The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 10

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1204

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The industries of Dallas grew rapidly, the first Bank established was that of Gaston and Camp. The first manufacturing plant was a carriage and wagon shop by Maxine Guillot. The first mercan- tile store was erected by J. W. Smith and J. M. Pat- terson. The first saloon was opened by Adam Haught. The first lawyer was John J. McCoy. The first man to navigate the Trinity river was Cap- tain Gilbert. The first Grist Mill, a hundred barrel a day plant was built by W. T. Overton. The first hotel or tavern was run by John Beeman. James A. Smith planted the first cotton seed in this dis- trict in 1851 and in the autumn of that same year built the first cotton gin that operated here. The following year a boat load of cotton was taken down the Trinity river as far as Porters Bluff.

'In 1848 Nat M. Buford, one of the historic char- acters of the early days of Dallas came to this city, two years later he became district attorney in the succeeding years he served as District Judge and was one of the most prominent figures in the politi- cal life of northern Texas.

The Dallas Herald the first newspaper, a weekly was established in 1849 with J. Wellington Lattimer shortly retired from the paper and Mr. Lattimer be- and a Mr. Wallace as proprietors. Mr. Wallace came sole proprietor and editor. The Herald pros- pered under the able pen and management of the latter and was a political power and potent influence for progress through the whole history of Dallas. In the early files of the Herald are found many of the interesting facts which have preserved for fu- ture generations the details of the city's history.

The city of Dallas was incorporated February 22, 1856, Colonel Nat M. Buford drew up the charter.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

The city at that time had a population of between 400 and 500 people. At the first election Dr. Sam- uel B. Pryor was elected mayor, Andrew Moore, Marshal, William Moore, Treasurer, and Samuel P. Jones, Recorder. The city of Dallas burned in 1860. The cause of the fire was never satisfactorily set- tled but it was generally believed to have been of incendiary origin by negroes, whom it was reported had started many fires in this region. Three negroes were found guilty of the crime and hanged and every negro in the county was given a flogging. There was about fifteen business buildings and a great many residences went up in flames.

At the opening of the Civil War, Dallas, which had been strongly in sympathy with the Confed- eracy, recruited a company, taking away many of her leading citizens, and the city's progress was naturally for a time retarded. After the war things picked up and a new era began. In 1870 the pop- ulation of Dallas was 2,960 and the County boasted of 13,329 inhabitants. The transportation was the one great problem, the lack of which greatly hind- ered the development of the district. Throughout the history of the city there has been more or less agitation for the improvement of the Trinity

first edition, this paper enjoyed an era of rapid growth. The same year the first State Fair was held at Dallas and met with such success that it became an annual event in the life of the city.

On March 31, 1888 an election was held consoli- dating North, East and South Dallas in one enter- prising and progressive city. That same year the old City Hall was completed. In 1890 the census showed that the population of Dallas was 62,000. The year of 1882 witnessed the completion of the present Court House. In 1894 the State Demo- cratic Convention was held in this city. In 1895 the Oriental Hotel, then one of the finest hostelries of the south was completed and opened to the pub- lic. The arrival of the steamer H. A. Harvey, Jr. from Galveston in 1898 revived interest again in the navigation of the Trinity river. Three years later a Bill was passed in Congress appropriating $750,000 for the improvement of the channel. In 1902 Dallas entertained the Confederate Union Sol- diers in a convention here. In 1904 the city became the owner of Fair Park. A company composed of local citizens who owned the tract of land was of- fered $125,000 by an improvement company for the- purpose of dividing it into resident lots, this offer

Panorama of the Business Section of Dallas, from the Roof of Butler Brothers Wholesale Company Building

river to enable navigation. In 1868 a steamboat commanded by Captain McGarvey sailed up the river from Galveston and landed at Dallas loaded with supplies. In December of the same year the Sallie Haynes, the first boat built at Dallas, was launched.

In 1871 the old court house was sold and the build- ing of a new one begun. It was completed in two years at a cost of Seventy-five thousand dollars. In the Fall of 1872 the first iron bridge was com- pleted over the Trinity river at a cost of fifty-five thousand dollars.

On July 17, 1872 the greatest event in the history of Dallas occurred. It was the arrival of the first rail-road train over the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, which reached Dallas that year. A large barbecue was held to celebrate the event. Over five thousand people from the surrounding country attended. An interesting incident of this historical event was an address by the venerable John Neely Bryan, a pioneer citizen of Dallas, who arrived here on an Indian pony thirty-one years before.

In 1876 the North Texas Fair Association was formed and annual fairs were subsequently held. That same year the Dallas County Medical Associa- tion was organized with Dr. A. A. Johnson as Pres- ident. In 1881 the population had increased to 19,000. In 1882 East Dallas was laid out and the city started. In 1884 the American Exchange bank now the largest financial institution in Texas, was organized with W. A. Gaston as President. On Oc- tober 1, 1885 The Dallas Morning News issued its

was refused. At this time a number of public spirited citizens organized a movement which re- sulted in the city acquiring the tract thus making the annual State Fair a public institution.

In another article, the History of the Fair, from its beginning, telling the complete story of its progress up to the present time, is attractively told. Much can be said of what has been accomplished in Dallas during recent years. It has become the largest interurban center in the South, with more miles of electric line radiating from the city than any city of its size in the United States. The city has become a center for education in the South. It has as many fine hotels and office buildings as any city west of Chicago. The city has twenty-two parks covering thirty-five hundred acres, containing tennis courts and playground facilities. It has a Welfare Com- mission engaged to look after the needy, to provide work for the unemployed. There are no slums or tenements. The new City Hall is one of the finest Municipal Buildings in the South. There are one hundred and seventy churches, active Y. W. C. A. and Y. M. C. A., both up to date buildings. There are one hundred and twelve schools and colleges in the city and every facility for highest education is given.

In the foregoing article the writer has endeav- ored to chronicle the most interesting events, the high lights as it were, of the history of Dallas from its beginning up to a little more than a decade ago. The recent progress of the city will be treated with other articles dealing with the later activities.

INDUSTRIES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF DALLAS By DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

H ERE one beholds a city whose march is irre- sistible, whose spirit is real, destiny sure, and whose every department pulsates with Progress, Prosperity and Promise. Its growth from a single building which still stands, to a cosmopoli- tan metropolis, the skyscraper center of the South and the West, with sixty-two buildings six to thirty- one stories high either completed or under construc- tion, and all in the life of the one man who built the first Dallas house, is ample justification for the r:ame Dallas has won over the Nation as the "City where nien are looking forward." The "forward (wok" is the look of "youth," and that means com. radeship, confidence, faith and team work. This is the spirit that has brought Dallas from a city of 42,638 people (U. S. Census in 1900 to 158,976 ex- clusive of suburbs which bring the total to 174,025: or from the 86th city in size in the Nation to the A2nd, and that without any boom influence or artificial stimulus. Within a circle the radius of which extends one hundred miles from the city, ap- proximately one-third of the people of Texas live; there are 17,000 rated business concerns, and 686 National and State banks with a combined capital of over $38,000,000.00; within the same territory there are 156,373 farms or 16.6% of the total num- ber of farms in all Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana combined, with 10,000,000 acres of land in cultivation yielding 17.75% of America's cotton crop and over 1,200 prosperous towns and villages from which Dallas commands a large whole-sale and jobbing trade as well as an extensive retail business.

Financial and Banking Facts

Dallas is the home of the Federal Reserve Bank:

of the Eleventh District and has five National banks and 7 State Banks, besides individual institutions and Trust companies. In 1920, the bank deposits amounted to $140,000,000 and the bank clearings were $1,868,685,312. The wholesale business for the same year totaled $600,000,000. The wholesale business in all automotive lines is approximately $200,000,000, while the Federal Census of Manu- facturers for the Dallas Industrial District indicate the output of "made in Dallas" articles as over $100,000,000 a year. In Express business Dallas ranks first per capita of all the cities of the United States and is seventh city in the volume of express business. Dallas' building permits for 1920, totaled $13,363,157, giving the city 19th rank among the Nation's builders. While Dallas is 42nd city in size, the rank becomes 24th, in Postal Receipts which amounted to $2,363,380 for 1920 and only six cities in the union pay more money orders. Fire Life and Casualty Insurance covering several states is an important factor in financial activity of Dallas. More than 100 fire insurance companies and 40 life insurance companies are represented by General Agents in Dallas. Four of these Life Insurance Companies have their palatial office building homes and their income approximates $6,000,000 per an- num.

Dallas is the farm center of the southwest. Ac- cording to the census, 91.8% of the total farm mortgage loans of the state are held by Dallas com- panies.

Distributing Center

Because of its location and transportation facil- ties, Dallas is the logical jobbing and wholesale cen- ter for a territory, larger than the New England and

(Photographed by Howard K. Neal, Airplane Photographer, Telephone C-069s)

Business Center of Dallas, as Seen from an Airship

The Federal Reserve Bank and Cotton Exchange are seen in the foreground. In the Center is the Magnolia Building with group of Hotels and Office Buildings. The City Temple and the new Post Office Site are infthe back ground.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS

the Middle Atlantie states combined. Practically every important wholesale house in the United States has its southwestern headquarters in this Texas metropolis. There are 750 wholesalers and manufacturers, 256 of which are of national in- portance. Dallas leads the world in the manu- facture and distribution of cotton gin machinery, and in saddlery, harness and leather goods. This city ranks among the three largest distributing de- pots for farm implements and machinery in Amer- ica. Dallas ships more galvanized corrugated tanks to oil fields than any other city m1 the United States and is the geographical center of the oil territory of the Southwest. Dallas is also famed as the largest film distributing center in the world.

Dallas is the largest inland cotton market in the world, having financed 1,500,000 bales in one season.

Transportation Facilities

Nine trunk line steam railroads enter the mag- nificent $6,500,000 Union Terminal Station, from which eighty-nine passenger trains are operated daily. A network of 282 miles of interurban elec- tric service operates out of Dallas in every direction which fact makes this city rank with America's great est interurban centers. The $1,600,000 Interurban Terminal Station handles 186 trains daily and has a yearly capacity for 4,000,000 people. Freight and Express are transported by steam, electric and automobile truck lines with a dispatch not equalled by any other city in the southwest. To the present existing system of good roads, a number of which are concrete highways, Dallas has voted an extra $6,500,000 to be appropriated for road construction.

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The New Home of the Dallas Chamber of Comme

Main Street "Canyon." Dallas Looking East from the Top of the Southland Hotel

Other Public Utilities

Dallas has more miles of direct service telephone and telegraph lines than any other city in the southwest and has the greatest telephone develop- ment per capita of any city in the world. 296 telephone toll and long distance circuits lead out of the city to nearly 2,500 cities and towns. This places Dallas with the three leading metropolitan centers of the United States in the matter of tele- phone development and service. Dallas is the head- quarters of the entire Southwest in the telegraph business. All the large telegraph companies have southwestern headquarters here, and there are only five cities in the Nation that do more telegraph business than Dallas. 351 telegraph circuits ter- minate here. Dallas has 160 miles of improved streets, many miles of boulevards, a million dollar concrete viaduct one and one-eighth miles long con- necting the city proper with Oak Cliff residential section, a big water filtration plant supplied thru a series of dams in the forks of the Trinity River and a reserve supply in the great White Rock Lake which forever dispell danger of water shortage or drought.

In educational and religious advantages, Dallas is second to none. The Southern Methodist University with its magnificent buildings is situated north of town on 2,660 acre tract. To this seat of learning come hundreds of young men and women from all parts of the south. The University of Dallas, a pre- mier College in this section, Baylor Medical College and the Baylor Dental College, and three nurses' schools besides many vocational, music and fit.c arts schools give to the youths of Dallas as choice opportunities as are afforded by any locality.

DALLAS BANKING HISTORY By E. M. REARDON President American Exchange National Bank

F ROM the standpoint of Banking, Dallas has en- joyed an era of con- servative, yet continual pro- gress. The history of Dallas banks extends over a period of half a century and in the memory of a number of citi- zens still active in Dallas circles, the banking business of Dallas was born.

Among the Beacon Lights of the banking history, who have been identified with the financial institutions of this city, is the venerable Royal A. Ferris, pioneer banker, who for half a century was actively associated with the "anking business of the State, nearly forty years of which was with the Dallas Banking Institutions, Having come to this city to live in 1884. Another ;. oneer banker still living is, William H. Gaston, »to has been connected with the banking business tere since 1870.

The T. C. Jourdan & Companys institution was superceded by the firm of Gaston & Camp, a private oncern also, in 1870. Three years later, 1873, marked the beginning of Dallas' oldest Bank now vfrrating-the City National Bank. In 1884 the Michange Bank, a State Bank in its affiliation, was chartered and began business. In 1887 it was rationalized by Royal A. Ferris, then its Vice-Presi- Lent, with Col. John A. Simpson, President, and was then known as the National Exchange Bank. 1- 1898, Mr. Ferris was called to succeed Col. Simp- en as president of the institution which in 1905 # #4 consolidated with the American National Bank and the new name was taken by which it is now known to the public, The American Exchange "ational Bank. This is one of the most solid banks

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" "", National Bank Building. Devoted Exclusively to the U'ses of the Bank

! ! he South. Mr. Ferris continued as its president :-:. 1 1920, the year of his retirement. E. M. Reardon was chosen as his successor. Mr. Ferris had rounded

out fifty years in active banking service at the date of his resignation, the longest term of active service enjoyed by any living banker in Texas.

The American Exchange National Bank Building, Dallas' Home of Texas' Largest Banking Institution

The third oldest Dallas Bank is the National Bank of Commerce, chartered in 1889. As present charters run, next came the Dallas Trust & Savings Bank in 1903. In 1911 the Oak Cliff State Bank & Trust Company was organized. The Central State Bank and the Security National Bank in 1914 and the Dallas County State Bank in 1917. The year 1920 marked the beginning of two banks in their present form-The Dallas National Bank and the Guaranty Bank & Trust Company. The Dallas National Bank had enjoyed a splendid previous history as The Banking House of E. O. Tennison. The Guaranty Bank & Trust Company marks a new departure in banking hours, being popularly known as the "Day and Night Bank."-the only one of its kind in the city. In 1919, the Liberty State Bank was organized. In 1919, the Security National Bank absorbed the First State Bank of the city and in 1921 this institution took the name of the Southwest National Bank. Early in 1922 it moved to its present quarters in the Magnolia Building.

THE GROWTH OF DALLAS By JOHN W. PHILP

Postmaster

A city where men are looking forward-a city of cosmopolitan spirit, a city of metropolitan atmosphere whose onward march is irresistible, a city whose past achievements are soon eclipsed by the results of greater enterprise today and where the enthusiastic and virile citizenship give positive assurance of the future greatness of their be- loved Dallas.

Although the growth of Dallas has been indeed rapid and although the hustle and ginger of a northern city is found here, where the game of life is played with a vigor, still the spirit of Southern hospitality has not been permitted to fall into decay, and strangers who for social, industrial or business reasons come here are soon made to feel that they are among friends and are welcome with a hand of good fellowship.

Dallas has ever been a beautiful and thriving city. It not only looks after the home planning of its citizens but takes a keen interest in the develop- ment of its industries. In order to co-ordinate the growth of the various sections of the city, a Muni- cipal Plan Commission was formed which reviews and passes upon the merits of proposed city enter- prises. Working in conjunction with the Municipal Plan Commission is the Metropolitan Development Association whose particular duties are to assist in apportioning improvements to each section of the city having in mind the mutual benefits of all citizens.

An idea of the unusual growth of Dallas may be had from the statement of a few facts. In 1909 there was not a single building ten stories. Today there are eight buildings of eleven or more stories, one of twenty, two of sixteen, one of eighteen, and one of twenty-eight stories. Collier's Weekly de- scribed the skyline in a recent issue as follows: "Dallas from its three-quarter million dollars con- crete viaduct, presents the most imposing skyline of any city, save New York.

There are 76 schools and 154 churches here, and ' located so that every part of the city is served. The school system includes one school for the deaf, and five schools for negroes, including a negro high school. Higher education is not neglected here for Dallas is the home of the Southern Methodist Uni- versity, Baylor Medical College, the Dallas Uni- versity, Terrell School, St. Mary's College, Ursuline Academy, and a large number of art, music and vocational schools, nurses training schools, business colleges and similar institutions.

Dallas is in the midst of the oil fields of Texas and Oklahoma and many of the large companies have their offices and refineries here. Dallas is automobile headquarters for the Southwest and dis- tributes annually more automobiles throughout this territory than any other city. Dallas is also the largest banking center of the Southwest, the home

of the Federal Reserve Bank of the 11th Federal Reserve District, which now cecupies it's own mag- nificent structure recently completed at a cost, in- cluding equipment, of approximately two million dollars. Dallas is the largest publishing center of the Southwest, having over seventy regular publica- tions issued here.

Dallas receives mail from forty-one trains daily from all parts of the United States and sends out 162 dispatches daily. The postal receipts for 1921 totaled $2,400,000. Dallas has the unique record of never having shown a decrease in postal receipts for the past thirty years, a record equaled by few if any, and excelled by none. The geographical location of Dallas makes it possible to communicate with any city in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas or Ok- lahoma in less than 24 hours.

There is but one city in the United States that distribues more agricultural implements than Dallas. There are thirty-eight wholesale houses selling implements with an annual business of over $50,- 000,000. There are more than 500 wholesale and jobbing houses in Dallas with an annual business of over $300,000,000. This city is the largest inland cotton market in the world, where the cotton ex-

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Some of the Principal Office Bu"d'nes in the Business Section of Dallas changes handle more than 1,500,000 bales annually. In the manufacture of harness, saddlery and cotton gin machinery, Dallas leads the United States.

Dallas is well paved, well lighted, and properly cared for in every way.

DALLAS, MEDICAL CENTER OF THE SOUTHWEST By EDWIN HI. CARY, M. D., F. A. C. S.

Chairman, Staff Faculty and Advisory Board of Baylor University School of Medicine Ex-President, Southern Medical Association

I N this article, I shall not take up the personnel of the Medical Profession here, altogether their his- tories would no doubt prove interesting, for while some of our great men have already passed to their reward, many are yet living and laboring for us. So it is the movement and not the men back of it, that I shall review.

In 1900, Dallas was a city of approximately 40,000 people; she had a very ener- getic Medical Profession, and some members of whom were ambitious enough to dream of a medical school here, thinking they could establish as good a one as were existing elsewhere Dr.Abraham Flexner had not at that time, investigated medical education, he had not written his book. And the people at large had not become alive to the fact that medical schools as such, were with few exceptions in the United States. owned by medical men, and were necessarily open to the charge of being run for professional aggrand- izement. This condition was entirely inconsistent with the high ideals of medical education now, which standards have been considerably raised.

When we stop to think that in 1994 there were approximately 160 medical schools in the United States with some 28,000 students, and know that at this time there are only about 75 medical schools and 13,000 students, some idea is gathered as to what had been happening to the schools in the past fifteen years. During this time of course, sonte 20,000,000 people have been added to the popula- tion of the United States, yet the number of medi- val schools and students have steadily decreased. In Dallas, in 1904, there were four so-called medical schools, and the population had not materially in- creased beyond the figures given in the 1900 cen- >u.s.

It is not the purpose of the article to show just " hat were the influences that rid the country of so many aspiring institutions which seemed to have , the interest of the public at heart; but we CAN say that it was brought about by the expression of the great body of medical men, through their society, the American Medical Association, advocating pub- brity, improvement of standards and adherence to arals. There was no pressure brought to bear from outside; the medical men themselves have led the (uht, and eliminated those medical schools which traded to be done away with.

The growth of Dallas in its population and wealth, with the gradual elimination of all medical schools · trept Baylor University School of Medicine, brought about two things: first, the members of the pro- 'ssion found, with an enlarged clientele, that the s+rsonal element in the practice of medicine was Wing eliminated, and next that the profession seri- ously became interested in having a first class med- val school in Dallas, regardless of whether or net

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The encyclopedia of Texas, V.1, Part 10

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau Number of Pages: 1204

Author: Davis, Ellis Arthur, ed; Grobe, Edwin H., ed
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Dallas, Texas Development Bureau
Number of Pages: 1204