected honor on any bar.
When the first amended constitution of Texas
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was adopted by the people, it created a criminal dis- trict court for Harris and Galveston counties. Judge Gustave Cook was appointed presiding judge and held the position for fourteen years. His successors on the bench have been: C. L. Cleve- land, E. D. Cavin, J. K. P. Gillespie, E. R. Camp- bell and C. W. Robinson.
The following were the officers of the Eleventh district court from its organization to the present day :
From 1837 to 1842-Benjamin C. Franklin, Judge; James S. Holman, Clerk; John W. Moore, Sheriff.
From 1842 to 1849-Richard Morris, Judge; F. R. Lubbock, Clerk; M. T. Rogers, Sheriff.
From 1849 to 1854-C. W. Buckley, Judge; F. R. Lubbock, Clerk; David Russell, Sheriff.
From 1854 to 1862-Peter W. Gray, Judge.
From 1862 to 1866-James A. Baker, Judge; W. B. Walker, Clerk; B. P. Lanham, Sheriff.
From 1866 to 1869 there were no elections and the members of the bar selected the following named gentlemen to act as judge of the court: George R. Scott, C. B. Sabin and P. W. Gray.
From 1869 to 1870-George R. Scott, Judge.
From 1870 to 1892-James R. Masterson, Judge.
From 1892 to 1896-S. H. Brashear, Judge.
From 1896 to 1900-John G. Tod, Judge.
From 1900 to date-Charles E. Ashe, Judge.
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The following is a complete list of the sheriffs of Harris county since the organization of the county to 1912:
1837-42-John W. Moore.
1842-49-M. T. Rodgers.
1849-54-David Russell.
1854-58-Thomas Hogan.
1858-62-M. M. Grimes.
1862-66-B. P. Lanham.
Note-In 1866 John Proudfoot was elected sher- iff but after holding office for a short time he dis- appeared and Mr. I. C. Lord, who was city marshal at the time, was appointed to act as sheriff until an election could be held. Another regular election was held and A. B. Hall was elected.
1866-73-A. B. Hall. 1873-76-S. S. Ashe.
1876-82-Cornelius Noble.
1882-86-John J. Fant.
1886-94-George Ellis.
1894-96-Fred Erichson.
1896 to date-A. R. Anderson.
The Fifty-first district court was organized in 1897, and since then has had but three judges, as follows:
From 1902 to 1911-Judge Wm. P. Hamblen. From 1911 to date-Judge William Masterson. Judge Hamblen having died in office, Judge Mas- terson was appointed to succeed him.
The Sixty-first District court was organized in February, 1903, and has had but one presiding
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judge since its organization, Judge N. G. Kittrell.
The Harris county court was created by the Leg- islature in 1867. John Brasher was elected county judge and served until 1869. His successor was Judge M. N. Brewster, who was put in office by the Republican reconstructionists. Judge Brew- ster was ousted by the Democrats in 1867 and Judge C. Anson Jones was elected and served until his death, which occurred in 1882. Judge E. P. Hamblen was elected in 1882 and served until 1884. Judge W. C. Andrews was elected in 1884 and served until 1892. Judge Andrews was a candi- date for re-election in 1892, but died just before the election. On the death of Judge Andrews Judge John G. Tod was placed on the ticket and was elected. In '1896, Judge W. N. Shaw was elected and remained in office for two years, being suc- ceeded by Judge E. H. Vasmer in 1898. Judge Vasmer held office for four years and was followed by Judge Blake Dupree in 1902. Judge Dupree held office for two terms and was succeeded by Judge A. E. Amerman, the present incumbent.
The Corporation court for Houston was created by act of the Legislature in 1899. Before the cre- ation of this court the city had a somewhat similar court, the presiding judge being sometimes the mayor, sometimes a recorder and at others a jus- tice of the peace. The method was so unsatisfac- tory that the present court was created to avoid all confusion. The first election to provide a judge for the new court was held soon after the creation
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of the court and Judge A. R. Railey was elected and served until 1902, when he was defeated by Judge Marmion. When the form of the city gov- ernment was changed Judge Marmion was elected as one of the commissioners and Judge John H. Kirlicks was appointed to fill his unexpired term and has held office ever since to the satisfaction of everybody except the evil-doers.
The Houston Bar association was organized in 1870. Judge Peter W. Gray was its first president, Judge George Golthwaite its vice president and Col. Thomas J. Whitfield, recording secretary, N. P. Turner, corresponding secretary and W. C. Watson, treasurer. The association was not numerically strong at the beginning, but it was strong in every other way, for among its members were some of the greatest lawyers in the country. Today the association is strong in every way and compares favorably with similar associations any- where. L. J. Bryan is president; Thomas H. Botts, secretary and Chester H. Bryan is treasurer. The association has a membership of several hundred.
CHAPTER FOUR.
Houston's First Newspaper-Flood of Newspa- pers at the Close of the War-The Houston Post -Houston Herald-The Daily Post and Hous- ton Chronicle of Today.
Before the invasion of Texas by Santa Anna there was a Mr. Gray who had a printing office, consisting of a few fonts of type, a dilapidated press and a few other necessary things at Brazoria. From time to time he published a little news sheet, but made no effort to issue a regular newspaper. About the same time there was a little paper pub- lished at Nacogdoches, but it was spasmodic, irreg- ular and not entitled to be considered a newspaper. With these two exceptions there was not a paper published in Texas prior to the Texas Revolution, nor while the Texans were striving to bring about concerted action against Mexico, except that estab- lished by the Borden Brothers, Gail and Thomas, at Columbia, October 10, 1835. The Bordens had the greatest trouble to get not only material, but editors and printers, but finally they succeeded, and on the date named, issued the Telegraph and Register, which under the name of the Telegraph was destined to become and remain for years, the leading newspaper of Texas.
The Telegraph and Register was issued on the very day that the Texans, under Fannin, stormed and took Goliad, and as things began to happen
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with startling rapidity after that, there was no lack of sensational news for the paper. The paper was of the greatest assistance to the cause of the Texans, for it did much to concentrate public opin- ion and to keep the people informed about current events-information obtainable in no other way. The paper was published regularly from October, 1835, until late in March, 1836, when the Bordens, learning that Houston had fallen back before Santa Anna and had crossed the Brazos at San Felipe, decided to fall back themselves and take their news- paper plant to a safer location. With great diffi- culty they managed to move everything to Harris- burg and had an issue of the Telegraph all ready for the press when Santa Anna's soldiers showed up, burned their building and threw their press into the bayou. Instead of being discouraged the Bor- dens ordered a new outfit from Cincinnati, and, some time in August, 1836, resumed the publica- tion of the Telegraph in Columbia, where the Texas Congress met two months later. Gail Borden hav- ing been appointed collector of customs at Galves- ton and it being necessary for him to make his home there, he retired from the Telegraph and his brother Tom desiring to leave also, they sold the paper to Mr. Jacob Cruger and Dr. Francis Moore, who moved it to Houston and issued the first number here on May 2, 1837. Dr. Moore was chief editor of the Telegraph until 1853, when Harry H. Allen became editor and proprietor and continued as such until 1856, when he sold the paper to Mr. E.
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H. Cushing, who was one of the most gifted writers and able newspaper men the State has ever had. Ten years later, in 1866, Mr. Cushing sold the Telegraph to Col. C. C. Gillespie, who was a strong and forcible writer but rather a poor editor. Col. Gillespie employed Mr. J. E. Carnes as editorial writer and between the two the Telegraph soon be- came the leading literary paper of the State. Too much attention was paid to fine writing and too lit- tle to news, so the paper lost ground and was about on its last legs when Col. Gillespie sold it to General Webb, who published it regularly until 1873, when the financial panic of that year killed it.
The next year Mr. A. C. Gray revived it and un- der his able management it soon became the leading paper of the State again. In its first issue under Mr. Gray's management, April 16, 1874, Mr. Gray said:
"The Houston Telegraph is an old and familiar friend to very many in and out of Texas who will hail its reappearance as the return of an old, a much loved and greatly lamented companion. Founded in the days of the Republic, it was true to the gov- ernment and to the people, and by its efforts ac- complished, perhaps, as much as any other instru- mentality in calling attention to and developing the resources of this great commonwealth. Under the control and guidance of such men as Gail Borden, Dr. Francis Moore, Henry Allen, E. H. Cushing and others, it has reared for itself an imperishable monument, by its fidelity to the law, good govern-
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ment and general progress. It is with no ordinary satisfaction, and we trust a pardonable pride, that the present managing editor and propri- etor refers to his past connection with and present relation to the office of the Telegraph. Twenty- eight years ago, when a mere boy, he entered it as an apprentice. By patient toil and proper pride in his chosen profession he became its business manager during its most prosperous period. And when, un- der the financial panic of 1873, it was forced to suspend and ceased to make its daily appearance he mourned it as if a friend had fallen. Since then it has been his ambition to call the slumbering Ajax to the field again and bid it battle with renewed en- ergy for constitutional government, Democratic principles and the general weal."
Mr. Gray made a magnificent fight to reinstate the Telegraph in the front ranks of Texas journals, and from a literary and politically influential point of view he was successful, but the financial strain became too great and in 1878 the Telegraph was forced to cease publication and its pages were closed forever.
In the early fifties a Mr. Cruger, not the Cruger who was associated with Dr. Moore on the Tele- graph when it was established in Houston, began the publication of a tri-weekly paper called The Morning Star. This appears to have been quite an ambitious and prominent paper, judging by the incomplete files of it now in the Carnegie Library.
It seems that everybody wanted to start a news-
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paper in Houston after the war, for between '1865 and 1880 there were no less than twenty-one that had appeared, splashed about in the troubled waters of journalism and then sunk beneath the waves to rise no more. Some of them were worthy and de- serving papers, but the majority of them were catch- penny affairs that were started "on a shoestring," merely to get hold of a little cash from a confiding public. An exception was the Houston Age, owned later by Mr. Fourmy, the Directory man at present associated with Mr. Morrison. The Age became famous under the editorial management of Major Dan McGary, and also through the caustic articles contributed by Col. Dick Westcott, during heated political campaigns, and all campaigns were that during the existence of the Age.
In 1880, Mr. Gail Johnson, a grandson of Mr. Gail Borden, the founder of the old Telegraph, es- tablished the Houston Post. This paper had am- ple financial backing and had an able and well or- ganized editorial and business force. It was a bright, newsy paper and soon secured a strong foothold in Houston and throughout the State as well. There is no question that it would have ultimately become one of the leading papers of the State but for a fatal error committed by Judge Johnson, the father of Mr. Gail Johnson who had founded the Post. The Judge became deeply interested in the paper, and, being an ardent Republican, he conceived an idea that he could make the Post a power in politics by supporting a candidate against the regular nom-
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inee of the Democratic party. The Judge lost sight of the fact that Texas had so recently emerged from the reconstruction, scalawag rule that had cursed the State, and that the average citizen associated the name "Republican" with all that was despicable and contemptible. Judge John Ireland was the regular Democratic nominee and he was opposed by Col. Wash Jones, who ran as an independent candidate. The Post supported Jones, and did so in such a mas- terly manner as to attract attention and cause a de- mand for the paper. The circulation increased rap- idly and continued to increase until the day of elec- tion. Then Ireland was triumphantly elected and the bubble burst. The circulation dropped off more rapidly than it had increased. The paper had lots of money behind it, however, and continued its ca- reer just as though nothing had occurred to mar the serenity of its course.
Mr. Gail Johnson had grown disgusted and had disposed of his interest to his father, who in 1883 sold the Post to a syndicate of Houston capitalists, who had conceived the idea of converting it into a great Democratic State paper. They secured the services of Mr. Hardenbrook, an experienced news- paper man, and placed him in full charge, supply- ing him with plenty of money and giving him a free hand to do as he chose. Hardenbrook brought Mr. Tobe Mitchell from St. Louis and placed him in charge of the editorial room. Hardenbrook and Mitchell spent money freely and soon made the Post one of the leading papers of the South. In
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eight or nine months they spent very nearly $300,- 000. Then the backers of the paper became alarmed and one by one withdrew. Then the crash came and the paper suspended publication suddenly.
The suspension of the Post left Houston with- out a morning paper and to supply the defect Dr. S. O. Young organized a company composed of practical printers and newspaper men and began the publication of a morning paper which was called The Houston Chronicle. Mr. Baker, who now owned the Post plant, allowed the company the use of it and also allowed them to use the large supply of white paper the Post had on hand when it sus- pended, charging only for what was actually used at cost price. The Chronicle was not a brilliant sheet, but it was an honest and fairly good paper. It was run strictly on the pay-as-you-go principle and at the end of its first year, while it had an empty treasury, it did not owe a dollar to any one.
After an existence of very nearly eighteen months Dr. Young, who had secured entire con- trol of the Chronicle, merged it with the Journal, an afternoon paper owned by Professor Girardeau and Mr. J. L. Watson. The Journal ceased pub- lication and the new morning paper was called the Houston Daily Post. The first issue of the Post was on April 5, 1885. Effort was made to publish a more pretentious paper than the Chronicle had been, but that increased the expense, so that seri- ous complications arose. Professor Girardeau be- came disgusted and turned his back on journalism.
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Messrs. Young and Watson purchased his interest and continued the struggle. The loss to the paper of such a man as Professor Girardeau was a seri- ous embarassment. However, it was a blessing in disguise, for the gentlemen were enabled to secure Col. R. M. Johnston as editorial manager. Colonel Johnston, as everybody knows, is one of the best and most practical newspaper men in the country.
In September of the same year, Dr. Young received a flattering offer from the Galveston News to become one of its editorial writers. He gave his interest in the Post to Messrs. Watson and Johnston and went to Galveston. This left Watson and Johnston sole proprietors of the Post. They managed to keep their heads above water for about a year and in 1886, they re-organized the Post, turning it into a stock company. Even after that the Post had uphill sailing for a year or two, but finally the magnificent ability of Colonel Johnston as an editorial manager, backed by the absolute genius of Watson in the business office, began to tell and the Post became what it is today, one of the great newspapers of the Southwest.
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