USA > Texas > Dallas County > Memorial and biographical history of Dallas County, Texas > Part 25
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125
It is located on a beautiful rolling prairie east of the city, about two miles from the courthouse; and there are to the ground a rapid-transit electric street-car line, and the Missouri & Pacific railroad also runs by the ground, thereby affording ample accommoda-
tion to the immense crowds that gather in Dal- las, to witness the great exhibition each year. For an elaborate detail of the history of this great institution, we give in full an article written by Sidney Smith of Dallas, ex-secre- tary of the association, and published in October (1891) issue of The Round Table, a literary monthly journal of the city.
The following are the present officers of the Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition: J. E. Schneider, president; J. N. Simpson, vice-president; J. S. Armstrong, treasurer; C. A. Cour, secretary.
The present managers are making great efforts to make the coming fair of October, 1892, the grandest of all previously exhibited.
This great fair has certainly gained a national reputation, and men of national reputation have met the people of Texas, and delivered addresses on subjects of interest on such occasions. Among the most noted from a distance were Hon. Francis, Governor of Missouri, and Hon. Robert Taylor, then Governor of Tennessee. On the day Gov- ernor Francis delivered his address, there . were so many Missourians present re- joicing in enthusiastic demonstrations, that it seemed Missourians only lived in Texas; and when Bob Taylor came, he felt as if he were at home in Tennessee. Everybody seemed to him to be from his State. Tennes- seeans flocked in from every section of the State, and, like the Missourians, appeared to populate the State. And when that great young orator, Henry W. Grady, of Georgia, the pride and boast of the South, came, Georgians
248
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
flocked to hear him in thousands; and just sueli another day was never witnessed before or since the 27th day of October, the day this most eloquent and divinely gifted young orator of Georgia, delivered his great oration, said by many to have been really the greatest speech of his life. As it has been pronounced as a gem of literary production to be pre- served in history, and as it was one of the greatest speeches over delivered in Dallas county, we give it nearly in full, together with the invitation sent him, the correspondence, and arrangement made by the committee of reception.
" Probably no one enterprise in the whole history of Dallas developed so great a sur- prise, even to its projectors themselves, and has brought and continues to bring such last- ing and material benefits to the city and to the State at large, as the Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition. Its organization was completed in the early part of 1886, the following named gentlemen being chosen as directors, to serve for the first year: J. B. Simpson, T. L. Marsalis, Alexander Sanger, J. S. Armstrong, W. J. Keller, J. M. Wen- delken, E. M. Reardon, W. H. Gaston, B. Blankenship, who elected James B. Simpson president and Sydney Smith, secretary, with C. A. Cour as assistant, and Mrs. Sydney Smith, as superintentendent of the Ladies Department. Captain W. M. Johnson, who had formerly served the city for eight years in that capacity, was appointed as engineer in eliarge of grounds, and Judge J. Il. Dills, of Sherman, Texas, was employed to lay off and build the race track.
"The selection of the site was concluded in April, and work begun in July of that year. From that time until October 26 -- the open- ing day-ninety aeres of wild, unimproved hog-wallow prairie had been transformed into a beautiful park. The citizens of Dallas themselves conld hardly realize how such a transformation could have taken place, and visitors from abroad positively refused to believe that these beautiful grounds, complete in every requirement for a first-class fair and exposition, were the results of less than four months' work. But to effect this mighty change had required the continuous labors of more than 300 carpenters aud 150 two-mule teams from July to the night of October 25. The gates were thrown open the morning of the 26th, and neither the sound of hammer nor saw could be heard on the grounds. The work was complete. It had ceased at 12 o'clock the night before.
" Each member of that directory had put his shoulder to the wheel, and it was said that the executive committee and secretary had parted each night at 12 o'clock to meet on the grounds at 7 o'clock the next morning. To be a member of that directory in good standing, meant almost a total negleet of pri- vate business as well as the loan of money and credit with which to carry forward the enterprise.
" Dallas had two fairs on her hands that year, each contending for the supremacy and each managed by her liveliest business men. The entire State was ablaze with excitement over this freak, and the general opinion was that Dallas was smartly overdoing the fair
249
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
business ; but Dallas as usual was equal to the occasion, and hence both fairs continued to a snecessful holding the same week. Fair stock, it is true, was not much sought after by the average citizen, and humanity could not resist the temptation of taking advantage of this rivalry, by bidding each a Godspeed and helping neither. As an evidence of this, when the first fair had closed its gates after a run of eleven days, $179,000 had been ex- pended in the purchase of grounds, erection of buildings, cost of premiums, purses, etc., and $50,000 had been taken in from visitors; the entire stock paid in covered less than $27,000, and more than half of this amount had been paid in by the directors themselves, who, in addition to this, were carrying the entire indebtedness of the association in their own personal accounts. But the fair had been a grand snecess and the entire city was in smiles over its happy effects.
" More than one hundred thousand visitors had seen Dallas, and each had left behind him a few dollars, aggregating, it was esti- inated, more than five hundred thousand dol- lars which had circulated in and through every style of business. None so hunble that did not receive a part, and none so grand as to ignore its good effects. Congratulations seemed to be the order of the day, and a general good feeling was felt all over the city. The two rival fairs were at once consolidated, the charter of each being canceled and a new company organized with increased capital stock. The name selected was the Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition, being a
consolidation of the names as well as the in- terests of the former rivals. The following named gentlemen, former directors of the two rival associations, were chosen as directors of the new: James Maroney, R. V. Tompkins, T. L. Marsalis, W. H. Gaston, J. A. Hughes, B. Blankenship, A. J. Porter, E. M. Reardon, J. E. Schneider, F. M. Cockrell, Alexander Sanger, C. A. Keating. A. B. Taber. James Moroney was elected president, and Sydney Smithi was again elceted secretary, with C. A. Cour as assistant.
" Each of the rival grounds was offered for sale to the new company, and over the entrance gate of the one selected was inscribed " The Texas State Fair," locked in hands with " The Dallas Exposition," thereby publishing to the world that all conflicting interests had been blended in name as well as decd for the good of the common cause. Immediate prepar- ations were set on foot for a grand entertain- ment.
" The grounds were increased by the pur- chase of thirty acres additional ground and the erection of such new buildings as were necessary to accommodate the increased de- mands from exhibitors.
" The gates were thrown open October 20, 1887, and closed on November 5, following; the result of which cannot be better told than by quoting from the files of The Dallas News of December of that year, giving in full the secretary's annual report of that year, which closed as follows: ' In conclusion I beg to report that the total cost of your real estate. $49,980, covers a body of land 120
250
HISTORY OF DALLAS OOUNTY.
acres in extent and sitnated less than two miles from the center of your eity, and tak- ing into consideration the fact that lands adjoining these are now selling for $1,500 to $2,000 per acre as fast as they are put on the market. I do not think it an over-estimate to place yours at the maximum, viz. : $180,000.
"' The total cost of your building and im- provement account, $177,322.71, covers a full mile regulation track first-class in every respect, five miles of graveled drives and walks inside your grounds, an exposition building 200 x 300 feet; a horticultural hall 60 x 180 feet; a farm and mill product hall 16 x 200 feet; a poultry building 16 x 200 feet; a geologieal hall 45 x 45 feet; an agri- eultural implement hall 60 x 600 feet; a power hall 75 x 300 feet, and fitted with all necessary boilers, engines, shafting and pulleys; two rows of privilege booths, one 48 x 200 feet, and the other 50 x 200 feet; a grand stand 50 x 250 feet; 134 race stables 12 x 14 feet each; 100 exhibition horse sta- bles 10 x 12 feet eaeli; 500 stalls for cattle, and pens for 500 sheep and swine. Your grounds are supplied with water through 5,000 feet of service pipe, owned by your association, and they are ornamented by shade trees, evergreens, flowering shrubs and roses donated to you by exhibitors, and the whole is enclosed by an eight-foot tight board painted fence, some 10,000 feet in length. The great St. Louis Exposition, standing to- day withont an equal, and as a living memo- rial to the city's enterprise, located in the midst of her 300,000 population, supported
by 2,000 stockholders, with a capital stock of $1,000,000, aided by her trades unions, her veiled prophets, her brilliant street illumi- nations, and honored by the presence of our nation's ruler, held open doors for forty days, with $126,000 receipts.
"' The Texas State Fair and Dallas Expo- sition, a mere infant in age, searee two years old, located in a city of less than 50,000 sonls, and aided by nothing save its own merits, ran seventeen days and took in $78,916."''
" The comparison speaks for itself. Thus closed the second fair. The clouds of doubt and adversity began to break away and let in the sunshine and prosperity, and it became a permaneney.
" The public with one accord began to appreciate, and prononneed it a most potent factor in the development of the many ad- vantages and vast resources of the State at large, and the third entertainment was organ- ized with J. S. Armstrong, one of the old stand-bys, as president, who was supported by a directory composed of the veterans who had enlisted on the first call and who fell in ranks confident of the glorious success which erowned their efforts during the twenty-one days-October 11 to 31, 1888-they held open gates.
" The Fourth Annual Fair and Exposition October 15 to 27, 1889, was organized with the Hon. Henry Exall at the helm as presi- dent, C. A. Conr as secretary, witlı Leo Wolfson assistant, and Mrs. R. L. Barlow in charge of the Ladies' Department.
251
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
" It being a generally conceded fact that Colonel Exall was one of the best known inen in the State, bright, active, courteous and popular, a bundle of concentrated energy, with Texas permanently lodged in his brain and her best interests at heart, it is not to be wondered at that under his administration the association scored another brilliant suc- cess, both as to the receipts and the pleasure and agreeable manner in which the crowd was handled and entertained. Encouraged by the great benefits derived from exhibitions at the previous fairs of 1887, 1888 and 1889, the attention of the country seemed to have been attracted. Live-stock breeders and raisers, manufacturers, merchants, mechanics, miners and educators, representing twenty- one States in our Union, had entered the list as exhibitors and seemed settled in the opin- ion that an exhibit by them at the Great Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition would reap for them rich rewards.
" Prominent counties in different por- tions of our State recognized the fact that in no better way could they lay before the capi- talist and the home-seeker their many elaims and inducements, than by an exhibit of their soil products and general resources at these great fairs and expositions. Indeed, so great had grown the general interest that months before the opening day every available foot of space had been taken, and when the fifth entertainment was organized, with J. S. Arm- strong as president in charge, the demand for more space had grown so pressing the man- agement was forced either to inercase facili-
ties or dwarf the proportions of a Dallas enterprise far below the expectancy of the public. The former course was adopted, and every comfort and facility for both the visitor and exhibitor were prepared. An arena with grand stand attached was prepared for the better exhibition of stock of all kinds. A music hall, with a seating capacity of 3,000, was built for the music-loving class of visit- ors, and the Ladies' and Art Department, which had assumed such colossal proportions as to count their exhibitors from nearly every county in Texas, and from more than twenty- five different States of our Union, and which had grown to be one of the chief attractions of the Fair and Exposition, was fitted up in elegant apartments consisting of twelve rooms all connected with portiere openings, and in which were collected and classified the deft handiwork of women, showing their skill with the needle, and the artist with pencil and brush. In fact, nothing was left undone that ingennity could devise or money procure for the entertainment as well as the education of the crowds of visitors who were expected to throng their gates. This entertainment opened its gates on October 18, 1890, and closed on the 2d day of November following, with total receipts of $105,000 as the offer- ings of a generous public in their apprecia- tion of the grandest entertainment that had ever been given in the Southwest.
" It is a difficult task to properly estimate and appreciate the great benefit which this institution has brought to the State of Texas, and too much praise cannot well be accorded
253
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
to the few citizens who stood by it in its infancy and spared neither their time nor their money to uphold it in the face of all doubts and evil prophecies as to its certain failure. From the beginning they outlined a broad-gauge policy, all sectional tendency was ignored, and not Dallas in particular, but the interests and resources of the entire State were considered in every move. Exhi- bition accommodations, unsurpassed, were furnished free of cost. Premiums equal to any in the history of fairs and expositions, were offered and paid. Entertainments of every kind were proenred for the amusement of visitors.
" Band leaders with justly won laurels all over the civilized world, were employed in the musical department; and no visitor from any section where music is sung or played but who could hear some of the melodies of his fatherland at these entertainments.
" Three hundred and eighty-three thousand dollars comprise the receipts from the five entertainments which have already been given -and more than 500,000 people have seen Dallas and Texas by reason of these fairs and expositions.
" Estimating that each left behind him $10 during his stay in the State, and the magnifi- cent total of $5,000,000 has been parceled out into every style and grade of business, to say nothing of the millions of dollars invested in Texas, bronght here by the wonderful resources of the State as shown up in minia- tnre at the grand exhibits made by Texas counties at these fairs.
" The Sixth Annual Entertainment, which opens on October 17, 1891, is championed by the Hon. W. C. Connor as president, assisted by C. A. Conr as secretary, with Leo Wolf- son as assistant, and Mrs. Sydney Smith in charge of the Ladies' and Art Departments.
" With this corps of able assistants who have grown with the growth and strength- ened with the strength of this institution, their labors and experience guided by their chief, whose record for the past four years as Mayor of Dallas has made his name a syn- onym of tact, talent and affability, assure the public that the coming entertainment will far surpass all of its predecessors.
"Twenty-eight thousand dollars are offered as purses in the racing department alone; and the running entries which have just closed show the roster to be 221. This de- partment, under the personal supervision of A. W. Campbell, a horseman of national repu- tation for cool judgment and fairness on all racing matters, now numbers its entries from every State from California to Kentucky.
" General Stanley, the courteous gentleman and commandant of the Department of the Southwest, has kindly consented to attend this fair and will bring with him a troop of United States cavalry, and also the artillery commanded by the genial and ever popular Major Burbanks, and the exposition drills given by these well trained troops, will, of themselves, be worth all the cost and time it takes to see them.
" Liberati, the world-renowned cornetist, has been secured to preside over the musical
253
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
feature of the occasion. Ilis name alone is an assurance of all that is refined and elegant in music, and he brings with him fifty-one men, each an artist in his own line.
" Kiralfy, who to the spectacular drama is what Barnum was to the circus, will occupy the Musical Hall nightly with his 100 people in the great spectacular of Around the World in Eighty Days.
" These are but some of the many attrac- tions which have been procured, which, added to the grand display of the educational inter- ests, the soil and manufactured products, the mineral, ore, coal and timber resources of the Empire State; and these, combined with the immense stock shows, from the Northwest as well as from Texas, will furnish a pleasant day of education, entertainment and diver- sion for every visitor who may chance to come within their gates."
INVITATION TO HENRY W. GRADY, ESQ.
" In answer to the call of the directors of the fair in The News a few days ago, quite a number of the young men of Dallas met at the Merchants' Exchange to arrange to co- operate with the directors of the Texas State Fair and Datlas Exposition in celebrating Texas day of the programme of entertain- ment to be present in October. They decided to invite Henry W. Grady, of Atlanta, Geor- gia, a distinguished young orator to deliver an address upon the development of the South with special reference to Texas. This eve- ning the invitation from the young men, ae- companied by one from the directors, will be forwarded. Charles Fred. Tucker, Esq., who 18
was a college mate of Mr. Grady, will be asked to write a personal letter urging accept- ance.
" The invitation gotten up by the young men is very beautiful. It was arranged by Mr. J. C. Patton, chairman of the committee, and the pen engraving was designed by Prof. D). A. Griffitts. At the top of the first page are the words To the Ilon. Henry W. Grady, Atlanta, Georgia,-elegantly written below which and in the center is a neat star worked as if finely lithographed, and across the face is written 'Invitation.' At the bottom are the words 'From the young men of Dallas, Texas.' The invitation on the second page is superbly written. Then come the names of the young men. There are nine leaves in all, and bound together at the top with red, white and blue ribbons, tied in lovely bows with ends hanging entirely over the front page. The following are the names of the young gentlemen who extended the in- vitation : James C. Patton, chairman; Bart- lett Sinclair, Kenneth Foree, R. C. Porter, A. B. George, W. J. J. Smith, A. P. Wozen- eraft, Lafayette Fitzhugh, S. P. Morris, E. S. Lauderdale, Z. T. White, J. Welborn Jack, Fred. Porter, Thos. Buford, T. M. Jones, A. S. O'Neale, George C. Cole, Wm. J. Moroney, Geo. HI. Plowman, Joe M. Dickson, K. K. Legett, C. F. Crnteher, W. E. Ilawkins, Frank M. Crutcher, C. A. Cul- berson, Dudley G. Wooten, S. A. Leake, J. J. Eekford, J. S. Groce, P. Gray, W. Il. Clark, Owen D. Burnette, Phil. B. Miller, H. L. Melanrin, HI. I. Phillip, Charles Ilen- ning, Thomas Scurry, E. G. Knight, D. A.
254
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
Griffitts, T. M. Campbell, W. J. Porter, Claude A. Cour, D. Scruggs, C. B. Lewis, E. R. Fonda, L. A. Garrison, Otto S. Lam- mers, John N. Baker, M. Trice, Linus S. Kinder, F. D. Cosby, John T. Ginnocchio, S. S. Long, W. B. Wilmans, T. L. Monagan, Eugene Marshall, Joe Record, D. H. Eldridge, R. M. Miers.
"A News man called on President Arın- strong at his headquarters at the fair grounds and learned what may be found in the fol- lowing letter:
"ATLANTA, Georgia, October. 11. " Mr. J. S. Armstrong, president of the Texas State Fair and Dallas Exposition.
My Dear Sir-I write you because I have misplaced the letter addressed to me by the representative of your association, and which came by even mail, with the invitation from the young men of Dallas to be present at your fair on October 27, and make an ad- dress. I have officially notified Mr. Patton, as chairman of the committee of the young men of Dallas, of my acceptance of the invi- tation; and I now write to you to ask for certain details as to the date and as to what is expected of me. I regret that I have not been able to make this acceptance earlier, but I did not see my way clear to coming at all when I first received the invitation and held it up in the hope that I might work out the way to accept it, which I have done. I pro- pose to leave here about the 24th and reach Dallas on the 26th. President Norton of the Louisville & Nashville roads has tendered me his private car and a number of my friends will go with me, including Governor Gordon, ex-Governor McDaniel, Judge New- man, Senator Colquitt, Mr. Evan P. Howell, my partner in the constitution, IIon. A.
O. Bacon, Speaker Little and a half dozen others of the leading citizens of Georgia. We will probably pick up Senator Morgan of Alabama on our way through that State. It is possible that President Norton of the Louisville & Nashville road and John H. Inman of New York will come with us; also S. M. Inman of Atlanta. If so they will use John Inman's car and will fill it with a num- ber of New York and Richmond capitalists. We will be comfortably fixed in our car and provided with everything, so that no arrange- ment need to be made to entertain myself and my friends. It is probable that we may re- main in Dallas for two days and will go to see the State capitol, as Mr. Thomas of our capitol commission will be one of the party, and we may take a three or four days' trip through Texas. I do not desire, nor do my friends, to take one moment of your time that will necessarily be occupied while we are there, and we will be able to take care of ourselves while in Texas. I simply give you our programme in order that you may see that you can put me in whenever you please in your proceedings. I am going to make a feature of reporting the Fair for the Constitu- tion and will probably send Mr. Cooper of my staff to Dallas three or four days ahead of my coming. In that event I shall ask your courtesy in his behalf, and that you will see that he has access to all legitimate avenues of information.
" I will be obliged if you can give me any information on these points. When am I to speak? At what time of day? In open air, or in hall? I should very much prefer the latter. What will be the probable size of the audience? I ask this because I have fears of my voice, although I have frequently been heard with ease by ten or twelve thon- sand people. Now, then, is it necessary that
255
HISTORY OF DALLAS COUNTY.
I should take the especial subject suggested in the invitation? I prefer to make the ad- dress on the South, its opportunities, and the duties of its young men; and I would per- haps not be able to devote as much of it to Texas as your people might wish. Yours very truly,
H. W. GRADY." The following also speaks for itself:
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, October 11, 1888. J. C. Patton, Esq., Dallas, Texas.
" My Dear Sir-As I advised you by tele- graph this morning, it gives me pleasure to be able to accept the kind invitation of the young men of Dallas to be present at your State Fair on October 27, and deliver an address. Let me assure you that no honor could be paid me that I value more highly than to be asked by the young men of the South to come into council with them as to what we had bost do to get the South a fuller independence than our fathers ever sought to compel in the forum by their eloquence, or to win in the field by their swords. Thanking you especially for the kind words in which the invitation was conveyed, and the young men associated with you for their courteons com- pliment, I am yours very truly,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.