USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume II > Part 21
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Many families in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are attracted to the city by the daughters in college.
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
Texas Christian University is a child of a lofty purpose and heroic endeavor of two early educators in Texas: Addison Clark and Ran- dolph Clark.
In the autumn of 1873 in the village of Thorpe Springs, Texas, Randolph Clark leased a three-story stone structure and opened the first session of what became Add-Ran College. A Charter was ob- tained under the general laws of Texas and became effective April 11, 1874.
In 1895 it was determined to move the university from Thorpe Springs to a more advantageous location. On Christmas, 1895, the university was moved to Waco.
The name Texas Christian University was adopted in 1902 to suit the enlarged purpose and work of the school, while the name Add-Ran, with its multitude of historic associations, was retained as the designa- tion of the College of Arts and Sciences, the central college of the university.
On the evening of March 22, 1910, the main building of the univer- sity burned, depriving the school of class rooms, library, museum, chapel and much valuable furniture, besides the rooms of the young men, which occupied the third and fourth floors. The loss was esti- mated at about $175,000.00 and the insurance was only enough to pay indebtedness. After the disastrous fire, the university accepted the invitation and the gift of $200,000.00 and a campus of fifty-six acres from the citizens of Fort Worth and began to erect new buildings in the fall of that year. Today the campus is adorned by six great build- ings of brick and concrete of symmetrical architecture, and the campus has been beautified by walks, shrubbery, flowers and athletic courts.
In addition to a property now valued at $1,500,000.00, the univer- sity has accumulated an endowment of $300,000.00, is receiving $10,- 000.00 a year from the general Board of Education and has enrolled over 700 students and a faculty of fifty members, who are the products of the greatest American universities. The institution, as organized
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at present, can minister to at least 1,000 students. The institution is offering recognized college work in at least fifteen departments.
As the standards for colleges have been more definitely determined and have risen, T. C. U. has faithfully tried not only to maintain them but also to lend its influence in forming better standards. The com- mittees from the Department of Education of the American Medical Association inspected the school in 1916 and approved jt for pre-medic work. Formerly, it was insufficient to meet the known standard of Texas' group, but recently it has become advantageous to find connec- tion with organizations representing larger sections in the nation. T. C. U. already holds membership in the following associations : Asso- ciation of Texas Colleges, American Association of Colleges, Board of Education of the Disciples of Christ, Southern Association of Teacher Training Colleges.
The institution has recently completed a $175,000.00 gymnasium, which is reckoned to be one of the most complete buildings of its kind in the entire South and Southwest.
SOUTHWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as its name implies, is under the auspices of the Baptist Church. Its field of endeavor is to educate men for the ministry.
It has a capital of $1,600,000.00 and an endowment fund of $375,000. It owns about 400 acres of land, a donation from the public-spirited people of Fort Worth, who have also contributed large sums for the erection of buildings and the installation of equipment.
It has three large seminary buildings and twenty-eight cottages for students, erected at a cost of $845,000.00.
The faculty comprises thirty-eight teachers and there are 580 students in attendance.
COLLEGES AND SEMINARIES
The Catholics have two colleges and seminaries and three parochial schools.
The first of these in the order of establishment is the Saint Ignatius Academy, situated in the heart of the city, established in 1885. It is a girl's school, with accommodation for 400 pupils, including boarders and day pupils. Fourteen Sisters are in charge. It is valued at $300,000.00.
OUR LADY OF VICTORY COLLEGE
This college is located on South Hemphill and is under the manage- ment and direction of the Sisters of St. Mary. It was established in 1910. Is affiliated with the Texas University and the Catholic Uni- versity of Washington, D. C. It has a large campus occupying an elevated plateau. It can accommodate 125 boarders and 200 day pupils. There are twenty Sisters in the faculty. Its valuation is $300,000.00.
The parochial schools are :
The Holy Name, at New York and Terrell Avenues, established in 1910, with accommodation for 100 pupils and a valuation of $25,000.00.
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The Sisters of the Incarnate Word, located, 2006 North Houston Street. Valuation, $25,000.00.
All Saints' Academy, on Rosen Heights, established in 1905. It has accommodation for forty boarding and fifty day pupils. Valuation, $25,000.00.
THE LANERI COLLEGE
This is a non-sectarian school, erected by John B. Laneri as a memorial to his deceased wife. It is located on Hemphill Street, in the residential section of the city. It has fine grounds, and an imposing structure with an auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,200. It has twelve class rooms and can accommodate 500 pupils. It is a boys' school and is open to all. Boys desiring an education will be received and taught without compensation if unable to pay tuition. The build- ing and equipment represent an expenditure of around $100,000.00 It was dedicated October 30th, 1921.
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CHAPTER XLVIII PUBLIC SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
WATER SUPPLY
In the early days water for domestic purposes was supplied from shallow wells and delivered by wagons from cold springs on the Bird ville Road and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, and kept in barrels, a very primitive and unsatisfactory method. There was no water for protection from fire or for sprinkling streets. The necessity for fire protection was imperative, as the city was composed almost exclusively of wooden buildings. Cisterns were sunk in the middle of the streets and kept filled with rainwater when it rained.
LAKE WORTH DAM, FORT WORTH
In May, 1878, Mr. J. J. Peters made the announcement that artesian water could be had in abundance under the city. He sunk a well in the southwestern part of the city, near the corner of Florence and Sixth Streets. His prediction was verified by an abundant flow of pure, soft water. He proceeded at once to sink a second well, on Peach Street, near Hampton, on the property of John Nichols. This solved the ques- tion of a water supply for domestic purposes. Over 200 wells were sunk in the city, and at one time it was thought that sufficient artesian water could be had for all purposes ; and in 1892 and for several years thereafter the city endeavored to develop the artesian system and spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars in a fruitless and unavailing effort to furnish artesian water for all purposes.
Numerous propositions were submitted to the city from time to time to install a water works system, which varied in cost from $24,000
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to $50,000, and provided for from three-quarters of a mile to one mile of pipe line.
In May, 1882, Capt. B. B. Paddock organized a company, of which M. B. Loyd, Zane-Cetti, John D. Templeton and W. P. Wilson were incorporators. He secured a franchise from the city and made a con- tract with the Holly Water Works Company of Lockport, New York, for the construction of a waterworks plant with six miles of pipe line and pumps with a capacity of 4,000,000 gallons per day. He trans- ferred the franchise to Morgan Jones, E. P. Cowan and Henry McLaughlin, who constructed the works, which they afterwards sold to the city.
In the fall of 1891 the city entered into a contract with McArthur Brothers of Chicago to construct an extension of the system, at a cost of $687,500, and with a pumping capacity of 8,000,000 gallons per day. In April, 1892, Captain Paddock became mayor of the city and was charged with the duty of carrying out this contract and perfecting a system which he had inaugurated ten years previously. By 1910 it became evident that the artesian system was unreliable and inadequate, and surveys and investigations were made during the administration of Mayor W. D. Harris and the first City Commission, which later resulted in the construction of a dam and impounding the waters of the West Fork of the Trinity River-Lake Worth is the result and Fort Worth can now confidently boast of being the possessor of the finest artificial lake in the country capable of supplying a city of a quarter of a million people.
STAGE LINES
Prior to 1880, all the passenger business and transportation of the mails for the entire country west of Fort Worth was conducted by stage lines, which radiated from this city in all directions, as the rail- roads do now.
The first line of importance, and one that attracted the attention of the entire country, was the Fort Worth & Yuma Stage Line. This was what was known in postoffice parlance as "Star Route" service. In 1877 a contract was let by the Postoffice Department for a daily mail line from Fort Worth to Fort Yuma, Arizona, a distance of 1,560 miles, being the longest daily stage line in the world.
Fort Worth shouted itself hoarse when the announcement was made and a banquet was given Mr. J. T. Chidester, the manager of the line. Robert McCart, who had but recently come to the city from Bloom- ington, Illinois, was the principal speaker on this occasion, and any one who heard him must have been impressed with the fact that this was the greatest commercial enterprise in all history, up to that time. The stages were to run through to Fort Yuma in seventeen days. But this was found to be too long. The coyotes, jackrabbits and horned frogs that were the principal inhabitants of the country beyond the Conchos could not afford to wait that long for their mail, and the Second Assistant Postmaster-General, at the earnest solicitation of the inhabitants, and the contractors, agreed to increase the compensation 100 per cent if the trip could be made in thirteen days, which was
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easily accomplished. This contract was one of the matters of con- gressional investigation of the "Star Route Steal" during the adminis- tration of President Grant. Deputy United States Marshals scoured the country for Chidester to summon him as a witness, but were never successful in finding him. The mail left Fort Worth in a Concord coach drawn by six horses and ran to Thorp Spring in Hood County, where it was transferred to a surrey with two horses. These went as far as Brownwood, where a buckboard and two bronchos took it the remainder of the way, if they were not interrupted by Indians and outlaws, which at that time infested the country.
STAGE COACH
This stage line continued in operation until the extension of the Texas & Pacific Railway west of Fort Worth, when it was dis- continued.
STREET RAILWAYS
On September 6, 1876, a franchise was granted to a company com- posed of J. P. Smith, K. M. VanZandt, W. A. Huffman, Morgan Jones and George Noble for a street railway from the court house to the Texas & Pacific Depot. The contract for its construction was let to Morgan Jones and the work commenced on November 17th. The first car ran over the line on Christmas Day, and Mr. Walter A. Huffman officiated as conductor. The cars were about the size of an ordinary street omnibus and were propelled by one mule something larger than a West Texas jackrabbit. That the business was not very profitable is gathered from the report of the first year's business, which shows that the gross receipts were $22 per day, showing the transportation of 440 persons each day.
In 1882 there was a spurt in street railway construction that is probably without a parallel. Everyone that had any money, and some who had none, undertook to build a street railway. The two most im- portant lines were the Queen City Street Railway and the Rosedale
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Street Railway, with the road to Mistletoe Heights as a good third. The latter was constructed from Jennings Avenue out Thirteenth Street to Ballinger, thence south across the railway to Terrell Avenue, or in that neighborhood, and thence west under the Fort Worth & Rio Grande to the Heights. These were where Westmoreland Place is now located. Then there was the Polytechnic Heights Street Rail- way and another across the river and way out towards Decatur some- where. The present traction company runs over these two latter, and it owns all that was found of value of the Rosedale and Queen City lines. Then, there was the "nine-mile belt" that ran all around over the South Side, crossed the Katy and Santa Fe tracks on Magnolia Avenue and wandered around through the Seventh Ward somewhere. This was promoted and operated by J. T. Voss.
In 1900, all of the street railways in the city worth having were acquired by the Northern Texas Traction Company, which is owned by the Stone-Webster Company of Boston. It now owns and operates about eighty-five miles of street railway, and the interurban electric railways to Dallas and Cleburne, embracing sixty-three miles. The construction and equipment is of the modern and substantial character and is said to be the most profitable electric railway in the country.
Fort Worth has the distinction of being the first city in the United States to be electrically equipped throughout.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The first attempt to organize a fire company in the city occurred in April, 1873. A meeting for that purpose was called at the court house by the Democrat. When the night arrived it brought with it a "blue norther." There was not sufficient interest in the matter to justify the people in facing the storm, and the only person present was the editor of the paper.
A second attempt, made about a month later, was more successful. A goodly number answered the call, and a company was organized, with Capt. S. P. Greene as president, B. B. Paddock, secretary, and William T. Field as foreman. There were about sixty members, mostly clerks and mechanics, on the roll, and they made up a purse and ordered a hook and ladder truck with all the necessary accoutrements. A series of entertainments were given to raise the funds, at one of which a vote was taken at so much per vote for the most popular young lady in the city, who should have the privilege of naming the com- pany. The leading contestants were Miss Sallie Johnson, daughter of Col. M. T. Johnson, and Miss Anna T. Harper, a sister of Mrs. B. B. Paddock. Miss Johnson was the successful candidate and the com- pany was named in honor of her father, the M. T. Johnson Hook and Ladder Company. It remained as No. 1 until 1893, when the paid fire department was organized, when it passed off the stage. There was never a more enthusiastic and successful band of firefighters.
On October 17, 1876, when city airs were assumed, an engine com- pany was organized, of which Capt. M. B. Loyd was president. He was also the first president of the Fort Worth Fire Department, which was organized after the second company came into existence, and was
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the accredited delegate to the meeting of the State Fire Department. Other companies followed as the necessity arose, and Fort Worth long enjoyed the reputation of having the finest department in the state. When the city took over the management of the fire department and
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put the men on the pay roll, the volunteers were given preference over all applicants and some of them are in service at this writing. When it became a paid fire department Mr. N. H. Lassiter was the president, and the last meeting was a most affecting occasion. Many of the old "fire-fighters" were opposed to disbanding the volunteer service, and laid down the responsibility with great reluctance.
Fort Worth now has one of the best, if not the best, fire depart- ments in the Southwest. It is fully provided with motor-driven equipment.
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THE TELEPHONE
When the telephone came into existence as a means of transmitting communication, Fort Worth eagerly embraced the novel method of business and social converse.
The first line was constructed by Dr. W. B. Brooks and ran from his residence at the corner of Weatherford and Pecan Streets to his drug store on Second and Houston Streets. Naturally, it was a crude affair. It had no bell or batteries, and consisted only of a can-like apparatus, which was both receiver and transmitter. Attention was attracted by tapping on the cans. The second line ran from the office of the Democrat on Houston Street to a saloon on Main Street, the latter being a prolific source of local news. Instead of tin cans, tam- bourines were utilized for receivers and transmitters. Very soon the Bell Telephone people established an exchange with about forty sub- scribers, having three employees in the office, two girls and a manager. Subsequently the Pan-American Telephone Company constructed lines and opened an exchange. Fort Worth did not take kindly to a dual system, and the activities of the Pan-American were short-lived.
The Bell system continued to grow and expand. Numerous propo- sitions were made to the city government to grant franchises to an additional and rival company. The city insisted that if a charter was granted, that it should contain a provision that the new company should not sell or lease to or consolidate with the existing company. This had the effect of destroying all desire for a franchise.
About 1900, a franchise was finally granted to the Fort Worth Telephone Company, and for a brief period the city had two telephone companies. But the venture was not successful, and the franchise was surrendered and the enterprise abandoned at considerable financial loss to the promoters.
The Bell Southwestern Telephone Company now possesses a monopoly of the business. It has three exchanges, one in the center of the city, one on the south and one on the north sides of the city.
It now has in commission 21,000 telephones, and a great and grow- ing demand for additional connections, which, on account of its in- ability to obtain material, it cannot supply. It is making additions to the exchanges and making every effort to keep pace with the growth of the city.
POSTAL MATTERS
The general government recognizing that Fort Worth, by reason of its facilities for distribution, was the logical point for the establish- ment of headquarters of the eleventh division of the Railway Mail Service, Congress passed an act creating a division composed of the states of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, locating the headquarters in this city, on November 15, 1888. The quarters were unpretentious and there were less than 400 men in the service of the division. The first superintendent was Mr. George W. Hunter, who was succeeded by J. S. Weaver, he by O. L. Teachout, who in turn was succeeded by Mr. S. K. Gaines in November, 1897, and who has held the position up to this date.
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There are at this time 1,356 employees in the division, about 250 of whom reside in Fort Worth. The annual salary of these employes is $580,000.
More than 100 railway trains and interurban cars handle mail into and out of the city daily. The Fort Worth postoffice is wholly inade- quate for the volume of business transacted, and a supreme effort is being made to secure more commodious quarters.
The growth of the city is reflected in the postoffice receipts, which have shown a healthy and continuous increase. The receipts for 1910 were $307,261. There is a consistent increase every year, and in 1919 there were $947,220, in 1920, $1,166,688.
The regulation of the postoffice department precludes giving the number and salaries of the employes, but, including the rural deliver- ers, mail and other employes, the number of employes runs into the hundreds.
It may be of interest to the early settlers of Fort Worth to read the following list of those who have served the city as postmasters from an early date to a time within the memory of those now living :
1st. Julian Feild. 1856
2nd. M. J. Barrison 1857
3rd. H. C. Jerven. 1857
4th.
Oldham. 1859
5th. Jno. M. Murchison 1859
6th. Geo. Boon .. 1860
7th. Mrs. Dorcas Williams 1866
8th.
C. J. Louckx. 1867
9th.
H. S. Johnson 1868
10th. J. A. Clark. 1869
11th. P. J. Bowdry. 1873
12th. A. G. Malloy. 1874
13th. J. P. Alexander 1875
14th. Julian Feild
15th. Mrs. B. M. Birchill
16th. Geo. W. Buroughs
17th. Mrs. Ida L. Turner
18th. 1 .. M. Barkley
19th. Robt. E. Speer
CHAPTER XLIX
THE COURTS, BENCH AND BAR
In 1872, when the writer came to Fort Worth, the Judicial District of which Tarrant County was a part included the counties of Denton. Parker, Wise and Dallas. Hon. Hardin Hart was District Judge. He was an appointee of Edward J. Davis and was not very popular with the bar or the people. He was about as rough a specimen of the genus homo as ever graced the bench. His habits were said not to be very exemplary, and this contributed to his unpopularity. He was accus- tomed to use the vernacular of the barroom and the poker game in his announcements from the bench. At one time Capt. J. C. Terrell proposed to amend his pleadings and the judge responded, "Now, Joe. you know you cannot raise at this stage of the game. Gause stands pat on his general denial and you will have to call or lay down your hand."
He did not hold in very high regard the rules of the higher courts or their decisions. At one time. James H. Field was arguing a case. when the judge interrupted him and proceeded to render a decision averse to Field's contention. Field, opening a law book, said: "If your Honor pleases, the Supreme Court says-" Field was not per- mitted to tell the court what the Supreme Court said. Interrupting him, the judge announced : "Well, let the Supreme Court say it agin. if it wants to." It was stated his rulings were usually correct, not- withstanding his manner of delivering them.
At the March term of the District Court in 1873, C. C. Cummings. B. B. Paddock and Mr. Albritton were admitted to the bar. The latter was easily the brightest and best of these, but he could not stand the pressure of the hard times that soon set in, and left the city, going to San Diego, California. Mr. Paddock is the only surviving member of the bar at that time. Major J. J. Jarvis, recently deceased, was a close second, he having come to the city in April and formed a partnership with John Peter Smith.
Owing to the vast amount of business consequent upon the large commercial interests and litigation with the numerous railroads con- verging in this city, it became necessary to create three district courts for Tarrant County, of which Fort Worth is the county seat. These are presided over at this time by Hon. Bruce Young. Hon. B. N. Ter- rell and Hon. R. E. L'Roy. There are two County Courts, one with criminal jurisdiction in misdemeanor cases and one with limited civil jurisdiction and probate matters. At this time H. L. Small is judge of the Civil County Court and he also presides in the County Com- missioners' Court. Hon. W. P. Walker is judge of the County Crim- inal Court.
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A branch of the Federal Court of the Northern District of Texas is located here, Hon. E. R. Meak and Hon. J. C. Wilson being the presiding judges. A branch of the United States Court of Civil Appeals also holds regular sessions here.
The Fort Worth bar is conceded to be of as great, if not greater, ability than that of any other city in the state. Some of its members have graced the benches of the higher courts, of the Railway Commis- sion, and have been employed by the general government in the man- agement of important litigation relative to the commercial and trans- portation business of this section.
VOL. H -- 13
CHAPTER L INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS BANKS
The first bank in Fort Worth was the banking house of Tidball & Wilson. Tidball came to the city early in January, 1873, from Saint Charles, Missouri. Associated with him was John F. Wilson, of Vir- ginia. Wilson furnished the money and Tidball the experience. George B. Hendricks was the sole employe of the bank. Tidball and he constituted the entire force.
In August, 1870, Major K. M. VanZandt, John Peter Smith and J. J. Jarvis bought the interest of Wilson and put in some more money, and the firm became Tidball, VanZandt & Co., until it was finally merged into the Fort Worth National Bank. The second bank was that of Loyd, Marklee & Co., consisting of M. B. Loyd, Jer. Marklee and John Nichols, the latter two being new citizens of the city, coming from California. This continued but a few months, when Loyd sold his interest to W. J. Boaz, and the bank became Boaz, Marklee & Co., which was in turn succeeded by the City National Bank, which continued in business until the panic of 1893, when it was discontinued.
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