Book 4, page 25

Dr. L. A. CHANSLOR of Killeen Has Collected Many Specimens-By Frances PARKER- (Note by submitter: This article was hand dated Jan. 1930 by Nannie) - Killeen, Jan 18 (Spl)-Dr. L. A. CHANSLOR is a great lover of history, especially the history of Texas. Year ago he became interested in the exploration of Indian villages and mounds in order to get a definite idea of the character of the savages who inhabited our central Texas region from 200 to a thousand years before the settlement by white people. In pursuance of this investigation he has gathered together as fine a collection of perfect flint specimens used by these savages as will be found in the state. This collection is made up principally of arrowheads of every conceivable type use by the different tribes inhabiting the region referred to. In addition to the arrowheads there are spearheads, tomahawks, battleaxes, war clubs, flint knives, scrapers, several paint bowls, and other specimens. Dr. CHANSLOR has 25 frames about two by three feet with dark velvet backgrounds. Upon these dark backgrounds he and Mrs. CHANSLOR have very artistically worked out designs with arrowheads. One design is that of a life sized terrapin. The arrowheads are so carefully selected in color and size that the terrapin looks as if it might walk off. All the designs are typically Indian one being the swastikas, an Indian symbol of good luck. This collection would be honored in the Smithsonian Institute or add distinction to any collection. Dr. CHANSLOR has made a special study of Indian history. In regards to his findings he says, "My collection was begun in earnest several years ago when I happened upon an ancient Indian village on the salt fork of the Brazos River near old Fort Belknap in Young County. This was the first time that I knew what an abandoned Indian village looked like as the whole place was covered with broken rock that had been burned with great quantities of rotten and disintegrating mussel shells mixed with the burned rocks. I picked many specimens of flint here. "Bell County has, I believe, the greatest number of Indian campsites, villages, and towns than any other place in the state, probably on account of it being, in part, a hilly and mountainous country liberally supplied with several running streams and many springs which made it an ideal place for these savage tribes to live in. I believe that an actual survey would show at least 400 camping places, some of these camp sites covering in some instances as much as 100 acres, and from all indications was the permanent home of as many as 5,000 inhabitants. "I believe that my most interesting find was made in Coryell County on the head of Browns creek where there are any number of true Indian mounds, and in the exploration of one of these mounds we uncovered several skeletons of a race of people entirely unlike any Indian of 100 years ago or today. "None of the skeletons exceeded five feet in height, were broad of hip and shoulder, and the skulls were very broad with extremely heavy jaw bones and the forehead receded to a degree remarkable for having a very low degree of intelligence; in fact, they were about what you would find in fourth degree morons, a race of people without even common sense or human sympathy. It is a regrettable fact that these skeletons crumbled to dust as soon as they were exposed to the air. "We found many evidences of cannibalism in this mound in human bones that would compose four or five complete skeletons. These bones were broken in fragments, burned at the ends, and scattered throughout the whole mound, proving beyond any doubt that these unfortunate people had been killed and eaten at some savage feast. "These mounds gave up a few specimens of arrows and other implements of very fine make, and the theory that everything belonging to a deceased Indian was buried with him was exploded in this case; otherwise these people were poorly endowed with worldly goods. "Another interesting find was in Bell County near Brookhaven in the nature of an overhanging cliff that was at one time the habitation of dozens of savages who had barricaded the cliff entrance with large boulders to such an extent that it would today prove an effective fortress against the attack of a well organized party of Chicago gangsters. The cliff was almost level and was covered with three or four feet of ashes and three complete skeletons were found buried near the cliff wall. "Two of the skeletons crumbled when exposed to the air but the third was found in excellent condition as it was lying farther from the cliff wall and had a deeper layer of ashes for protection. It is today in a fair condition of preservation. This skeleton was a male member of the tribe possibly 60 years of age, and from the length of the spinal vertebrae and other bones of the body was nearly seven feet tall when living. "This savage had evidently met with an untimely and violent death as the skull showed two distinct fractures and the right femur showed a complete fracture. He was in all respects the complete opposite of those found in the Coryell County mounds, being a giant in stature and of higher order than those first spoken of." Dr. CHANSLOR has the skull and femurs of this skeleton attached to a frame with a black background, thus forming a grinning death's head. He relates many humorous incidents, which have happened to him in the pursuance of this hobby. Upon one occasion he was walking in circles, looking for specimens in a cave near a river. A slight noise caused him to look up only to find himself facing a double-barrel shotgun. To a gruff "What are you doing here?' he quickly explained his business, and developing a sudden thirst, started to what looked like a spring. His retreat was cut short by "Where are you going?" He explained but the man said, "The water is just as good right here." Dr. CHANSLOR assured me that he did not go to the spring. At another time he was hunting specimens with Dr. DIENST of Temple who has the largest collection in the state, Dr. CHANSLOR'S being second only to his. Dr. CHANSLOR soon found that he could not keep up with Dr. DIENST who, he said, "fairly loped." It was agreed that if Dr. DIENST found anything interesting that he would wave his handkerchief. He did find something but he was so far away that he had to pull off his shirt and wave it. Dr. CHANSLOR'S collection of antique furniture is possibly more interesting than his collection of Indian relics. At any rate, he is more interested in it himself. He says that he might be persuaded to part with his Indian relics but never his antique furniture. He has a bed, dresser, and a washstand which were taken from one of the dormitories when Baylor was moved from Independence to Belton. He has a couch and six chairs which he bought from H. WOLFF of near Seattle. They are of solid walnut, beautifully carver, and upholstered in rich green velvet. They were made in Germany in 1811 especially for WOLFF'S mother, who brought them to America with her. An old bed of solid oak adds distinction to his collection. It was brought from the Red River Colony in 1833. Another beautiful old, solid oak bed has a very high head with two panels of stump oak. It is beautifully carved. Dr. CHANSLOR has been told that an exact counterpart of this bed is possessed by Gail BORDEN of BORDEN Milk fame. Dr. CHANSLOR says that anything pertaining to history is of intense interest to him. He compares himself to a coon in that he is forever nosing around hunting something with a history. At present he is planning to excavate the ruins of an old fort which once stood near Harmony community. He has many old volumes of history. His favorite books on Texas history are: "Flowers and Fruit, by MORREL, "Evolution of a State" by SMITHWICK and a history by YOAKUM.

Book 4 page 26

Pioneer Woman Visiting in Bell County Tells Texas Indian Tales-By W. E. BRIGHTWELL-It is not how long you have lived but how well, that counts," says Mr. Mary Virginia NEWTON, who is looking forward to her 90th Christmas celebration with what might be termed "youthful anticipation." The guest of her daughter, Mrs. J. A. DEAL, who lives on Little River near Vilas, she has spent the past several weeks preparing her Christmas presents, a beautiful single sun flower quit pieced with her own hands for a grandson; a beautiful knitted scarf for a daughter; sweaters, caps, gloves, etc. Mrs. NEWTON says old age is "happy and honorable if you have had a well spent youth" Ninety winters have utterly failed to shill her enthusiasm for life. She is not only unusually active physically but her mental facilities have been remarkable preserved. She talks with all the buoyancy of youth and remembers everything, including the exact dates not merely of the things pertaining to her childhood but recent events as well. She was born June 25, 1840, in Colorado County, between Columbus and La Grange, Texas. Her parents moved to Fayetteville, Texas, when she was four years of age. She has lived in various portions of the state, all her 10 children being born in Texas. Eight of her children are living and she is proud of the fact that there has not been a "second marriage" in the family. Her father, Garrett E. BOONE, own cousin of Daniel BOONE, was born in New London, England, and landed at Matagorda Bay in 1826. He was married to Nancy M. FLETCHER of Virginia in 1831, at Hornsby's Bend, below Austin, but before there was any Austin. He was a flag bearer in the Mexican wars and thrice had the flag shot out of his hands but was not grazed by a bullet. He boasted that he was not born to be killed with a bullet. Mrs. NEWTON has a collar button more than 100 years old which was given to her father in Mexico. He and another man went into Mexico more than a century ago with loads of wax to be used by the Catholic Church in the manufacture of Church supplies. They were arrested upon some pretext and condemned to die. A Mexican girl liberated them from the stockade, gave them mules and saddles, money and supplies and a collar button each. The killing of her uncle, John WEBSTER, and the capture of his family by the Indians at Leander in Williamson County in 1837 are a story fresh in Mrs. NEWTON'S mind. WEBSTER was wealthy, owning 100 slaves. He was preparing to move to Burnet County, with big colonization plans when he was murdered by the Indians and his wife, son and daughter taken captive. This occurred at Old Bagdad on Old Brushy Creek near Leander. His grave is in the Leander cemetery. Mrs. WEBSTER and her five year old daughter were held by the Indians for nine months. She was tortured by the Indians, the bottoms of her feet being burned to prevent her escape. Faggots were stuck in her back and set on fire as a punishment for her attempts to get away. A prisoner at the same time was Miss Flora DEAN, who was captured when the Rutersville school, four miles east of La Grange, was raided, most of the children murdered and she, the teacher, taken prisoner. The Indians would not let them talk. They wrote in the sand and wrote chips with burnt sticks and rocks. When the Indians discovered they were communicating on chips they feared that they were witches and treated them better. Every stitch of clothing was removed from their bodies when they were taken prisoners and never returned. When Mrs. WEBSTER escaped with her daughter she waded streams to prevent the Indians from tracking her. At one time they crawled into a hollow log when they heard the pursuing Indians approaching. The Indians came and sat upon the log, but left without discovering their presence. She made her way to the COUNCIL House at San Antonio where she met her 19 year old son, Booker, who had been kept in a different camp. He recognized her but she did not know her son because he had been painted up as a warrior. He happened to be brought there in an exchange of prisoners at the time she was there. Mrs. WEBSTER caused much merriment among the bucks by her attack upon a squaw who made friendly advances at the COUNCIL House. The squaw had formerly been her nurse or guard while a prisoner. The Indians liked bravery and got a big kick out of her attempts to revenge herself upon the squaw. Booker lost his life in the war between the United States and Mexico in 1846. He entered that war with his Uncle Garrett E. BOONE. Mrs. NEWTON'S father, declaring that he would never stop until he had "killed every Indian in sight," He fell in battle. Martha, the five year old WEBSTER girl, who was held prisoner by the Indians died March 18 of this year at Grass Valley, Calif. At the age of 99 years. She first married M. D. STRICKLAND for whom old Strickland in Burnet County was named. She and her husband lived on land which her father, John WEBSTER, had bought in Brunet County shortly before he was killed by the Indians. She was Mrs. Chas. SIMMONDS at the time of her death. Illustrative of the superstition of the Indians, Mrs. NEWTON tells the story of Joe BROWN a soldier who was captured by the Indians at about the same time as the other episodes mentioned. He was fastened to a tree with thongs and was to be burned. Thinking the execution was imminent he closed his eyes and "prayed hard" suddenly he felt his bonds loosen and found that an Indian girl had cut his thongs. She told him to run for a certain cave. The Indians began piling rocks in the mouth of the cave. They were afraid to enter. He found an old man in the cave who had been there for a long time and his white beard had grown almost to his knees. The old man said: "If they stop the mouth of the cave we will starve to death. They don't know me. This band of Indians have never seen me. You are young and in the prime of life. I will go out and see what I can do." When the Indians saw the man with the flowing snow white beard emerging from the cave thinking it was the same smooth shaven lad who had entered it fifteen minutes before, they fled and both men made good their escape. This is the first time Mrs. NEWTON has visited Bell County. She plans to spend the winter with her daughter, Mrs. DEAL.

Book 4 page 27

Hartrick's Bluff on Leon River Has History of Large and Happy Family-Sports and Life then was Simple But Thrilling-By Ruth GARRISON FRANCIS-(Note by submitter: This article was hand dated 1930 by Nannie)-Sometime between 1845 and 1858 a widowed German mother realized that her oldest son, Hinrich, was nearly 18 and would soon become grist for Chancellor BISMARCK'S great military mill. Furthermore, there were two younger sons, August and Wilhelm, to be considered. Courageously leaving all her dear familiar associations behind her, Minchen Nordman HARTRICK set out for America taking with her three sons and one daughter, Leontine. Wilhelm was at that time just 15, but he was well fitted to earn his own living, for under the German school system he had already learned to do skillful cabinet work, and he felt that there would be a place for him in America where so many new homes were being built. The destination of the family was Illinois, for they felt that they would feel more at home there because many other German families who had left Germany for the same reason had already settled there. The ocean trip over took three long dreary months and during this time cholera broke out on the ship and everyone felt it. Young Wilhelm HARTRICK, too, became very ill, but his chief concern during his illness was not for himself, but for the welfare of 15 pairs of canaries which he was taking to America. Even long journeys will end though and the HARTRICK family finally reached Illinois, where they settled near Springfield in a small inland town known as Plainville, sometimes called Shakerag. They were soon adjusted to their new home and living conditions and the older boys settled down to farming. After a few years Wilhelm caught the restless spirit of the young men of his time and drifted to Texas. The Texas frontier was so isolated at that time that Wilhelm HARTRICK'S skill as a cabinetmaker made him greatly in demand as a furniture maker when he settled in Belton. When the civil war broke out he joined Hood's brigade and fought for the Confederacy, although his brothers Heinrich and August, were with the northern army. After the close of the war Billy HARTRICK, as his friends now called him, came back to Bell County and got work with Thomas DUNCAN, who lived six and a half miles east of Belton. Just here romance enters the story, for Frances Carolyn DUNCAN, the oldest daughter of his employer was a charming girl, and the young German-American fell in love with her. Frances returned his regard, but the affair was frowned upon by the DUNCAN parents. This opposition however, merely fanned the flame of the romance, and one night Frances left home with Bob CHALK of Belton supposedly to come to Belton to a dance, but Bob CHALK had been a soldier comrade of Billy HARTRICK, and the dance date was merely a ruse to help Frances meet Bill HARTRICK and marry him. After they were married the young couple, knowing how irate Frances' parents would be, went on to Billy's home in Illinois where they lived for two years. During that two-year interval tragedy came to the DUNCAN home. It was during the reconstruction period, and it was difficult to know just whom to trust. Thomas DUNCAN raised fine horses, and one night after dark several men came to his door and called him. When he answered their call, they told him that they wanted to look at an especially fine stallion he had. "Wait till I get a lantern," he said, and I'll go with you." "Don't go. I feel like something terrible will happen to you if you do," his wife begged when he went back in the house to get the lantern. "Why there's nothing to be afraid of. Anyway, I'll take Ned and Alec with me." Ned and Alec were Thomas DUNCAN'S two negro body servants. His wife was not reassured, but Thomas DUNCAN, the two negroes, and a sheep herder named DAWSON started out for the horse lot about half a mile south of the house. The group had just reached a little clump of live oak trees about half way to the lot when the strangers suddenly opened fire killing Thomas DUNCAN and DAWSON instantly. They tried to get Ned and Alec, but the lantern had been broken and in the darkness, the two negroes ran below the top rim of the Leon River bluff which is high and rough at that point; then dodging from rock to rock made their way to safety. As old Ned said in telling the story years later, We ran till we wuz plum zausted down." The strangers took the fine stallion and several other horses and made their getaway. After the alarm had been given a posse followed them but lost their trail. A part of the band of horse thieves later returned to Texas and were captured. They were among the eleven outlaws who were lynched one night in the old Belton jail. The story of that night, however, has been told and retold; how a half witted trusty carried a lantern around and held it in the face of each prisoner in the jail, and when he would locate one of the gang of desperadoes-some say they were a local branch of the Younger brothers gang-the posse would shoot the man down. When all of the desperadoes had paid their final price to society, their bodies were gathered up and place in an ox cart, and they were all carried out and buried in one long trench. But going back to the bluff-the HARTRICKS came back to Texas and began gradually to build up the large estate which they finally owned. Their home was first a one-room frontier house. Then with the years as they grew more prosperous and the sons and daughters were born, the house grew from that one-room to thirteen. There were seven children, two boys and five girls in the family, but it was unusual, for the family circle to consist of only nine people. Besides the relatives and friends who made the long visits, no wayfarer, no matter how doubtful and woebegone he looked, was ever denied food and shelter for as long a time as he wanted it. The place was a sort of seventh heaven for children. In addition to the seven HARTRICK children there were the children of the families who were renting land on the place. In the winter they would build huge bon fires on an island in the Leon just below the house and spend the whole day skating on the ice that had formed over the backwater on one side of the island. Then it was fun to help watch the process of hog killing when 30 or more hogs would be killed at one time, and hung up in a kind of hall way between the two barns of the place. An interesting feature of this process was that they used the leaves of bear grass to hang the hogs by because it was stouter than cord or rope. In the summer there was swimming. According to my mother's version-she was Tina HARTRICK-"we had to swim or drown, for the boys would get us down near a deep place in the river then push us in, and we had to fight our way out somehow." John MAXWELL of Waco was as a boy a frequent visitor to the HARTRICK children, and he still tells of the time when he with the other children had been down to the river swimming, and they had ridden horses down the bluff to the swimming hole. He did not ride as well as the other children, but they put him on behind when they started back up the hill. The bluff was so steep that he slipped right off and rolled down the hill breaking his arm in the fall. In the autumn one of the principle sports was coon hunting, and until I was three I did practically all my riding on the back of a stuffed coon which graced our home after having put up a most gallant fight during one of these hunts. In a house just above the HARTRICK home lived Uncle John and Aunt Polly DEAVER-John DEAVER was an older brother of Louis DEAVER, who now lives at Midway. The DEAVER and HARTRICK children always looked forward to the time when Aunt Polly would go away from home for a few hours so they could take possession of the DEAVER kitchen and make candy. The HARTRICKS bought sorghum molasses called "Burton's Best" by the barrel and as soon as Aunt Polly got out of sight they would get a supply of sorghum and start the candy making. When the candy was done they would take it outside to pull it, and they usually got tired before the task was done, then they wrapped the candy around the trunks of small oaks in the yard. "And we pulled or chewed it off and ate it." said the one who told this story. One family of renters on the HARTRICK place dammed the Leon River where it makes a bend, and the current is swift, and then made a fish trap in the dam. It was not at all uncommon for them to take an 85 pound cat fish from this trap. The most unique feature about this family, however was the fact that they kept a hog who did duty as a watch dog, and the was a very efficient one too, for no one but the family could come about the house when he was on guard. At one time a colony of Polanders, recently come to America, rented land from Grandfather HARTRICK, and their ways were a constant source of wonder to the children. One family fed their children in a large tin pan on the floor; in another the woman hitched beside horses pulled plows in the fields. In a short time, though these families learned American customs and after a time moved away to farms of their own. At another time several German families 16 people in all came to Texas from Iowa, and grandfather took them all into his own home and kept them until he could build them houses on his place. He helped them buy teams and farm implements, and with this start they were later able to buy their own homes. After they grew up, the HARTRICK boys were great baseball enthusiasts and together with the other boys of the neighborhood, they laid out a baseball diamond in the pasture north of the HARTRICK house. Here they played baseball fast and furiously, but another sport was just as popular at the time. This was holding tournaments-a more modern version of those tournaments of King Arthur's time it is true, but just as interesting to those concerned, if not as dangerous. Half a dozen or so tall posts were set up at regular intervals apart and cross arms were attached to these posts. From each cross arm hung a ring. The young gallants of the day got out their best mounts, tightened their saddle girths, and conscious of the admiring feminine gallery around the field each took a long wooden lance in his right hand, and spurring his horse to top speed tried to catch all the rings on his lance. The winner got his award which varied from time to time and he also had the honor of naming the "queen of love and beauty." As the prize was usually some piece of feminine jewelry the reigning queen of the day usually got that too, in the end. Two of the best riders in ..........(Note by submitter: The original article in Nannies' scrapbook stops at this point)

Book 4 page 28

One Of Oldest And Most Efficient Volunteer Fire Forces In State At Belton- By John R. LUNSFORD-(Note by submitter: This article hand dated Jan. 19, 1930 by Nannie) The Belton volunteer fire department of which Chief HAMNER was a few days ago re-elected head is among the oldest volunteer fire-fighting organizations in the state and has been functioning effectively more than 50 years. Organized early in 1879 its membership was almost identical with that of the Belton Light Guard, a state militia body organized late in 1878. After the boys had organized a fire company under the name of Belton Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, the citizens were asked to subscribe to a fund for the purchase of equipment and after much diligent solicitation some $600 was pledged for the purchase of a hook and ladder truck. News that Belton was in the market for a fire truck spread abroad and several salesmen drifted into town eager to make the sale. They were good fellows, generous entertainers and took part in all the local social affairs while they were in town. Finally a contract was signed with one of them and in due time the truck was received. It was a nifty looking red affair, with a tiller extending far to the rear which was assigned to the heaviest man in the company as it was likely that in making a quick turn around a corner the fellow at the tiller might be lifted clear off the ground. The machine was equipped with hooks from which buckets were hung as there was no water works in Belton and bucket brigade was the only means for getting water on a fire. The salesman who was successful in negotiating the deal was shown the subscription list of pledges to the fund for buying the truck and he expressed entire satisfaction with the document and shipped the truck. Several payments were made and then there was a default. Some subscribers did not meet their obligations and extended correspondence ensued being climaxed eventually in a suit for balance of purchase money or surrender of the truck. The secretary of the fire company was the chief witness as to the terms of sale, etc. On the stand he admitted that the full sum of $600 never had been subscribed and signed up. When the attorney for the equipment company came back at him and asked if he had not told the salesman the entire sum had been subscribed he answered, "Yes." Asked why he had made this statement then and now said the full sum had not really been signed up the witness answered: "I was talking then; I am swearing now." The company got judgment and levied on the gay red truck and tied it up until settlement eventually was made. Belton's first fire company was the center of many large social affairs and its first grand firemen's ball, June 4, 1879 was an event of resplendent brilliance and featured by the attendance of the Waco Hook and Ladder Company in full uniform with a number of society buds from the Central City, Co. C. c. MINNIS, long a resident of Temple in later years, was chief of the Belton organization and its membership included most of the young men of the town. The invitation cards for the affair were handsomely printed and bore the following names of the various committees: Invitation: O. P. SMITH, D E. PATTERSON, John R. LUNSFORD, W. A. LYONS, John H. POWERS. Arrangements: H. MOSES. M. P. COOKE, Sam W. RAHTER. Reception: P. T. MOREY, Frank ULRICH, Frank T. RATHER, M. M. METHVIN, C.C. MINNIS. Floor managers: T. N. DUCKWORTH, Joe FERGUSON, G. D. BEAN, John M. WHIRTER, J. J. LONG. Few of these survive today but they made things merry on that eventful occasion. The Waco guests came overland, of course, as there was no rail connection between the two towns. They made an early start, some setting out the night of June 3. At Howard they were entertained at the hospitable home of Captain Silas BAGGETT, his daughter, Miss Maggie BAGGETT, acting as hostess. Arrived in Belton they were entertained in lavish style. There were runs made with the truck by visitors and home boys There was a street parade with two bands and the visiting ladies were looked after by Miss BAGGETT who had joined the caravan at Howard, Misses Maggie ESTILL, Emma HERRON, Emma and Clara DENNY, Kate NORTON of Salado and others. This pioneer fire-fighting organization figured large a few months later, September 27, 1879, to be exact when Belton's most disastrous fire swept the business district on the north side of the courthouse square. Losses in that fire were more than $100,000 and most of the newest and most substantial business structures in town were destroyed. Five business houses were burned and two were pulled down by the firemen to prevent spread of the flames. There was little insurance carried by the victims of this blaze as premiums were high, but practically all of the merchants soon were dong business again although none of the firms then making up Belton's business roster now survives. The firemen not only battled with the flames but acted as a salvage co___and thousands of dollars worth of merchandise were dragged from burning buildings and those menaced by flames and piled in great heaps in the public square. The versatility of the firemen and guardsmen is shown in the following extract form a bulletin report of the fire issued by the Belton Journal late in the morning of Sept. 27, 1879: "As soon as the danger of the fire spreading any further was over the members of the hook and ladder company transformed themselves into the Belton Light Guard and with rifles and bayonets stood guard over the salvage merchandise until it could be identified by the rightful owners." P. T. MOREY, capitalist, still living in Belton, and John R. LUNSFORD of Temple, and Frank T. RATHER of San Antonio are the only known survivors for the membership of Belton's first fire company, although there may and probably are others. Belton's fire department today is rated among the most efficient in the volunteer service and under the leadership of Chief HAMNER has scored many victories in contests among the members of the state volunteer fire organizations.

March 8, 1930-DIENST Tells of Carpetbag Days Following War-Local Historian Speaks to United Daughters of Confederacy-Dr. Alexander DIENST, noted Texas historian, collector of original documents and first editions of books and newspapers printed in Texas, as well as of Indian relics and a variety of antiques, gave a lecture on "Reconstruction Days in Texas," before Lavinia PORTER TALLEY chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy at its regular meeting with Mrs. G. V. BRINDLEY, Thursday afternoon. Mrs. H. D. COWAN was assistant hostess, and as first vice president, presided in the absence of the president, Mrs. James RUDD, who was in Navasota for the unveiling of the statue of LaSALLE. DIENST was introduce by Mrs. John A. ERHARD, chapter historian. He prefaced his lecture by saying that historical data on the period of reconstruction which followed the war between the states, is "pitifully meager." In his library of 10,000 volumes, he could find only a few books which gave the facts. He showed rare manuscripts and books, among them being the second rarest book in his collection, bought at an auction sale for $750. He read copies of orders and other correspondence dated at Belton, by military and other officers appointed by the federal government during the period of reconstruction. Six first copies of the six constitutions under which Texas government has been operated, were exhibited and extracts read. He told of the Union league, the Freedman's bureau, and the Ku Klux Klan and the part they all played in the perilous times following the war. He told of Bell County's part in the aftermath, and of the gradual growth of the courage and strength of the pioneer Texans to break the bounds and throw off the yoke of federal domination, and take the reins of government in their own hands again. Mrs. R. D. FIELD member of Ben MILAM chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas was present, and by special request she passed water color copies of 19 flags which had played a thrilling part in Texas history. Six were the official flags of the six governments of Texas. The chapter voted a donation of $50 to the world war memorial fund being raised by the American Legion Auxziliary. Dr. DIENST gave an unsolicited donation of $5 to the same fund. During the social hour, Mrs. BRINDLEY and Mrs. COWAN, assisted by Miss Nora CROSSLAND and Mrs. C. L. FLETCHER, served chicken salad in lettuce cups, butter wafers, sweet gherkins, coffee, and angel food cakes decorated with a Texas star in red, white and blue caraway seeds. The reception rooms were beautiful with sheaves of red gladioli in tall crystal vases. Special guest to attend the meeting, were Mr. and Mrs. G. C. BRINDLEY, Mrs. M. E. MURIHEAD, A. W. STOCKTON, Dr. Alexander DIENST, Mesdames R. R. FIELD, John TAYLOR, J. B. HUBBARD, J. B. POWELL, Ella F. LITTLE, R.T. WILSON, SMITH of Mexia. T. B. CURRY, T. Edgar NEAL, E.M. DEAL, Miss Nora CROSSLAND, Miss Lee of Galveston.

Book 4 page 29

Pioneer Plays Were Lawless Says Belton Business Man-by Meryl YARBROUGH-Coming to Belton at a time when might made right, when this little town, was a prosperous trading center, S. M. RAY for more than half a century has watched the gradual development of Bell County, Growing out of a struggle for law and order. Horse thieves, mob action, and the notorious Sam BASS, Texas desperado, combine to make Mr. RAY'S story of "old time: Belton an exciting one. In 1873 Mr. RAY came for Kentucky to Texas, to the little town of Belton, then with a population of about 500 or 600 people, but the largest town between Waco and Austin. Belton was what was called a good solid town, with business conditions better than at the present time. Almost all the trade from about 250 miles west, from Lampasas, Burnet, and Brown counties came to Belton. Belton then was larger than either Georgetown or Cameron, and many Williamson County people also traded here. "When I first came to Belton," says RAY, "nearly every week in the world somebody was called out of his house and shot down in cold blood. Cattle and horses were being stolen all the time, and rarely did the offenders ever reach a courtroom. When they were brought to trial, some of their friends would take the stand and swear alibis for them. "The second year I was in Belton in1874, nine men were killed in the jail by a mob. They had been jailed for murder, horse stealing, and other crimes. Some of them had never had trial; others had been before the court but had never been sentenced. About 12 p.m. a mob went to the old jail and shot all nine of the men, who were locked in a cage in the center of the jail. This was the worst mob action that I know of in Belton, but it was effective. No a man was killed or a horse stolen for nearly two years after these nine men were shot." Another interesting experience RAY told about was the visit of Sam BASS to Belton. At that time RAY was in business here in Belton, with the firm of RAY and ELLIOTT. The bank of Miller Bros., private banking concern, known now as the Belton National Bank, was in the center of the RAY and ELLIOTT store. There had been several bank robberies in the state, so all of the banks in the country were prepared to defend their money. In the bank itself there were three or four employees, and there were fifteen or sixteen clerks, all but one of them men, working in the store. All of the clerks had guns, and extra arms were about in convenient places. BASS and his men came in, looked the situation over, and after a little while decided that it would be too great risk to attempt robbery with so many clerks and customers in the store, and that the sum of money they would get if successful would not warrant the danger. They left Belton and went to Round Rock where BASS was shot and later died, being buried near Round Rock. One of BASS' men later told this story about their plan to rob the Belton Bank. "If BASS and his men had attempted the robbery that day, and had been able to carry it through, they would have had a haul of $70.000 in cash. Belton then was a banking center for the country round about and had an unusually heavy supply of money in the safe, says RAY. Saloons thrived in Belton in early days. At one time before prohibition there were 17 saloons in Belton but this was only for a short while. Some grocers sold drinks along with their regular stock. As a general rule, however, there were about 8 or 9 saloons in operation, all doing big business. They kept open until 1 or 2 a.m. sometimes longer if the customers wanted to stay and drink. Belton then was on the main cattle trail from Texas to Kansas. Herds of cattle were driven through Belton on their way to market in Kansas City. The herds were often very large, but the largest RAY remembers was one of 30.000 head. According to RAY, these cattle crossed the creek below where the old compress used to be and crossed the river below the present bridge on the south Temple road. When the cattle came through Belton the cowboys with them usually camped for a day or two on what was then a prairie south of town. Belton was a trading point for them and they bought food supplies to last for several days, or until they reached the next town. The cowboys also bought besides "chuck," boots, overalls, and hats, and more often than not, a good many drinks. In relating other mob scenes in Belton, RAY tells this story. "I was here when two boys were taken out of the jail and hanged. They had stolen a horse and did not deny the theft. The men carried them north of the Belton cemetery and hanged them from the same limb." Another example of mob justice that is familiar to most people in Belton and Temple is the burning of the negro on the Belton square. "This negro had killed a deputy constable named MITCHELL under a large oak tree between the Lon CURTIS house and Mrs. W. B. MCGARITY'S. After finding the negro, the mob hanged him and then brought him down to the square. One man tied the negro' body at the end of a rope and dragged it around the square three times. They had bought a load of wood from a wood seller on the street, and piling this on the square, they placed his body on it and set fire to the wood." "Although many people think Belton has more crimes now than any ordinary small town, it is nothing like it used to be. Now we have courts of justice that can function and law and order. Violation of laws is not common today as it was then, concludes Mr. RAY. RAY was in the dry goods business in Belton for 52 yrs. There is but one man in Belton who was in business for himself in Belton when RAY moved here, and is still in business today. He is A. D. POTTS. There are a few men who were working for other concerns then and have since established their own firms. Only five or six men besides RAY old enough to be in business when he came to Belton are living now. He is truly a pioneer in the business world of Belton.

Railroad Built Monument to Chief Engineer, Killed Near Lorena, In Tragedy in 1882.-By John R. LUNSFORD-A handsome marble monument located beside the main tracks of the Katy a few miles from Lorena marks the site of one of the most gruesome and horrible accidents in the history of railroad construction. The monument was erected by the Katy to the memory of Major W. D WASHBURNE, Chief engineer and superintendent of construction while the Missouri Pacific tracks of which the Katy was part, were being laid through Temple in February, 1882. Major WASHBURNE and his party including W M. STALL, superintendent for M. S. COLEMAN & Co., contractors doing the work under WASHBURNE'S supervision, had spent the day, February 8, in Temple locating and surveying depot grounds and sidetracks. The first depot of the Missouri Pacific, now the Katy was located directly as the crossing of the Katy and the Santa Fe tracks. Late in the evening WASHBURNE who with his party was traveling in his private car, left Temple for Waco after making an inspection of the new laid tracks, culverts, etc. When the train-a construction train-reached the last switch on the new line north of Temple, it was forced to stop because of lack of water in the engine. WASHBURNE and his associates disembarked while the engine with the train and WASHBURNE'S private car went back two miles to get water. The long delay of the train in returning caused WASHBURNE to call for a hand car on which to return to his car. With negroes operating the car the party took their places on it and started back toward the train. Besides WASHBURNE there were on the handcar W. M. STALL, his wife and young son, and J. W. PAINTER. Rounding a curve PAINTER saw a headlight close in front of the party. Orders were given the negroes to reverse the handcar and speed back northward. Just as this was done PAINTER saw a flat car, which was being pushed by the engine, almost directly upon the party. He gave the alarm and jumped. WASHBURNE jumped from the opposite side. The train stuck the handcar and PAINTER and the negro crew were the only persons to survive the collision. When the train had been stopped WASHBURNE was found with one arm cut off and many serious bruises and cuts. Mrs. STALL'S body was mangled horribly as 12 cars had passed over her. STALL was literally cut into bits and the ghastly remains bore no semblance to those of a human being. The STALL child was found between the tracks with his head crushed. WASHBURNE died at 5 a.m. the following morning in a hospital at Waco. He enjoyed the reputation of being a capable railroad man and at 30 years, of age was drawing a salary of $10.000 a year from Jay GOULD'S Missouri Pacific system. That was a large salary for those days. The remains of the STALL family were gathered together and shipped to their home in New Jersey, while the body of WASHBURNE was placed in a special car to be sent to St. Louis which was his headquarters. To add to the gruesomeness of the tragedy the special bearing WASHBURNE'S body jumped the track before it reached the second station beyond Waco. The track was new and soft causing the second accident. Several months after the tragedy the monument was erected at the scene of WAHSBURNE'S fatal injury, bearing a splendid tribute to him and citing the deaths of the others in his party. It is a handsome shaft and is surrounded by a neat iron railing to prevent defacement or tampering. Details of the tragedy were published in the Temple Weekly Times February 11, 1882.

Book 4 page 30

February 2, 1930-Early Settlers Took Turn In Acting As Lookouts For Indians Who Roamed Co.-by Ruth GARRISON FRANCIS-In the early days the settlers living around Belton used to take turns about acting as lookout against the Indians. As most of the danger was from attacks from the mountains running west from Belton up beyond Lampasas, the lookout was usually stationed at the highest point of the range lying just west of Belton, up around Nolanville. The following story was one that was a great favorite of "Uncle Swan BIGHAM'S and the incident occurred while he was one of the regular lookouts. To quote him in effect the story ran like this: "It was late in May two or three years after the Civil War, and conditions were just getting back to normal. The men folks had just about cleared off the weeds and undergrowth that had sprung up in their fields while they were gone, and since they had learned that it meant to be cut off from a grain supply from the states, they had planted a pretty good lot of small grain. The season had been good, too, and things looked right bright for us farmers. There was one thing that was a drawback to us, though. All the grain we raised had to be threshed by trampling it out, or beating it out by hand and that took a lot of time and damaged the grain, too. There had been some talk of some man's inventing a machine to thresh grain, but no one around Belton had seen one, and those who had heard of it didn't think much of the idea, so we just went on making our plans to do our threshing by hand. We hadn't had any trouble with the Indians for a long time, but they were still giving occasional trouble up in the mountains in Brunet County, and we didn't dare not keep up a watch for them. My father and I were taking turns about at the lookouts post then, and we had our station on the highest point of one of the mountains up at Sparta-you can still see the place if you go up there. We would climb a high tree and look all around and we could see everything for miles to the west. There hadn't been any trouble from the east in a long time and that part of the country was getting so settled up that we had stopped looking for trouble from that direction. It was from the heavy woods and deep canyons along the Leon and Cowhouse that we expected the redskins to sneak up on us. Well, I had been on night post and I was eating my breakfast peaceful like, when I thought I heard a horse running lickety-split somewhere down in the valley. I couldn't see him from where I was so I shinned up my tree double quick, and sure enough way down the valley I saw a horse running as fast as he could. I couldn't make out whether it was an Indian or a white man riding the horse at first, but in a little while I saw that it was a white man, so I climbed down and waited for him. Pretty soon I saw that it was Pa, and he didn't waste any breath when he got to me. He just leaned down and hollered. For God's sake get your horse, Swan, and get to town. The Indians are attacking from the east. I didn't need any second invitation and in five minutes we were both tearing off those five or six miles between us and Belton. All long the way we passed folks hurrying in to Belton, which wasn't much more than a good sized settlement as towns go in these days. We didn't have any fort or stockade, but we did have a new jail built out of hardwood logs put up in double walls with iron plates between them, and while it wasn't used much to keep folks in, the settlement had sort of got the habit of using it to keep folks out. They said that the only prisoner who ever spent the whole night there did it because he was afraid if he got out he would meet somebody that he'd been stealing horses from and they would invite him to a sort of sudden necktie party. But the jail was a good strong place even at that. It sat right on the banks of Nolan creek where ___is known as the old same jail site today- (The latter still stands and is now used for some sort of negro lodge), and people were going to the jail that morning for protection and they were carrying just whatever they happened to pick up in their hurry to get off. When we rode up the sheriff was standing by the door checking folks in as they came, until finally every family in the whole community was accounted for. Then we got all our means of defense ready and settled down to wait for the attack Nine o'clock came, then 10, then 11, but still everything was quiet. People began to get restless. It was crowded in the jail. Some were for going back home. It was a mighty fine day for working in the field to be wasted in jail. Finally somebody asked, "Who saw those redskins anyway?" "I did, said a woman who had a little place out on the east edge of Belton at that time. Just about sunrise I stepped out of my back door to put my milk things out to sun, and right over east of here I saw the sun flashing on the gun barrels and red blankets of what must have been abut a hundred Indians." That sort of dampened the enthusiasm of the ones who had been so anxious to get back to the fields. If somebody had seen the Indians, they must be somewhere around. Even a pretty good sized bunch of Indians knew ways of disappearing right before your eyes, then showing up at almost uncomfortable places. We got to thinking about he damage an ambush could do to us, and five of us including Pa and me decided to do a little scouting around. We followed the creek bank for awhile, and then we sidled from house to house, crawled along behind fences and bushes and wiggled through tall grass. Every now and then we'd stop and listen, but no redskins. Another thing that was queer, stock was usually restless when Indians were about, but the live stock that people had left behind didn't seem bothered a bit. They'd looked at us sort of surprised like, then they go on about their business as if the ways of human beings were beyond their understanding. It was getting along toward dinner time, and the sun was getting hot, and we were getting tired of playing hid and seek and never catching anybody, so just as we topped the rise this side of the Leon east of town, we decided to risk walking on two legs for a little Pa got up first, slow and cautious, with a tree between him and the "enemy.: He peered down below him, then, "Well, I'll be,: he said and kept on staring. We all got up and looked and there just as peaceful as you please, was a man sitting under some pecan tree eating his snack like he was a t home and over under another tree were two horses munching some oats. But that wasn't all. There in the middle of the road was the queerest contraption I had ever laid my eyes on. It was a machine on wheels with a wooden body all painted bright red. And with lots of shiny metal doo-dads all over it. "Well sir, there were our Indians right there before our eyes. We went down and talked to the fellow, and he was right glad to see us after we told him what we had the guns for, but he said that he hadn't seen hide or hair of any Indians, and he had come all the way from Milam County since the day before. He said that the machine was made to thresh oats and wheat by horse power instead of by hand, and he'd heard the Bell County had a good crop, and that he had come up to try his luck getting some threshing to do. We told him he'd come to the right place, then we waited around till he looked up his outfit, then we went to town with him to keep this folks from shooting up the contraption before they found out what it was. I reckon it was a good thing folks was so interested in that thresher when we got to town with it, too, because there ain't any telling how they might have felt just to have us go back and tell them that all the rumpus was stirred up because a woman had seen the sun hitting the threshing machine when it came over the hills close to where Temple is now. Yes, sir. When people get excited they want something to show for it."

Book 4 page 31

Back In 1883 Cry For East road Was Loud-Early Achievements of Temple Recalled by Review-City Had Ambition-Tried to Get County Seat When Only Two Years Old.-By John r. LUNSFORD-The achievements, ambitions and aspirations of a prairie village barely two years old, the harmony of action among its citizenship, regardless of personal differences, become reminiscent of other days of activity in reading the Telegram's report of the utterances of several of Temple's leading citizens at the recent open meeting of the Temple chamber of Commerce. At least three prominent Temple pioneer citizens, still active in the promotion of the advancement of their city, then were active in fighting for Temple, these being Fla F. DOWNS, Col., P. L. DOWNS and John A. COLE. A few others still are living and have as keen interest as ever in the development of Temple commercially, socially and industrially. Scarcely had Temple passed her second birthday anniversary before she inaugurated an active, aggressive and defiant campaign to be selected as the site for the county courthouse. This fight over the change of county headquarters was precipitated by the action of the county commissioners' court in approving the erection of a new jail for the county to cost about $25,000. Opposition to this proposition developed at once and aggressively in Temple and the exchanges between newspapers and persons regarding the controversy if printed in these days in which a spectra of a libel suit hangs over the Texas press, would drive the average managing editor into a spasm. Before Temple had celebrated its second birth anniversary, which by the way, was an occasion that attracted notice from newspapers outside of Texas as well as columns of fulsome congratulation from state papers, she had inaugurated a campaign to move the courthouse from Belton to Temple. Temple's claim to having this removal approved by the voters and taxpayers of the county was because this city at that time had become the center of population of Bell County. Belton's answer was that Belton is the center of the county geographically and that should the courthouse be moved to Temple, which would require a two-thirds vote it could be moved back to Belton later by a simple majority vote because Temple is beyond five miles from the geographical center of the County. The campaign was warm, yes, even bitter, and among the leading citizens of the rival towns, who then took part in it, were Col. John L. MORGAN, editor of the Temple Times at that time, W. S. BANKS, long a leading attorney of Temple and for a number of years its city attorney; A. (Gus) LEWY, among the early secretaries of the city council, and later mayor and after removing from Temple, mayor of San Antonio; J. L. GRAY, early Temple postmaster; S. B. EASLEY, C. B. PATTERSON, T. P. EARLY, P. L. DOWNS and others. These met on ___stump the champions of Belton and the debates were always exciting and interesting. For Belton, first and only county seat of Bell Count to this good date, originally called Nolanville, there appeared on the hustings orators of known fame and influence an among these were the late John M. FURMAN, long district judge of this district, Joe M. ROS BOROUGH for many years county attorney of Bell County; George W. TYLER, state senator from this district and one of the foremost friends of Temple in later years, William K. SAUNDERS, whose father, Hon. X. B. SAUNDERS, had been district judge in the stirring pioneer days of the county; L. T. WILLIAMS, who met a tragic death in Belton; W. R MCUTCHAN, one of the foremost lawyers of the County seat town and others. Belton was aroused over this contest with this young upstart prairie town and fought valiantly to retain as it has done to this day, the courthouse of Bell County, but the result of the election, held Aug. 14, 1883, revealed that Belton's fears were largely groundless because the final count showed 2,314 votes to retain the courthouse at Belton while Temple, the ambitious youngster, recorded 876. But it is with the unanimity and harmony of civic action on the part of the Temple citizenship of that day that this story is chiefly concerned. Some of the remarks uttered by progressive and enterprising citizens at the Chamber of Commerce open meeting a few evenings ago, make pertinent some of the things, said and printed in this memorable and exciting campaign made by two-year old Temple to dislodge a rival city that for 35 years had been the county seat. As said in an earlier part of this story, Temple's claim for the courthouse was based upon its assertion to being the center of county population, while Belton relied upon its geographical title as the practical center of the county. A quotation from one of the public appeals made by Temple at that time describes the territory of which Temple is the center as "a country unsurpassed for fertility and beauty and supported by a community of industrious and energetic people, her success as a commercial center is assured. The history of her short career places her without a precedent for vigor, activity and enterprise; nestling in the center of an extensive and wealthy farming country, supported and patronized by a vigorous, intelligent and progressive community and accompanied with rail facilities that bring us in direct communication with all the state, an the Union, there is no reason why we may not safely look forward within a short time to becoming the commercial and financial center of Bell county." Sounds like prophecy, doesn't it? And that prophecy, so far as becoming the commercial and financial center of Bell County has been fulfilled but how about that rich and fertile section of the county east of us which even half century ago was regarded as a worthy trade acquisition for a growing city? Listen to this taken from the Temple Times of Aug. 4, 1883 and compare what was said then with what was said at the open session of the Chamber of Commerce a few evenings ago and ask how far have we progressed toward binding that rich territory to Temple: "The roads leading to the Falls County line from Temple in the direction of Marlin Elm Creek, Durango and other points east and north of Temple are at best, very poor, and as we are informed by persons living in the settlements, not to be found, actually there not being an outlet for them in this direction. Other towns have seen the necessity of good roads and have begun the work of opening, improving and straightening roads centering upon them. It is surprising that our citizens should neglect this matter so long. Let us have a meeting of citizens and appoint an investigating committee to ascertain the necessities and conveniences to the various farming settlements that are not now accessible by such roads and GO TO WORK! "If we lie still we must not be astonished if these farmers market their products elsewhere, for lack of suitable or decent road over which to reach us." Things said at the Chamber of Commerce open session 47 years after the above was written hand printed have a familiar and impressive echo after reading the musty writings of early Temple newspapers. How much better now are the roads to the Falls County line east of Temple, than in the days of Temple's third year of existence? Considering that automobiles, heavier and more wearing upon roads than the ancient farm wagons, have added to the difficulties of navigating dirt roads, it is questionable if any real improvement in making our east Bell County neighbors more accessible to Temple has been made. Recalling the ambitious attitude of Temple when but two years old brings to mind with impressive evidence that in those days, with a community made up of a population of young people, adventurous, aggressive and enterprising, every civic movement was given hearty co-operation by all classes of the citizenship, and that citizenship at that time included the customary make-up of western pioneer towns, embracing merchants, professional men, preachers, doctors, saloonkeepers, gamblers, prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists, social leaders and laborers. There was no organized chamber of commerce and often the volunteer fire department, of which C. W. LITTLEPAGE was first chief and P. L. DOWNS, Sr., now "colonel" DOWNS later was chief for years, was the local instrumentality through which public meetings were called and civic enterprises inaugurated. After nearly half century really it looks as if there ought to be a more modern and accessible avenue over which the population of east Bell County can reach Temple, the real financial and commercial center of Bell County.

Book 4 page 32

Belton man Recalls Story of Famous Texas Indian-Belton, March 18-Referring to a special article in Sunday's Dallas News about the passing of Chief Big Tree, H. B. JONES stated here Tuesday that the Horace P. Jones mentioned in the story was his uncle. "My grandfather settled in LaGrange, Texas, in 1845," said Mr. JONES. "He had two sons, South JONES, my father, and Horace P. JONES. The latter was sent to San Saba by the United States government to learn the Indian language. He became proficient in the tongues of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. He was known among them as the "White Father." "The government sent him to locate a site for a military camp in Western Oklahoma and Fort Sill was founded a few miles from Lawton, Okla., upon the location which he suggested. He was post commander there when the government wagon train was captured near Fort Richardson, Texas, and the trainmaster and drivers were tied to the wheels of the wagons and burned. The Indians participating in the raid talked too much and my uncle discovered that Santanta and Big Tree were leaders. He carried them before General SHERMAN who visited Fort Sill soon after the tragedy. Santanta boasted of his leadership in the raid when the inquiry was held. H. B. JONES stated that his uncle carried the two chiefs to Washington and also to Jacksboro, Texas, where they were tried and sentenced to be hung. Their sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and they were later paroled upon good behavior. Santanta was later returned to prison and committed suicide. Big Tree reformed and became a member of the Baptist Church. Although not having read the story of the death of Big Tree, W. S. HUNTER, local druggist, recalled many of the details of the atrocity and the trial of the chiefs. He was engaged in the newspaper business sin Gatesville, in 1871 when it occurred and remembers writing the story. In 1874, Mr. HUNTER moved to Belton and after engaging in the newspaper business and later in the book and stationery business he has been a druggist here for close to 37 years.

Horse Stealing Worse than Murder In Early Days When Nine Were Killed In Jail-By Mozelle SMART-(Note by submitter: This article was hand dated Jan 1930 by Nannie)-Belton, Jan. 11 (spl)-Belton was on the old cattle trail that led from south Texas to Kansas City and Chicago in the early days. The trail drivers frequently spent the night here with their herds of several thousand head of cattle. This part of the country was given over almost entirely to ranching, but the presence of the cattle trail gave opportunity for much cattle and horse stealing. In the early days stealing cattle and horses was considered a greater crime than killing a man. Dr. Taylor HUDSON, who lived in Belton then, moved here with his parents when he was a small boy. It was sometime later that he helped guard the jail the night that nine horse thieves were shot by a mob of Bell and Coryell County men in the iron cage where they were prisoners. The boys of the town guarded the jail in the forepart of the night little expecting the trouble that followed later. The report came in about sundown that a man was shooting up the town. W. J. LONG was then sheriff. The older men came on about midnight to stand guard until daybreak. "I went home but could not sleep soundly because the air seemed to be full of mystery concerning the men in the jail and the desperado who shot up the town that afternoon, Dr. HUDSON says. About daybreak I was awakened by a great mob of men riding into town. I jumped from bed, pulled on my boots, grabbed my gun and struck out for the jail, leaping over the fences as I came to them. Suddenly someone from the mob said to me, "Taylor, pitch your gun over the fence,' and I did as I was told." A mob of more than 250 men wearing masks stormed the jail. A lunatic held the light for them and all the prisoners were shot in the big iron cage. The old cage is now used in the city jail in Temple. The dead men were removed from the jail to the back yard the next day. The following night they were piled into a wagon and were taken to the South Belton cemetery for burial. They were first buried in one big grave but because of threats from interested citizens, the county judge thought better of the situation and ordered nine wooden coffins built so that each man was buried in a separate grave. And the graves of the nine horse thieves who were so brutally murdered can still be seen in South Belton cemetery. It is said that later one of the murdered men proved to have been an innocent youth. About two years later two prisoners, a white man and a Negro man, were taken from the jail and hanged from a live oak tree. The hanging took place close to what is now Baylor College campus, in one of the large trees characteristic of the campus. Capt. W. S. RATHER, a county officer, was killed sometime later by one of the prisoners in the jail who grabbed RATHER'S gun and fired twice. The prisoner was shot by another officer before he could escape. Belton's first jail was built in 1854, when the present town was then called Nolanville. It was a two story wooden structure 12 feet long and 12 feet wide. Specifications for the jail were drawn up as ordered by the court May 21, 1854. It was to be 12 by 12 on the inside, hard rock foundation to be sunk three feet in the ground and to be five feet thick, foundation to extend 12 feet beyond the wall of the jail; double walls of oak logs, floors of logs laying crosswise of bottom ones, floor logs to extend to outside tier of wall, all to be thoroughly bolted to the inside walls with one-inch iron bolts; two windows 10 inches, same to be grated each way with iron bars one and a half inches in diameter; trap door 20 inches by 36 in the middle of the floor to second story, of sheet iron and iron bolts. The second story was to be "seven feet in the clear." The prisoners had to be taken from the outside of the building to the second story and let down through the trap door to the first floor. The old log jail was replaced by a stone building several years later. It still stands on the bank of Nolan Creek, facing North Pearl Street. It was after the stone jail had been completed that the nine horse thieves were captured and brought to Belton. The old jail now stands, all but forsaken, it has a history and has served its day. Belton's third jail located on Central Avenue in the first block east of Nolan Creek now serves the purpose for the modern desperado. "There were lost of "bad men" in the early days but they would come and pass on," Dr. HUDSON concluded.

Book 4 page 33-35

Many Interesting Trips In Bell County Beckon With Spring-(Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of stories describing Sunday drives in Bell County. Bell County is full of interesting sights and any number of remarkable trips await the Bell County motorist)-by Mozelle SMART-The drives though the hills of Bell County are beginning to awaken and take on a new life, with the beautiful sunny days as harbingers of spring. Natural beauty in all its glory and splendor lies just beyond the city limits of Belton. During the last week a Telegram reporter drove various roads in the surrounding country, mapping out spring tours for the Sunday afternoon drivers who enjoy and appreciate the magnificent scenery that this section of the country affords. It won't be long now until the trees have discarded their solemn statesman like appearance and will come out in their spring dresses of various shade of green. The hillside and valley will be clothed with the daisy, violet, phlox, blue bonnet and various other wild flowers. The first route taken leads north on Main Street, across the viaduct and out of Belton. The road runs in a northerly direction to the Leon River bridge, a distance of 2.2 miles. Take the Miller Spring road to the left after crossing the bridge. The loop around and back to Belton is about 26 miles. Not a more picturesque drive can be found than that running along at the foot of a high embankment to the right, and to the left a line of giant elm, pecan and willow trees on the river's bank. Miller Spring is found up a little ravine on the right side of the road only a short distance from the bridge. The road leads along at the foot of the bluff for three-quarters of a mile and then to a narrow place in the road just before crossing a small bridge. The ledge is much wider than it was several years ago during the time of the horse and buggy. Miller Spring drive was a popular one in those days for courting couples and still seems to be today. At the ledge it was either a kiss or jump over the bluff. No one ever heard of any one jumping over, according to one of the young lovers of that day. He also tells of taking his sweetheart driving on one occasion. When they reached "lover's ledge" they found that the bridge had been destroyed by fire. The only way to turn around was to unhitch the horse and turn the buggy around by hand. The trip leads on a very nearly level grade along by the HERRING farm. Dr. J. W. PITTMAN'S summer cottage is located on the left hand side of the road in a huge pecan grove. Here is where PITTMAN spends his leisure hours during the hot months of the year. He has about two dozen sheep in the pasture which add to the beauty and restful appearance of the place. The views along the drive overlooking the fertile farm lands in the valleys and a neatly kept farm homes on the cedar covered hillsides are striking. These people appear to be prosperous farmers with richest of farm land in the county to keep them busy through the spring and summer months. Cedar posts from these hills are sold in the winter...one of Bell County's important industries. The view grows more beautiful beyond the Tennessee Valley settlement with the hazy blue hills in the distance and the course of the Leon still visible. One keeps to the left on the curve that leads form the "Yellow Canary" store on the return trip to Belton. After crossing Cowhouse creek bridge the drive leads into the Sparta road which goes on to the right. After crossing the bridge, a half mile run up the hill which overlook the valley of the Cowhouse furnishes a marvelous view. This grade which leads on beyond the J. BASCOM farm is a long one and requires the use of low gears. The latter part of the trip is the best. The roads are better and the scenes are just as pretty. The Doss Spring which is marked "Welcome to Water" is found on the descending grade to the right of the road. Picnickers are not allowed on the inside of the enclosure. The spring is kept clean and is for the use of the public, according to M. Webster DOSS, who has lived in the house across the road from the spring since he was seven months old. He is now 46 years old. DOSS goes to town about once every three months. Many people from Temple and the surrounding country come to the spring. It is known for its bountiful supply of healthful water. It was first surrounded by rocks by a. E. and M. W. DOSS, 20years ago. About 15 months ago a cement curbing was put around the spring and a new shed was built over it. Just around the corner is the FULWILER home and to the right of the road is the Wiltonville school where Miss Billie BOSTERT of Belton is teaching. An interesting old rock house built of native stone stands less than half a mile down the road. This house was built by the father of Jim MCMAHON, at one time a Belton lawyer. The original house contained only two rooms which were connected by a hallway. In the front yard is an old horse block of stone.. Around this particular remnant of old customs wages a battle at present because the young daughter of H. C. WELSH, the present owner is trying to preserve the block while the young sons want to use it to build a walk to the road. The rock used for building many of the stone houses, horse blocks, water troughs and various other things can be seen all along the road. An old stone oven can be seen in the same neighborhood. These rocks were taken from the rock quarries on the left hand side of the road. It was at one time one of Bell County's largest industries. The stone used in the erection of Bell County courthouse in 1884 and Luther Hall at Baylor College in 1886 were cut from one of these quarries. The property from which a large part of the rocks were cut was owned by C. F. MCMAHON. It was leased by J. C. FERGUSON in 1885. FERGUSON made a specialty of sawing out stones, for ornamentation of buildings all over Texas. One particular instance was the home of Walter GRESHAM in Galveston. This was said to be one of the finest homes in the state. The courthouse in Columbus, Colorado County, was also built from stone taken out of the quarry by FERGUSON. In 1898 B. LANTRY and son leased the quarry and worked 200 men there of the Santa Fe railroad. The stones were crushed and used in the construction of Santa Fe Tracks in Texas. A tap was built from the main line of the Santa Fe to the quarry, a distance of half a mile. The quarry was leased by C. H. SHARP from 1910 to 1921. W. C. RETTIGER then took it over and the property is still owned by Mrs. W. C. RETTIGER of Temple. Rocks are still being taken from the old quarry although most persons think that it is dead industry. One passes from the quarries to the Hair farm where the latest oil test was made in Bell County. The road to the left leads to Dunn's canyon. Another of Bell County's beauty spots. The last two miles into Belton are the least attractive of the drive as they lead along the Santa Fe tracks and by the dairy barns of Baylor College. One comes into Belton by the back of the campus of Baylor College and turns left by Dr. and Mrs. J. C. HARDY'S home on the hill. From there one chooses his own path to his own lodgings after a Sunday afternoon's drive through scenery that rivals that of much more advertised sections of the United States.

This is the second of a series of articles on interesting drives which motorists may find in Bell County-by Mozelle SMART-Spring can be seen creeping out over the countryside as we continue our drives in Bell County....hillsides covered with wild plum...dogwood and redbud bursting into bloom...and fruit trees just beginning to come to life with uncertain colors. South on main street through Belton, and across the bridge over Nolan Creek, the second drive leads out to the southwest part of the County. After leaving the bridge take the second turn to the right and follow the main road out beyond the Belton golf links onto what is known as the Dog Ridge road. There is quite a contrast in the scenery in the southwest part of the county, along the course of the Lampasas River and that of Miller Spring drive along the Leon River. Although the two streams are just a few miles apart at this point one would think by the views that they were in entirely different states. After driving for several miles one gets into a chain of hills, the color of aquamarine. After driving for 3.1 miles from the bridge over Nolan creek, take the left hand turn. The road straight ahead leads to what is known as Dog Ridge settlement. The road which leads on to Stillhouse Hollow is in excellent condition. The biggest thrill of the trip comes in making the abrupt turn in the descent of the winding road along the side of this hill, overlooking a big canyon. Years ago, Stillhouse Hollow was known as a hiding place for horse thieves. The story is told of one of Belton's early settlers losing seven or eight head of horses one night. This man and a friend set out on horseback to find them. After riding for several hours they came on a corral of horses. A group of tough looking men dressed in their big cowboy hats, spurs, chaps and with pistols in holsters came out in every direction. The Belton men decided in a hurry they were not looking for lost stock at all and turned their horses toward home. The local boy scout cabin (Camp Council) is located on the north bank of the Lampasas River, about six miles from town where one turns off to the left around the foot of a big hill. A huge bluff covered with a large variety of trees and cacti borders the left and the Lampasas river the right hand side of the road. The drive which is less than two miles, down to the cabin and back, is well worth anyone's time. The cabin was built two years ago by the scouts under the direction of their scout master, the Rev. M. D. COUNCIL. It is located on the land of A. T. VANNESS. The logs used in the construction of the cabin were shipped from the northern part of the United States. They were the original poles used for the Belton-Temple trolley line. After the trolley was discontinued the posts in the city limits had to be taken up and disposed of. They were donated by the city for the scout cabin. The cabin has two large rooms and a big fireplace in each room. The floors are of cement. Heavy pine doors and windows are used in the cabin so that it may be securely locked when not in use. Leaving the scout cabin behind. The drive leads on beyond the farmlands in Key's Valley and beyond the school named for the valley. A small brush arbor stands in the northeast corner of the school ground where revival meetings are held in the summer time. After traveling for a distance of 10.4 miles one crosses over the Lampasas River. On the right side at the end of the bridge the rock foundation of an old building still stands. It is, in all, probability, the remains of an old corn mill driven by water power. On the left side of the bridge is a cement foundation. Over the ruins of this former industry, whatever it was, now stands peach trees in bloom. A horseshoe turn to the right leads along the foot of a hill, similar to that of Stillhouse Hollow, and across the bridge to the right, tall cedars line both sides of the narrow road for several hundred yards. Just beyond the avenue of cedars is located the old WILKINSON cemetery. In this old burial plot are the graves of some of Bell County's first settlers. The graves of Melville WILKINSON, who was noted for his bravery in fighting Indians and other members of his family are here. The grave of Nancy WHITE, wife of Cary WHITE, is also found here. She was born in 1803 and died in 1882. Mrs. WHITE was the great-great-grandmother of Mrs. Daisy MCKEY, Mrs. E. E. UPSHAW and Tom Hughes of Belton. The WHITE family came to Texas and to Bell County from Tennessee. Mrs. WHTE studied medicine in her spare time as the nearest physician was in Austin. People sent for Mrs. WHITE to attend cases of illness for miles around. There are a number of other graves in the quaint old cemetery. Over some of the graves are stone tombs while others are covered with rock slabs. There is a child's grave with a full grown cedar tree at the head and at the foot of the grave. It is not marked in anyway. The trees in all probability were small ones when placed at the grave. Some new graves have been made in the cemetery lately; others are very old and are covered with a mass of vines which stay green the year round. The first signs of the bluebonnet are found in the cemetery. The ground is covered with foliage. After leaving the cemetery one drives on through a rich farm section. The original Sparks section where Sam SPARKS, former state treasurer, and Mrs. Charlie BOGART and Mrs. Newt BIGHAM of Belton were reared. SPARKS' father was sheriff of Bell County for a number of years on two different occasions. Young SPARKS served as sheriff of the county for five or six yeas, about 1900 to 1906.On the return trip to town turn to the left at the Union Grove school which is about 13 miles from town. Mrs. P. L. STONE, Belton, and Miss Lena Belle COX, Holland, teach at Union Grove. The road on the loop is on a gradual rise. The scenes coming back overlooking the road passed over only a short time before are beautiful. One can see for a great distance at this height. The shadows on the lower slopes of a scallop of hills across the way from a marvelous setting against the soft blue of a springtime sky. The trees are small silhouettes on the hillsides. The old AUSTIN home and the Mel WILKINSON home are located along here. The WILKINSON home has a small stone house at the back. It is said that this house was used for protection against the Indians, who were very troublesome in that section in the early days. After passing the Will SAFLEY farm on the left of the road, one can get a splendid view of both Temple and Belton. At this place the highest point of elevation is reached on the trip. The road gradually descends until the intersection of the Dog Ridge road. If one does not care to go back to Belton the way he came out then take the first right hand turn that leads to the west side of the golf links. The drive leads by the old BLAIR place, former home of Jesse BLAIR of Belton, and the C. D. ELLIS home. C. D. ELIS is a collector of Indian relics and possessor of an old violin which bears the date of 1700 and the name Antonio Stradivarius Cremonensis. After passing the ELLIS farm on the right of the road, turn left again and follow the road straight ahead to the intersection of the main highway leading north into Belton. The drive to the left back to the bridge is 1.6 miles, completing a 28 mile drive.

(Editor's Note: This is the third of a series of stories describing interesting drives in Bell County)-By Mozelle SMART

As spring is gradually but surely turning the countryside into a magic carpet of varied colors we continue our motor trips to the eastern part of the country. Motoring, after all, is the nation's most widely practiced sport and what a royal sport it is with the day s open to a trip through the unexcelled drives in Bell County. Every hilltop has a treat in scenic glories and every corner a new thrill. The third trip taken leads south out of Belton on Penelope street and across the bridge over Nolan Creek. The drive is less than 20 miles, climbing in height in high gear grade most of the way. The Drive leads out beyond the stadium on the hill. From this height a good view of the surrounding country can be had. Reaching out over the highway leading south out of Belton one can see DENISON Hill to the right. The standpipe for Belton is located on this hill. The road to the top wound around a hill, which made it one of the many places to drive during the time of the horse and buggy. Just beyond the city limits, 1.3 miles from Nolan Creek bridge, to the left, of the road is located the Belton intermediate flying field. The 100 acre track has been leveled off and resurveyed ready to be turned over to the United States government for the installation of lights. About $10,000 will be spent on this field for this purpose. Besides having a large beacon light, which can be seen for a distance of 10 miles, smaller lights will be placed every 150 feet around the field, with danger signals in the trees, which can not be cleared away. The field is to be sodden with Bermuda grass so that it will be suitable for landing in any kind of weather. While the field will be shown on the government maps as the Belton intermediate flying field, the people of Belton have named it the Roy SANDERFORD flying field in appreciation of SADNERFORD'S effort in bringing it here. And when it is completed it will be one of the best fields in this part of the state. After driving for 1.9 miles take the left hand turn and then again at 3.3 miles. The drive leads into the hills. The winding road with its hair pen turns leads along the edge of a deep canyon on the right hand side. The hills are covered with dense woods. The land can only be used for pasturing goats or to sell wood from it. An old rusty convict cage stands to the right of the road just before crossing the Lampasas River. It is an old cage drawn by mules and has in all probability been there for a long time. The one-way bridge over the Lampasas River is known as the HENDRICKSON crossing. The land beginning with the South River bank is known as the TYLER survey. The land was granted to Louis TYLER'S and Mrs. EMBREE'S father by the Republic of Mexico even before there was a Republic of Texas. Some of the land has been divided up into farm and sold but some of it is still owned by the TYLER heirs. A mixture of farms and thickly covered land with trees can be seen along the drive. Some of the farmhouses are new while the less prosperous ones are not very well kept. The SHERROD burial plot with its three marked graves is out about five miles from town. It is located in the corner of a pasture just across the road from the J. D. WILSON home. The graves are enclosed with an iron fence. After passing the neatly kept WILSON farm the road leads to the left and only a short distance beyond this is the Columbus H. HILLIARD farm. Besides raising cotton, corn and various other kind of crops, Mr. HILLIARD raised turkeys. He has a small field fenced in to keep them in. The Elm Grove Church is located six miles from Belton. The people of that community gather at the little church on Sunday for worship. At this particular time of the year when the trees are turning green and the grass is coming out, with this location one is reminded of "The Little Brown Church in the Wildwood," only this little church is not brown. The course of the Lampasas River runs along by the drive for about one mile. Mrs. Mildred LAW'S farm is located across the river. By driving close to the edge of the bank one can get a good view of the beautiful land down several hundred feet below. Mrs. LAW has about 400 acres in the river bottom in cultivation. It is indeed a marvelous view to see so much land in cultivation in one plot without a fence or anything to mar the beauty of it all. The river makes a horseshoe bend around the farmland. Mrs. LAW oversees the cultivating of the farm and carry on the work on a scientific basis. Although there is not so much history connected with the drive leading back to Belton it is a pretty one. The red buds are coming out in full bloom as are the black haw and wild plum. In Blue Bonnet time the drive is usually lined with the Texas flower. The foliage can be seen now in some places. The wild plum, black haw and red buds are bursting into full bloom along with pretty shades of green spring out from the various kinds of trees found in this section of the state. The DELANEY and J. A. STEELE home is located just this side of the ARMSTRONG school. A track of land on the farm is being cleared for cultivation. At ARMSTRNG the road forks with the left hand leading on to Belton the right hand turn leads across the Salado Creek or "Salou" to Holland. This is a favorite picnic ground for hundreds of Bell County people each year. Across the creek is located the ARMSTRONG home. The school is named for the ARMSTRONG family. An old corn mill was at one time operated at this point. Waterpower was used to turn the machinery. Keep to the left-hand turns on the return trip to town. The Lampasas River is crossed the second time. The Charlie GIST farm, one of the best in the county, is located to the left. The trip town is only a short distance and leads by the old Bell County race track on the Allen KELSO farm. It is the only one-mile track in this section of the state. Horse races were held on the track several years ago. It has recently been built over for automobile racing. The formal opening will be held on March 23 when some of the best drivers in the state will participate in the 100-mile race. The drive leads on beyond the Roy SANDERFORD flying field to the intersection of the road into Belton.

(Editor's Note: This is a fourth of a series of articles describing interesting drives in Bell County)-By Mozelle SMART-Leading east out of Belton on Central Avenue, one of the most interesting drives in Bell County awaits the Sunday afternoon motorist. Follow the main road, crossing the Katy tracks and on beyond the Negro cemetery to the Leon River bridge, which is about two miles from town. The J. E. ELLIOTT tract of land begins with the east river bank and includes several hundred acres of land on both sides of the road. The original tract included about 1, 000 acres. Mr. ELLIOTT came to Bell County in 1878, settling near Belton. He fought as a Confederate soldier and with Quantrell's band on several different occasions. However, he did not belong to the band. He was also personally acquainted with Jesse JAMES. The ELLIOTT mineral wells are located just a short distance from the bridge. The old well on the right of the road has caved in but the one on the left side still flows an abundant supply of healthful water. According to an old bulletin of 1904 concerning the ELLIOTT wells the statistics of the United States show Belton to be the second healthiest town in the nation." Analysis made by the assay department of the University of Texas showed that the water from the wells was rich in metallic elements, such as silica, alumina, iron oxide, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride and sodium carbonate. People in the surrounding country continue to go to the well for water. Acres of rich black farmland border the Taylor's Valley drive. The road followed throughout the drive makes a horseshoe bend, enclosing the valley. This particular tract of land was named for a family by the name of TAYLOR, who were among the first settlers of the county. Legends of how the TAYLOR family established a home on the banks of the Leon River, and of the many hardships and perils suffered by them in an effort to maintain it are many. On one occasion a band of Waco Indians mad an attack on Mrs. TAYLOR and her children while the father was away from home. They were able to protect themselves within the log cabin. The cabin was set on fire after a volley of arrows were turned loose without any results. Mrs. TAYLOR was successful in keeping the house from burning by using buttermilk and a big jar of homemade vinegar as fire extinguishers. The Waco Indians accused the TAYLORS of harboring another band of Indians, so the legend goes. After the Indians left, Mrs. TAYLOR took her children and walked in the bed of the Leon, which was dry, to the next settlement. She left a trail for her husband to follow by strips of cloth torn from her clothing tied to bushes and dropped along the way. One of the patriotic clubs of Belton has planned to mark the place as one of the historic spots of Texas in honor of the heroic deed of Mrs. TAYLOR. The Will WITTER truck farm, one of the largest of its kind in the county, is located in Taylor'' Valley. Out 3.3 miles from town on the left of the road is the Luke HOBBS gravel pit. HOBBS recently bought 30 acres of land, composed of concrete, gravel and sand, from Mrs. J. E. ELLIOTT of Belton. A tap extending from the Katy track to the pit has been finished with a large elevator ready for use in loading the gravel. A portion of the ELLIOTT farm which is in Taylor's Valley was sold three years ago to one of the largest cement companies in the state. What is known as blue cement is made from the blue rock taken from this land which is so characteristic of the enormous number of bluffs and hills of Bell County. The old Patina FORRESTER home is located about 5.00 miles on the right of the main road. A huge two-story frame house looms up from a grove of big trees. The little log cabin, the first home of the FORRESTERS, still stands in one corner of the yard. Mrs. Sam GILES, mother of Dr. Roy GILES of Temple, has one of the most modern and neatly kept farm homes in the surrounding territory, located on the left of the road about five miles from town. "Shady View Farm has electric lights, gas and running water. Taylor's Valley schoolhouse and church is located on the right just a short distance from the GILES farm. Mrs. Tom STEGALL and Mrs. Elsie MEANS are the teachers there. The road to the left at the church leads to Temple. After crossing a small iron bridge over Fryer's Creek, Taylor's Valley is left behind and a steep hill which has an incline of one mile borders the east side. On top of the hill is located the home of Mrs. Chas. O. REED. The place is known as the Ed REED place. Mrs. REED oversees the 311 acre farm. She has a comparatively new home which is neatly kept. Mrs. REED proves to be a real "farmerette." She has three men to work the land in cultivation but Mrs. REED also makes money with her spare time. Mrs. REED'S profit from her cows, hogs and chickens amount to about $1,500 a years. About a year ago Mrs. REED paid $20 for one hog. She has sold $600 worth of hogs from this one sow since then. About three years ago, Mrs. REED paid $100 for a registered Jersey cow. She now has nine head of registered cattle. Brown leghorn chickens grow better and lay more eggs and are better to have on the farm than any other kind on account of the hawks, according to Mrs. REED. She buys the baby chickens each year. Chickens are a paying proposition with Mrs. REED. From the REED farm one can see for miles, back over the road to Belton or for miles to the east and north. After leaving the REED farm turn to the first road to the right. The road straight ahead leads out to the Temple pike by the Hebron schoolhouse. After turning off to the right, about one mile of the road is rough which is being worked on. It leads along the Tom STEGALL place, the HARTRICK farm and the bank of the Leon, overlooking the valley several hundred feet below. A great deal of dairy farming is done in the section besides regular farming. Apiaries are found along the drive with an orchard at every farm home. When one comes to the intersection of the Little River road, which comes to a fork in the center of a field, keep to the right. The road to the left leads on to Little River. After driving for a short distance the road forks again and again turn to the right and cross the bridge over the Leon which is known as the old MERRITT bridge. G. R. MCHOOD owns the farm to the right of the bridge and C. B. ELLIOTT owns the land on the left of the road. The intersection of the Three Forks road is only a short distance ahead. The church and schoolhouse is located in a grove of trees a short distance from the road. The road to the left leads down to the Three Forks bridge where the Leon, Lampasas and Salado creek come together and form what is known as Little River. Just across the bridge is the DICE home. Father of District Clerk Jim DICE. The road is known as the old Holland road, traveled before the road which now leads by Summers Mill became popular. But back to where we came into the road at Three Forks. The right leads to Belton, closing in Taylor's Valley on the right. The road, a winding one with a right hand turn for every left hand, is a splendid one and a beautiful view may be had from all sides. The trip is about 20 miles long and comes back into town by the old TYLER home, old Bell County racetrack and Belton's aviation field.

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