History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 20

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 20
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 20

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Number patients admitted during the year, 106; discharged restored, 27; discharged im- proved, 37; discharged mimproved, 1; total discharged, 65; furloughed, 36; returned from furlongh, 33; dicd, 33; escaped, 19; returned from escape, 17. Total treated during the ycar, 745; number in asylum October 31, 1891, 629.

The daily average number present during the year was 621, and the cost per annun of keeping each patient, $149.71, or $2.87 per week. Total expenditures for the year, $130,- 326.54, of which $5,000 was for permanent improvements.

The total number of patients admitted from the beginning of the hospital is 3,678, of which number 667 died, 66 escaped, 1,798 were discharged, 53 furlonghed.

NORTH TEXAS HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

This institution is located at Terrell, in Kanfman county, and was first opened for the reception of patients July 15, 1885. It was established in obedience to a general demand

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

for additional asylum room for the accommo- dation of the liundreds of insane persons then confined in jails and on poor farms through- out the State.

The buildings are constructed on the latest and most improved plan of hospitals for the insane, and contain all modern conveniences for the treatment of the insane.

The actual running expenses for the year were $95,226.04; cost of maintaining in- mates, per capita per year, $170; per week, $3.26. The estimated value of the buildings, grounds, furniture and other appartenances, is $261,765. Number of officers connected with the institution, 5; employes, 42.

STATE ORPHAN ASYLUM.

The creation of an orphan asylum was contemplated and provided for by the fonnd- ers of our State government, who gave it the same land endowments bestowed on other charitable institutions. This institution was required to be established by an act of the Twentieth Legislature, approved April 4, 1887. The governor was required to appoint three commissioners to select a site for the asylum. Competition between the various towns in the State for the location of the in- stitution was invited, which resulted in the selection of Corsicana, in Navarro connty. The sum of $5,700 was uppropriated ont of the available Orphan Asylum fund for the establishment of the institution. Subse- quently, at the special session of the Twen- tieth Legislature, $15,000 and the available fund to the credit of the asylum in the State treasury was appropriated for the erection of buildings and other improvements.

The site on which the asylum is located and the surrounding scenery are unsurpassed by any place in the State for their beauty and

adaptability for such an institution. The buildings, which are constructed on the cot- tage plan, and have a capacity of about 200 imnates, wore completed and the institution formally opened July 15, 1889.

From the date of the opening of the in- stitution, November 1, 1890, 60 children -- 23 girls and 31 boys-had been received into the home. Of those two ran away and four were returned to friends, leaving 54 in the institution.

The expenses of the asylum for the seven- teen months ending October 31, 1890, amounted to $13,993.63.

The asylum is governed by a board of managers who are appointed by the governor, and have power to prescribe rules and regn- lations for the admission of inmates and con- trol of the institution.

All orphan children under the age of four- teen years shall be admitted, subject only to snch restrictions as the board deem necessary to the welfare and good government of the asylum.

The superintendent is required to keep a list of the names and ages of all children, with such data as may be obtainable con- cerning their history, subject at all times to public inspection. He is also required to see that their pro rata of the public school fund is set aside, and to provide them with proper educational facilities.

STATE HOUSE OF CORRECTION AND REFORMATORY.

By act of the Twentieth Legislature, ap- proved March 29, 1887, a State house of correction and reformatory for youthful convicts was provided for, and the governor required to appoint a commission to locate the same. The institution was located two and one-fourth miles northeast of Gatesville,

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

Coryell county, and the necessary buildings erected there during the summer of 1888. Up to date of the last report of the superin- tendent $75.890 had been expended in the purchase of land, erection of buildings, and equipping the institution.

The institution has a capacity of about 100, and was opened January 3, 1889. Up to October 31, 1890, 111 persons had been received at the institution.

All persons under sixteen years of age convicted of any felony, the punishment for which does not exceed five years' confinement, are sentenced to the Reformatory.

The trustees are required to " see that the inmates are taught habits of industry and sobriety, some useful trade, and to read and write, and also supplied with suitable books." The white and colored inmates of the insti- tution are required to be kept, worked and educated separately.

The institution is conducted on the "cot- tage" or family plan. The buildings are heated by steam and lighted by electricity. Since the institution was opened a farm of 200 acres and a garden and orchard-about 600 acres-have been put in cultivation.

There are six officers and three guards at the institution. Expense of the institution from March 1 to November 30, 1891, $25,- 295.48.

THE PENITENTIARY SYSTEM.

The law of 1881 for organizing the State penitentiaries provided that the system of labor in the State penitentiaries should be by lease, by contract, by the State, or partly by one system and partly by the other, as shall be in the discretion of the penitentiary board deemed for the best interests of the State. The Eighteenth Legislature in 1883 repealed

that portion of the law of 1881 authorizing the lease of the penitentiaries, and conse- quently the contract and State account sys- tems only are allowed.

At this tine all of the industries at both the prisons, Iluntsville and Rusk, are operated on the State account system. Between 800 and 900 conviets are worked on farms, and abont 463 on railroads, under the contract system. Nearly 200 convicts are worked ou farms on shares, and about 200 on farms owned by the State, on State account.

The organization of the penitentiaries con- sists of a penitentiary board composed of three commissioners appointed by the gov- ernor, a superintendent of penitentiaries, a financial agent of penitentiaries, two assistant superintendents of penitentiaries, and two in- spectors of ontside convict camps, all ap- pointed by the governor. For each peniten- tiary a physician and a chaplain are appointed by the penitentiary board. The assistant superintendent of each penitentiary appoints, with the approval of the superintendent, such nmnber of under officers as may be necessary to preserve discipline and preveut escapes. And the superintendent of penitentiaries, when the penitentiaries are being operated on State account, may, under the direction of the State board, employ such number of skillod workmen or other employes as may be deemed essential to the snecessful opera- tion of the penitentiaries.

The gangs or forces of convicts worked on farms and railroads, whether worked nnder contract or on State account, are each under the control of an officer designated as a ser- geant, who is appointed by the superintend- ent of penitentiaries, and, under the direction of the said superintendent and inspector of ontside forces, has charge and control of the management and discipline of the convict

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

force for which he may have been appointed. This sergeant, under the direction of said officers, has the appointing and control of the guards necessary to control such force. The contraetor has nothing whatever to do with the diseipline of the convicts. Ile is only entitled to a reasonable amount of labor within hours, etc., prescribed by contract and provided for in the penitentiary rules and regulations. On the contract farms the con- trnetors fred the convicts ns prescribed by the rules. At all other phices the State feeds, clothes and furnishes bedding and all medi- cines and medienl attendunee, and pays all sergeants and guards. The law provides that no contract shall be made by which the con- trol of the conviets, except as to a reasonable amount of labor, shall pass from the State or its officers, and the management of convicts shull, in all cases and under all circumstances, renmin under control of the State and its officers.

PENITENTIARY INDUSTRIES.

At the IInntsville penitentiary there is the wagon department, in which are built wagons, drays, cane and log wagons, buggies, hacks, ete. In the cabinet department are made chairs and furniture, mostly of a cheap elass.

In the machine rooms are made engines, boilers, hydrants, etc .; in the foundry vari- ous kinds of castings. There is a factory in which is manufactured mostly the stripes for all the clothing for the convicts. In the shoe and tailor shops are made convict shoes and clothes, and there is also done on order some citizens' work.

The State owns and works on State account with convicts a farm abont two miles from the IInntsville penitentiary, on which is raised cotton for the factory, corn for form and prison

consumption, and vegetables for the prison.

At the Rusk penitentiary the principal in- dustries are the making of pig iron, manu- facture of castings of various kinds, and making of cast-iron water and gas pipe. A large mumuber of convicts are engaged in making charcoal and digging iron ore for the smelting furnace.

In connection with the Rusk penitentiary some of the land belonging to the State is nsed for raising fruit and vegetables for the conviets, and other lands have been rented contiguous to the prison, on which has been raised corn, peas, etc., for prison nse.

Another farm belonging to the State, in Fort Bend county, on Oyster creek, and known as Harlem, is worked on State account, and raises cotton, corn and sugar for the gen- eral market. All of these farms are operated with second and third class convict labor- convicts not fit for much other kind of labor.

There are two farms worked on the share system, by which the State furnishes the labor and the owners of the farms the land and teams, and erop divided. One of these belongs to the estate of J. G. Johnson, about seven miles from Huntsville, and employs abont forty conviets, and the other belongs to Colonel John D. Rogers, in Brazos connty, on which are employed about 160 conviets. There is the same class of convicts on these share farms as on the State farmns.

The officers of the penitentiaries appointed by the governor are: three commissioners, constituting the penitentiary board, one su- perintendent of penitentiaries, one financial agent of penitentiaries, two assistant superiu- tendents of penitentiaries, two inspectors of outside camps.

The officers appointed by the penitentiary board nro: two penitentiary physicians, two chaplains.

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

The under officers appointed by superin- tendent of penitentiaries are: twenty-five sergeants of outside forces, six assistant ser- geants of outside forces, two stewards of ont- side forces.

The under officers appointed by assistant superintendents are: two under keepers, two night sergeants, two stewards, seven ser- geants, two assistant sergeants, eighty-five guards, etc.

The under officers or guards appointed by sergeants are: 300 gnards.

The foremen and other citizen employes employed by superintendents are: seven at Huntsville penitentiary, eight at Rusk peni- tentiary.

The clerks employed by financial agents are: seven at Huntsville penitentiary, two at Rusk penitentiary.

The outside physicians appointed by super- intendents are seven in number.

Total number paid monthly by the finan- cial agent-officers, guards, foremen, and other employes-470.

The value of State property belonging to the penitentiaries is fully set forth in the re- port of the superintendent, up to November 1, 1890, as follows:

Huntsville penitentiary. $769,096.72

Rusk penitentiary 720,245.62

State farm, Harlem 266,074.83

Rogers' share farm. 21,052.48

Contract farms 9,702.32

Railroad trains. 10,15 .. 27

State penitentiaries, cash on hand, etc ... 43,621.28

Total valuation of penitentiary property,

November 1, 1890.

$1,810,955.52

Total valuation of penitentiary property,

May 16, 1883.

931,149.33

RELIGIOUS.

As one miglit guess from the early history of Texas in a political point of view, the Mexicans and pioneers of this region were

not demonstrative in their piety. Down to the time of independence Catholic intoler- ance prevailed, and the Catholics themselves, in Spanish America, were not zealous in secular education.

Prior to the era of independence about the only efforts, of which we have record, to establish Protestantism in Texas were those of the Baptists, who failed to make their in- stitntions permanent. In 1837 a Baptist church was organized at Washington, Z. N. Morrell being chosen pastor, and money was subscribed to build a house of worship. The first Protestant Episcopal church was estab- lished in 1838, at Matagorda, by Caleb S. Ives, who collected a congregation, estab- lished a school and built a church. During the same year R. M. Chapman organized a parish in Houston.

For the purpose of this volume, with refer. ence to church statistics, probably the only feature that would be of general interest to the general public will be the total member- ship; for all other statistical matter in regard to religious institutions is about in a certain proportion to this. The following table, therefore, gives only the total membership:

DENOMINATION. MEMBERSIIIP.

Methodist Episcopal, Southi 151,533

Baptist . . 127,377

Episcopal

9,982

Methodist Episcopal (North) 25,739

German Lutheran (1877). 2,270

Presbyterian . 2,414

Southern Presbyterian (1877) 13,555

Cumberland Presbyterian . 24,257

Christian 55,000

Primitive Baptist . 1,000

Seventh- Day Adventists 300

Universalists .

Brethren (Dunkards) 125

147

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

Free Methodists 100

Catholie 157,000

Hebrew 300

Methodist Protestant 6,300

Colored M. E. Church in America. . 12,162

African Methodist Episcopa! 12,900 Colored Baptist . 100,681

It must be borne in mind that it has been impossible to obtain exact data with ref- erence to a few of the above named churches.

THE PRESS.

The first printing-press in Texas was put into operation nt Nacogdoches in 1819, and was brought to that place by General Long, who established n provisional government and a supreme council, which issned a deela- ration proclaiming Texas an independent republic. The office was placed under the mmmgement of Horatio Biglow, and was used for the publication of various laws en- acted and proclamations issued by that short- lived government.

The first regular newspaper, however, made its initial appearance abont 1829, at San Felipe, bearing the naine, The Cotton Plant. Godwin B. Cotten was editor and proprietor. In 1832 its name was changed to The Texas Republican.

The second paper was the Texas Gazette and Brazoria Advertiser, published in Bra- zoria in 1830. In September, 1832, it was merged into the Constitutional Advocate and Texas Publie Advertiser, with D. W. An- thony as owner and editor, who died in 1833, and the paper ceased.

Next was the Texas Republican, at Bra- zoria, by F. C. Gray, in December, 1834. This was printed on the old press brought into the realm by Cotten, before mentioned.

In Jannary, 1835, this was the only paper published in Texas, and in August, 1836, it was discontinued.

The fourth newspaper was the Telegraph, started in August 1835, at San Felipe, by Gail and Thomas H. Borden and Joseph Baker. A Mexican force seized this in April, 1836, and threw the material of the office into a bayou at Harrisburg, to which place it had been moved after the abandonment of San Felipe by the Americans. In August, that year, the Bordens bought new press and material and revived the Telegraph at Co- Inmbia, and subsequently moved to Houston, where the paper was published for many years, under the name of the Houston Tele- graph.

After the establishment of Texan inde- pendenee the number of newspapers in- increased rapidly, until now the State has as many newspapers as any other in proportion to population.

The first daily paper established in Texas was the Morning Star, by Ornger & Moore of the Telegraph, between 1840 and 1844.

The Texas Editorial and Press Association was organized September 10, 1873, and after- ward incorporated.

RAILROADS.

During the last fifteen years railroad sys- teins have been established at a compara. tively rapid rate. In 1870 there was less than 300 miles in operation; in 1876, 1,600 miles; in 1885, over 7,000 miles; and in 1890, according to the last census, 8,914.

In the time of the republic numerous charters for railroads were granted, but no road was built. It was not till 1852 that the first road was commenced. That year a pre-

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

liminary survey was made and some work done on what was then called the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado Railroad, starting from llarrisburg and going westerly; and within the same year the first locomotive was set to work at Iharrisburg, the first in Texas and the second west of the Mississippi. The company was organized June 1, 1850, at Boston, Massachusetts, by General Sidney Sherman, who may be regarded as the father of railroads in Texas. The work progressed slowly, and the Colorado was not reached till 1859, when the line was opened to Eagle lake, sixty five miles from the place of be- ginning. By 1866 the line had reached Columbus, the river being bridged at Alley- ton. A change in the charter made in 1870 fixed mpon San Antonio as the objective point, and since that time it has been known as the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway, or " Sunset route," but is now in- corporated in the great Southern Pacific system. Jannary 15, 1877, the road reached San Antonio, the citizens of Bexar county having voted, in January, 1876, $300,000 in county bonds to secure the speedy comple- tion of the line. In the same month the passenger terminus was changed from Har- risburg to Houston by a line from Pierce Junction. The line has since been extended to El Paso, to connect there with the Sonthi- orn Pacifie, going on to the Pacific coast. At that point it also connects with the Mex- ican Central. The length of the main line is 848 miles, and no railroad in Texas has had more influence in the settlement and development of the country.

The next railroad commenced in Texas was the Houston & Texas Central. The original charter was granted in 1848, by which the company was incorporated under the title of the Galveston & Red River Railroad Com-

pany. Their line was to extend from Gal- veston to the northern boundary of the State. Work was begun in 1853, at Honston, by the first incorporator, Ebenezer Allen, and at that time the name was changed to its present form. The rivalry between Galveston and Houston was satisfied by a compromise, under which arrangement the two cities were con- nected by the Galveston, Houston & Hen- derson Road, which was begun at Virginia Point, and completed in 1865, and a junction was made with the Houston & Texas Central. In 1859 a bridge was constructed across the bay by the city of Galveston.

Construction proceeded slowly, only eighty niles having been made by the time of the breaking out of the Civil war, which com- pletely interrupted further building. In March, 1873, it reached Denison, forming there a junction with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Road, chns opening rail communica- tion with St. Louis.

Houston has become the railroad center of the State, having at least ten trunk lines.

The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe line was chartered in May, 1873, as a Galveston en- terprise. Construction was commenced at Virginia Point in May, 1875, and the road opened for traffic as far as Richmond. in 1878.

Other important systems of late introdne- tion are the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe, San Antonio & Aransas Pass, St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas (" Cotton Belt"), International & Great Northern, Texas & Pacific, etc.

All the above mentioned trunk lines have of course several branches, so that it can now be said in familiar parlance that the State of Texas is " gridironed " with railroads, and still construction is going on, and many more lines are projected.

149

HISTORY OF TEXAS.

The following table shows the number of miles of railroad in the State:

Names of Companies. Miles of Track.

Austin & Northwestern 76 00

East Line & Red River 121.35

Fort Worth & Denver City 467.34

Fort Worth & New Orleans. 40.50

Fort Worth & Rio Grande .. 112.54

Galveston, Harrisburg & San An-

tonio. 926 30 (intveston, Houston & Henderson. . 50.00

Houston & Texas Central. 510.00

Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 958.25

Gulf, West Texas & Paeitie. 111.10

Houston East & West Texas 191.38

International & Great Northern +647.00

New York, Texas & Mexican 91.00 Missouri, Kansas & Texas 389.39 *Sherman, Denison & Dallas 9.53

*Dallas & Greenville, 52.48

*East Line & Red River. 31.76

*Gainesville, Henrietta & Western.

70.57

*Dallas & Wichita

37.62

*Dallas & Waco. 65.57

*Trinity & Sabine. 66.55

*'Taylor, Bastrop & Honston 105.89 San Antonio & Aransas Pass 637.20 St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas 554 05 Southern Kauen- & Texas 100.41 Sabine & East Texas. 103.47 Texas Central. 288 80 Texas Mexican 178.61

Texas, Sabine Valley & Northwestern. 38.00 Texas Trunk. 51.00 Texas & Pacific 1,125 95

Tyler Southeastern. 89.08

Texas Western. 32 25

Texas & New Orleans

105 10

+Only 250 80 miles are taxed

*Operaled by the Missouri, Kansas &i Texas.

Weatherford, Mineral Wells & North- western . 20.05 Central Texas & Northwestern 12.00 Wichita Valley. 51.36

Totals

8,914.13

MINERAL RESOURCES OF TEXAS.

The mineral resources of Texas are too varied in their character and too widespread in their occurrence to permit more than a brief review of the results obtained by the investigations of the geological survey dur. ing the past two years. Previons to the organization of the present survey little sys- tematic work had been done toward securing definite and acenrate information of the vari- ons economie products of the geology of the State. Many mineral localities were known, and the qualities of many ores, soils and other materials had been tested by analyses. A few mines and manufactories scattered here and there over the State had tested some of these deposits practically, but there was nowhere a statement of such facts concern- ing them as would enable the owner or pros- pector to form any definite idea of their relations or probable values.

The following statements are based for the greater part on the work of Hon. E. T. Dumble, State Geologist, and his associates of the present survey (although all reliable sources of information accessible to them at present have been examined), and many of the facts will be found stated in much greater detail in the various papers aceom- panying the annual reports of the survey.

FUEL AND OILS.

Wood .- Over eastern Texas the amount of wood suitable for fuel purposes is seemingly inexhaustible; bnt westward it grows less

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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

and less, until in many places mesquite roots or even the " Mexican dagger " are the prin- cipal source of supply. The investigations of the survey up to the present have been confined to an examination of the wood sup- ply of certain connties with reference to the manufacture of charcoal for iron smelting.

Lignite .-- Intermediate between peat and bituminons coal we find a fossil fuel known as lignite or brown coal. It contains less water and more carbon than peat, but has inore water and less carbon then bituminons coal. Lignites are the product of a later geologic age than bituminous coal, and the bitmininous matter has not been so fully developed as in the true bituminons coal.

Lignite varies in color from a brown to a brilliant jet black, and ocenrs in all degrees of purity, from a lignitie clay to a glossy coal of cubical fracture. The greatest amount of our lignites, however, are of black color, changing to brownish blaek on exposure, often with somewhat of a conchoidal fracture and a specific gravity of about 1.22. Lignite occurs in beds similar to those of bituminons coal, although they are not always as regular and continuous.

The lignite field is by far the largest field we have, and the coal strata it contains are af much greater thickness than those of either of the others. As nearly as we can at present mark its boundaries they are as follows: Beginning on the Sabine river, in Sabine conuty, the boundary line runs west and sonthwost near Crockett, Navasota, Led- better, Weimar, and on to Helena and the Rio Grande, thence back by Pearsall, Elgin, Marlin, Richland, Salem, and Clarksville to Red river ..

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532