Book 4 page 39

Jay GOULD Paid Snappy Visit to Temple Once but He Wasn't Liked-By John R. LUNSFORD-When the Katy railroad was built into Temple and extended south to Austin and San Antonio in 1882 it was a Jay GOULD property and a part of GOULD'S Missouri Pacific system, some years later broken up by Jim HOGG, when he was attorney general of Texas. The Missouri Pacific system in those days embraced the Texas & Pacific railroad, the International & Great Northern, the Galveston, Houston & Henderson a 50 mile stretch of road connecting Houston and Galveston, the Columbia Tap running from Houston down into Brazoria county, in addition to the Missouri, Kansas & Texas (Katy). The advertising and literature of the system proclaimed that Jay GOULD had assembled more than 9,000 miles of railroads into one system. Railroad consolidations and mergers were not at all popular in those days and GOULD was heralded as a wolf preying upon the patrons of the lines under his domination. And there was according to subsequent court records some foundation for the charges that he exercised to the limit the doctrine of those days to charge "all the traffic would bear." But Temple was glad to get the Katy and subsequent developments have established this city as one of the most accessible railroad points on any of the great trunk lines. It was while the Katy was being built through Temple in 1882 and about the time the bridge over Little River was completed that Jay GOULD paid a visit to this part of Texas. He did not deign to stop in Temple although his private train halted long enough to take water and have its running gear inspected. His visit to Waco, where the writer was at that gaining experience as a "cub" reporter, was a notable event in that city. He did not stop but did condescend to accept the hospitality of Major J. W. ORAND, the chief livery stable proprietor there, for a drive from the east side of the Brazos through the main portion of Waco to the Katy depot at Eighth and Jackson streets, its present location. ORAND got out his best team of magnificent blacks, decked them out in silver mounted harness and hooked them to one of those vehicles which Sam JONES in his evangelistic days used to call "Squeeze-me-Tight" buggies. Driving across the suspension bridge and through the public square about 10 o'clock in the morning GOULD attracted almost as much interest and attention as a circus parade. He had been lampooned and caricatured by the eastern and middle-western press as an octopus, wolf and a devouring giant bent on crushing the life out of the humble farmer and the little merchants. Crowds lined the sidewalks along Austin avenue and GOULD seemed to enjoy being the cynosure of all eyes. Small of stature, dark complexion, black beard, slightly streaked with gray, he seemed rather an insignificant figure seated by his towering escort, until one glanced into his eyes. Those shining orbs at once dissipated any idea of GOULD being insignificant. At that time he was a dominating figure in the financial and railroad worlds, hated by VANDERBILT and others but, heedless of their scorn, he continued to trick them and build up his gigantic railroad system. An interview with GOULD was easy to get but results in the way of information as to his plans, movements and future developments usually were nil. He met reporters graciously and listened to their questions affably but did not divulge anything material in the way of real news. When Jim HOGG broke up his Missouri Pacific system he turned the Katy loose absolutely, but through affiliated interest retained domination of the other lines in the system, although canceling his leases upon them in accordance with the order of court, except in one instance. Years afterward when the Katy owners had taken over that line, consisting as later charged in legal documents of a "mere right of way and two streaks of rust, it developed that in some mysterious way the lease to the International & Great Northern of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson railroad between Houston and Galveston, which was owned wholly by the Katy, had not been cancelled. When the Katy began its great development program in 1892 in Texas and had reached in striking distance of Houston with its extensions it demanded restoration of its property so that it could gain entrance to the port of Galveston. Then started one of the most spectacular legal battles ever witnessed in Texas and at the end of six years when the litigation finally had reached the supreme court an agreement was reached before argument was made to the court by which the Katy conceded to the International & Great Northern railroad, which held the least to the Galveston, Houston and Henderson road, 499 shares of the stock of the $1,000,000 company, retained 499 shares itself and placed the other two shares in the hands of a banking firm in New York as trustee and agreed to joint use of the road by both the Katy and International, and so it is being used today. Many of the greatest lawyers of Texas, Missouri and New York figured in the litigation, including John M. DUNCAN and T. N. JONES of TYLER, T. J. FREEMAN, Dallas, Winslow S. PIERCE, GOULD"S personal counsel in New York, Robert S. LOVETT, of the firm of BAKER, BOTTS, BAKER & LOVETT, Houston, Judge E. B. PERKINS, Dallas, R. S. FOSTER, Denison, James HAGERMAN, St. Louis, Tom M. CAMPBELL, who was general manager of the International railroad and later governor of Texas. The battle ran the gamut of both state and federal courts.

Bell County Celebrates Eightieth Birthday-By Mozelle SMART-Belton, Jan. 22 (spl)-Eighty years ago today Bell County, the central county of Texas, was created by an act of the Texas legislature, being taken from Milam County on the east. A small group of men drew up the charter under a huge oak tree, which still stands on the east bank of the Leon river about 100 yards south of the bridge over the river on the Belton-Temple pike at Riverside. It was six years later that on Aug 30, 1856, a strip of land six miles wide, including the territory of the present towns of Oenaville and Troy was taken from Falls County and added to Bell. Bell County, which consists of 1,083 square miles, was named for P. H. BELL, governor of Texas at that time. Bell was considered a brave soldier by his associates. He fought as a private in the battle of San Jacinto. He was made a lieutenant colonel in the war between the United States and Mexico. After that time he served as a ranger on the frontier of Texas. BELL served as governor of Texas from 1849-1853 and was elected to congress for one term. The first settlements in the territory now known as Bell County were made during the early 30's. Mexico for several years offered inducements to colonists to settle in this country and drew up contracts with men called impresarios to found colonies. Large tracts of land were offered for this service. Bell County was included within the limits of Sterling C. ROBERTSON'S colony. Huling P. ROBERTSON, grandson of Sterling C. ROBERTSON, is and for many years has been a resident of Temple. Tracts of land were measured by galloping a horse over the territory which was to be included in the league of land given to the impresarios. These tracts of land include about three times as much as would have been included had surveying instruments been used. The Michael REED, Goolsby CHILDERS, O. T. TYLER and Wiley CARTER families were among the first white people to locate in Bell County between 1833-1835. A family by the name of TAYLOR settled about three miles east of Belton in what is now known as Taylor's Valley. After the little family had established a home and had set about making a living they were attacked by a band of Waco Indians. The family managed to escape from its cabin by the way of the Leon River bottom. They followed the course of the river until they reached habitations The early settlers were forced to move out of this territory east of the Brazos River when the war between Texas and Mexico broke out. After the battle of San Jacinto had practically assured the independent of the republic, some of them moved back. The Indians were so hostile that those who ventured back were forced to cross the Brazos again and remain there until General Houston made a treaty with the Indians in 1843. Two men by the name of CROUCHE and DAVISON were killed by Indians near the present town of Cameron. Capt. George E. ERATH and a small company of men had a fight with a band of Indians in January 1873 on Elm creek in Milam county, just across the Bell County line. A man by the name of CLARK and Frank CHILDERS, a relative of the TYLER family now living in Belton, were killed in the fight. Two years later on May 26, the famous Bird creek fight took place at an old log stockade, called Fort Griffin, headquarters for the Texas Rangers, about one mile from the present town of Temple. A small band of Indians were discovered near the camp and upon investigation Capt. John Bird with thirty men were surrounded by approximately 300 Indians. The Indians used shields of buffalo hides that were so tough it was almost impossible to shoot through one of them. After BIRD and several of his men were killed and it seemed that the rest of his men had no means of escape, a boy by the name of ROBINET, swore that he would get the Indian Chief. When the red men made the next attack ROBINET took a daring chance into a volley of arrows and running horses and killed the Chief of the tribe. As soon as the Indian Chief toppled from his horse some of his braves grabbed him and carried him a few hundred yards from the scene of action. While they were howling and mourning the loss of their leader the remaining members of Captain BIRD'S group escaped. A few days later a party of white men returned to the scene of the famous Bird Creek battle and buried the dead. They made an attempt to follow the Indians always traveling as close to a river or creek as possible. One night while they were camped on the bank of a small stream their horses stampeded and gave the creek its name of Stampede. Mrs. Matilda F ALLEN nee CONNELL, gave to Bell County on July 30, 1850 125 acres of land out of the CONNELL survey on which was to be located the permanent county seat of Bell County. It is this land that Belton is now built on. The first meeting of the county's commissioners' court of which a record has been kept, was held in Belton (then called Nolanville) Oct. 8, 1850. The officers were: Jno. DANLEY, chief justice; Jno. TAYLOR, Jas. M. CROSS, Peter BANTA and James BLAIR. Wm. REED was sheriff and Jno. C. REED was county clerk. E. L. STICKNEY was the first county judge. At that term of court a license was issued to D. R. HILL, giving him the right to operate and maintain a ferry on the Leon River near the location of the charter oak. The first term of district court was called April 7, 1851. R. E. B. BAYLOR for whom BAYLOR College was named was the first judge. J. F. CLARK was district clerk. The first grand jury was composed of David HAVENS, M. W. DAMRON, J. M. CATHEY, John ANDERSON, Allen BRYANT, James M. GLEN, B. L. STUART, Thomas HAVENS, Horatio SHELTON, Matthew WILKINS, John BOWLES, Warren PUETT, J. T. SHERROD Wm. CALDWELL and Walter HALE. Plans for a courthouse was the first business of any importance to come before the commissioners court. The town agent was ordered by the court to receive bids for a frame courthouse to be 18 x 30 feet weather boarded. The plans were changed later and a stone building was erected. At the court held in Nov. 17, 1851, the county seat was called Nolanville. The name was changed by an Act of the Legislature, Dec. 16, 1851 and at the term of court held May 1, 1852 was called Belton. Nolanville and Nolan creek are supposed to have been named for Philip NOLAN, an Irish-American adventurer, who was killed by the Mexicans on Tehuacana Hills in 1801. X. B. SAUNDERS was the first mayor of Belton. Belton was incorporated in 1 860 and had then a population of about 500. The first newspaper, The Independent, was published in 1857 by a Mr. MARSCHALK. The paper did not last long. It was short time afterwards that John Henry BROWN published The Belton Democrat. The population for Bell Count in 1860, totaled 4, 799. There were not telephones, railroads, churches nor schools of any size with the exception of the college at Salado. Salado College first was started by Co. E. S. C. ROBERTSON in 1858 and Gideon BUCK was the first president. Salado was at that time one of the educational centers of the state. The college was able to accommodate pupils from the first grade up to a number of college courses. Salado was known for a trading center, health resort due to nine clear running springs, cultured society and beautiful scenery. People came from miles around to get their supplies and to drink of the water from the springs. It has been told and retold that Salado missed being the capitol of the state by one vote. The legend probably started due to the fact that the five commissioners chose to select the site for the future capitol of Texas were familiar with Salado and this surrounding territory. The commissioners would often visit the Texas Ranger headquarters at Fort Griffin. Salado was not included in the proposed sites Austin (then called Waterloo on the banks of the Colorado river) received 7,670 votes, Palestine came second with 1,854 votes and Tehuacana third with 1, 143 votes. The first railroad in Bell County was built in 1881. Temple was founded in 1881 by the Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe railroad. Temple is located on a portion of what was known as the J. E. MOORE farm. In 1882 the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad crossed the Santa Fe at Temple. The town took its name from B. M. TEMPLE, chief engineer of the Santa Fe. The town of Bartlett was named for Capt. John T. BARTLETT. Killeen (then called Palo Alto, an Indian word meaning high trees) was named for F P. KILLEEN, secretary of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railway. The principal streams in Bell County are the Leon, Lampasas, Salado (Salou) and Cowhouse. The first three streams run together about five miles southeast of Belton and become what is known as Little River. The first water mill in Bell County was owned by Robert CHILDRES and Tom WALDON in 1847. It was located on the Lampasas river about four and half miles from Belton. Salado had a number of Mills located on the "Salou" below the town. The springs boiled up four and five feet in air furnishing an abundant supply of water to turn the wheels. The mills were from a half mile to a mile and a half apart. The DAVIS mill, Colonel JONES mill, STINNETT'S mill, Ira JONES mill, FERGUSON'S mill, DULANEY'S mill, SUMMERS'S mill and "Mote" SMITH'S mill were all built between 1850 and 1868. The DAVI S mill was located at Salado. Wheat and corn were ground at the DAVIS mill. A cotton gin and a sawmill were added later. Cotton was carded to prepare matured for the manufacturing the Confederate uniforms and "raw hide" lumber was made for the necessary building in the community. Col. JONES was the first man to add a water power gin to his mill in 1870. Several were added to the mills after that time. All of the machinery was hauled in from Houston on ox wagons. Modern gins have been placed where some of the old mills stood while some have been destroyed and there is nothing left but the remains of the old machinery or stones from the mills. Bell County's eighty years of history is one that most any county would be proud of not for the things accomplished in the past but for the steady growth and the sunny outlook for the future with its good roads, school, hospitals, modern hotels and homes, growth in agriculture, dairy farming, yarn mills, oil mills, gins and for the rapid progress in general. The population for Bell County now hovers around 50, 000 with an assessed valuation of $30,000,000 which is forty per cent real valuation.

Portraits sought O f Past Officers In Bell County-Sheriff BIGHAM and Judge Few BREWSTER seek Pictures of Early Officials-Belton, Nov. 1-Memories of early days in Bell County are being brought back by the efforts of Sheriff John R. BIGHAM and District Judge Few BREWSTER to gather portraits of all former sheriffs and district judges. The dim longhand records in the courthouse list a number of names of men who have held these positions, but the portraits to be given places of honor in the courthouse will be more interesting. Sheriff John R. BIGHAM has obtained pictures of several ex-sheriffs, and has had the promise of others. He has the pictures of Sam SPARKS, and Sam SPARKS, Jr., and the picture of W. E. HALL is nearly ready. District Judge Few BREWSTER has gathered the pictures of several district judges, dating back to the year 1897. The pictures are of John M. FURMAN-1897-1909; John B. ROBINSON, 1900-1916; F. M. SPANN, 1916-1921; M. B. BLAIR, 1921-1923 and Lewis JONES, 1923-1929. The office of the sheriff was created when Bell County was organized in 1851. Wm. REED was the first sheriff, serving during 1851 and 1852. The first court was held in April 7, 1851, with Judge R. E. B. BAYLOR on the bench. A. T. MCCORCLE was elected sheriff in 1852and served until 1854. S. A. OGLE served from 1854 to 1856, and Wm. REED was elected for his second term in 1856 and served until 1858. During all these administrations R. E. B. BAYLOR was district judge. The next district judge was N. W. BATTLE who served from 1858-1862. During his administration Joseph CATER and George W. WADE served two years each as sheriff. Under the judgeship of W. Y. MCFARLAND as district judge, E. F. SEE was sheriff from 1863 to 1864, and Oliver H. BIGHAM from 1864-1866. Thomas HARRISON was judge from 1866 to 1868, John HALPAIN served as sheriff for a short time in 1866, and was succeeded in office by William REDMAN who served until 1868. A. J. EVANS was district judge from 1868-1870, and during this period Bell County had three sheriffs; J. M. KISER 1868-69; A. L. HOUSTON 1869 and George F. WAYNE 1869. No cause of this multiplicity of sheriff was indicated in the court records. J. P. OSTERHOUT was district judge from 1870-78. W. J. LONG, 1870-74; R. B. HALLEY, 1874-76; and S. W. RATHER 1876-78 were the sheriffs during this time. L. C. ALEXANDER, 1878-80 was district judge for one term, and W. E. HALL was sheriff during the same time. B. W. RIMES was elected district judge in 1880, and W. S. BLANTON was elected sheriff. BLANTON served as sheriff for one term, surrendering the office in 1882 to J. SWAN BIGHAM who served as sheriff from June to December of that year to be succeeded by R. W. FULWILER who served two terms. In 1886 S.A. SPARKS was elected and served until his death in 1897. He was succeeded by L. J. TANKERSLEY who served out his unexpired term. Sam SPARKS, Jr. was elected in 1898 and served till 1904 as sheriff. Dr. C. BURKES succeeded the younger SPARKS an deserved six years until 1910. J. B. BLAIR came into the sheriff's office in 1910 and served till 1914. Hugh SMITH served from 1914 to 1920. A. W. BONDS served from 1920 to 1924 and was succeeded in 1924 by John R. BIGHAM who was recently elected for his fourth term. S. A. SPARKS held the office longer than any other sheriff. John R. BIGHAM, the present incumbent comes next to SPARKS in point of time in office. John R. BIGHAM who is collecting the data concerning the ex-sheriff's is the third member of the BIGHAM clan to serve as sheriff of Bell County. Only in recent years have long terms in the sheriff's office been prevalent. This would indicate to some that the early perils of the office forbade frequent application for the office. Then on the other hand in this modern age of machine-guns and sawed off shotguns, a sheriff has a chance to "cash in his checks" almost as often as in the old days "when men drew from the hip," and a .45 was the law of the land.

Colors Around Old man Moon Cause of Weather Speculation-a weirdly beautiful rainbow of light encircled the moon last evening, attracting the attention of many. The new moon had the prismatically colored circlet in very bright colors early in the evening but later the "rainbow 'round his shoulder" shrunk and the colors grew dimmer. The man in the moon was apparently smiling his grotesquely angular features resting in pleasant sleep. The round rainbow was of a radius about 10 times as great as that of the moon. Next to the quarter moon was a bright field of yellowish white with a red fringe. Inside were browns and the rest of the colors with violet and deep blue predominating and another red ring on the outside. It was a most awe-inspiring sight and the most sophisticated were a bit shaky as they gazed at the heavenly wonder or phenoma, apparently caused by particles of mist or moisture in the upper heavens. Weather superstitions were recalled but none fit: "pale moon doth rain, red moon doth blow, white moon neither rain now snow;" "rainbow at night, sailor's delight;" "shrinking ring around the moon indicates rain," and "circle around moon means storms, number of stars inside number of days until the storm." A halo, says Noah WEBSTER, is a circle or crown of reflected or deflected light from sun or moon, with a red ring on the inside. So this apparently was a carona, which isn't so particular about the red ring.

Book 4 page 41

Father of "Ma" Ferguson Cleaned Up The Neighbors When He Brought In His Well-by Ruth GARRISON FRANCIS-Bell County still has hot days in the summer, but somehow they don't seem nearly so hot as they did back in the early nineties. Perhaps it is due to modern conveniences. Those early nineties knew long hot days when cattle stood around panting, too miserable to try to graze. Finally the hour came for someone to drive them through several neighboring farms to some obliging farmers river front water hole. For a short time there was respite, and relief in standing deep in the cooling water. Then came the weary drive back through the late summer afternoon. Night brought a short interval of peace from heat and flies, then the whole process had to be repeated again. The dumb beasts were not the only ones who suffered either. Picture John JONES coming home after a morning of hard work in the field thinking how good a cool drink from the old cypress bucket and gourd dipper sitting on the wash shelf was going to taste and about how he was going to douse his face and head in a whole bucketful of water to try to drive off some of the heat of the morning's work. He reaches for the gourd and dips it into the bucket. "What! The Bucket is nearly empty. Those lazy kids! Mary is too easy on them." As he turns to look for one of the offending youngsters to send to the well. Add Mary to the picture as she comes out of the kitchen door mopping her face on her checked apron. "Be careful of that water, John, " she warns. There ain't more than two more buckets full in the well. I reckon we can make out for the rest of the day, but you'll have to start hauling from some of the neighbor's this afternoon late." If there was a good supply of water at some near neighbors that remark ushered in days of making water sleds which, with one horse to pull them. Ran on two low runners and carried one or two large wooden barrels-empty whiskey barrels were in demand for this purpose. If the water had to be hauled from a distance, then a regular wagon was used, and sometimes as many as four barrels were carried on the water wagon. Each barrel was covered with a heavy tow sack held on by a barrel hoop. These sacks, in addition to protecting the water in transit, served as a cover after the wagon was brought home and stopped under the shadiest tree available near the house. This water served for all human needs about the place, and was doled out drop by drop. It was just such a summer that caused "Uncle" Joe WALLACE, father of Ex-Governor Miriam a. FERGUSON of Temple and Mrs. M. P. MCELHANON of Belton, to decide to get a good well on his place in the Center Lake community just south of Holland, and now known as Center Oaks, or know the reason why. So he began to dig with a will. He was not to be satisfied with any little surface well; he dug and dug, and his perseverance was regarded with a real gusher of artesian water. The usual well cubs were futile in the face of the magnificent stream that flowed from that well, and since it was the first of its kind for miles around it took some time to get it even partially in had. The surplus simply overflowed and went where it found a low place, and soon there was a nice small lake there that did not dry up even in the hottest weather, and with a generosity characteristic of him, "Uncle Joe: placed this lake at the disposal of his neighbors, and the prairie cattle no longer had to take the long trip to the Little River, Salado, or Cold Springs branch for water. But that wasn't all; the whole community was invited to haul water from the WALLACE well, and they did not hesitate to make use of the privilege. Flowing water from a well was something of a novelty, and when the water haulers came for water, there were usually several women and children in the crowd. I was one of those children, and what a treat those water hauling trips were! And how clear that water flowing from the well was, and how cozy and cool to hot bare feet was the mud around the well! The greatest innovation came a few months later, however, when "Uncle Joe" built a row of bath houses and installed enameled tin bath tubs with running water over them. These baths were primarily for the WALLACE family, but they, too, were open to the neighborhood, a fact that seems less strange when one knows that three-fourths of people in the community were related. Water hauling became a real event, especially on Saturday. Saturday baths may be a standard joke, but they were a reality in those days. Real bathtubs were a rarity. In fact a bathtub even in the late nineties was viewed with rather universal distrust. Some held that to install such contraptions in the home was courting an early death from pneumonia or some such related ill; others held that a bath tub was relatively harmless, in itself, but that the ownership of one indicated a proud heart and extravagant taste on the part of the owner. "What did people do about getting clean?" I hear some of the younger generation ask. Frankly-at least in the sense that we know cleanness-they didn't. It is said that one famous European queen, Isabella of Spain-Columbus'girl friend-I think, boasted just before she died that she had had only three baths in her long and eventful life-one when she was born, and when she married, and the third at the time of her boast-just before she died. It may also startle some of the younger generation to know that the statute books of Massachusetts still carry a law forbidding a bathtub in any hotel or public rooming house in the state. Baths were approached timidly by even the most hardy. When Saturday night arrived, a large wash tub was brought in from the wash place. All the kettles were filled and placed on the kitchen stove, a nice new piece of soap was brought out, and the family was lined up beginning with the youngest. If it was winter, the younger members of the family would finish off the bath by rubbing their feet with tallow and toasting them before the fire before they tucked snugly in bed. I have forgotten just what the tallow was for, but I am sure that it had something to do with preventing colds. In the warm weather the old swimming hole relieved some of the Saturday night traffic jam, but even then the wash tub still held its own. In the face of all these opinions concerning baths and bathtubs the unqualified acceptance of "Uncle Joe" WALLACE'S bathhouse shows the respect the community had for his good judgment. The community didn't use them in the winter, but on summer Saturday afternoons the bath parade begun. Wagons loaded with barrels, women children, and bundles of clean clothes began to arrive early. There was always someone who had never seen a bath tub before. Of course there were the frankly curious, but there were also those who pretended to know about everything. The water from the well was pleasantly warm when it came out of the ground and there was no carrying water to fill, nor to empty the tubs afterward. Nor was there any constant warning of "Be careful now. Don't waste any of the water." There wasn't even any scolding if an experimenting child pulled the stopper out of the tub just to enjoy the gurgle the water made as it ran out. "Uncle Joe" WALLACE'S well issued in a new era of water conveniences. Everyone tried to get a flowing well, but if they failed in that, they dug a good deep well, installed cisterns, and where there were windmills larger storage tanks were put in. A number of homes piped water into the houses and put in bathtubs. A little later gasoline pumps brought water for general use up from the river and did away with driving stock to water in cases. In comparatively late years the name of the community has been changed to Center Oaks, and in it today one will find modern homes equipped with labor saving devices including good porcelain bath tubs, but nothing can equal the thrill that some of the older members of the community got out of those first old tin tubs at the WALLACE home.

Washington D. C.-The seat of government was formally transferred to Washington, Dec. 12, 1800. President WASHINGTON and Major PENFANT laid out the site of Washington in 1791. President WASHINGTON laid the corner stone of the capitol, Set. 18, 1793. The commissioners appointed by President WASHINGTON in 1790 to secure plans for a capitol offered $500 in cash and a building lot for the best plans submitted. A. William THORNTON from the West Indies, George HADFIELD of England, Stephen HALLET, a Frenchman and John HOBAN, an Irishman, did the first work in connection with the building. The first native architect was Charles BULFINCH of Boston, who built the old dome, the rotunda and the library. On August 24, 1814 a British army took possession of the city and burned the capitol and other public buildings. Benjamin LAFROBE an English architect rebuilt the capitol. In 1850, congress decided to replace the old wings, of the capitol by new ones. Thomas U. WALTER of Philadelphia was selected as architect, and the work was in progress throughout the civil war. Walter removed the original dome and replaced it with the present one, 287 feet above the base line, 135 feet the diameter of the base line. It is of iron, constructed to expand and contract with temperature variations. Funds for the original construction of the president's house (White House) were raised from the sale of lots in the city and from moneys furnished by Maryland and Virginia. In April 1800 congress appropriated $15, 000 for furniture in the President's house so that President and Mrs. ADAMS could move in. President ADAMS, the first occupant of the White House, moved in Nov. 1800.

Book 4 page 42

Nolan Creek Holds Many Memories of Early Days-by Maurine EVANS (Baylor College Student)-Nolan creek, a small but beautiful stream running through the center of the historic old town of Belton, has seen and heard much of the early life of Bell County. If it could speak and tell of the things it has seen and heard it would provide a most interesting story. Although now a very quiet, lazy little stream winding its slow course through the city, it has had a vital part in the history of the county. Named after an Irish-American adventurer, Philip NOLAN, who was killed by the Mexicans before Texas existed as a state, the creek has seen and heard many exciting things and has even played an important, part in some of them. When the early settlers of Belton decided that the square should be graded, they also decided that they would take the gravel from the bed of Nolan Creek. Moving the hitching racks which had formerly been in the center of the square and then hauling the gravel for the grading on a two wheeled-cart, drawn by steers, was not a little task, but it was an event which has meant much in the further development of Belton. Since that time, Nolan creek has become the favorite retreat for people of Belton. Every holiday finds a host of Baylor College students on its banks, celebrating with a picnic, oyster or wiener fry or merely enjoying the beauties of nature, for this creek is one of the beauty spots of Central Texas. During the winter ornithology students find it a good place to observe the birds as they come and go, and in the early fall sophomores declare that it is a good place to hold freshman initiation. Some of the teachers even deign to spend their holidays on the creek and often a group of them may be seen having their picnics or excursions there. Long trenches in the bottom of the creek make it an ideal place to wade-especially when excitement is wanted. Walking is a treacherous process in the bed of this creek and the attempt often ends in a complete soaking of clothes for the one who tries it, a feat which always adds to the fun of the spectators. The overflow of Nolan creek in the early fifties was probably one of the most exciting events in the history of this little stream. A great water spout fell eight or 10 miles above Belton on the north and south branches of Nolan creek on April 3, 1853, according to an account given by one of the settlers at a reunion here years ago. The water reached Belton abut midnight and although most of the people had heard about the rise of the creek and had fled earlier in the evening one boy was left behind. When he awoke he found the waters creeping up around the sides of the house. It was only with great difficulty that he got to the top of the barn and spent the remainder of the night there. He was able to reach land the next morning only after the barn itself was swept downstream to a favorable landing place. Those who have seen the peaceful little stream as it is today cannot imagine the terrific force with which it swept through the town, carrying buildings, rocks and even trees with it. Nine houses were swept away and the entire contents of all of them were destroyed. Many animals, particularly horses and cows were drowned, although some of them managed to swim through the flood to land. It was considered marvelous that no human life was lost. Many other things of interest have happened on the Nolan creek and will continue to take place there. Today the creek holds an important place in the memory of graduates and students of Baylor College as well as the people of Belton.

Mrs. TOWNSEND to be Honored Today at Baylor Chapel-Has been inspiration of Cottage Home and Land Fund-(Note by submitter: This article was hand dated 1931 by Nannie)-Belton, May 24 (Spl.)-Mrs. Elli MOORE TOWNSEND, who will be honored Monday at 11 a.m. by a chapel service by the alumnae and the students, is ending her 50th year as a member of the faculty and worker for Baylor College. During these years Mrs. TOWNSEND has organized the cottage home system, which a estimated to have enabled more than 10,000 girls to acquire an education and has also been largely responsible for the raising of the loan fund of approximately $130.000. Mrs. TOWNSEND was graduate from Baylor College in 1879 at Independence. She taught in a private school and also did special College work in Philadelphia. Mrs. TOWNSEND returned in 1881 to Baylor College at old Independence. For 12 years she taught in the College and then resigned to dedicate her life to the establishment of what is now the cottage home. In 1928 a booklet, "Thirty-Six Years of the Cottage Home History" by Lizzie TAYLOR COLE was published. In this Mrs. TOWNSEND is quoted as saying that "my 12 years experience as a teacher in Baylor College has brought before me constantly ambitious girls without means struggling to educate themselves. My heart went out in deepest sympathy for them." In 1892 with the aid of friends she was able to obtain a lot across the street from the college and bought lumber for the first cottage, which accommodated 12 girls. The ideal of correct principles as the standard of living and the right kind of girls has been worked toward all of these 39 years and the watchword has been economy in the management. It cost $82 a year at the beginning to maintain a girl in the cottage and pay her tuition. This seemed small but it was more than some could pay at the time. Mrs. TOWNSEND saw the need of the loan fund and she availed herself of the generosity of friends, the sympathy of charitable men and women over the state, and the vast opportunity offered by life insurance companies to enterprises of this kind. It was because of the demand for admittance in the cottages that money was raised to build Ely-Pepper and Ruth STRIBLING dormitories, which will accommodate 336 students, and the cottages even more students. Through the efforts of the Rev. E. C. ELY, a fund sufficient for a new building was procured in 1904. The largest personal contribution to the fund was made by J. H. PEPPER, who for many years was a trustee of the cottage home and of Baylor. This first permanent building of the cottage home system was named in honor of the two men who contributed so much toward its success. The cornerstone was laid March 2, 1905. The second permanent building was made possible through the efforts of Doctor and Mrs. TOWNSEND who obtained a gift of $50.000 from J. C. STRIBLING, and named the building in honor of his daughter, Ruth STIBLING, a Baylor girl. The loan fund, which has been named "Elli MOORE TOWNSEND Loan Fund" by Baylor trustees, enables each year more than 180 girls who otherwise would have been denied a college education, to be in college. Besides the Elli MOORE TOWNSEND loan fund there is the general fund of the college but under it are such funds as the "Martha DOWELL MAIDEN fund," the Training School fund," "Baylor Daughters' fund," and "Preachers Daughters' fund." This fund will lend one-third of the tuition to freshmen, during their first year at college, one-half to the sophomores, two-thirds to the juniors, and the entire tuition to the seniors, provided they have been Baylor College students before. No students except those that are living in the cottage home system are eligible to receive loans from this fund. Practically all the work of the college is done by students. This takes in the steam laundry, household duties, which include serving tables in both Ely-Pepper and Hardy dining rooms cooking in Ely-Pepper system, washing dishes and sweeping. Other duties are: helping in homes by caring for children and doing some of the house work, student assistants in the different departments and the academy, coaching, grading papers, and working in the offices and bookstore. "It is seldom that the founder of such a system is privileged to live to see her work grow and develop through a half a century. It is only in recent years that Mrs. TOWNSEND has had to give up some of the active work for the college in order to conserve her strength."

Book 4 page 43

February 2, 1930-Temple Telegram-Belton Pioneer Doesn't Believe In Patents After Acquiring Two-by Mozelle SMART-Belton, Feb. 1. (Spl)-Stories have been written about the pioneers of early days who blazed the trails into Texas and established homes, and fought Indians. But little has been said, if anything of the more modern settlers of this section. W. D. WOODRUFF, a more modern pioneer citizen of Belton plans to celebrate his 85th birthday Monday, Feb 3. WOODRUFF did not trust the old faithful ox to bring him to the heart of Texas to make his home and rear his family but arrived here Dec. 19, 1883, on the Katy. He was agent for the Missouri, Kansas, Texas railroad for two years and then worked for the Santa Fe for seven years, following his first two years here. After that time WOODRUFF was employed by the American Express company and worked for that organization for 22 years. He was then retried on a pension. The town of Belton did not spread out over very much territory in the early 80's according to WOODRUFF. "The land where Baylor College is now located was a dense woods," say WOODRUFF. "The land was donated to the college by citizens of Belton living here then. The big trees had to be cleared away before Luther HALL, destroyed by fire last year, could be erected. There were very few houses close to the college." WOODRUFF says that he did not take any chances with the desperadoes in the early days. He tells of one occasion when a bank brought several thousand dollars to him one afternoon too late to send off. "I signed for it before I thought about what I was doing and so that night I had to use a pillow for a vault. We had a safe in our office at the station, but a robber always goes to a safe to look for money so I just took it home with me. "When I came in and put it under my pillow of course my wife wanted to know what it was and after I told her I don't think she slept a wink that night for watching the windows." WOODRUFF spent his spare time when he was a young man inventing things. The first was a folding box. One that could be put together without nails and fastened with a screw. He spent over $300 to get a patent on it. The next was a belt. His suspenders worried him and he decide to remedy the situation. The third was a fruit carrier and he was prompted to this while running a small grocery store, after being retired from the express company. Out of 28 crates of tomatoes shipped in from the south he was only able to get eight crates out of the shipment because they were bruised so badly. A patent on the belt and fruit carrier cost him $150 each. He applied for a patent on the fourth, a card table. But before spending any money WOODRUFF hired two salesmen to sell the table. After a year and the salesmen were not successful he dropped the whole thing. "I just decided that one could get a patent on most anything and I told some of my friends I believed I could take my ax and chip a block of wood out of a tree and get a patent on it." WOODRUFF has a bedroom set in his possession that he has had for 62 years, and says that the has slept in the same bed during that time. It is beautiful hand carved old furniture of cherry wood and was WOODRUFF'S bridal present to his wife in 1867. The furniture came from Louisville, Ky., and cost several hundred dollars at that time. It is even more valuable now. WOODRUFF has one particular friend who is about four years old. She is Elizabeth FAGUY-COTE. Elizabeth pays him a visit every day and he always greets her with the words: "Well, Elizabeth, how is your good health today?" and Elizabeth answers in return: Well how is your bad health today?"

May 27 Is Anniversary of Battle On Bird's Creek-91 Years Ago Small Band of Rangers Defeated Powerful Comanches Near Here-Tuesday, May 27, is the 91st anniversary of the history battle on Bird's Creek here and it revives the question of where is intrepid Captain John BIRD buried. Many say that he is buried at Three Forks, six miles south of Temple, near the site of old Fort Griffin. Others say he was buried at the battle scene about two miles north of Temple on the creek named in his honor. Captain BIRD left Fort Milam at the falls of the Brazos with a company of 31 mounted rangers on a scouting expedition against depredating Indians who were constantly making forages on unprotected settlements around Fort Griffin in the locality. When he got to the fort at Three Forks, he was told the Indians had been seen near there that day. Dismounting they trailed the Indians five miles and found 27 Commanches skinning buffaloes. They charge the red men who scattered and fled. About three miles further they pursued the main group and suddenly found a big army of Indians ready for battle. The rangers charged them and routed them. The Texans started back and as they were in a skirt of timber on what is now Bird's Creek about two miles northwest of the present town of Temple, 40 Indians charged them. They sought protection of a ravine and the fight was on. The Indian forces grew to about 300. Painted demons led by the famous chief Buffalo Hump filled the hills around the little ravine. They charged but the white men remained cool and gave them a deadly reception. The Indians retreated and then charged again. The battle raged all afternoon. Captain BIRD dying early in the conflict and five others being wounded or killed. A young German, James ROBINETT, took command and swore he would kill the chief and stop the battle. This he did as the chief in full uniform, immense head dress of buffalo horns and mounted on a fine horse rode out in ludierous but formidable fashion. The fight soon ended and the Indians left. The Indian loss was about 100 killed. Historical sketches say the five rangers killed were buried side by side on the bank of Little River at Three Forks near the site of Fort Griffin. There has long been proposed a search of these graves and erection of a monument but this idea has never been carried out.

Book 4 page 44

Pneumonia is Fatal to Man Here 63 Years-Succumbs to Week's Illness Saturday Morning at Home-Funeral Sunday-Services to be Held at 3 p.m. From Family Residence-(Note by submitter: Nannie hand dated this article, Jan 1930)

Peter HAMMERSMITH, 86, resident of Bell County for 63 years, died at his home, 902 South forty-seventh street, Saturday at 3:45 a.m., after an illness of a week. He had been up and active until he contracted a cold which developed into pneumonia a week ago. He served through the civil war and came to Belton as a young man in 1866 and through industry, honesty, and application to his business rose to a position of influence and means in the community long before he retired from active business. Funeral service will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. at the family residence with burial in the North Belton cemetery. Peter HAMMERSMITH was born in Mannheim, Bavaria, Germany, Nov. 15, 1843. He was the eldest son of Philip and Susie HAMMERSMITH and was the last surviving member of his family. In March, 1859, at the age of 15, he left Germany and came to America with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles HAMMERSMITH. The trip across the Atlantic was made by a sail boat, taking 44 days, landing at New Orleans. The proceeded to Ripley, Miss., to join other relatives and there he made his home until April, 1861, when he enlisted in the Confederate army under Colonel FAULKES, Co. B., Second Mississippi regiment. In the war he went to Corinth, then to Lynchburg and on the Harper's Ferry. He was in the first battle of Manassas and received a wound in the left hand which disabled him for service for several months. The doctors insisted on amputating his hand but he refused to let them do so, saying he would rather die than give up his hand. After many weeks of suffering he became too weak to go about and was sent to White Sulphur Springs, Va., where he remained until January, 1862, when he again joined his company. The next engagement was a Seven Pines (or Fair Oaks), May 31, 1862. In June he was in the seven-day fight before Richmond, on this occasion marching all day barefooted from Stanton to Richmond. On Sept. 17, he was in the battle of Sharpsburg. At Gettysburg he received a slight wound and was captured, being held prisoner at Fort Delaware until June 12, 1865. After the close of the war he went back to Mississippi and stayed until October, 1866. Leaving Mississippi, he came back to Belton, Tex., by way of New Orleans, Galveston by rail to Bryan, then on a freight wagon until he got within a few miles of Belton. The driver was not going on to Belton that day so he walked the rest of the way into Belton. Arriving in Belton the latter part of October, 1866 he began work as a shoemaker and continued at this until 1884 when he established the HAMMERSMITH shoe store. In 1904 he retired from the shoe business. While engaged in business in Belton he also served as alderman, city treasurer and school trustee of Belton. He was a member of the Methodist church. In 1868 he married to Miss Minerva BURRIS, daughter of J. C. BURRIS. She died Nov. 7, 1890. There were 11 children, five dying while young. Charlie HAMMERSMITH died Jan. 1, 1905. Roy HAMMERSMITH died March 24, 1928. The four surviving children are: John P. HAMMERSMITH and W. P. HAMMERSMITH of Houston and Mrs. C. E. METCALF and Byron HAMMERSMITH of Belton. There are six grandchildren: Roy W., Harris and May Walker HAMMERSMITH and Mrs. C. E. KIEVLAN of Houston; Mrs. Dillard ANDERSON of Wichita Falls and Eleanor Elizabeth METCALF; and six great grandchildren. He was married to Miss Laura FOWLER in December, 1891. She preceded him in death in December of 1911. On Sept. 25, 1912, he was married to Miss Bell MITCHELL, daughter of J. E. MITCHELL of Belton. In 1914 they moved to Temple where they have since made their home. Funeral services will be held at the family residence Sunday at 3 p.m. conducted by Rev. T Edgar NEAL assisted by Dr. E. G. TOWNSEND. Interment will be in the North Belton cemetery. Active pallbearers will be: S.M. RAY, Jr., Lattimore UPSHAW, Robert JAMES, W. Leslie MITCHELL, Victor MEANS of Belton, P. L. DOWNS, Jr., Chas. S. COX and E. J. SLUBICKI of Temple. Honorary pallbearers will be: Belton-W. W. JAMES, Ghent CARPENTER, Dr. Taylor HUDSON, Thomas YARRELL, S. M. RAY, A. D. POTTS, C. P. LITTLE, T. L, MEANS, W. S. HUNTER, Tom HUGHES, W. E. CLINE, Norman AUSTIN, R. E. TULLOCH, Fred MUEHLHAUSE, A. J. EMBREE, E. EMBREE, Louis TYLER, George CASKEY, A. L. CURTIS, S. W. MILLER, Dr. A. E. BALLARD, Dr. J. M. FRAZIER, W. A. HARGETT, Dr. M. P. MCELHANNON, W.S. SHIPP, Nute PROCTER, W. A. GILMER, W. P. DENMAN, A. L. MONTEITH, A. R. RAY, C. B WADE, J. M. SCOTT, W. H. BIRDWELL, Jesse BLAIR, Harry COCHRAN, A.G. VICK, F. W. GUFFY, B. R. STOCKING, H. C. GARRISON, E. M. HATCHER, J. T. PRYOR, P. T. MOREY, V. NIGRO, O.P. CARPENTER, R. E. SUTTON, E. E. UPSHAW, Dr. E. G. TOWNSEND, W. D. WOODRUFF, Ben BROWN, Dr. J. W. PITTMAN, Frank BURFORD, John DICE, Mr. KILLINGSWORTH, John WALLACE, Pink DAVIS, J. M. CARPENTER, Will HARTRICK, John SHEA, J. E. MITCHELL, A. Roy MITCHELL. Temple-A. L. FLINT, E. H. WYNNE, I. W. CULP, C. D. SEYBOLD, Y. Q. BAKER, Chas. M. CAMPBELL, W. R. BROWN, E. W. L. HARTMANN, Lem BURR, Col. P. L. DOWNS, F. F. DOWNS, W. E. HALL, F. L. DENISON, Frank DOERING, W. O. COX, Ed MCCELVEY, Dr. T. F. BUNKLEY, Dr. O. F. GOBER, Dr. A. C. SCOTT, Dr. R. W. BARTON, Dr. J. S. MCCELVEY, Dr. J. M. WOODSON, C. B. HUTCHISON, Rev. C. W. PEYTON, John R. LAYNE, Jim PATON, J. A. TALLEY, J. A. HEWETT, Capt. J. J. ADMAS, J. H. DAVIS, N. A. ENSOR, J. A. FLETCHER, J. C. MITCHELL, Ed KNIGHT, Joe KNIGHT, Jim KNIGHT, A. F. BENTLEY, all members of the Confederate veteran. A. L. LOCKWOOD, F. E. REDWINE, W. B. SLATON, Tahoka; T. B. BENSON, Bartlett; Eugene FOWLER, Davilla; W. B. THOMAS, Frank REED and F. M. ASHCRAFT, Rogers; J. W. CARTER, Walter MONTEITH, Edgar MONTEITH, Dr. Henry GRAVES, Dr. Marvin L. GRAVES, Kyle HAMBLEN, Houston; Dr. Vol REED, Austin; Seymour ROSE, Salado; M. E. MONEY, Smithville; Tom SAMPSON, Cameron; Brown F. LEE, San Angelo; T. J. MOSELY, Mr. STEWART, P. A. RITTER, Dallas; George A. SMITH, Waco; T. T. MOORE, Rogers.

Book 4 page 45

The Belton Journal, Thursday, Feb. 6, 1930-Turning Back the Pages of Fair Belton's Early Days and Events- by Mrs. W. K. SAUNDERS-The Journal is obligated to Mrs. W. K. SAUNDERS for the following excellent bit of Belton's early history, as she recalls it as a little girl. The days the writer refers to were turbulent in spots, justice was swift and sure and vigilance committees frequently attended necktie parties at which confessed horse thieves supplied the decorations for sturdy live oak trees, one of such incidents being recorded below. From a village in the wilderness, Belton has grown not by leaps and bounds, but by a steady, substantial growth, to one of the most important cities in this section of the state, and we who live here now are permitted to enjoy the peace and freedom for which these pioneers paved the way. Following is Mrs. SAUNDERS' article: "Belton, Texas April 7, 1872." How many Bell County people remember this date and the disastrous hail storm which stuck this town just before midnight this same date. The VANDIVER family arrived here only a few hours ahead of that memorable storm. We, the aforesaid family, consisting of four children and the father and mother, were in camps with several other families, immigrants, on the hill now known as Leon Heights. Nothing injurious happened to any of us, and early the next morning, with the aid of two of Belton's best physicians, Dr. J. W. HUDSON and Dr. P. H. MALLORY, who were out in their buggies making calls on patients, assisted my father in securing a little home over our heads, just north of the old Masonic hall, where we lived a month before moving out near the old Ben LEE place, on the south side. Belton was one forlorn-looking place until all the window glass had been replaced in the buildings on the north side-business houses and residences as well. In 1872 Belton was bound on the north by the homes of Capt. W. S. RATHER and Judge OSTERHOUT; on the east by Judge Erasmus WALKER, Mrs. Naney BIGHAM and the old Bob MILLER homes-not by Temple suburbs. The Leon river was there to the east, too, with a tall bridge over it in 1872. On the south side we had Salado, after crossing the Lampasas river, but we are not at this writing telling you of this town of cultured homes and the finest college in Texas at that time. West of Belton we were proud of Shelton Springs with its lovely mosses, ferns and water cress. Nearby lived J. J. ROBERTSON, in a large, two story home on the bank of Nolan creek. Near town was the old Judge MCFALAND home, partially of stone construction, which still remains. In the extreme northwest of town was Capt. A. J. HARRIS, estate, then with a two story stone residence thereon, which is at the present day an annex of Baylor College and the president's home. This was originally "Uncle" Billie BLAIR'S home during the Civil War days and just afterward. So much for the environs of this town. Now let us take a look at the "public square," as it has always has been called. As we remember it. A small two-story rock building, which served for opera house, ballroom and church, as well as for law and order. Speaking of law and order, with no undue reflection on this pioneer village, let us say we also had a stone jail upon Pearl street, situated on the bank of Nolan Creek (which still stands, and is in use to this day) Before our first year of residence was ended here, an event of our early pioneer days transpired in this jail. A mob, not of lawless men, but of misguided citizens wanting to dispose quickly of nine horse thieves confined at one time in this jail broke into the jail one night, stood every horse thief against the stone wall inside the building and shot them to death. I was only a little girl then, but can remember hearing the shots now. We lived only two blocks above the jail, on Pearl street, at this time. Our entire family was up and dressed, not knowing what might happen next. Not daring to turn on a light, as we could see the "picket" on duty up and down the street in front of our home. My father being a stranger here, needed to be watched. We soon forgot it all and we can again resume our peaceful pursuits. Will you return to the courthouse square with me, and remember this is only a child's recollections. Many of our best people, who have "gone on," lived on the square: the H. C. DENNY family, the D. A. CHAMBERLAIN family, and later on we find P. T. MOREY and wife living over his hardware store, on East street. Down on the avenue, we find the MCWHORTERS, Mrs. KINGSBURY, the BOULDINS and not far away the A. D. POTTS family. While out walking one Sunday afternoon with my sister down about where COCHRAN, BLAIR & POTTS' store is now, we had just remarked how we did wish our father would buy us a home down there, when we met several family cows grazing leisurely on the side walk. My sister then remarked, "Oh, no, we don't want a home down here; you see this is a pasture." Another most wonderful thing we saw growing fields of the tallest corn we had ever beheld. Let me mention a few: The KEGLEY corn patch on the land between the Belton Hotel and the Park Hotel and between First and Second avenue, south; the MCILHENNEYS were living on Main street on the block which the Tyler Ward School now occupies and they had a phenomenal corn patch; another very noted corn field was one of 12 acres owned by T. A. SUPPLE over west of Belton. Theodore SUPPLE went to war and was killed on the banks of the Sabine river in 1865. Many changes have taken place throughout the years, but all is only a memory, and very dear to my heart are these scenes of my childhood. "When fond recollections present them to view,"-The only survivor of this family, Nannie VANDIVER SAUDNERS.

Charley LOCKHART-The smallest Treasurer- 4.5 inches tall.

Book 4 page 46

Historic Battle of San Jacinto Is Recounted-650 Mexicans Killed, Four Casualties Among Texans; In Old Missive Combatant-by John R. LUNSFORT-an interesting historical document, appropriate to the great anniversary which Texas celebrated Tuesday, April 21, is a letter written by a soldier of Sam HOUSTON'S army April 22, 1836, the day after the battle of San Jacinto. In this letter the Texas soldier tells his brother the story of that historic engagement in simple words. It is in the view of a modern city editor, a "story hot off the bat." The letter here quoted is in the possession of Miss Mollie TURNER of Eldorado, Texas, who permitted its publication sometime ago. The writer of the letter was W. C. SWEARINGEN, one of the gallant Kentuckians who hurried to the aid of Texas in her struggle for independence from the tyranny and oppression of Santa Anna the Mexican dictator. He wrote it to his brother Leniel SWEARINGEN, at Scottsville, Ky., and his tale of what happened on the historic field of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, is a tale "unadorned" by rhetorical flourishes, boasting or gloating over the bloody rout suffered by Santa Anna's army at the hands of less than 1,000 liberty loving Texans. It will be noted that the spelling of name and localities, now familiar to every Texas school pupil seems to have been phonetic, as the writer doubtless was unacquainted with the Mexican language and the geographical titles of streams and place in the land for whose freedom he was fighting. The name of the Brazos river is spelled "Brasas," Buffalo Bayou, on the banks of which the battle was fought, becomes to him "Buffaloe Biuea" and Lynch's ferry is "Linches ferry." These designations were not due to illiteracy, as the text of the letter show SWEARINGEN to have been an educated and observing person. In his letter to his brother he refers to the important part played in the battle with Santa Anna by the two four-pound cannon presented to the Texas patriots by the ladies of Cincinnati. SWEARINGEN also goes into reportorial detail as to exact time and location of the important episodes of that memorable day when Texas achieved her freedom. He "covers" the happenings and movements of the days immediately preceding the battle in a way that shows he was "on the spot" when these thrilling historic incidents were happening. In one brief paragraph he tells of HOUSTON going "in front of his men" when he ordered the charge, of his being wounded and his horse killed. As an example of newspaper reportorial work SWEARINGEN'S letter to his brother may be taken as a lesson by journalistic students, ambitious to attain excellency in newsgathering and news writing. This history-reciting letter is given in full here as it was permitted to be published by Miss TURNER: "Texas Buffaloe Bieau, April 22nd 1836,

Dear Brother: In my last letter I informed you that I should start the next day for Gen. HOUSTON'S camp and joined him on the Colorado River. The Mexican army was then encamped on the opposite side of the river 3,000 strong. HOUSTON'S army was, including our two companies, 1, 372 men. The next day after we joined him he commenced a retreat back on the Brasas, 15 miles above the town of San Felipe de Austin, which Gen. HOUSTON had burnt. The second day after the site of San Felipe was occupied by the Mexican army, Gen. HOUSTON stationed three companies on the river opposite the town to prevent their crossing. Santa Anna sent a detachment of 500 men to a ferry below San Felipe, called Fort Bend, and crossed them over and then sent the remainder down to the same place and crossed his whole force. Santa Anna stationed 2, 500 men at Fort Bend and took 500 of his veterans and one heavy brass nine-pounder and pushed on to Harrisburg, on his way to Buffaloe Bieau, 25 miles form Fort Bend, on his way to Galveston Island, the only port the Texans now have in their possession. HOUSTON immediately crossed the Brasas and took up his march for Harrisburg, distant 57 miles. We got to the bieau opposite Harrisburg in the evening and Santa Anna had left it that morning for Linches ferry on the road to Galveston. Nest morning our spies brought in the Mexican mail rider, and the mail from which we learned that Santa Anna was with the army in person. Gen. HOUSTON had been compelled to give furlows to upwards of 200 men to go and carry their families beyond the Trinity for security, and one entire company that was let opposite San Felipe went home instead of joining us on our march. When we reached Buffaloe Bieau we had 810 men, and before we were through examining the letters, our spies that crossed the bieau brought in the colonel commanding the Mexican cavalry, with a letter from COS to Santa Anna, stating that he would start the next morning from Fort Bend with 650 men to join him at Linches ferry on Buffaloe Bieau. Gen. HOUSTON knew that Santa Anna had gone by way of New Washington on the bay to destroy that place, and then to march up the bieau to Linches ferry and join COS and march on to Galveston and take it before HOUSTON could find where he was, leaving the main body at Fort Bend to amuse HOUSTON. Gen. HOUSTON crossed the bieau the next day with 520 men and the two four-pounders that reached us on the march from the Brasas, and left the balance to take care of our baggage and look after the camp. We lay in the bushes on the road to watch COS and the 650 men which were expected to past that day but did not. As soon as it became dark we commenced a rapid march for Linches ferry, calculating that Santa Anna would not cross the bieau until the arrival of Gen. COS. At 2 o'clock a.m. we halted within two and a half miles of Linches ferry. At sunrise on the 20th ultimo we formed our line of battle and proceeded to the ferry. When we reached the ferry we found that Santa Anna had not yet reached there but was on his way up from Washington. HOUSTON picked his ground, placed his me, gave them his orders, then made them stack their arms in their places and told them to eat their breakfast and be ready to receive them about 11 o'clock a.m. They came in sight drawn up in line, 400 infantry and 100 horses with their nine-pounder in the center of their infantry. At 350 yards distance they opened on what few they could see of us with their cannon, charge with grape and canister shot, but we were protected by the timber and sustained no injury, except one man slightly wounded. They did not know that we had a cannon and their fire was not returned until their infantry commenced their fire with musketry. We then commence with our cannon, hoping they would charge with their infantry to take them, and by that means we would cut them off and if possible, take Santa Ann prisoner, or kill him. They retreated form our fourth fire of the cannon to a small wood in our front where their cannon was planted and kept up a fire with their cannon until 1 o'clock p.m. when they fell back to piece of high prairie in front and immediately commenced fortifying with brush, baggage, etc. HOUSTON then determined to come out in the plain and engage them. The cavalry was sent out to draw the enemy from cover but we could not get them to attack us. It being late in the afternoon, HOUSTON decided to defer attacking them until morning, and marching into camp that night, COS arrived with his 650 men and joined Santa Anna making his force 1, 150. Santa Anna then considered HOUSTON and Texas were in his power, with no chance to escape, and that he would let COS and his men rest one day and on the morning of the 22nd seal the death warrant of Texas by the destruction of HOUSTON and the only men Texas had in the field. At half past 3 o'clock of the 21st ultimo we left our camp and attacked him leaving one company of 38 men in camp. Our cavalry, about 110 strong, was posted on the right, the two companies of volunteers on our left and the militia on the left. Opposite the woods, about 300 yards in their front, was a bottom that protected us from their cannon. In that hollow we formed our line, with our two four-pound cannon (presented to Texas by the ladies of Cincinnati, Ohio), in the rear of the regulars, with orders as soon as they ascertained where their cannon was planted, to open fire on it and keep up the advance with the infantry, ordered to trail arms, and advance within 50 yards of the enemy before we fired. As soon as we gained the level they commenced on our company with grape and canister shot. We rushed on it quick to within 50 yards a heavy fire of grape canister and musketry. Our riflemen having nearly 100 yards to go than we had commenced the action with small arms before we did with our muskets. The musketry and riflemen kept advancing as they fired. When within about 20 steps of the enemy's line, we were ordered to charge with the bayonets. As soon as we were ordered to the charge and brought our guns to the proper position the enemy gave way, except about 60 men around the cannon and protected by a breast work of corn sacks, salt barrels of meal and boxes of canister shot. They fell by the bayonet and swam in one mangled heap from that time until they reached the bieau. It was nothing but slaughter. They at first attempted to swim the bieau, but they were surrounded by our men and they shot every one that attempted to swim the bieau as soon as they took to the water, and they that remained they killed as fast as they could load and shoot them until they surrendered. The enemy lost between 620 and 700 killed dead on the field and in the bieau, 480 prisoners among whom was Santa Anna H-I-M-S-E-L-F, his private secretary, and the next in command to Santa Anna, DeSavala. Ten of his field officers were dead. At the head of them is General Cos. There are more than half of our prisoners wounded. Our loss was four men killed dead and 23 wounded, three have since died and there is one more that will die in two days at most. The balance will all get well. General HOUSTON, when he ordered the charge, went in front of his men. He was shot though the ankle between the bone and the heal string, and his horse was killed. To see the number, the position and the termination, and the time in which it was done (time 18 minutes) it at once shows that the hand of Providence was with us. I shall be in Kentucky early in the fall. Kiss William for me and tell him Pappy will be there in the fall and stay with him always and that he must be a good boy. Santa Anna promises, if they will spare his life and his men, he will guarantee Texas free as far as they claim in the Declaration of Independence, Couriers start in the morning to order all Mexican troops to fall back on San Antonio and Gonzales until preliminaries are settled, and one after the president of Texas to come to our camp and treat with the tyrant, and his fate and that of Texas sealed, HOUSTON says that every man that was in the battle shall have two leagues, of land. The boat is going to start and I must stop. I will write again in a few days. I remain you affectionate brother, W. C. SWEARINGEN.

Book 4 page 47

October 24, 1927-Rev. PEYTON Observes Golden Anniversary of Beginning of Work as Minister in Belton-Old Times Recalled at service in County seat Yesterday-Early Congregation of Church There Has About Faded Away-Belton, Oct. 23-The fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of this pastorate of Rev. C. W. PEYTON was commemorated at the First Presbyterian church this morning with the sermon delivered by Rev. PEYTON who began his ministry in October 1877 and continued pastor of the church for a little more than seven years. Rev. PEYTON now of Temple, was the first resident minister of the Belton Church which had been organized seventeen years before and during his pastorate the first church building owned by the Presbyterians, in the this city was erected on North Pearl Street. Before taking up the lessons of the parables found in St. Matthew 13, Rev. PEYTON gave a brief but interesting review of the history of the church. The speaker stated that he had preached only two sermons in Texas before coming to Belton and those were delivered at Blue Ridge near Waco the Sunday preceding his coming to this city and while visiting his brothers at Waco. The first sermon in this city was preached in the Union Church, then standing at the corner of North Penelope street and First or Katy avenue. In that sermon Rev. PEYTON supplied the time of the young minister of the Christian Church who had been absent from the city to claim and bring back with him a bride. For a while the Presbyterians continued to worship in the Union Church and then removed their services to the Chamberlain Institute on South Main Street situated where the Tarver School building now stands. Here a Sunday school was opened; organ purchased and choir organized. The Sunday school and morning worship were held each Sunday. The afternoons and evenings were devoted by the pastor to services in nearby communities and during these services at Williams Branch and Bird's Creek there was laid the foundation of the first Presbyterian church organized in Temple. Tribute was paid by Rev. PEYTON to the help and encouragement give to him in those early days by Rev. ASHBY, pastor of the First Methodist church, and Rev. M. V. SMITH, pastor of the Baptist Church; and to the work of Rev. SMITH in securing Baylor college for Belton. The liberality of the members of all the churches of the city in contributing to the funds for building, the frame church on North Pearl street was spoken of kindly by Rev. PEYTON. This building served the church for a number of years until the present church on North Main street was erected during the pastorate of Rev. A. F. CUNNINGHAM. It was stated by the speaker that the church has been served by fifteen resident and supply pastors. Of the parables which had been read as the lesson of the morning Rev. PEYTON selected those of "The Sower," "The Leaven," "The Pearl of Great Price" and "The Mustard Seed" as the basis of his sermon. From the parable of The Sower there were drawn the reasons why professing Christians fall and a review of some of the errors which sometimes creep into the church. Incidents in the personal knowledge of the speaker of where the "leaven" of a Christian life, well lived, had brought others to Christ and of those who had found Christ to be the "Pearl of Great Price" were given. Interesting statistics were given by Rev. PEYTON showing how the Central Texas Presbytery, the Synod and the General Assembly have grown from the "Tiny Mustard Seed" of truth planted by the early workers in the church. The splendid Sunday school and large congregation of this morning were noted as testimony of the work and growth of the Belton Church, which at the beginning of the pastorate of Rev. PEYTON had numbered 26 members. O these, only one is still here, Mrs. Chas. AUSTIN, then Miss Elizabeth TULLOCK. The opening worship of the morning service was led by Rev. B. W. DOWNING, student supply pastor of the Church. There were a large number friends of Rev. PEYTON from other churches present for the commemoration of the beginning of his fine work for the church and the city.

Book 4 page 48

Reverently silent, 200,000 persons lined New York's Gay White Way as 10,000 troops marched before six black horses drawing the artillery caisson on which was borned the body of Captain Emilio CARRANZA, Mexico's martyred Ambassador of Good Will, on the way back to the Lone Eagle's native land. The picture at the top shows the firing squad paying a soldier's tribute to the dead ace; below a portion of the procession, with the casket in the foreground.

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