The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940 Page: 76
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
part of the "city to be." Possibly with the idea of impressing
prospective colonists, Post ordered the construction of a huge, two-
story, cut stone building, one hundred and sixty feet square, large
enough to house, on the first floor, eight mercantile establishments.
A quarry for building stone was opened near Post City to supply
material used in this and other substantial structures.0o
In addition to the large store building, a hotel of one hundred
rooms was to be built of cut stone. A restaurant and residences for
company and county officials were planned. Stone cutters were
difficult to find and had to be pampered with high wages and
extraordinary indulgences. If too cold or windy, they refused to
work. When Post again arrived on the scene, in the late autumn
of 1907, he found not a single large building completed. Delayed
by sandstorms and difficulties with his men, the building-to-order
of an entire town had proved too vast for the resident manager.
Alexander was fired. In his stead, four managers were appointed.
Building operations boomed after the change. At one time, over four
hundred employees were at work building the town. In the follow-
ing summer, the stone buildings were completed and about fifty
new town residences were ready for occupation. The latter were
to be sold to settlers at one per cent down and one per cent of
the balance per month."
Post City was unique in that one man planned and financed the
construction of the entire town of stores, offices, and residences,
all complete in accord with the design of the founder. Post
watched every step in building operations with the eye of an
eagle. Even the color of the paint and the kind of wall paper for
each residence were prescribed by the founder. Long letters to
managers were written by Post, describing in detail each bit of
construction.
The next year (1908) a cotton gin, a planning mill, machine shop,
laundry, electric light plant, telephone exchange, waterworks, and
sewage system were installed. Nine additional store buildings, a
large cotton factory, a school building, a courthouse, and a bank
building were erected. Post started construction on a fifty thousand
dollar bungalow which would be his home when twice each year,
in May and in October, he would visit his beloved colony.12
loAlexander to Post, July 8, 1907. Post Records, p. 39.
n1Minutes, No. I and III, Post Records, XIII, p. 74.
12Post Records, Minutes, Board of Directors, Vol. II, p. 47, et seq.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 43, July 1939 - April, 1940, periodical, 1940; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101111/m1/84/?rotate=270: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.