The Mineola Daily Argus (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 21, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 21, 1903 Page: 4 of 4
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MINEOLA
AND
WOOD COUNTY.
EARI.Y HISTORY OK MINEOI^A.
The origin of the name of Mlneola
remains an unsettled question. It is
said that the railroad people Intended
that the town should be called Junc-
tion City from the simultaneous con-
junction of the two railroads here, but
in some unknown manner that name
Was defeated. There is a common be-
lief among the citizens of the city that
.the town was named by a Mr. Burnett
of Galveston who, as representative of
the Texas Land company, before the
founding of the town, purchased tor M
cents an acre the land on which Mlne-
ola is built, called the place Mlneola
in honor cither of his little daughter
named Minnie or after some other lit-
tle girl or young lady by that name.
Mlneola owe# her existence and
dstes her origin from the Junction ®f
the Texas and Pacific and the 'ntpr-
natlonal and Crest Northern railroads,
at a point not far from half way be-
tween Dallas and Marshall on the weat
and east and between Tyler and Green-
ville on the south and north, which
*as consummated in June 1873. As tu.
two roads, one building westward and
the other to the north, grew clMer and
closer to the verging point, the build
inn of them bocame more and more
interesting, as both construction crews
were about equidistant from thepolnt
where they were to converge, "d th s
occasioned a very high P'^h of
ry between the Uborers butldlng th^
two great rUlroads. and In
quence betting wss Indulged in eon
siderably by sports both big and lit
tie as to which road would
built to the point of conjunction. Both
crews worked hard and tlreless labor-
ing both night and day, in order to
WAdded 'to^the interest and excite-
ment in the construction of the roads
great speculation exercised by the
people, who were eontemplatlngthe
founding of a now railroad town In
Rant Texas as to where the converg
i« point o, the two railroads would
be, for that point was to **
where the new town should be located.
Pretty soon the point of Junctf°n wj"
reached, being first ototanedbythe T
£ P.. defeating its rival by
thirty minutes, and the former ad
vanced about fifty yards before^thej.
A G. N. track wM laid to the goal.
The event was duly celeb™te?.'^ the
building crews by the drink'°fncr2
splritous liquors and having * g*™*1
good time in their
continued its progress westward, while
the I & G. N., which, It was Believed,
designed to go on to SulPh"r £^,n*£
made Mlneola Its perman^ twminns
of the Troupe extension.
... f' erward, however, the Kety
built a line of
villa to Mlneola, making a con
% iine with the International
"iidreat Northern and givingfJJJ}®®:
„ * railroad outlet In •very cardinal
direction—north, east, south ^* d west.
Several months !?town
junction of the two railroads a town
was started about three •
mile southeast of where tha nnloa ae
pot now stands, being located whew
it was generally understood the
of Z International andt GreatNorth-
ern road would be made to come Along.
Some forty of fifty small, tho rough
unfinished box shanties andi tents wve
hastily erected In a row ™
coming road and stocked with the va
rloua lines of goods common to tron-
tier towns in those days. Th« « *"
try round about contained many
tough characters of the homo gsntis u
well aa the native wild animals of
mora or lass vicious disposition, as
farms or settlements war* scarce for
milea around at that time, and the
town was frequented by so many of
those barbarous characters know* as j uwne.
desperadoes, who went heavily armed,
drank bad liquors, carried Wood in
their eyes, as it were, and committed
murder at the slightest provocation
and oftentimes without anjr provoca-
tion at all. that the place wm cf'l®d
"Hell's Half Acre." But the town ex-
isted only About six months, for the
location was not destined to be the
point of conjunction of the two rail-
roads, where the permanent town
must be located.
Then when the survey of the Texas
and Pacific road was made another
location was selected for the town. In
the viclhlty of where the cotton com-
press now stands, and four or five
atoreo were put up there In antlclpa
tlon of the International and Great
Northern touching the Texas and Pa
dflc at that point. But this location
was also doomed to be a failure. The
International and Great Northern did
at first intend to connect there and
even surveyed the line thither, but
subsequently rejected the location on
account of its Bwampy surface. Then
the International and Great Northern
road was made to bend to the west-
ward and touched the Texas ft Pacific
about three hundred yards west of
there, striking the Texas and Pacific
track at the union depot as it la at
present.
There was one man who was wiser
than all the rest In anticipating the
location of the Junction of the two
railroads. He was L. R. Graham, the
present manager of the wholesale gro-
cery and feed store of L. R. Qraham
ft Co. of Mlneola. He was one of the
merchants of Hell's Half Acre, but his
store was built directly in the way
whore the International and Great
Northern road was subsequently sur-
veyed to pass along, and in conse-
quence thereof was compelled to move
same out of the road's right-of-way,
and instead of relocating at location
No. 2 (in the vicinity where the co ton
compress now stands), acted upon a
wiser judgment anil bought the w«st
Corner lot on the block directly front-
ing on the north the future location of
the union depot, the town having al-
ready been laid off, and ha built there-
en the first storehouse, stocked It with
fjunlly groceries and became the first
merchant of Mlneola as permanently
I located, even beating the railroads to
i the place about two months. Bain A.
[Joseph's saloon, at the east corner of
Front and Johnson streets, now stands
on the lot where Mr. Graham establish-
ed his business
At this time the site of the future
city of Mlneola was a perfoct wilder-
ness. with very few farms or settle-
ments within a radius of ten or fifteen
milt>s. Wild animals roamed at will
over the forests and game of all kinds
was plentiful. Deer were numerous
and venison a common article on the
bill of fare. In a short time, however,
the town became the temporary abid-
ing place of a great many people, con-
sisting largely of woodmen and tie-
makers, as well as railroad laborers,
and pretty soon the place was cleared
up sufficiently to give the appearance
of a town under good headway to fu-
ture greatnese. Though the surround
ing country was sparsely settled, the
town at once began to be a great trad*
Ing point, attracting trade for forty
miles around, on accountof the scarc-
ity of railroads In those days.
Immediately following the junction
of the railroads Front street began to
build up rapidly with storehouses,
while in a few years the stores In the
vicinity where the cotton compress
now stands were either deserted or
moved away. Mlneola continued
building up rapidly for several years
and became the trading point for sever-
al counties around not yet favored
with the advent of the iron horse. By
1876 Front street had filled up with
stores and houses began to be erected
on the adjacent streets. At that time
tiie town contained 800 or 1000 popula-
tion of far more permanent character
than at first, and the merchants enjoy-
ed, or did, a tremendous bueeiness, foi
the trade was actually too great and
pressing to be enjoyed by anyone but
the most covetous-hearted. The town
obtained the cotton and trade from ten
other counties besides Wood, viz.:
Kaufman. Henderson, Van Zandt,
Smith, Rains. Hunt, Delta, Upehur,
Hopkins and Camp. In fact the busi-
ness transacted here at that time was
phenomenally large, especially during
the marketing of cotton, when the re-
ceipts would frequently reach 600 and
600 bales per day. The business in the
stores was so pressing that tho mer
chants would have to keep open till
midnight or later to accommodate all
the customers and then many would
have to remain over till next day be-
fore they could obtain their purchases.
In 1878 the East Line (now S. S. and
S.) road was built from Greenville to
Jefferson and that detached much
trade from Mlneola, but the increase
In the number of farms opening up in
the territory surrounding and still
tributary to Mlneola served to prevent
any considerable decrease in the vol-
ume of her trade. Since then the latei
history of Mlneola is too well known to
warrant a continuation of the story, so
we close this historical sketch for
the present
Mlneola waa incorporated In the
spring of 1877, the confines of the mun-
icipality being a circle formed by a
half mfte radius with the union depot
as the center. Jas. Farrell, who came
from Omaha, Neb., waa elected the
first mayor. He now resides some-
where la West Texas. The first baord
of alderman was composed of B. F.
Read, S. Zuckerman, Kirk Brown, Dr.
L. A. Mobley, W. E. Wigley and J. C.
Buchanan, only the first named being a
citizen or Mineola now. B. F. McDon-
ald was the first city marshal. George
A. Cage was elected the first city treas-
urer. but declined to serve because his
business demanded his entire atten-
tion. George W. Butler, who died here
last year, was the second mayor of the
city. Tom Baggett waa ths first Jus-
tice of the peace of Mlneola (No. 2)
precinct after the founding of the
town.
rot railroad crossing, came to Mineola
In 187).
J. R. Turman, agent of the Dallas
N'ows In Mineola, came here in 1873,
before the founding of the town.
W. S. Henry, now engaged in farm-
Ins Ui the edge of Mineola, came here
with L. R. Graham in 1878.
T. W. Wren, residing In the west
portion of Mlneola, came to this vicin-
ity in 1870, three years before the
founding of the town, and opened up
the farm on which he now resides, and
Is still engaged at farming. He was
county commissioner of this precinct
(No. 2) for six years.
Phillip Weaver came to Mlneola in
1873 and engaged in the dairy business
for a year or so, then butchered about
ten years, then went to farming and
later conducted a tan yeard here. He
has a great store of information re-
garding ths early history of Mlneola.
John Weincr and J. Lowinger, who
were partners at peddling In Troupe,
came to Mlneola immediately after the
building of the railroads here and es-
tablished the first dry goods business
in this place. In 1878 Mr. Lowinger
sold his Interest in the business to Si-
mon Munzesheimer, who came hers in
1875 and conducted a watch repair and
jewelry shop In tho store In which he
bought an Interest. (Mr. Lowlnger
left Mlneola In 1886 and died in Waco,
Texas, about two years ago.) Shortly
after Mr. Munzesheimer married Miss
Carrie Marks, a wealthy lady of Jef-
ferson, Texas, and In 1886 he pur-i
chased the Interest of his partner, Mr
Weinor, who then left Mlneola with
considerable means and returned to the
home of his nativity in Hungary and
engaged In the manufacture of pearl
buttons. He has now retired from
business and resides In Stofhols, Hun-
gary. Mr. Munzesheimer continued
the business several years and sold it
to a company of Greenville, Texas,
who moved the same to that place, Mr.
Munzesheimer then moved with his
family to New York City, where they
remained nino or ten years and then
returned to Mineola and purchased the
general merchandise business of Bruce
and company of which be was a heavy
creditor. About six years ago Mr.
Munzesheimer organized the Mlneola
Mercantile company, which Is one of
the largest mercantile establishments
In the city. Mr. Munzesheimer died
practice of law 12 or 14 years and en-
last year. He was born in Germany
and come to Texas when quite young
and soon became a full-fledged Ameri-
can with a devout Interest in all that
pertained to Mineola and Wood coun-
ty. He ever possessstf a warm heart
and an open hand for ths relief of the
poor and unfortunate. None ever
went to him tor a favor and was turn-
ed away empty handed. His son, Gus
Munzesheimer, Is secretary and treas-
urer of the Mineola Mercantile com
pany and is probably the only native
born merchant In Mineola.
N. S. Sodekson came to Mlneola in
1875 with his brother, H. Sodekson,
and established a general merchandise
business in a livery stable building lo-
cated about the middle of the block on
Front street, directly fronting tho un-
ion depot. He paid $76 a month tor
the building and converted It into , a
store house by tearing away the stales
J. A. Calloway came to Mineola in
1881 and engaged in the mercantile
business, organizing the firm of J. A.
Calloway & Co. Four years ago he
left Mlneola and went to Big Springs,
Texas, where he is now engaged in
the stock business. His son, L. D.
Calloway, has taken his place in the
business here and the firm name now
Is L. D. Calloway ft Co.
Ex-Governor Joe. S. • Hogg, now re-
siding In Austin, was once a resident
of Mineola a short time while he was
county attorney of Wood county. Sub-
sequently he was district attorney,
then attorney general of the state and
lastly kovernor,
Senator R. N. Stafford came to Mln-
eola In 1880 from Quitman, being
county attorney at the time. He serv-
ed two terms In that capacity and
was elected district attorney and serv-
ed two terms. In 1891 to 1893 he was
master la chancery of the I, ft O. N.
railroad which was under a receiver'
ship. In 1894 he was elected to the
senate and has been re-elected twice
since and has just begun his third 4-
year term of faithful and efficient ser
vice for the 7th senatorial district. He
was president pro tem of the senate 2
years and has been twice a delegate to
national democratic conventions. Is
manager of the Mlneola Ice ft Light
Co., and owns considerable valuable
property In the city.
J. L. Ray was reared in Wood c-oun
ty, having come to the county in 1884
from Rusk county. He came to Mineo-
la in 1882 and Is now engaged in farm-
ing In the wostern outskirts of town
and is also in the real estate business.
He Is president of the Old Settlers' as-
sociation of Wood county and is re-
garded as the prime mover In organ-
izing the association. He was master
of the state grange several years.
B. B. Hart moved from Quitman to
Mineola In 1881 and engaged In the
practice of law with J. C. Buchanan,
an earlier settler of the town, who died
three years later. Mr. Hart is still
engaged In the practice of law, with
his son, V. V. Hart, his partner.
Dr. V. T. Hart, brother of attorney
B. B. Hart, also moved from Quitman
to Mlneola in 1881, and practiced med
icine up to his death last year. His
son, Dr. Sam W. Hart, came with him
to Mlneola and still resides here.
W. B. Teagarden,, president of the
Mineola Mercantile Co., came to Min
eola in 1875 and clerked a while and
later was publisher of the Mlneola
Monitor (now defunct) a couple of
years. He has been engaged In the
joys a lucrative practice.
Te first paper published in Mlneola
was the Advertiser, by Chas. Martin
in 1874. It was a small sheet and did
not survive long. Some time later D.
C. (Crockett) Williams established the
Wood County Flag here and the same
was discontinued after awble. Next
Mr. Williams established the Mineola
Monitor and was conducted at differ-
ent times by different proprietors, and
was finally discontinued In 1897 by T.
A. Napier, Wood county's present rep-
resentative In the legislature,
W. T. Pebworth came to Mlneola In
1876 and engaged In bis present' busi-
ness, being proprietor of the bar*
ber shop on the east side of Johnson
street Mr. Pebworth is an ordained
the early history of the town. They
left Mineola in the latter part of the
70s, and both are now dead, the former
dying in Wiusboro about 19 yoars ago
and the latter in Hillsboro about five
years since. Mrs. A. Munzesheimer
and Bon Goldman, both of this city,
are daughter and son, respectively, of
J. Goldman.
W. J. McDonald ft Company was one
of the pioneer mercantile firms of Min-
eola and probably did the largest busi-
ness of any merchant or firm whlla
here. Mr. McDonald left Mineola
about twenty years ago and Is now
captain of the state rangers and stat-
ioned at Quanah.
Levy ft Brown was also a prominent
mercantile firm Of Mineola in early
days. They left here in the latter part
of the 70s and now reside in Waxaha-
chle. Mr. Levy has retired* from an
active business life and Is now one of
the wealthiest men in the state.
church and
w.'n« . Jon .. HSL takes prominent part In the lodge
EARLY SETTLERS OF MINEOLA.
Below we take pleasure In mention-
ing those first and subsequent settlers
of Mlneola who were important factors
In the building of the town, many of
whom being yet In our midst enjoying
both good health and an honored
They all deserve the highest
encomium for the excellent state to
which they have developed and built
tbq splendid, modern, up-to-date little
city of w^loh we are all so proud and
muchly snjoy.
Thou. Boeen, who has Just begun his
fourth term as postmaster of Mln-
eola, came here a couple of months be-
fore the arrival of the railroads and
engagod In the hardware business as a
member oI the firm of T. L Edwards
ft Co. Two years later Mr. Edwards
retired from the firm, leaving as prop-
rietors Mr. Breen and Jacob Elmer,
the latter dying la 1885, since which
time Mr, Breen has been sole proprie-
tor.
George A. Cage came to Mlneola in
July, one month after the arrival of
the railroads, and engaged in tho re
celvlng and forwarding of freight and
In the grocery business. Next year he
went into the buying, weighing and
shipping of cotton, and two years later
he engaged in the banking business,
which he pursued about thirteen years.
For the past eighteen years he has
been writing fire Insurance.
W. J. Jennings came to Mineola in
the fall of 1873 and built the first sub-
stantial residence In the soath ward,
which it south of the Texas ft Pacific
railroad.
D. S. Lankford, proprietor of the
drug store on West Broadway, was In
the vicinity of Mlneola before the
founding of tho town. He was one of
the first clerks In the Btore of N. S.
Sodekson. which was established in
1875, and has served ten years as
mayor of the city. He is one of the
best known persons In Wood county.
Dr. A. Patten came to Mineola In the
spring of 1873, but dtd not move his
family here from Quitman, an old
town and tho county soat of Wood
county, till 1875. He Is still here and
actively engaged in tho practice of
medicine.
J. F. Wren, clerking in tho Racket
Store of C. C. Slr.ler, and his brothers,
Wm. H. and R. K. Wron, pursuing the
carpenter's trade, came to Mlueola Injness si* years, and was state convict
1876, and say there were only two or | agent during Gov. Hogg's l-years' ad-
thrce farms between hero and Golden ministration. He Is now engaged In
walls as well as ceiling ths overhead
joists with canvaslng. In 1884 Mr.
Sodekson organized the present cor-
poration of N. S. Sodekson ft Co.,
doing business in their fine two-story
brick on West Broadway.
The double brick house on Front
street fronting the union-depot, now
occupied by Lloyd ft Benton aa a liv-
ery stable and owned by J. a Wood,
were the first bricks erected In Mineo-
la. They were built in 1875, the one
on the west by S. Zuckerman and the
one on the east side by Welner ft Mun-
zesheimer. Mr. Zuckerman conducted
a dry goods business In his house. He
was a highly educated German Jew.
enterprising, liberal-hearted, broad-
guaged citizen and was highly aooom
pilshed as an ofllco business man: He
died last year in Chicago.
W. O. Powell, night watchman at
the box factory, came to Mlneola In
1875 and did carpenter work. He
helped clear up the town and erect
stores and resldencea.
John Jones, a carpenter residing In
the south part of town, came to Min
eola In 1876.
B. F. Road came here the same year
from Lovolady, Texas, and engaged in
the general mercantile business while
Mlneola enjoyed such a large trade
from all the surrounding counties.
He retired from aa active business life
In 1196 and is now serving as city
treasurer.
I. G. Brom berg came to Mlneola la
February 1877, and located on Front
street with a very small stock of gen
erat merchandise. He is now the se-
nior member of the firm of I. G. Brom
berg ft company and Is regarded as the
wealthiest citizen of the city. We have
hoard It said of Mr. Bromberg that he
has acquired every cent of his great
gains in fair, honest, legitimate deal-
ings with his follow men, and that no
one has ever been known to question
his honesty or charge*any crooked-
ness to hiia in any wise.
A. H. Blasingame came here in 1879
and engaged in the saloon business
and is still a resident of Mineola.
Judge H. M. Cate came to Mineola
in January 1880, and engaged In the
practice of law with Capt W. M. Giles,
who died last summor. Judge Cate
was appointed city attorney of Mlneo-
la in 1880 and elected county Judge of
Wood county in 1882 and moved to
Quitman. He was re-elected in 1884,
when he voluntary retired and return-
ed to Mlneola and re-entered the prac
tlce of law. In 1888 he organized tho
First National Bank of Mlnoola, one
of the solid Institutions of east Texas,
and in 1899 organized the H. M. Cate
Dry Goods & Grocery Co., known as
'The Big Four," one of tho largest
general merchandise stores In this
city. Ho moved to Terrell In 1901 and
now residos there.
Goo. C. Reeves came hero In 1874.
IIo was city Marshal of Mineola three
tems, engaged In the hardware busi-
then, while now thoro Is not enoupl.
woodland directly between tho two
points to maks a good sir^d ranch.
W. W. Cox, flagman < f the union de-
tlio stocU business and owns about a
dozen farms in the country surround-
ing Mineola. He also has a saw mill
s miles east of town.
work of the town.
J. W. McMurry, manager of ths
hardware and leather goods establish-
ment of J. W. McMurry ft company,
came to Mineola In 1876 and engaged
in the saddlery and harness business.
George F. Flynt, the JeweJer, watch'
maker and optician on the east elds
of Johnson street, came to Mlneola in
1876.
J. M. Allen came to Mineola In 1878
and engaged In his present occupation,
that of the dray business.
I.H. Huffmaster came to Mineola In
187$ and ongaged- In a confectionery
and grocery business a few months.
Then be was a commercial traveler
for a clothing firm for about ten years.
Later he was a clerk In Mlneola stores
and was city assessor and collector fire
years, and is now serving his third
term as mayor of Mlneola. ..
B. H. Greer came here with ths Tex-
as ft Pacific preliminary surveying
crew In 1872 before the arrival of the
railroads or founding of the town of
Mineela. He has followed railroading
at different' places ever since and la
again a resident of Mlnoola.
J. F. MeDaniel came , to Mlneola In
1877 and took charge as agent of the
old Texaa Express company locate^
at this place. Later the Pacific Express
company took tho plaice of the Texas
Express company, and Mr. MeDaniel
continued as agont He Is still agent
here, having been with the Pacific Ex-
press company 21 years, during which
tine ho has never been transferred or
made a break In the agency at this
place. There is probably not another
express agent In the United States who
can claim such a unique record for
continuous service as Mr. MeDaniel
can. His services are so efficient and
satisfactory that the express company
would not let him realgn If he wanted
to.
W. R. Aldridge came to Mlneola in
the fall of 1881 and engaged as fuel
agent for the M. K. ft T. railroad, later
as baggage master, then was clerk In
the freight house. He bas been in bus-
iness hero about fourteen years and is
now conducting a grocery business on
the west side of, Johnson street
Marshal Hicks, who was once a
partner of W. M. Glles(now deceased)
In the practice of law In Mlneola. went
to Laredo many years ago and later
to San Antonio, where he was elected
mayor of that city and Is now serving
as state senator of that district.
Aaron Munzesheimer came to Mlneo-
la In 1878 and engaged in business with
S. Zuckerman ft Company, carrying
general merchandise. Two or throe
years later Welner ft Munzesheimer
liought the business of Mr. Zuckerman
and Mr. Aaron Munzesheimer went
With the parchaalng firm, who then
changed the firm name to H. Munzes-
heimer ft Company. Later Mr. Aaron
Munzesheimer was with Bruno & com-
pany, general 'merchandise dealers, and
in 1900 he established his present busi-
ness, one of tho largest In Mlneola.
MINEOLA AT PRESENT.
Mineola is In the southwestern por-
tion of Wood, one of the best counties
of Texas, about two miles from the Sa-
bine river, and is a prosperous, up-to-
date city of between 3000 and 3500 pop-
ulation. It Is the Junction of three
lines of railway, connecting at a union
depot near the center of the city. The
main line of tho Texas and Pacific rail-
road runs through tho city east and
west, from New Orleans to El Paso
the great "Katy" system bas a line
here from Greenville, north, and the
International and Great Northern, 'the
Texas railroad," comes In from Troupe
on the south. With the advantage* of
these systems of transportation, it
seem8 reasonable to predict that Mln-
eola will at no distant day grow to be
a place of groat Importance. Nothing
but lack of sufficient capital, that one
great desideratum of nearly all South-
ern states and cities, has kept the place
from attaining the full measure of its
possibility. There are many inviting
fields here for capital which have not
yet been developed. The natural ad-
vantages for manufacturing Industries
can' hardly be surpassed anywhere. No
better location could be found for cot-
ton mills, so would a cottonseed oil
mill be a safe and profitable Invest-
ment here. A fire-proof warehouse is
also needed; also a candy factory, soap
factory, broom factory, etc.
Mlneola has a splendid local tele-
phone system, with over 100 subscrib-
ers, connected with tbe long dlstancs
system of the Southwestern Telepobne
company.
The city is lighted, and supplied with
Ice by the Mineola Light and Power
company, a home corporation equipped
with a splendid plant of the latest 1m
proved machinery.
There is in the city a big cotton com-
press; one of the largest factories In
the state for the manufacture of boxes,
baskets, crates, etc., for the shipping of
fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.; a steam
laundry, and Iron works, a bottling
works and two systems of waterworks
in the residence section, as well as a
largo, deep public well on Johnson and
Broadway streets which furnishes, with
the aid of a pump, windmill and gaso-
line engine, an abundance of whole-
some mineral water for all purposes In
the business part of town.
The First National bank of Mlneola
is one of the solid Institutions of the
state and has ample capital for the
present needs of the city. It Is In lib-
eral, though safe hands, and Its busi-
ness Is rapidly expanding This insti-
tution enjoys the distinction of not
having lost any money on a loan in
the past two years.
The mercantile firms of the city will
compare favorably with those In the
best towns of Texas. There la one
wholesale grocery and feed store en-
joying a splendid jobbing trade; five
large establishments making a special-
ty of dry goods, clothing, etc.. bat to
accommodate a large credit trade they
also handle groceries, household sup-
plies, farm Implements, vehicles, etc.
Two other good firms carrying dry
goods, groceries, etc., one large racket
store, ons cash exclusive dry goods
store, one gents' furnishing goods
stors, one very nice millinery
store, besides millinery goods handled
by other larger firms; one mammoth
furniture and undertaker's establish
ment, three large hardware houses, one
of them carrying a big line of
dlery end leather good In addition;
three lumber yards, two livery sta
bice, five exclusive grocery stores, aa
well as seven other firms handling fam
ily groceries; tour stores carrying feed,
ten or twelve hotels, lodging and board-
ing houses; five restaurants, one lunch
stand, eight barbershops, one dye
works, two photograph galleries* one
tailor shop, two gunsmith shops, two
cotton yards, three railroad repair
shops, one fanoy woodwork shop, two
watch repair shops, three newspapers
and two Job printing offices.
Among the professions and tradee
represented in Mlneola there are nine
physicians, two dentists, one special
1st, twelve or fourteen notaries, eight
lawyers, two underwriters, three real
estate dealers, nine clergymen, four be-
ing oolored; numerous literary and
music teachers, eight truck and fruit
growers and several others beginning
In ths business; four brick masons,
three painters and paper hangers, six
teen carpenters, two draymen, three
white aqd four colored church houses,
with five white and four oolored church
organisations,
Mineola is Incorporated under the
general laws of the state and is dlvid
ed Into three wards, with two alder-
men from each, and a full complement
of city officers, a recor
dor's court, with criminal Jurisdic-
tion, etc. The south ward Is all that
part of the city south of the Texaa and
Pacific railroad, while Johnson street
separates the east from the west ward
In the north part of town.
The health of the dty Is uniformly
good and tho death rate Is phenomenal-
ly small, being perhaps, as low ns can
be found in any part of the state.
Mineola Is In as flno n fruit, truck
and grape country as there Is in the
world, to which fact the people nrc Just
awakening. The Mlneoln Fruit and
Vegetablo Growers' association Is a
product of the recent. awakening of the
Mr. Lankford is also setting out a 20-
acre Elberta peach orchard six miloe
south of town; also Dr. E. W. Mc-
Camish has just set out a 30-acre El-
berta peach orchard in the northern
outskirts of town. The land here is
sandy with occasional iron ore spots,
and is very productive of everything in
tho agricultural, horticultural or or-
chard line adapted to this climate.
There is nowhere in the interior of
Texas a better cotton market than
Mlneola. The highest prices are al-
ways paid in spot cash or trade, Just
as desired, but always on a cash basis.
There are five large concerns here that
buy cotton all through the season, and
are never less than 10 or 12 buyers on
the streets, ready to sample and bid
on the farmer's cotton. There are sev-
eral cotton yards, and it costs the far-
mer nothing to have his cotton weigh-
ed, sampled and receipted for in this
market. A hog market has also been
established here, and fat boga can al-
ways be Bold for cash. There la a
compress here also, which is an advan-
tage to ths man who sells cotton In
this market. The cotton receipts are
large every season and constantly in-
creasing.
With her splendid railroad facilities,
fine building and manufacturing tim-
bers, unsurpassed farm, truck and fruit
ands, excellent possibilities for obtain-
ing abundant supplies of good water,
nte,I ,g®nt and Industrious citizen-
ship, Mineola possesses the nucleus to
become one of the best towns in the
state, and there is no reason whv it
should not have 10,000 population with-
" fiaW/ear? nd be teeming with fac-
tories of various kinds.
The city, for one thing, has been
cramped for lack of sufficient room, but
the city council several months ago
passed an ordinance expanding the
city limits double the distance out,
making the city contain four square
miles instead of only two square miles
as formerly. The expansion of the city,
when ratified by the district court of
the county, will be sure to give great
Impetus to the upbuilding of the town
and already real estate in Mineola has
begun to advance faster than ever be-
fore. Now is unquestionably the op-
portune time for the capitalist to come
to Mineola and join in the march of
progress.
This city has as fine talent in the lo-
gal, medical, ministerial and other pro-
fessions, as enterprising and accommo-
dating set of merchants and business
men, as competent and efficient set of
city officials, as skillful and Industrious
artisans in the various trades, and last
but not least, as pretty girls and sweet
young ladies, in proportion to the pop-
ulation, as any community can boast
of. Her society is surpassed nowhere
In Texas, her schools rank with the
highest, and her people are a sober,
moral, refined, church-going people.
Mineola is an auspicious and inviting
field for both the capitalist and skilled
laborer as well as the up-to-date horti-
curturlst or orchardist, and her sur-
rounding fertile lands are beckoning,
as it were, the coming of the husband-
man as never before. Market garden-
ers, orchardists, berry and grape grow-
ers are Ideal immigrants, and receive
the glad hand of welcome by everyone
Untold possibilities lie In the grand
soil of Wood county which Is so adapt-
ed to the production of all those choio-
est and mostly sought articles of diet
Tho intelligent farmer who engages
here systematically in the cultivation
of the grape, strawberry, blackberry,
vegetables of all kinds, Elberta peaches
and other varieties, apples or pears,
etc., soon becomes a man of means.
Now is the time to come, as the lands
are fast being taken up at a rapidly
increasing price.
— ■ f* ;•*
WOOD COUNTY.
A
i«
having two largo stores in conjunct Ion [ people on the subject . Tho monitors
and oarrylng general merchandise, In-,of the association will increase their
eluding a full lino f groceries, ate. 1 acreage this year considerably. Dr. A.
J. end I. Goldman, brothers, doing IS. Cochrane and D. 8. lankford have
business :n the name of J. Goldman ft recently set out 50 acrce In Elberta
company, were In business hers during peaches two miles west of town, and
Contains 702 square miles or 449,.
280 acres of as good land as Is to lie
found In any timbered section of the
United States of America. In the
county there are about 50,000 acres of
land in cultivation, leaving about 400,-
000 acres waiting for and inviting tho
man with the axe, plow, spade, and
hoe. Our lands produce in abundance
corn, cotton, oats, wheat, barley, rye,
peas of all kinds, potatoes(both sweet
and Irish), melons of all descriptions,
grasses in endless variety, sugar cane
and sorghum. Wo are situated In the
center of the great fruit belt, hero
grapes and berries grow spontaneously
end the Improved varieties cannot be
surpassed either In quantity or quality.
Our special productions In the fruit
line aro: apples, peaches, pears, plums
grapes and berries^; All foreign varie-
ties so far as tested are a success. Our
soil is peculiarly adapted to garden
vegetables, not only In variety, but la
quality, and numbers of our most pro-
gressive farmers are making a special-
ty of raising ths watermelon, canta-
loupe. Irish potato, tomato, cabbage,
etc., and they are making money at
It.
The county Is well supplied with wa-
ter. The Sabine river on our south-
western boundary, wl h Lake Fork,
one of Its principal tributaries, running
through its center from north to
south with numbers of bold running
creeks, branches and brooklets, many
of them furnishing power to run ma-
chinery the year round. There ate
numerous lakes on our water courses
teeming with the flnny tribe, from the
sun perch to the 100-pound catfish.
The water Is soft or pure freestone
as a rule, though we have a few min-
eral springs and wells, furnishing a
great health resort for the afflicted. The
soil is grey sandy or grey loam as a
rule, although there are large bodiee
of red gravity sandy land.
The timbers are white, black, red
and post oak, overcup, ash, walnut,
mulberry, sweet and black gum, white
and black hickory, black jack, aottoa
wood, hackberry, pine, etc. A large
area of the south end of the county ts
covered with a magnificent growth of
as fine yet low pines as can be found
in the south, from which are furnish-
ed millions of feet of lumber and
shingles annually.
Unimproved lands in the county sell
at from |1.50 to $8.00 an acre, acoord-
lng to location, quality and Quantity.
Improved lands range In price from
$3.00 to $25.00 ppr aore. Land can be
purchased on easy terms.
Hoalth of tho county is good, schools
arc first-class, and churches of nearly
overy name and order exist, and socio-
ty Is splendid. Tho jury scrip Is al-
ways worth 100 cents on the' dollar.'
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The Mineola Daily Argus (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 21, Ed. 1 Saturday, February 21, 1903, newspaper, February 21, 1903; Mineola, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254317/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mineola Memorial Library.