USA > Texas > Tarrant County > Fort Worth > History of Texas : Fort Worth and the Texas northwest edition, Volume II > Part 44
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The following statistics of development are drawn from the report of the last census. There were 664 farms in the county, as compared with 491 in 1900. Of the total area, 93,616 acres were included in farms, and approximately 39,000 acres in "improved land," as compared with 27,000 acres at the preceding census. There were 3,609 cattle ; 2,605 horses and mules; 1,266 hogs. In 1909, 18,956 acres were planted in cotton; 2,156 acres in corn; 1,782 acres in hay and forage crops. About thirty-one thousand orchard fruit trees were enumerated, and about nine thousand pecan trees.
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The population in 1880 was 2.649; in 1890, 3,419; in 1900, 3,498; in 1910, 3,931 ; in 1920, 3,563.
The value of assessed property in 1882 was $357,567, nearly a third of which was represented by livestock; in 1903, $692,544; in 1913, $1,297,755; in 1920, $1,578,000. Since the organization of the county the seat of government has been at Glen Rose, and there is no other important town in the county.
GLEN ROSE
Glen Rose, the county seat, is unincorporated and has a population of 800 inhabitants. The Paluxy, which runs through the town, is 'a beautiful rock bottom stream, 300 feet wide and empties into the Brazos River, two miles from Glen Rose. Almost every residence has a flowing well which ranges in depth of from fifty to three hundred feet. There are three strata of water encountered in digging for water; the first is reached from fifty to seventy-five feet and is fine limestone water with no sulphur at all. The next stratum is about one to two hundred feet and is what is called sulphur water, which is very strong and flows with a larger volume than the first one. The third stratum, or what is called Jumbo, is reached from two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet. This is also strong sulphur and warmer than the other two strata. These deep wells will flow thirty feet high above the ground.
The government analysis here of the water is given as more nearly like the waters of Carlsbad, Germany, than any other waters in the United States.
STONEWALL COUNTY
Created in 1886, Stonewall County was organized December 20, 1888. It is in the range of country known as the Southern Panhandle and until the present century the nearest railroad was many miles distant. Its surface is rough, broken and rolling, with many hills and canyons and some wide stretches of level land. Under such conditions the county was available only for stockmen, and the commerce of the towns and the production of agricultural crops are a thing of the present cen- tury. In 1880 the population of the county was 104; in 1890, 1,024 : in 1900, 2,183; in 1910, 5.320, and in 1920, 4,806. When the county was first organized Raynor was established as the county seat, but in 1889 the county offices were moved to Aspermont. Other places in the county now are Peacock, Swenson and Old Glory. All the towns in the county at present are railroad towns. There is one inland postoffice at Dorris. The county has now three strong and well established banks. the First. National Bank of Aspermont. at Aspermont, Texas; the Pea- rock Bank, at Peacock, and the First Bank of Swenson, at Swenson.
Stonewall County received its first railroad facilities from the Kansas City, Mexican & Orient Railroad built across the southeastern part of the county in 1904. In 1909 the Stamford & Northwestern was built from Stamford to Spur, a distance of about eighty-five miles, giving Stonewall County railroad communication with the railroad system of the state.
Stonewall County is developing into a great cotton feed and small grain country ; large quantities of fruit, melons and vegetables are grown.
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Some statistics from the last census afford the following view of the county's economic conditions: There were 834 farms as compared with 381 in 1900. The total area is 545,280 acres, of which 400,379 were in farms, about 67,000 acres in "improved land," as compared with about 19,000 acres in 1900. Cattle to the number of 26,466 were enumerated ; about 6,200 horses and mules; 2,797 hogs; 21,002 poultry. In 1909, 21.425 acres were planted in cotton, 8,115 acres in kafir corn and milo maize ; 3,708 acres in corn and there were about 13,000 orchard trees. In 1903 the assessed valuation was $1,725,244; in 1913, $4,210,340, and in 1920, $5,052,844.
There is some prospecting in the oil industry at present but little development. Stonewall County will gin something like 20,000 bales of cotton this year and abundance of feed of every kind and several thou- sand bushels of wheat and oats.
The present county officials are: R. J. King, county judge; C. E. Brannen, county clerk; W. B. Bingham, sheriff and tax collector ; Miss A. C. Bulloch, treasurer ; Miss M. Sudie Abbott, county superintendent ; M. N. Davidson, tax assessor ; J. F. Lee, surveyor; H. F. Grindstaff, county attorney.
SWISHER COUNTY
Swisher County was organized July 17, 1890. At the census of 1880 only four persons were found residing within its limits, and by 1890 the population was only 100. In 1900 the census reported a population of 1,227; in 1910, 4,012 and in 1920, 4,388. Development has been greatly promoted since the Pecos & Northern Branch of the Santa Fe was built from Canyon City south through Swisher County to Plainview in Hale County in 1907. Up to that time there was little incentive to farming, though most of the ranchers began some ten or fifteen years ago to cultivate a portion of their holdings in the forage crops particularly suitable to the Panhandle, and also to some extent employed windmills to pump water from the abundant underground supply for irrigating their truck patches. While irrigation is still limited, dry farming has accomplished a great deal, and in certain sec- tions, especially in the Valley of Tulia Creek, on the sub-irrigated land, the growing of alfalfa and other crop has proved exceedingly profitable. Along the railroad and within convenient distance of railroad towns there is a rapid increase noted in the amount of land cultivated, but in other sections the grazing of cattle is the chief occupation. When the county was organized the seat of government was located at Tulia, exactly in the center of the county. Before the railroad arrived it was a village of three or four stores, bank, church and other interests and by 1910 had a population of 1,216. Two other towns along the railroad are Kress and Happy.
In 1903 the valuation of property, as indicated by assessment returns, was $1,000,000; in 1913, $4,733,747, and in 1920, $5,248,117. The resource of the county and the progress of ten years are shown in the last census report. At that time there were 510 farms in the county, as compared with 186 in 1900. Of a total area of 574,720 acres, 298,117 acres were included in farms, while 113,000 acres were classified as "improved land," as compared with about 16,000 acres in 1900. In
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1920 the number of cattle was 22,409, horses and mules, 5,507. The largest crop was hay and forage, including about 250 acres in alfalfa, the total acreage for 1909 being 22,477 ; in kafir corn and milo maize, 10,859 acres were planted; in wheat, 4,240 acres; in oats, 2,414 acres; in corn, 2,644 acres. Some 200 acres are now in cultivation, the wheat yield for the year of 1920 amounting to some one and a half million bushels.
TULIA
The county seat of Swisher County has an estimated population at this time of 1,600. It has five churches and a public school building. built in 1907, at a cost of $18,000. There are five grain elevators, with an estimated capacity for storage of 175,000 bushels. The courthouse building is valued at $60,000 and there are two banks, four hotels, ¿ foundry and municipally owned light and water systems. Tulia has an abundance of shallow pure water.
TARRANT COUNTY
Tarrant County, with Fort Worth as its chief city, was created by act of the Legislature December 20, 1849, about a year after the estab- lishment of the military garrison at Fort Worth. This act contains some directions as to the location of the county seat, "the place receiving the highest number of votes shall be the place established as the county seat of said county of Tarrant and shall be called Birdville." The county was organized in August, 1850, and the county offices located at Birdville, an old settlement now marked by a few weather-beaten buildings that hardly tell the story of its ambitious struggles to become a metropolis. The rivalry between Fort Worth and Birdville over the county seat was an important chapter in the early history of the county. The act of the Legislature August 26, 1856, ordered an election to be held in the following November to decide among the proposed sites for the county seat, and at that election Fort Worth won by a bare plurality. The election was contested, and finally the Legislature directed that the citizens of the county should again vote to determine the matter. That election occurred in April, 1860, when Fort Worth received 548 votes, over 301 cast in favor of the location at the center of the county, while old Birdville received only four votes out of the total.
Tarrant County until after the Civil war was on the frontier. Its settlement began under the auspices of the Peters colony grant of 1841. and the first settlers came into Tarrant County about 1843-44. A place known as Bird's Fort was in existence as early as 1843, and an important council with the Indian tribes was held there. The establishment about 1848 of Fort Worth and Fort Graham, the latter in Hill County, was the signal for the influx of permanent settlers. In a few years the establishment of other forts further west caused the tide of emigration to move out to the counties west of Tarrant, but the unsettled conditions that began with the Civil war decade and the persistent incursions of hostile Indians beginning about the same time and continuing until about 1870 drove back many of the more western settlers. Indian raids occurred in Parker County as late as 1870, and one or two murders were committed by the Indians in Tarrant County as late as 1865.
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At the census of 1850 the white population of Tarrant County was 599, and sixty-five slaves. In 1860 the total population was 6,020; in 1870, 5,788, showing a slight decrease from the preceding census; in 1880, 24,671 (2,160 negroes) ; in 1890, 41,142; in 1900, 52,376 (5,756 negroes ) ; in 1910, 108,572 ; in 1920, 152,809. In its agricultural develop- ment Tarrant County has shared similar fortunes to those of other North Texas counties, and the early settlers derived their chief income from the grazing of stock rather than from the production of the field crops. In 1858 it was estimated that about sixteen thousand acres were in cultivation in the county. Corn and cotton were the chief crops. but it was soon demonstrated that wheat could also be grown, and at different points over the country were established small mills. Supplies came by long and difficult transportation from the railroad points in South Texas. A short time before the war communication was opened to St. Louis and tributary country by the establishment of the Southern Pacific Mail Route, which ran a line of stages from St. Louis to the Red River, and thence across Northern and Western Texas toward San Francisco.
As the figures of population above indicate, the real settlement and development of Tarrant County began in the '70s, at which time all of North Texas was opened up by the advent of railway lines. The build- ing of the various railroads that now center at Fort Worth is described in the history of that city. Some facts relative to the agricultural activi- ties of the county as they existed in 1882 are quoted in part as follows : "Until within recent years cotton was the chief agricultural product, but now wheat holds the first place, cotton being next in order of value. The soils of the county are admirably adapted to the growth of both, as well as of many other products common to the latitude.
"The rapid development of the agricultural interests of the county and the opening of new farms have operated to greatly reduce the area of grazing lands, and stock raising, as a distinct pursuit, is rapidly giving way to agriculture, though the stock interests of the county are as yet of great importance. Many of the larger herds of cattle have been driven further west, but much attention is being paid to improved breeds. and the aggregate value of livestock has not been greatly diminished." In 1870 it was estimated that the livestock of the county, in round num- bers, were 36,000 cattle, 10,000 horses and mules, 11,000 sheep and goats, and about 12,000 hogs.
The agricultural interests of the county, as measured by the statistics of the last Federal census, are detailed as follows: The total area of the county is 577,920 acres, of which 467,411 acres were included in farms in 1910, and 262,228 acres in "improved land." It should be mentioned in this connection that in recent years co-operative enterprise has been directed to the reclamation of lands along the river bottoms, and a drainage district established covering about three thousand acres. The chief crops in 1909 were : Cotton, 75,938 acres; corn, 41,550 acres ; hay and forage crops, 9,883 acres ; wheat, 7,432 acres ; oats, 3,327 acres ; pea- nuts, 1,169 acres, and sweet potatoes, potatoes and other vegetables, about 1,850 acres. The county also has important rank in the fruit industry, about one hundred and sixty-four thousand trees being enumerated in
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orchard fruits, and about nine thousand pecan trees. Tarrant is one of the leading counties of the state in the construction of good roads, and besides many miles of graded highways has 300 miles of improved roads, costing about one thousand dollars per mile.
The general progress of the county is also illustrated by aggregates of assessed valuations for different years. The taxable wealth of the county in 1870 was $1,392,877 ; in 1882, $7,300,686; in 1903, $24,515,220; in 1909, $84,413,490; in 1913, $97,696,872; in 1920, $124,986,000. In this respect the county holds fourth place among the counties of the state, just as Fort Worth is the fourth city in population.
CITY OF FORT WORTH
The figures for the census of 1920 place Fort Worth among the largest Texas cities. The ranking order of the four chief cities of the state, on the basis of population, are San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Fort Worth. Though population figures are supposed to furnish an estimate of a community's greatness, a more convincing standard con- sists of the aggregate of material and civic resources.
On the latter basis Fort Worth has for many years presented a varied array of commercial and industrial enterprise that justifies the showing that this is one of the largest cities of the Southwest.
When Fort Worth was first enumerated as a corporation apart from Tarrant County, in the census of 1880, its population was 6,663. Dur- ing the following ten years there was a gain of nearly 250 per cent, the city having 23,076 inhabitants in 1890. In 1900 the population was 26,668. or a gain of about 16 per cent. In 1910 the population was 73.312. The increase, of more than 170 per cent, was greater than that shown by any other large city of Texas. In 1920 the population was 106,874.
The county is about two-thirds prairie and one-third timber. The Cross Timbers, that novel strip of territory extending from the Arkansas River nearly to the Gulf and about ten miles in width, lies along the entire eastern border of the county. The timber is small and of great variety. The soil in the Cross Timbers is a light, sandy loam productive of all the crops of this section except wheat. Cotton, oats, corn, milo maize and all the vegetable and fruit crops are found in abundance.
Prior to the advent of the railroads the only towns in Tarrant County were Grapevine. Mansfield and Johnsons Station. The latter was named for M. T. Johnson, a pioneer settler, and was a thriving village. It was on the stage route from the East, and did a prosperous business. When the Texas & Pacific Railway was constructed through the county Johnson's Station was supplanted by Arlington, which is now easily the first among the towns of the county. Keller is a substantial, enter prising town on the Trans-Continental branch of the Texas & Pacific. fourteen miles north of Fort Worth. These and other towns in the county are described elsewhere in this volume.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, ROADS AND BRIDGES
Tarrant County justly claims to have the finest public buildings and the best system of roads and bridges of any county in the state. The Tarrant County courthouse, erected in 1894, is of Texas granite from
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Burnett County, and is an attractive and commodious building. It has three stories and a basement, which comfortably cares for all of the county officers, district officers and the Court of Civil Appeals. It cost in the neighborhood of $500,000 and is easily the finest county building in the country.
The Criminal Court Building provides for the offices of the sheriff, the criminal court and the county jail. It is an imposing three-story structure, with all modern equipment and conveniences.
Tarrant County was the first county in the state to inaugurate a system of public roads with convict labor. It secured the enactment, by the Legislature, of a law providing that short-term convicts might be worked on the county roads. The limitation was that the convicts who were sentenced to the penitentiary for a period less than two years might be so utilized. It soon became a custom of the juries to assess a penalty a little less than two years, by which means men convicted in the Tarrant County courts served their sentences by working on the Tarrant County roads. This compensated in a large measure for the expense incident to their trials.
These roads were constructed with gravel, to a large extent, and extended to all the principal points in the county. There was erected over every stream on every public road in the county a substantial steel bridge.
In 1913 the county voted a bond issue of $1,600,000 for the con- struction of roads and bridges in Tarrant County. On the proceeds of these bonds $600,000 were set aside for the construction of the Paddock Viaduct, across the Trinity, and the Seventh Street Viaduct, across Clear Fork. Both of these structures are of concrete and reinforced steel and are solid and substantial. One million dollars was used in constructing 136 miles of bituminous surfaced roads radiating out of Fort Worth in every direction.
In July, 1920, the county voted another bond issue of $3,450,000 with which to construct a system of highways, second to none in the state, totaling in number sixty-eight, with a gross mileage of 375 miles. To this fund the Federal Bureau of Public Roads, through the State Highway Department, allotted to Tarrant County $375,000, which is to be expended on the two state highways, known as the "Bankhead Highway," running east and west, and the "Miridian," running north and south through Tarrant County. In addition to these two highways, which are to be constructed with federal and state aid, there are three other roads, one leading to the southwest, from Fort Worth, another to the southeast, from Mansfield to Waxahachi, while the third leads from Fort Worth to Denton.
In order that these highways may be eligible for both federal and state aids, they are being planned to meet every requirement of both the United States Bureau of Public Roads and of the State Highway Department of Texas.
A minimum width of sixty feet will be provided as a right of way ; a minimum roadway of twenty-eight feet in width; a minimum surface of eighteen feet in width; a maximum gradient of four per cent ; a
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minimum curvature of 500 feet radius, and in accordance with plans already approved by the federal and state departments.
It is estimated that it will require from two to three years to com- plete this work ; and that, when it is accomplished, Tarrant County will be able to boast of a county highway system second to none in the South.
Mr. R. V. Glenn, a member of the American Society of Civil Engin- eers and of the American Association of Engineers, is in charge of the work.
When' the county seat controversy was being waged the citizens of Fort Worth entered into an agreement that if the county seat was removed to Fort Worth the citizens of the town would erect a courthouse without expense to the taxpayers of the county. A bond to this effect was entered into, which was signed by David Mauch, Thomas O. Moody. Lawrence Steele, M. T. Johnson, Julian Field, E. M. Daggett and M. J. Brinson. Other signers of the guaranty were the following: A. C. Coleman, John Kidder, Joe Purvis, Geo. Kidder, J. S. Henley, J. W. Chapman, G. P. Farmer, J. P. Loving, L. J. Edwards. Francis Knaax, J. W. Connor, J. N. Petty, W. A. Henderson, B. P. Ayres, Abe Harris, W. D. Connor. A. G. Davenport, A. D. Johnson, S. Gilmore, W'm. Moseley, W. M. Robinson, A. Goehenant, N. Terry, W. B. Tucker, E. Wilburn, Paul Isbell, G. T. Petty, P. E. Coleman, C. M. Peak, W. L .. Brazendine, L. Steele, Jack Inman. A contract was entered into with David Mauch for the construction of the courthouse in January, 1859. Work was inaugurated at once, but the tocsin of war was sounded before its completion and work was suspended and the building was never completed. Sufficient work was done to justify its occupancy, but the floor was never laid or doors hung on the lower story.
This building was destroyed by fire on March 29, 1876, and all pub- lic records burned.
Prior to the fire the law firm of Hanna & Hogsett had made an abstract of the land titles of Tarrant County. Subsequently an act was passed by the Legislature of Texas providing that this abstract should be prima facie evidence of title, and every one was importuned to have his deed recorded, which was done.
In 1877 the contract was let to Messrs. Thomas & Werner for the construction of a new courthouse at a cost of $65,000. This building was constructed of surface stone gathered on the prairies in the vicinity of Fort Worth.
In 1893 the county, by practically unanimous vote, voted a bond issue of $500,000 for a new courthouse, and the present handsome, con- modious and substantial building was erected. It is claimed to be the finest county building in the entire country. It is constructed of gray granite from the granite mountains of Burnett County, trimmed with Texas marble from the same county and finished with the wood from the forests of Texas. It is claimed that the copper roof, glass in the windows and hardware are the only materials used in the construction of the building that are not products of Texas.
EARLY SETTLEMENT
There is great divergence of opinion as to the location of the first settlement in Tarrant County, but the preponderance of testimony seems
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to favor Johnson's Station on the east line of the county. It was named for M. T. Johnson, who first settled there, afterwards moving to Fort Worth.
The largest early settlement was at Birdville, the first county seat. The pioneer settlers there were George Akers, J. W. Elliston, L. G. Tinsley, John York, the first sheriff of the county ; Seabourn Gilmore. the first county judge ; Sanders Elliott, Ben P. Ayers and William Norris. Norris and Ayres donated the land for the first county seat.
Prior to the advent of the railroads the towns in Tarrant County were small and relatively unimportant. The three larger towns were : Mansfield. Johnson's Station and Grapevine.
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GRUBBS VOCATIONAL COLLEGE, ARLINGTON
When a railroad was constructed through Tarrant County it passed about three miles north of Johnson's Station and the town of Arlington was established.
There were also the hamlets of Oak Grove, Dido. Double Springs. Bedford and Miranda. All of these have been supplanted by other towns being stations on the railroads, among which are Crowley, Hand- ley, Everman. Kennedale. Kellar, Benbrook and Saginaw.
ARLINGTON
Arlington is the most prosperous of the above named towns. . \ tract of land was donated to the railroad and a town lot sale was held on July 26, 1876, at which time twenty-two lots were sold, aggregating $1,738.50. J. A. H. Hosack was the auctioneer and C. H. Erwin, an engineer. represented the railroad company.
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The town now has a population of 4,987 people, according to the last census, but the actual population will probably reach 5,500.
The citizenship of Arlington is of the most enterprising and public spirited to be found in any town of its size in the country. The broad, well kept streets, wide sidewalks and substantial public buildings all testify to the public spirit of the people.
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