Landmarks, Dallas County, Texas, 1875-1888
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(Updated July 2, 2002)

 

 

1875
[No Heading]

     For sale, for a few days only, two large new buildings, one a cotton gin and the other a corn and wheat mill, in complete running order, with smut mill, corn sheller, a good cotton press, a sixty-five saw Pratt gin stand, with an excellent engine of thirty horse-power, an abundance of spring water on the premises, and three-quarters of an acre of land, situated on the southeast corner of Poydras and Wood street, known as "Horton's Mill." Apply to W. F. Lyte & Co., real estate agents, No. 109 Lamar street.

- January 2, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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LOCAL BREVITIES.

     The new brick row on Elm street, between Market and Jefferson, is ready for the cornice.
     All the hotels set extra fine dinners yesterday, the Commercial leading off with one of great variety and excellence.

- January 2, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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LOCAL BREVITIES.

     Messrs. E. & M. Kahn have dissolved partnership, Mr. M. Kahn retiring. Mr. E. Kahn continues the business.

- January 5, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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Personal.

     Moise Kahn, formerly of E. & M. Kahn, is going into the wholesale liquor business with Messrs. H. H. and M. J. Jacobs, next to Wadsworth, on Elm street.

- January 6, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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The Public Library-A Proposition


About the Matter.
     D
ALLAS, Texas, January 12, 1875.
To the Editor of the Dallas Herald:
     I noticed an item in the H
ERALD with regard to the Public Library of Dallas. I will furnish a room eighteen by twenty feet, upstairs, in a brick building fronting on the square, keep it open from 8 A. M. to 11 P. M., for $75 per month, or will take the library, giving approved security, for one year, for two-thirds of the proceeds. Can give first-class reference in the city.
Yours, etc., H. B
LEDSOE.

- January 13, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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LOCAL BREVITIES.

     Mrs. L'Hommedieu called to ask Dr. R. H. Jones, the other day, the price of a certain lot opposite George Meriwether's residence, when the doctor very gallantly and delicately begged that she would accept of it. Now, that's what we call a good deed, kindly done.

     Messrs. Carnes and Guedry have associating themselves as general fire insurance agents, and we refer our readers to their card in another column. The line of companies they represent is headed by the London and Liverpool and Globe and North British and Mercantile, of London and Edinburgh. Coming nearer home, they are agents of the Traders, of Chicago; Petersburg Savings and Trust, and the Albermarle and Farmville, of Virginia. They also write risks on cotton and other merchandise in transit to and from any of the northern ports of the United States. We recommend them to the public.

- January 14, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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"Martha" - The First Opera in Dallas.

      On the 19th of February, at Field's theater, Flotow's beautiful little comic opera of "Martha" will be presented by a number of ladies and gentlemen (amateurs) of this city. The opera here has been in active rehearsal for some time, and as this will be the first opera ever presented here, its production will be quite the musical feature of the winter.
     The role of "Martha" is to be taken by Miss Ella Rives, one of our most accomplished and charming vocalists, who has one of those plaintive soprano voices which are always effective in this opera.
     "Nancy" will be personated by Mrs. Ben Ward, who is so favorably known here as possessing a voice of unusual power and melody and the requisite taste and cultivation to do justice to the part.  She will doubtless add to the laurels already won as Miss Lizzie McGee.
     The part of "Plunkett" will be in the hands of Mr. R. H. Foat, who has the reputation of possessing a voice of rare power, richness, flexibility and sweetness.  To a handsome personal appearnce, Mr. Foat unites admirable musical taste and hard study, His success is a foregone conclusion.
     "Lionel" will [be] personated by Dr. McGee, who as a tenor voice of more than ordinary meit.  He sings with taste and feeling and will doubtless achieve a triumph.
     "Tristam" will be represented by Major Obenchain.  The major's voice and musical culture are familiar to all lovers of music here, and are ample to commend success.
     "The Sheriff" wil be represented by our modest young German friend, Mr. Hess, who has a very strong, melodious voice of much tone and volume.
     The chorus will be sung by a number of our young ladies, each one of whom is attractive enough to fill the house.
     Prof. Otten will have the musical direction.
     The occasion is the anniversary of the Knights of Pythias.

- January 14, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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LOCAL BREVITIES.

     Storage for all kinds of machinery, agricultural implements, etc., can be had on reasonable terms at the Dallas Compress warehouse, corner of Lamar and Wood streets, as will be seen by our reference to our advertising columns.
     We have received the prospectus of the Montague News, a new paper to be started in Montague, Texas. The News will be democratic, of course. The material on which the paper is to be printed is the old office of the Texas Signet, formerly printed in Dallas by Rev. Lee Newton.
     Hamm and Wilson, butchers at the city market, continue to make a handsome display of delicious meats of all kinds, which they are selling at the lowest prices. We stepped into the market yesterday and viewed their choice cuts of beef, mutton, pork, veal, venison, etc., and thereupon, ordered our meats for to-day's dinner. Go there and do likewise.
     The new Skinner truck for Dallas Hook and Ladder company No. 1, contracted for by W. C. Connor, chief of the fire department, when last in New York, has arrived. Chief Connor, while in the metropolis of Gotham, saw its workings on Broadway and contracted for a similar machine immediately. It cost at this factory eighteen hundred and seventy-five dollars, and the freight to Dallas via the Missouri, Kansas and Texas and Texas Central railways, was two hundred seventy-five dollars. It has a patent self ___ vating fire escape, and its arrival marks a new era in the annals of our fire department. Chief Connor and a number of our citizens rode out yesterday afternoon to examine it, and a detail from Dallas Hook and Ladder company will bring it to the truck house. The old truck will be transferred to the fire company of East Dallas, who, no doubt, will give a good account of it.

- January 20, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4
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LOCAL BREVITIES.

      R. V. Tompkins, flings his bunting to the spring breezes from the outer wall of his new mercantile fort, corner of Lamar and Commerce streets.

- January 21, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4.
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OUR NEXT ENTERPRISE.
______

The Northern Texas Blooded Stock
Association--A New Company
Formed With Ample
Capital.

______

Ground Bought--Buildings and Race
Course to be Built and Arranged.

     For some time past, it has been very evident to some of our far seeing and public-spirited capitalists that much good could be done by the organization of a blooded stock and fair association, upon a substantial basis, for the improvement and development of this state, and our city also.

THE MEN AT THE HEAD OF IT,

are Messrs. W. H. Gaston, C. C. Slaughter, William B. Miller, J. E. Barkley and J. Y. Field. They have purchased seventy-five acres, which will be enclosed with a close fence nine feet high. The buildings, race course, club room, billiard room, restaurant, main stand, amphitheater, booths, etc., are to be planned after those of St. Louis.

THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

are already being drawn up by Mr. Jack Ryan, one of the most accomplished architects and civil engineers in the state, lately in the employ of the Texas and California construction company, a graduate of Trinity college, Dublin, and a gentleman whose taste in such matters is first class.

CASH PREMIUMS

will be a special feature and large enough to attract the best stock men and exhibitors in the country, all of whom will be communicated with, in time for the next fair, which will be some time in October, so arranged as not to be interfered with by the St. Louis fair whose exhibitors will be invited here also. A liberal system of advertising will be a feature which will make it familiar to the exhibitors throughout the country.

THE RACE COURSE

is to be constructed on the best modern known plan, forty feet wide and to be one mile in distance. The form will be that of a parallelogram, rounded at both ends, thereby giving quarter of a mile stretches on easy curves. Inside of the track proper will be a speed track thirty-five feet wide. Outside of the track will be a broad carriage way, the whole to be surrounded by a strong wire foot fence.
     At a suitable place inside the race track will be the spacious amphitheater with its booths and appurtenances, such as gentlemen's club room, ladies' reception room, billiard room, restaurant, music stand and judges stand.
     Hereafter, a commodious and elegant grand stand will be built outside of the race track, with a seating capacity of six or eight thousand.
     Work will be commenced shortly, the track will be laid out immediately, after which the necessary contracts will be let.
     It is proposed to have everything completed by the 1st of September, when Dallas will have the best race track in the state, if not the south.

- February 6, 1875, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4 col. 2.
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1876
Important to Real Estate Buyers.

     The importance of careful and correct field notes in making deeds cannot be too much insisted upon, now that property in this city and county is becoming so valuable, and to avoid useless litigation, all parties should see to it that the land conveyed in the deed is plainly and particularly described; metes and bounds given, and the initial point well established.
     In those good old times of Arcadian simplicity, when the land between Poydras street and the Houston and Texas Central railroad was sold by the Grigsby heirs to Uncle Jack Smith and Judge J. M. Patterson at about one dollar per acre, men were indifferent as to the exact description of their land marks, and the records of the County Clerk's office show some curious field notes. In a deed from Turbeville to Masten, the field notes say: "Commencing at the corner of my turnip patch," and it puzzles the present city engineer hugely to locate that turnip patch.
     In another deed in Judge Good's homestead, it says: "Commencing at the corner of T. C. Hawpe's horse lot," and not no man can put his foot on the corner of that horse lot.
     The deed from Uncle Jack Smith to the Methodist church college, says: "Commencing on the north side of Elm street at the end of my picket fence." Now, where is that picket fence?
     In some deeds, Bryan street is called Swiss street, and Swiss street is called Butcher street, and some streets in our city have so many different names, that confusion arises to locate the property.
     Too many parties content themselves in giving the courses in the deed as Easterly, Westwardly, Northwardly, and Southwardly, when all this may mean something within the 360 degrees of the compass.
     In some deeds, varas are confounded with yards, and the rates in a deed gives varas, yards, feet and links indiscriminately.
     Another great cause of confusion in locating property from fixed rates in deeds, when monuments cannot be found, is the variation of the needle; some lines have been run with a variation of 90°, and some at 90° 50 East, some lines calling for N 450 [45° ?] were run at N 41 E, and two confusions become confounded, all of which could be avoided by specifying in the fixed rates, the variation of the needle used in each survey, and it might be well to give the name of the surveyor for future reference.
     These suggestions are thrown out to caution our people against useless negligence in an important matter, so that they may avoid future trouble and expense.

- July 8, 1876, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4, col. 2.
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THE COUNTY CONVENTION.
__________

The Body that is to Nominate Dele-
gates to the District Convention.

DALLAS, TEXAS, July 19, 1876.
To the Democrats of Dallas County:

     FELLOW CITIZENS - You are requested to meet at your respective voting precincts at twleve o'clock m. (except in Precincts Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, which will meet at eight p. m. on Saturday, the 19th day of August, A. D., 1876), to select delegates to represent you in a county convention to be held at twelve o'clock m. at the Court House in the city of Dallas, on the 26th day of August, A. D. ,1876, to appoint delegates to a District Convention to be holden in the city of Dallas on the 20th day of August, 1876, to nominate a candidate to represent this Congressional District in the next Congress.
     The interests of the county demand that the Democratic party of this county, as well as the District, should be united and harmonious, and that the District should be represented by the candidate of its cohice. The whole number of delegates to the county convention, based on the last election for Governor will be one hundred and two (102) apportioned among the several voting precincts as follows:
Voting Precinct No. 1 (Courthouse) 23 delegates.
Precinct No. 2 (Broom Factory) 6 delegates.
Precinct No. 3 (Buckhorn Corner) 9? delegates.
Precinct No. 4 (Young's Schoolhouse), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 5 (Oak Lawn) 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 6 (Mash's) 3 delegatres.
Precinct No. 7 (Richardson), 6? delegates.
Precinct No. 8 (Upper Duck Creek), 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 9 (Poorville)., 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 10 (Bale's Schoolhouse), 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 11 (Pleasant Valley), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 12 (Worthington's) 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 13 (Lower Duck Creek), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 14 (Long Creek), 1 delegate.
Precinct No. 15 (Craven's), 1 delegate.
Precinct No. 16 (Haught's Store), 2 [delegates.]
Precinct No. 17 (Scyene), 3 delegates
Precinct No. 18 (Mesquite), 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 19 (Lancaster), 3? delegates.
Precinct No. 20 (Hutchin's), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 21 (Cedar Hill), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 22 (Five Mile Creek), 1 delegate.
Precinct No. 23 (Valley Church), 1 delegate.
Precinct No. 24 (Lisbon), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 25 (Eagle Ford), 3 delegates.
Precinct No. 26 (Stult's), 2 delegates.
Precinct No. 27 (Grapevine), 1 delegate.

     Fellow citizens, I earnestly urge you to turn out at your respective voting places on the 19th day of August, 1876, and send up your delegates to the County Convention, send good and tried Democrats, and let the action of the convention be the voice of the people, and thereby meet the approval of every true Democrat of the county.
     Come out, then, and unfurl to the breeze, the flag of Democracy, with reform inscribed on one side and Tilden and Hendricks on the other, and select the men of your choice.
W. L. C
ABELL.
Chairman Democratic Executive Committee of Dallas County.

- July 22, 1876, Dallas Weekly Herald, p. 2, col. 3.
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OUR MILLS.
________

The Dallas Flour Manufacturing Com-
pany-A Modern Enterprise

     The dimensions of this mill are forty by eighty feet. It is built of brick, three stories high. In the basement are three kilns with a capacity altogether of about three thousand bushels. There are two apartments on the first floor. The first is used as a store room, the second as a grinding room. In the second story is the bolting chest and cleaning machinery. In the third story are the bran duster and the separators. The grain, when received, is placed in the bins?, thence it is carried by an elevator up into the top of the building, where the first cleaner takes it and cleans out all of the heavy dirt, straw, sticks and trash; thence it goes through the second cleaner, which scours the wheat from dust and fuz, and separates the light from the heavy by means of currents of air and scouring apparatus; thence through the third cleaner, which repeats the work of the second cleaner. Then it is carried by an elevator to the stock hopers over the stones in the first floor; then, as it passes to the stones, it passes through a Vendergriff feeder, which takes out all of the light and imperfect grains. From the stones the flour goes to the bolters, eight in number, and twenty feet by thirty-two inches, in the second story, from whence it goes to the flour packer on the first fllor, where it is put in sacks and barrels.
     The capacity of the mill is one hundred and fifty barrels every twenty-four hours. The mill runs day and night. The machinery is all run by steam. The force employed are one superintendent (David Langton), two millers, two engineers, two flour packers, one clerk and three laborers.
     During the past ten months, the mill has turned out four thousand barrels. The cleaning machinery was manufactured by A. H. Halterman & Co., St. Louis. this mill will turn out, this season, fifty thousand barrels of flour, of which there are four grades. First, Dallas Crescent Mills; second, San Jacinto; third, Empire; fourt, XX.
This mill was formerly owned by Dr. J. E. Scott, and is located on the branch near Browdus' Spring, a mile and a half from the Court House.
     We examined very carefully the grain used in making flour and found it first class. The various qualities of flour made are noted in the market for the purity and excellence of the quality.
     The mill is conducted with the utmost system and order, and the various departments of it are all managed by themost experienced hands. The flours made by this mill are not surpassed by any in the country. To. Mr. S. T. Stratton much is due for the interest he has taken in making this mill's flour famous.

- July 22, 1876, Dallas Weekly Herald, p. 3, col. 2.
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1880
The New Court-House.

     The County Commissioners court met yesterday pursuant to adjournment to consider the bids submitted for the rebuilding of the court-house which is to be raised another story, making it a three-story building, the dimensions of the additional story to be 66x110 feet and fourteen feet high, to be surmounted by a comely, substantial dome sixty feet high, with a clock, which will make a handsome edifice, far superior to the old court-house. the following bids for the work, with the amounts specified, were submitted:
S. Neilson...$26,080
Caruthers & Morrison...25,000
Leftwich & Jamison...26,100
John Paul...27,812
Britton & Long...24,000
J. M. Harry...24,908
D. C. Mitchell...23,442
R. L. James...24,950
H. Kruegel & Co....23,712
A. Brownlee...24,475
     Mr. D. C. Mitchell's bid being the lowest, he was awarded the contract, to be finished by the 15th of June.
     On motion, fifteen days extra was given the contractor in which to finish the wok, though, with opposition on the par of colonel Wm. J. Keller, as he did not deem it fair to the other bidders to grant further time after the contract had been let. this evening, the proper papers will be signed and the bond of the contractor will be taken to guarantee the faithful performance of the work, and a superintendent will be appointed to oversee the construction.
     There will be a number of changes made on the second floor and throughout the new court-house will be a great improvement on the old one.

- March 12, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 2.
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Another Artesian Well.

     The workmen engaged in boring the second artesian well for the Browder Springs ice company have reached a depth of four hundred and ten feet and expect to reach water within the next few days and calculate on finishing their work by Saturday week. The company have put in extra machinery, and hence, the necessity for two wells.

- March 12, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 2.
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East Dallas Stock Yards.

     Mr. J. A. Carter, the proprietor of these yards, is a man reliable in all his transactions, and business entrusted to him will receive efficient attention. These yards have no superior in the city, and persons wanting to buy or sell stock of any kind will be the gainers by calling on Mr. Carter.

- March 12, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 2.
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Grand-Windsor.

     Monday evening, Col. W. H. Whitla and Mr.. Pepper leased the Grand-Windsor hotel, embracing both buildings, for five years. There are to be improvements on the building to the extent of $8,000, and then it will be the finest hotel, and has been the best kept under the management of Col. Whitla, in Texas. The expression, "he is a good man, but he can't keep hotel," is often heard, but the latter half of the phrase does not apply to Col. Whitla. He knows exactly how to keep a hotel, and the public is well aware of the fact. Already popular in the extreme, it will become more so when the improvements are completed. A genial host, and thoroughly understandomg his business. Col. Whitla spares no pains to entertain his guests as they should be entertained, and to make them comfortable and at home.

- March 24, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 3.
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An Elegant Opera House.

     A meeting of a number of our prominent citizens and capitalists was held at the parlors of the Grand-Windsor hotel last evening to discuss the propriety of erecting, in the city, an opera-house and Masonic temple. The following named gentlemen were elected directors, with instructions to, at once, secure a charter and open books for the subscription of stock, viz: Messrs. W. E. Hughes, Alex Sanger, W. H. Gaston, L. M. Knepfly, W. C. Connor, John C. McCoy, G. M. Swink, R. V. Tompkins, W. H. Flippen, S. J. Adams and H. S. Ervay. The meeting was enthusiastic, and the names of the gentlemen given above, who take an active interest in the matter, insure the success of the enterprise. The building is to cost $50,000.

- March 27, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 3.
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An Important Suit.

     The District court, during the present week, has been engaged on the suit of Smith, Murphy and Peak vs. John B. Stone. In this suit, is involved the title to fourteen acres of ground in the heart of the city, and embraces some of the most valuable property lying on Elm, Main, Commerce and Jackson streets. The result will be looked forward to with great interest by many parties now claiming title to the same. The property is valued at nearly a half-million of dollars.

- March 27, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 3.
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UNSAFE BUILDINGS.

     The falling of the wall of the building on Elm street yesterday should serve as an illustration of the necessity for strong, substantial buildings. It is, no doubt, common in young cities when the flush of a new born prosperity is upon them and everything is going forward with a rush and at break-neck speed, for buildings, whether of stone, brick or wood, to be built in the same way. There is a feverish excitement pervading all things and owners of property are anxious for their improvements to be hurried to completion, that they may take advantage of the flood tide of prosperity and begin quickly to realize on their investments. The consequence is that almost any sort of material is taken, rather than wait for better, and any quality of work accepted rather than submit to delay, and the buildings thus erected are but shells, unsafe and dangerous. It is greatly to be feared that there are many of this character of buildings in Dallas, and it is to the interest of the city, as a whole, as well as to the property owners themselves, that a thorough and impartial inspection be made, and wherever the evil feared may be found, that it be corrected, at once, by strengthening walls, braces, etc., and even by rebuilding, if that be the only remedy. Fortunately, yesterday no lives were lost, no casualties resulted, but the bare thought that there might have been, makes one shudder. Several thousand dollars worth of property was destroyed and two or three business firms forced to lose time in securing other places, rescuing their goods undamaged, from the debris of the building and in replacing those ruined. Furthermore, have they not sustained a dead loss of the goods ruined? Such catastrophes beget a feeling of apprehension and awaken fears in the minds and hearts of all business men who, reasonably enough, ask themselves, at once, if their places of business are safe. They are calculated to make people contemplating entering into business here, distrustful and disposed to seek other localities for settlement. An ample remedy and sure safe-guard is in easy reach of the city, and she owes it to her people to avail herself of it. We need the enforcement of the existing ordinance or a new one; also, a vigilant building commissioner or inspector, and he should be a man skilled in the construction of houses and in the strength, durability and other qualities of building material. He should be a gentleman of integrity and reliability, with the heart and the intelligence to appreciate the responsibility of his position. If the present city ordinances, as published in this issue and prescribing the nature and quality of building material to be used, the thickness of walls, character of mortar, etc., in the construction of buildings are inadequate, the Council should, at once, enact such ordinances as shall be sufficient. Dallas is a city large enough now, of sufficient importance and rich enough, to afford a building commissioner to superintend the erection of all buildings and see to it that they are erected in accordance with the requirements of safety, both as to substantiability and fires. It is true that a building, no matter what the material used may be, whether iron, steel, stone or brick, cannot be made entirely fire-proof, but they can be made very nearly so, in fact, practically so. They can be made strong enough not to fall down; strong enough to withstand the storms, ravages and decay of centuries, and it is the right of every citizen of this city to demand that the city authorities see to it that buildings be made safe and strong, so that the lives of inmates and passers-by are not in constant danger. All cities of importance have a building commissioner that guards with jealous eye against the violation of the laws enacted to secure the construction of buildings that will not be a constant menace upon life and property. Dallas can be thankful that there are no mourning households in her limits to-day over the results of yesterday's catastrophe, and in her rejoicing for this good fortune, she should determine to guard against the contingency of any such calamity in the future. This is a matter worthy the gravest consideration of our City Council and of every citizen in Dallas.

- April 2, 1880, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 4, col. 2.
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1886
THE FAIR GROUNDS.

________

A Magnificent Selection Conditioned on the
Performance of Public Duty.

     The directors of the Fair Association met yesterday and agreed to select for their grounds, eighty acres within 600 yards of the Main street car shops, conditioned upon their success in raising between $15,000 and $20,000 additional stock. This site is located on the Texas and Pacific tract, is outside of the corporate limits of East Dallas, will be reached by the street cars, and with certain arrangements for Texas and Pacific and Santa Fe trains every quarter of an hour for the accomodation of visitors to the fair, offer the most complete facilities in every respect conceivable. The directory, therefore, all united on the grounds, provided the additional stock, essential in view of the complete exposition buildings to be erected, can be raised. In view of the almost incalculable advantages to accrue to the city from such a selection, it is expected that those who feel a pride in making Dallas the commercial metropolis of Texas, and who are wide awake to their own interests will put their shoulders to the wheel of progress and make it hum by coming to the rescue on this very important occasion, in which a word to the wise should be sufficient. There is necessity for immediate action, and THE NEWS hopes that it will be met before the week closes.

- March 26, 1886, Dallas Morning News, p. 8, col. 2.
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1887
[No Heading]

     W. A. Crowdus and H. M. Sutton tell the city council that they are prepared to furnish the city with electric light, and ask permission to erect pole and wires along the streets of Dallas. The matter was referred. The council is waiting to hear from other electric light works.

- January 17, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 2, col. 1.
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Turner Hall.

     The foundation of the new Turner Hall has been laid in a convenient and beautiful section of the city, fronting Harwood and with entrances on Canton and Young. the building will be 60x120 feet, with brick basement twelve feet high and a two story frame superstructure divided into six rooms on first floor, all of which will be used exclusively by the society. This floor has gymnasium, bowling alley, bar, reading room, dining room, kitchen, closets, etc. Two flights of stairs lead up to the second story, making escape easy in case of fire and landing in an entrance with cloak room, ticket office, toilets, etc., from which entrance two stairways lead up to the gallery. Folding doors open into the main hall, which is 60x75 feet, clear of columns or other obstructions, and to be elegantly furnished in neatly finished natural wood with comfortable seats, heating apparatus, etc. The stage is 22x60 feet , connected with which, will be dressing rooms and other conveniences and handsome scenery.
     The gallery story has, in addition to seating capacity for more than 250 persons, rooms for the janitor and the committees. The roof will be of shingles, self-supporting and finished, with paneled ceiling over main hall, and supporting the gallery by large iron rods extending down. We learn from Messrs. Bristol & Clark, architects, that the hall will be completed in two or three months.

- January 31, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 3, col. 1.
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[No Heading]

     Mr. H. C. Clark will erect on Swiss avenue, in East Dallas, the finest residence in that fashionable little town. He has already let the contract for the brick and wood-work, which amounts to over $13,000.

- March 24, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 8, col. 3.
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AN OLD LANDMARK
_______

Soon to Disappear, and in Its Place Will
Appear a Grand Structure.

     On the corner of Main and Poydras streets, opposite Patterson's drug store, stands an old frame building, now occupied by Mr. Martinez as a cigar store, which was erected in 1861, and then occupied by Jack Smith as an army supply depot for pork; afterward, it was occupied by Mr. Angey as a foundry. In a short time, this old landmark will be removed, and on the ground, will be erected by Knepfley & Son, an elegant brick building to be used as a jewelry establishment -- to be one of the handsomest and largest in the State.

- June 4, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 1, col. 4.
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The St. George Reopened.

...will reopen August 3, 1887.

- August 1, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4, col. 1.
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A Double Track.

     The Dallas Consolidated Street Railway Company want to lay a double track form Jefferson street, to the corporate limits on the east.

- August 1, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4, col. 5.
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Local Notes.

     A frame structure on wheels ran down Elm street this morning and excited the small boy. It was another old landmark getting out of town. The housemovers do a smashing business in Dallas.

- September 6, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4, col. 2.
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Landmark Gone.

    The old blacksmith shop at the corner of Jefferson and Commerce streets was torn down and the debris is being removed.  A good business house will be built there at once.  This old shop was the finest business house in Dallas not very long ago, and the builder had great difficulty in getting to Dallas, the lumber out of which it was built. It was built in the days when pegs were used in framing houses.

- September 15, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 1, col. 5.
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[No Heading]

    It is said that the opening of the Grand Avenue & Rockwall Road, which was ordered at the last sitting of the county commissioners court, from the Rockwall road beyond White Rock creek to the fair grounds, and across the land of Dr. Browder, will give East Dallas property a boom. This road will be located on the Lagow league line, and will prove a valuable outlet to that portion of East Dallas. Property is already on the rise.

- November 21, 1887, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 5, col. 2.
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1888
City News.

    The gravel has been washed off the white rock in many places on Bryan street...

- September 1, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 2?, col. 1.
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[No Heading]

     Red sandstone for the new building of the North Texas Bank is coming in from Lake Superior and is being placed upon the ground ready for use.

- September 1, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 2?, col. 3.
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City News.

    The Times Herald is indebted to Mr. J. D. A. Harris for a "Souvenir of Dreams," consisting of lithographic pictures of some of the principal business houses and handsome homes of the city. The work is first-class, and reflects credit upon Mr. Harris, the publisher, and also upon the city.

- September 5, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 5, col. 1.
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City News.

    The county commissioners met yesterday and let the contract for constructing an iron bridge across the Trintiy at Dauk's [Dawdy?] ferry to L. S. Leversedge, for $11,615.

- September 11, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 5, col. 2.
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City News.

    The committees from the city council and the commissioners' court have selected the rock crossing 300 yards below the Oak Cliff elevated railroad bridge as the site for the new iron bridge to span the Trinity at this point.

- September 14, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 5, col. 2.
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[No Heading]

     The new bridge at Rock Ford will be a great convenience to people who live out the Hutchins road to the southward of Oak Cliff.

- September 27, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 4, col. 1.
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About the Metropolis...

     Work on the city hall proceeds without interruption and the walls of the building will soon be up.

- September 29, 1888, Dallas Daily Herald, p. 5, col. 3.
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For Forty Years.

    The TIMES-HERALD acknowledges with hearty thanks the receipt of a basket [of] delicious grapes sent around by Judge Nat M. Burford. Judge Burford has been in Dallas forty years today. The first man he met on his arrival here was Mr. Wm. Beeman, who kept the "Pitch-in" hotel, and who the Judge met on our streets this afternoon. Messrs. J. M. Patterson, John W. Smith and Mesdames Elizabeth Dergen [Durgin] are the only persons now living in Dallas who were here when Judge Burford first came to this place.

- October 8, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 3.
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The Swann Cotton Gin.

    This factory was established in 1883 and built the first gin made in Dallas. Their sales have doubled each year the amount of the previous year. Their factory, corner Young street and Santa Fe railroad, has a capacity of 300 gins per year. They have save many hundreds of dollars to Texas ginners since their location in Dallas. They have one of their outfits in County Exhibit Hall, which attracts a great deal of attention from the ginners who crowd to see it and admire its construction. Every ginner, cotton planter and merchant should call to see it. A cordial welcome extended to all.

- October 17, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 4.
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THAT REPORT.
_______

Copy of the Report of the Special
Committee Upon the Location of
the New Trinity Bridge--Alderman
Hughes and Mayor Connor
Upon the Situation.

    For the information of the public in this matter, a copy of the report of the special committee appointed some months since to select a location for the bridge and adopted by the city council at their last meeting by the deciding vote of the mayor, is applauded. It is as follows:
    D
ALLAS, Tex., Sept. 15, 1888.
To the Honorable Mayor and City Council.
     G
ENTLEMEN: Your special committee instructed to confer with the county commissioners in regard to the selection of a location for the erection of a bridge across the Trinity river, beg leave to report:
    That we have personally, with the county commissioners, examined the same, and recommend as the most favorable point on the river for the erection of a bridge, the crossing known as the rock ford, and that the same be adopted by the council, and that the city engineer be and is hereby instructed to make a profile of the crossing and estimate of the probable cost of bridge and approaches, and to make a survey of two streets, one leading from the bridge to connect with the foot of Austin street or Lamar and the other from the bridge to the cotton mills.
    We further state that the commissioners agreed to pay half of bridge and approaches and bring a road to the bridge. Mr. Cockrell, by petition to the commissioners, stated that he would grant the right-of-way on this side of the river. All of which is respectfully submitted. T
HOS. B. LOUCKX,
                    W. M. E
DWARDS,
                    J. M. W
ENDELKEN.
    But sixteen votes were cast at the meeting, Aldermen Hughes and Johnstone being absent. A reporter, therefore, to get the views of these gentlemen upon the proposition called to see them this morning.
    Alderman Johnstone was absent from the city, but Alderman Hughes was found at his office, and in answer to the interrogatory as to how he would vote upon the question, he said without hesitation that he would vote against the location of the bridge at that point, believing that it was too near to the other to possess the numerous advantages that it was intended to have.
    "I am not opposed to a bridge," he continued, "nor to the city's bearing the proportion of the expense that the proposition contemplates, but I am opposed to locating that bridge so near the other."
    What location, then, have you to offer in lieu of the selection made by the committee? Asked the reporter.
    "Well, Corinth street or Grand avenue at the points where they would cross the river furnish a much more eligible location for the bridge than does the point selected. Corinth street would furnish more direct access to the mills than any other route, though Grand avenue would be more in the direct line of travel between this city and the towns of Hutchins and Lancaster."
    You would, then, favor a bridge at the expense of internal improvements?
    "Not at all. The city needs the bridge badly, and is perfectly able to do both. Her more direct connection with the country would inure her material benefit in enhancing property values, etc."
     Mayor Connor was then seen in his office in the city hall and was asked if he opposed the building of this bridge. To this he declined to reply, saying that he had voted for the adoption of the report out of courtesy to the committee, since its adoption did not necessitate the building of the bridge. He thought anyhow that the fist steps necessary in the premises on the part of the council was an appropriation for this particular purpose. "I might with as much reason," he continued, "say that I was going to build a house on that lot (pointing across the street) which does not belong to me, or to say that I was going to marry before I had found a woman who would have me. No, there is nothing to be feared from the adoption of the report," he added.

- November 27, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 1.
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AN OLD LANDMARK

__________

GOES DOWN IN MIDNIGHT FLAMES.

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The Old Historic Crutchfield House
Burned the Second Time.

    About 2 o'clock this morning, the fire department was called to suppress a blaze which had started in the east end of the old Crutchfield house in a room usually occupied by a Mrs. Reese, but last night temporarily vacated. No fire was in the room, and the origin remains a mystery. The building was of wood and brick; the former burned rapidly, and soon the old landmark so dear to the memories of the early settlers of Dallas was reduced to a charred hull. The old building has an interesting history, and its demise has been mentioned on the streets more than once to-day. Judge Nat M. Burford, who came and has been living here over forty years, only two men--Judge Patterson and John W. Smith--living then and now in the city when he came here, in speaking of the history of the Crutchfield house, said: "It was built in 1852 by Thomas F. Crutchfield from lumber hauled from Red River county, and under his and his estimable wife's management, was the foremost hostelry of North Texas. It was destroyed by fire in June, 1860, at the same time that all business houses in Dallas, numbering fifteen, went down in flames. Mr. Crutchfield at once rebuilt it, and it was from the veranda of that house which burned last night that John W. Forney______?, the famous newspaper man of Philadelphia; Col. Tom Scott, president of the Texas & Pacific Railway, then 150 miles east of here, and Robert Garrett, Sr., of the Baltimore & Ohio road, addressed a crowd of Dallas citizens on the subject of extending the Texas & Pacific road into this city. It was during their visit that the present Texas & Pacific depot and round-house grounds were located. During the Crutchfield management, there was never a scandal, nor a murder, connected with the history of the house. It was the most magnificent hotel in Texas. Among the famous guests who partook of the hospitalities of the place, I recall the names of Gov. Thomas P. Hathaway Bell, Gen. Thomas Rusk, Gen. Sam Houston, Gov. E. M. Pease and O. M. Roberts, the old Alcalde; among celebrated European guests was Prince Paul, the reigning sovereign of Williamsburg, who remained a week in the year '52, and went from here to St. Louis by stage; Victor Considerante, M. Kantagrel, for whom one of the streets in the city has been named, and M. Cosin, all prominently connected with French immigration into this county. It ceased to be the leading hotel after the death of Thomas F. Crutchfield, which I think occurred in 1868. No, it was not the oldest house in the city. The oldest house was built in 1849 and now stands on the south side of Commerce street, just east of the Synagogue, and is occupied by Mr. Davenport. Of the surviving descendants of Thos. F. Crutchfield and wife, there remains now only James O. Crutchfield of Lamar county and Mr[s]. Ophelia Eakins, of this city."
    The Crutchfield management referred to by Judge Burford, was succeeded by Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Johnson was murdered by a gambler by the name of Charles Webb, who succeeded in making his escape. The house then fell into the hands of Mr. McIlhenny, the best known hotel host in the state. It was during his management that an imported and, it is said, the only case of yellow fever, made its appearance in Dallas. The party died and Mr. McIlhenny assisted in arranging his remains for burial. Later day changes were of little note as the famous hostelry of a quarter century gradually grew beneath the notice of distinguished travelers who put up at more metropolitan places which sprang into existence with the flow of increased population and wealth; but many of the leading and wealthy citizens of the city took their first Dallas meal and rested their weary bodies for the first time in the old Crutchfield house, around which clings so much dear to their memories.
    The little bell suspended from a china tree on the sidewalk is said to be the first bell that ever did service in Dallas. Originally, [it] occupied a position above the roof of the house, and old timers recall a visit from Quantrell's band along in the sixties when some of his men amused themselves by shooting at the modest little bell of the town.
    The property at present belongs to Mrs. Ada Ranch Clark. The loss was in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars, and it is stated there was some insurance.

- December 10, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 5, col. 2-3.
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Live Oak Improvements.

    Live Oak street is on a boom now and will, in another half year, present a fine appearance; and Mr. J. S. Daugherty is building sixteen brick stores on his property, south side of the street, west of the Central Railroad, Mr. Rowe will soon erect a two-story brick business house at the intersection of Masten and Pacific avenue with Live Oak. The German Methodist Church, on the corner of this street and Olive, is being painted and otherwise renovated. The city council having promised to pave Live Oak early in 1889, there is a move on foot now among the property owners to put down the stone curbing and cement sidewalk all the way out to the Central Railway.

- December 21, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 1.
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A Model Market.

    The enterprising market man of Dallas is Mr. C. H. Williams. His place, on the corner of Main and Market, is as neat and attractive as a market place can be made. In 1872, Mr. Williams occupied a little red shanty on this corner, and was the leading market in the town of then 4,000 people. To-day, he occupies a brick on the same ground, with the finest stock of meats, fish and game to be found in any city, and proposes to make his place again the leading market of Dallas, this time a city of 50,000 people. It is seldom that one man deals out meats to a city of 5,000 and sees its growth to 50,000, but such is true is this instance. Besides the finest beef, mutton, pork, venison and veal he can buy, his stock consists of crabs, lobsters, oysters, gulf fish and large red salmon fresh from the Columbia river. Call and see his splendid stock.

- December 24, 1888, Dallas Daily Times Herald, p. 8, col. 3.
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