New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 15

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1416

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STROUD

TOFALL WAREHOUSE GINI'E KAFFEE

ROYALL COFFEE - CORSICANA

Home of the Royall Coffee Co., One of the Leading Commercial Enterprises of Corsicana.

Company were are outgrowth of the Corsicana oper- ations, and J. S. Cullinan was the leading spirit in these two organizations.

The recent growth of Corsicana in the oil activities has been very large. The census of 1920 gave Corsicana a population of 11,356. The city now claims a population of approximately 20,000 people. The business activities, public utilities, educational facilities, etc., have increased pro rata with the growth of population.

With the coming of people, additional hotel facili- ties and cafes have been established and are doing a flourishing business. The transfer facilities have also been provided by additional trains from Dallas and the oil fields and automobile service with a large number of cars has greatly increased. There are twenty-four steam trains and thirty interurban trains between Corsicana and Dallas.

Corsicana has been a great freight exchange center, as the result of the growing service to and from the oil fields. Manufacturing plants have been crowded with work and additional ones built. The annual factory output is estimated over $15,000,- 000.00, while the wholesale business is estimated at

over $25,000,000.00 annually and the payroll of the city is estimated between four and five millions dol- lars.

Although the oil industry is one of the latest assets to Corsicanas business and progress, the city has had a conservative and substantial growth and is

The Y. M. C. A. of Corsicana has a Splendid Building and is Liberally Supported by the Business Men of the City

assured a permanent future as an agricultural and commercial center.

Corsicana is the County Seat of Navarro County. The County was created from Robertson County in 1846 and was named for Col. Jose Navarro, then a member of the State Senate. In 1849 a large section of the county was cut off, out of which the counties of Ellis and Tarrant were formed, reducing Navarro County to its present size. Before the sub-division, the County Seat was located at Forrest Store, twenty-five miles northwest of Corsicana on Cham- bers Creek and what is now Ellis County.

The city of Corsicana was laid out in 1849 and is one of the oldest cities in the State of Texas. The Chamber of Commerce is one of the liveliest organi- zations of the city and has done much in advancing the interest of the town. Its membership includes virtually all of the progressive business men of the city.

One notable fact about the growth and progress of Corsicana is that the city has not become the victim of confusion like most nearly all boom oil fields, but instead has had a sane and conservative growth. The city being the largest place in the vicinity of the Central Texas oil fields, it has not only become the commercial shipping center for this district, but a residence of a large number of oil men who have either rented or built homes and

The American Well & Prospecting Co., Manufacturing Plant, Corsicana

commute to and from the oil fields daily. The city has a splendid library, fine schools and a splendid Young Men's Christian Association Building and other advantages which tend to make Corsicana an attractive place in which to live.

WACO, BUILT IN A PARK By WACO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

W ACO, the sixth city in population in Texas, is situated in the "heart of Texas," and is often called "the city with a soul." Many years ago a tribe of Indians roaming the great Southwest came upon a spot so ideally beautiful that they established a village. In time these In- dians departed to their final Happy Hunting Ground, and they left a site for one of the most picturesque cities in Texas. Waco is surrounded on two sides by green covered hills and on the other two sides rich rolling plains and the Brazos River, spanned by five great bridges, that ripples toward the Gulf of Mexico in the shape of a great half-moon.

Located geographically nearer the center of the great Empire of Texas than any other city, Waco has made for itself a place which no other city in Texas can fill and in consequence entertains an- nually many business and other assemblages.

Over fifty thousand people make Waco their home. Seven railroads and one interurban assure all the conveniences of transportation and travel. Two in- terurban railroads are now almost ready for con- struction.

Waco has many elegant homes, and miles of beautiful residence streets well paved and lined with thousands of pretty shade trees. The Bosque River, a small stream, flows into the larger Brazos just outside the city and furnishes many "old swimming holes" and fishing places, and the hundreds of miles of McLennan County's paved highway (probably the most famous good roads in Texas), make the beautiful scenery of the surrounding country easily accessible to the city.

Commercially, Waco has many reasons to be proud. Located in the very heart of the great cotton producing area of Texas, the greatest cotton state in the world, many of the industries of the city are naturally akin to cotton and its products. Dur- ing the cotton season hundreds of thousands of bales of cotton are marketed in and through Waco; cotton gins dot the county; in the city is an immense cotton compress for making export bales, and cotton oil mills which manufacture the by-products of the cotton seed.

Through the untiring efforts of J. M. Penland, president of the Waco Drug Company, E. W. Marshall of the E. W. Marshall Insurance Company, W. G. Lacy, president of the Citizens National Bank; W. W. Woodson, president of the First National Bank, J. B. Earle, president of the Liberty National Bank, and other prominent busi- ness men, the Waco Chamber of Commerce has been made one of the most thoroughly organ- ized and active Chambers of Commerce in the South- west. During the past four years through the ef- forts of these men, Waco has developed its indus- tries and wholesale houses and stands ready to wel- come more. A million dollar cotton mill and a hun- dred and fifty thousand dollar cordage and twine mill are now in operation, all fire proof, modern buildings. These mills began operating in Janu- ary, 1920.

The agricultural interests of the section are by no means confined to cotton, practically all of the crops common to the southern and central part of the country can be and are grown in Texas. Stock raising is becoming yearly a more important in- dustry here. There are within a few miles of Waco several of the largest fine stock farms in the state. Prominent among them are the famous Goodman Valley Farm with registered Hereford cattle, Shropshire sheep, etc., and Wild Ayre Stock Farm, owned by J. W. Mann. The county and city have a Chamber of Agriculture under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, and with a licensed federal grain inspector, a licensed cotton classer, cattle in- spector and several county agricultural and demon- stration agents; the agricultural interests are being handled by efficient men.

A large part of the city's business includes many wholesale houses, the geographical location and ex- cellent transportation facilities making Waco an ad- vantageous location for jobbing houses. Wholesale grocery houses, dry goods, hardware, candy and many other lines do a large business out of Waco.

Waco is headquarters for a large number of cor- porations in various lines of business, covering the Central Texas territory, and is also the home of a

A View of the Prosperous City of Waco. Taken from an Airship in Flight Over the City

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

number of manufacturing estab- lishments. Window sash and doors, tents and awnings, candies, pickles, rubber tires, overalls and numerous other articles are made here, including the bottling of a high grade ginger ale and other soft drinks of a nationwide popu- larity. The city is the home of several life insurance companies; the Amicable Life building is one of the prominent "skyscrapers" of the South.

The city has an abundance of splendid, healthful artesian water, which is an item of importance in the Southwest. The climate is dry and healthful, and mild in winter; snow or severe weather is infre- quent; the summers, while long, are tempered by the refreshing "Gulf breeze" which rises regularly in the early evening and makes the summer nights pleasant and rest- ful.

Waco's chief claim to distinc- tion as a center of Christian culture lies in the fact that this is the home of Baylor University. Bay- lor is the oldest school for higher education in Texas, having been chartered when Texas was still a Republic. Throughout her seventy- four years' romantic history she has stood four-square against all vagaries of political and ethical teaching. While progressing with the time and adopting the new whenever the new proved to have merit, she has main- tained her poise, and today no higher standards of moral or intellectual thinking are held anywhere than at Bay- lor. Green and awkward boys and girls enter Baylor aimlessly, and after four years the

atmosphere of culture and refinement and altruistic ideals to be found there they go out as purposeful, well-balanced, determined men and women.

Dr. Brooks, president of the Baylor University, is an educator and statesman favorably known throughout the United States, and a man who has contributed much to Waco's growth and develop- ment. Baylor University and the city of Waco are fortunate in having such a man at the head of this institution.

Under Dr. Brooks' administration the University has enjoyed a healthy and continuous growth. Baylor is particularly fortunate in having an ex- ceedingly loyal alumni, both in the business and professional world. Many of the ablest and most worthy men of Texas received their education and had their characters moulded in the scholastic halls of Baylor.

The public school system is one of the best in

Amicable Life Building, for Many Years the Tallest Office Building in Texas

the state. All the grammar schools, as well as the high schools, are presided over by mature men and women who have had wide ex- perience in public school work. No novices control this most im- portant feature of our civic life and in the annual graduation from Baylor University of a large num- ber of splendidly equipped teachers give the Waco school board un- usual opportunity to select only the highest type of teachers for the city schools.

For years Waco has had a shal- low oil field and now many deep test wells for heavy production are being drilled in different parts of the county and all within a few miles of the city. Many geologists are enthusiastic over the prospects, and feel assured that there is a great oil development future for Waco and McLennan County.

In November of each year a unique festival, the Texas Cotton Palace Exposition, is opened in Waco and continues for two gala weeks. During this time Waco throws open her doors to entertain thousands of visitors from all parts of Texas and elsewhere. This past year over one hundred thousand people passed through the gates. The fame of the cotton modeling department has reached many places, and with agricultural and live stock interests in every form and with automobile and horse races and the so- cial activities, including the crowning of a queen and the presentation at court of over twenty duchesses and their maids and escorts, chosen from cities all over Texas, make the exposition a popular one, and is considered second only to the New Orleans Mardi Gras in the Southwest.

This is a small attempt to describe Waco and a few of her advantages. It is a cordial invitation to visit this live, growing and prosperous city; to meet and mingle with its hospitable people; to establish a home in Waco if possible, and share in the great and growing prosperity of the south- west. A call or an inquiry addressed Secretary- Manager of the Waco Chamber of Commerce, will receive prompt and courteous attention.

Under the direction of this live body of business men Waco has received much valuable publicity. The Chamber of Commerce not only looks after the interests of its members but is alert to serve the stranger within the city's gates. New interests seeking a location here find an invaluable source of information and encouragement from this public body.

HISTORY OF WACO By GEO. ROBINSON Proprietor of Waco Times-Herald

F ROM an Indian village surrounded by buffa- loes and wild horses to a modern city with all the conveniences known to high- est civilization in seventy years is the proud boast of the city of Waco.

Early in the year 1849 Major Geo. B. Erath, who had for several years been engaged alternately in sur- veying land and fighting In- dians, was authorized to lay off what was then known as "Waco Village," which had been, prior to the advance of white settlers, the home of the Waco tribe of Indians, a townsite to be called "Lamartine." Major Erath protested against the name, insisting that the new town be christened "Waco." His wishes prevailed.

The land was a part of the Chambers grant and was the property of Jacob de Cordova and J. S. Sydnor, who yielded to the repeated representations of Major Erath concerning its location as being ideal, topographically, for the building of a great city. Accordingly in March, 1849, Major Erath, beginning at Waco Springs, on the west bank of the Brazos River surveyed Bridge Street and began the sale of lots at five dollars each.

Captain Shapley P. Ross had removed from Cam- eron and was one of the first purchasers of Waco property. The territory was then included in Milam County, which extended from the old Bexar and Nacogdoches road north between the Brazos and Colorado Rivers. East Waco was not included in the survey, the east side of the river being in what

was then Robertson County, and belonging to an- other land grant. In the year 1850 the county of McLennan was organized as it now stands. Major Erath furnished the outline of the bill to Colonel Geo. E. Burney, then a member of the state legis-

Remarkable View of an Airship Circling the Amicable Life Building of Waco

lature from Milam County, planning the boundaries with a view of Waco, in its center, being the county seat.

The Indians had been driven north, immigration was pouring into the state, and Waco's rapid growth soon demonstrated its importance as a trade center. The town was incorporated under the general law, East Waco being included. Flourishing with the tide of immigration and the growth of farming and stock raising, Waco was preparing to don the habiliments of a city when the war between the states temporarily checked its progress. That con- flict over and its evil con- sequences erased, her peo- ple took up the task of making Waco the Queen City of central Texas. 1 Steady progress was made, patriotic citizens gave their time and money in a joint effort to attain that position of ascendency to which she aspired and which seemed assured by superior advantages.

Reorganization of the city under a special char- ter gave promise of more rapid development, and for a time the dreams of a patriotic citizenship seemed certain of realiza- tion. But, notwithstand- ing the public spirit of the people and determined ef- forts of those who directed public affairs, there was a halt, and for a time the big town stood practically still, powerless to divest itself

A Glimpse of the Brazos River Near the City of Waco

NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

of an environment that apparently had paralyzed the energy and pride of the citizens.

Then in 1909 the people of the city arose en masse and threw off the antiquated system of alder- manic government and adopted the commission form. The new system worked like a charm. Four busi- ness men were drafted by a committee of citizens appointed at a mass meeting and announced as can- didates for commissioners. They were elected with- out opposition.

Politics adjourned for the time being. Public improvements were started and the city soon as- sumed a prosperous appearance. Demand for public parks became urgent and Mrs. Flora B. Cameron and her children presented the city with a tract of one hundred acres adjoining the city which was im- mediately improved and is now one of the most beautiful parks in the South. It was named Cam- eron Park. Other parks followed and the city now has twelve and most of them are supplied with play ground equipment.

Lots sold, when the town of Waco was founded, for $5.00 each are now worth $2,500 a front foot and few of them can be bought for that price.

The Advent of the Railroad. Waco made no pre- tense to rank as a city until she had secured at least one railroad. Indeed the town had hardly doffed village attire when the Waco and North- western, a branch of the Houston and Texas Central, was built from Bremond, forty miles south. That was in 1871 and from that time the rapid growth of the town soon advanced it to the city class. Ten years later the Missouri, Kansas and Texas entered the state and built through the city giving Waco two lines. A few years thereafter the Cotton Belt built in from the east and during the early nineties the San Antonio and Aransas Pass pushed its way up the Brazos Valley on the west side of the river and the International and Great Northern, some years later came up the valley on the east side. Meantime the Texas Central, an extension of the Waco and Northwestern, built its line west to Stam- ford and later to Rotan, 225 miles from Waco, thus giving the city six separate railroads, all except two extending through it and making ten railway out- lets.

Waco's Water Supply. One of the important achievements of the city in recent years is the acquisition of a water supply which insures an abundance of water of purest kind for all time. Waco has never suffered for water for all purposes and for years her reservoirs have been drawn on from other points. The railroads haul water from this city by the train load in times of drouth, yet there has always been plenty. For years the city was supplied from surface wells but later drills penetrated a subterranean lake and thermal streams of purest water gushed from the earth. As the city grew the supply from the artesian wells was in- sufficient and resort to surface wells followed but to be sure of its purity a $400,000 filter plant was erected and is in operation. Thus pure filtered sur- face water supplements the artesian supply during the dry periods. A decided test of the capacity of the Waco water plant came when the army came. McArthur was located here and forty thousand soldiers were stationed in the outskirts of the city. Connections with the city plant was made and abund- ance of water was furnished without any appreciable diminution of the supply. Not only did the city furnish all the water needed by Camp McArthur

but also supplied Rich field, the big aviation field and this water stood the test of government experts who pronounced it pure. In addition to maintaining a bounteous supply of water for domestic purposes and street sprinkling the water plant has installed a huge reservoir for emergency in the event a conflagration threatens. The fire department in Waco is one of the best in the state.

The Rebecca Sparks co-operative home is a most commendable institution. It is a comfortable home for working girls whose salaries do not permit them to pay regular board and maintain themselves in clothing, etc. This home is under the supervision of Miss Black, who is a deaconess of the Methodist church. When this home is in need of finance all the churches of the city join in taking care of its needs.

The Texas Methodist Orphanage is the pride of Waco. It is located on Herring Avenue, one of the most attractive paved streets in the city, and occu- pies with its buildings and farm thirty-eight acres. At present the orphanage is managed by Mr. W. F. Barnett and is caring for two hundred children in a most excellent way. It is a pleasure to visit there and witness the system and co-operation among the children and their work. The children are faithfully trained in nearly all of the occupations of life so that they will know how to begin life as producers when they leave the institution. This institution is the property of the Methodist Church and was promoted and built largely through the labors of Rev. W. H. Vaughan and Abe Mulkey.

Some Political History. Waco is entitled to dis- tinction as being the only city in the state that has furnished three governors. These are: Richard Coke, Lawrence Sullivan Ross and Patrick M. Neff. Coke, a leading attorney in the early days was elected governor in 1873. He was the first governor of Texas after the reconstruction period following the war between the states. He was re-elected in 1876 and in May of that year was elected United States senator. He did not relinquish his guber- natorial duties, however, until the December follow- ing. He served eighteen years, three terms, and re- tired voluntarily. As governor, Coke had to contend with the bitter partisan spirit engendered by the war and reconstruction and displayed rare political acumen and executive ability during his term. His senatorial career was marked throughout by a high order of statesmanship.

Ross was elected governor in 1886, assumed of- ficial duties in January, 1887, was re-elected in 1888 and served until January, 1891. He was a son of Shapley P. Ross who bought the first lot sold after Waco was surveyed for a townsite. Trained from boyhood to fight Indians he manifested a desire and aptitude for a military career and was educated accordingly. He served with distinction in the Con- federate army and emerged with the rank of general. His administration as governor was characterized by rapid development of the state and remarkable improvement in civic conditions. It was during his administration that the three million dollar capi- tol was built at Austin.

During the period from Coke's election as gov- ernor until Ross retired from the governorship, Waco was the center of political activities in the state and her leading citizens wielded a powerful in- fluence in state and national affairs.

Neff was elected governor in November, 1920, and assumed official duties early in the year of 1921.

THE TEXAS COTTON PALACE By WALTER V. CRAWFORD President Texas Cotton Palace Exposition

C OMMUNITIES, like in- dividuals, often get in a "rut." You have known men, agreeable soci- ally and possessing great business ability, who appar- ently had reached a stand- still. Their every effort, no matter how much hard work they put behind it, went for naught.

Then you have seer the tide turn with those same men. They had hit on the right thing. The opportunity had presented itself for ef- fort in the right direction- the time when they were to reap the reward in propor- tion to their just deserts.

You have seen towns and cities affected the same way. No matter how well located, no matter how superior the advantages over neighboring towns, no matter how much thought and effort was put into action, the results was the same-no progress and no development.

I am revealing no secret when I say that Waco, Texas, was such a town fifteen years ago. Every person whom you met talked of Waco's natural ad- vantages, its central location, and excellent farming country; no one could understand why Waco did not grow and take its rightful place among the larger cities of Texas.

It was in 1909 that Waco found itself. For many years the citizenship of Waco had endeavored to find the way out of the "rut"; they knew as well as outsiders that there was something wrong, but it was their lot to give conditions their best thought and effort to find the key to unlock the door of lethargy in city progress.

The demand was insistent that "something ought to be done."

When the sentiment was well crystallized that "something ought to be done," action came swift and sure.

Young men who, up to this time, had been con- tent to let their elders take the lead in all matters

of civic nature, began agitation for a young men's organization, where they could express their views and put into action their surplus energy. As a re- sult, about fifty young men of Waco assembled on March 9, 1909, and organized the Young Men's Busi-

The Texas Cotton Palace Grounds

ness League. Hundreds of others instantly caught the spirit of civic progress as manifested at the organization meeting, and soon the new organiza- tion had a flourishing membership in numbers only, but with an enthusiasm to meet the demand to "do something" that knew no bounds.

This brings us to the starting point of how Waco was "pulled out of the rut." Leaders of the or- ganization knew that if it was to continue to exist and fulfill its mission that some one big project must be launched and carried to a successful con- clusion.

A big fall exposition met with popular favor, one which all Central Texas would be proud to call its own. The Young Men's Business League, soon after organization, undertook to finance and build such an exposition, and by selling stock to the amount of $60,000 they opened the Texas Cotton Palace gates to the public in November of the same year. With the opening of the exposition gates in 1909 Waco was pulled out of the "rut" and has continued its onward march from that date until the present time.

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New encyclopedia of Texas, volume 1, Part 15

Author: Davis, Ellis A. Publication date: 1926 Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?] Number of Pages: 1416

Author: Davis, Ellis A.
Publication date: 1926
Publisher: Dallas, Tex. : Texas development bureau, [1926?]
Number of Pages: 1416