The Lancaster Herald. (Lancaster, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, March 8, 1912 Page: 3 of 8
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Home 6f rev. j. frank norris
OF FORT WORTH DAMAGED.
PROBE BY THE AUTHORITIES
8laze Adds to Series of Sensational
Events Recently and Much Com-
ment Is Aroused.
' \
Fort Worth, Texas.—Fire Saturday
Oaorning partially destroyed, the two-
itory frame residence of Dr. J. Frank
Norris, pastor of the First Baptist
Church. Dr. Norris and the officials
of the fire department are of the opin-
ion that the conflagration was of in-
cendiary origin. No arrests have been
made. v.uu
Dr. Norris and his family narrowly
escaped being burned to death. Awak-
ened by the smoke only to find that
ie stairway, other than which there
vUjras no avenue of egress, was a mass
flames, and with his unconscious
wife in his arms, Dr. Norris carried
His two children to the small porch
nn the second floor and by the aid of
’4 ladder brought by near-by neigh-
bors reached the ground in safety.
This fire, following the receipt of
numerous anonymous letters by Dr.
Norris and G. H. Connell, chairman
sf the finance committee of the board
of deacons of the First Baptist Church
and the destruction of the edifice af-
ter two recent attempts, together with
two attempted assassiantions of Dr.
Norris and a previous attempt to burn
kls residence, has been the principal
topic of discussion In Fqft Worth.
From a financial standpoint the loss
Is small, the total estimated damage
being but $1,750 of which $500 was
upon the building and the remainder
fepon the furnishings. About half of
the loss Is covered by insurance.
The fire originated in a small closet
finder the landing of the stairs. A
gas meter was the only thing in this
closet. 0
TROOPS TO GUARD PECOS BRIDGE
• ; 'jC\ ‘ 1— ______
About Forty Men Under Officer Leave
t El Paso for Langtry.
,E1 Paso, Texas: Troops were sent
from here to the Pecos River bridge
of the Southern Pacific near Langtry,
£75 miles east of this city. The bridge
the second highest In the world, and
ebst -an immense sum of money to
construct fit destroyed It would ac-
quire months of work to replace it
«»d direct communication with San
Antonio via the Southern Pacific Rail-
way would be cut off.
Troops dispatched from the army
headquarters at San Antonio would
taecessarily have to be detoured via
the Texas and Pacific and other lines
which would involve great delay. Or-
ders were received to guard the bridge
after Taft’s proclamation was issued.
The detachment of United States sol-
dier send from here Amounted to
about forty, under command of a com-
missioned officer.
TO FINANCE INTERURBAN LINE.
Neary $5,000,000 Cash Raised In SL
Louis for Dallas-Waco Line*.
St Louis, Mb.: Nearly $5,000,000 in
cash was raised among St Louis cap-
italists in three days to finance the
construction of an Interurban electric
line from Dallas to Waco. Texas, in
eluding the street railway system of
the latter city. The new system is ex-
pected to be in complete operation
by Oct 1, 1913. The new company, to
be known as the Southern Traction
Company of Texas, was underwritten
by the St. Louis Union Traption Com-
pany, G. H. Walker & Co. and Wil-
liam R. Compton Co., which disposed
of the entire bond issue of practically
$5,000,000 exclusive among St. Louis-
, ans.
AMERICANS FIGHT MEXICANS
Trouble Occurs on Bridge Betwean
Cities of El Paso and Jaurez.
El Paso, Texas: A clash between
Mexican rebels and United States sol-
diers occurred Sunday night near the
center of the International bridge,
used by the railroads, and much re-
sentment on the part of Salazar’s of-
ricers was aroused thereby.
Six Mexicans armed with rifles
came toward the center of the bridge
Just before midnight for the purpose,
they afterward said, of Investigating
the action of a man who was on the
bridge. Two United States soldiers
saw the squad of rebels coming from
the other side of the river and met
them half way. One soldier seized
the foremost Mexican's gun and dis-
armed him.
The other soldier seized another
rebel’s rifle, and there was a struggle
between them for the possession of
the weapon^ The soldier drew his re-
vofver and struck his adversary a
stunning blow on the head. The man
surrendered.
The other four rebels fled, carry-
ing their arms with them, but the two
captured were brought to this side of
the river.
The encounter was quickly report-
ed to Salazar and he sent a delega-
tion to this side of the river to in-
vestigate. The United Sthtes Army
officer in charge told the visitors they
would have to see Col. Steever if
they had a complaint to make.
Salazar’s men took the names of
the soldiers on guard at the bridge
and reported to their quarters. Fol-
lowing the incident much resentment
was displayed by the rebels.
All passengers coming from Mexi-
oo on the late cars were searched by
the rebels before leaving Juarez, for
what purpose was not made clear.
BIG MERCANTILE CONCERN.
Woolworth & Co. of New York Will Lo-
cate Store in Dallas.
Dallas, Texas: Planning to estab-
lish in Dallas a large store and also
headquarters for their Southwestern
business, F. W. Woolworth & Co. of
New York and Boston have leased for
a ten-year term 75 by 100 feet at the
corner of Elm and Stone streets, for
$225,009. C. C. Slaughter, owner of
the property, will improve it at once,
putting on it a steel fram building of
two stories and basement.
Work will start on the new building
before June 1, to be completed early
in the fall. F. W. Woolworth & Co.,
operating already 609 5c and 10c stores
through the country, will put in one
in Dallas, and it is also announced that
Dallas will be headquarters for . thirty
or more similar stores in this section.
The company is capitalized at $65,000,-
000.
TEXAS LEADS THE COUNTRY.
Statement Issued by Department Con
merce and Labor.
HEAVY FIRE LOSS AT PARIS.
Three Buildinge Worth About $40,000
Are a Total Loss.
Paris, Texas: The large barns of
tbe Paris Livery and Transfer Com-
pany sn Main street, the Cotton Ex-
change Building, adjoining on the
north and Baker’s garage on the south
were destroyed by fire. The live stock
in the barn and all of the vehicles,
harness and everything except the feed
stuff were taken out. None of the
automobiles in tbe garage were lost.
The fire originated in the Cotton
Exchange about the center of the
building on the south side, but the
origin is not kfiown. The three build-
ings consumed were all owned by W.
B. Wise and were worth about $40,-
OOO, covered by insurance.
Woman Official Begin* Duties.
Waco, Texas: Mrs. Ella Romqns,
Who was recently appointed probation
officer to look after Juvenile delin-
quents by County Judge Tom McCul-
lough, has accepted, having assumed
the duties assigned to her. The plan
of having an institution here where
youth!ul offenders can be detained,
doing away with placing the min jail,
. is being considered, u ths be done,
arrangements will be made to care
for children of both sexes.
"Washington: A comparative state-
ment recently issued by the United
States Department of Commerce and
Labor on manufacturing shows that
Texas has outclassed United States
as a whole in percentage of increase of
1909 over 1904.
In number of establishments Texas
increased $5 per cent, while the Uni-
ted States, as a whole, Increased only
24 per cent; in capital invested, Tex-
as increased 87 per cent, the United
States 45 per cent; in cost of mate
rials used, Texas shows an increase
of 95 per cent, the United States only
43 per cent; in value of products,
Texas increase 81 per cent, the Uni-
ted States 40 per cent and in value
added by the process of manufacture
Texas has an increase of 61 per cent
and the United States 36 per cent"
Insurance Exceeds $5,500,000.
Houston, ^Texas: At a meeting of
the fire insurance adjusters in Hous
ton on Wednesday a final report war
made showing the exact amount of
fire risks and liabilities of each in
surance company that sustained risks
in the recent Fift’ Ward fire. Ex
elusive of the marine insurance and
the risks of the Co.;o:i Insurance As-
sociation the adjusters figured that the
total liabilities of their companies
amounted to exactly $2,577,210. These
risks are divided among 103 compa-
nies and range in size from $500 to
$142,000. The cotton insurance alone
was considerably more than $3,000,900,
which would make the total insurance
to be paid more than $5,500,000.
PftOF. 13 HRAL4RE>
T.. Patrick’s day,
^ March the 17th, be-
longs to the Sons
of Erin by world-
f ^9 wide assent, but
4 few Americans, out-
ny fcSpSjSR side of those de-
scended from na-
tives of the Emer-
vJL aid Isle, pause to
ww consider what
■fisres. /fy memorable services
were rendered by
<ST®/ Irish during the
Revolutionary war.
■ 1111.................. With the single ex-
ception of our
French allies, they merit the highest
commendation for their aid to the
cause of freedom; and only because
tbe former people hailed from an al-
ready established government are
their claims granted precedence.
Irish historic emblems, both in device
and tincture, are Woven unalterably
into the fabric of the evolution of
American history. Here, for the
first time, are set forth items of
great heraldic importance, giving the
proper credit to Erin’s emblems, as
they have formed an equation in the
development of the present govern-
mental devices of heraldic or sym-
bolic meaning. ;
It is generally supposed that the
only important matter which engaged
the attention of the first Continental
Congress, on the fourth day of July,
waS tl% adoption of the Declaration of
Independence; but the records show
that no less essential national problem
—a government signature, or seal—
was a part of the considerations of
that eventful occasion. It was about
three o’clock in the afternoon, when
•the Liberty Bell was still sounding
the call to arms and proclaiming the
dawn of freedom, that John Hancock,
president of the Continental Congress,
arose from his chair and said:
"We are now a nation, and I ap-
point Dr. Benjamin Franklin, John Ad-
ams and Thomas Jefferson a commit-
tee to prepare a
seal of the thirteen
The committee
Device Proposed by Benjamin Franklin.
gle. Six thousand Irish came to this
country in 1729, and dispersed and
settled throughout the colonies, princi-
pally in Maryland, Virginia and the
Carolinas. From among those devout
settlers sprang some of the most
prominent and influential colonists*
The musical instrument which sym-
bolizes the land of Erin was an at-
tributive ensign of the Goddess Hi-
bernia, the patroness of early Ireland.
As early as the fifth century, the harp
was so common in Erin that hardly a
peasant house was without one. In
the old laws of Wales and Erin tbe
Triads specified the use of the harp
one of the three things necessary
a freeman or gentle-
Pretenders were
jeeted to as an American emblem on
account of the harp being representa-
tive of Ireland.
„ But this, like many other devices,
was not reported from the committee.
There is good reason to believe that
tbe following design came as a later
proposal from Doctor Franklin, as he
refers to it in, his writings:
“Supporters.—In the dexter side: j:
the genius of America (represented
by a maiden with loose auburn
tresses), having on her head a radi-
ated crown of gold encircled with a
sky blue ffilet, spangled with silver
stars, and clothed in a long, loose ‘
white garment bordered with green.
From her right shoulder to her left a
scarf, Bemee of stars, the tinctures:
i copy-niOHT
W. O OWV-tACf
the national banner was taken until
June 14, 1777. But Jefferson was so
impressed with the idea of recognis-
ing the countries from whence Amer-
ica was peopled, and to show definite-
ly admiration for their patriotism in
the fight for liberty, that he placed b*-
low the Du Simitier idea the mottSy
“E Pluribus Unum," to indicate "From
Many (People), one (people);" or
“From Many Nationalities, one na-
tion;’' or “From England, Scotland.
Ireland, France, Germany, and the
Netherlands—the United States." The
motto does not mean"From many
Colonies, one nation," as the basio
definition is clearly indicated In the
device and in Jefferson’s description.
Still, Congress was hard to pleasd,
and the report of the distinguished
committee was eet aside and a new
committee assigned to the tasl$.
Though Jefferson continued deeply in-
terested In the matter and submitted
seveial other devices, no less than
twenty designs were under discussion,
and four subsequent committees la-
bored with the seal problem.
Then in 1782 a committee called to
their aid a certain Mr. William Bar-
ton, a patriot, soldier and heraldic ex-
pert, and he designed a seal which
again incorporated the emblems in
token of the Irish allies of the Re»
publlc. a His design was elaborate and
practically became the basis of our
present seal. In the shield the Stars
and Stripes appear and the eagle and
eye of Providence. But the special
consideration of the Irish is found in
the two figures supporting the pro-
posed design. The harp and the fleur-
de-lys relate to the assistance ren-
dered by Ireland and France^and are
blazoned on a green banner. How-
ever, this committee’s report fared no
better than its predecessors, and
finally the entire question of evolving
an appropriate seal was placed in the
hands of the secretary of the Conti-
nental Congress—the Irishman,
Charles Thomson. He, with the aid
of William Barton, gave to the world
our present emblematic signature.
Americans in general, and those of
Irish ancestry in particular, will be inr
tm
-
■
m
ml
Du SImitiere's Design of SeaL
Thompson’s Design, the Basis of Present Seal.
sd to perform Its assigned duty, and
after six weeks of labor, during which
time many designs were considered,
it was announced that the device ar-
Fire Loss at Amarillo is $15,000.
Amarillo. Texas: Loss of ? 15,000
was sustained when fire was discov-
ered in the Curtis drug store from un-
known cause. Judge R. R. Hazlewood,
whose law office was above the store,
also sustained damage of $500, both
losses being only partial! covered by
insurance. The.building located at the
corner of Polk and Fifth streets is the
property of Lee Bivens, fully covered
by Insurance.
One of the Proposed Harp Designs.
ranged by Jefferson, based on the com-
pilation of a Huguenot named Du
Bimitier, be reported to Congress on
August 10, 1776. The design in ques-
tion was quite elaborate and Indicated
fundamental knowledge of the laws
of heraldry, besides containing primal
symbolic language, and one impor-
tant element which appealed strongly
to the Irish pride of race. The pro-
posed shield carried an emblem to
represent the six great nationalities
taking part in the war tor independ-
ence, or those who populated the col-
onies and were earnest in tbe tight
for American freedom. Thus, for Eng-
land appeared a rose, for Scotland a
thistle, for Ireland a harp, for France
a fluer-de-lys, for Germany a black
eagle, and for the Netherlands a lion.
Du Simitier, who was the heraldic art-
ist, placed Ireland third in this im-
portant subdivision of that proposed
shield for the Union, and it is inter-
esting to note the reasons set forth
for this recognition of tbe patriotism
of the colonial inhabitants who came
here from Ireland:
The third Quartering, green, with a
harp of gold, was to be the respected
symbol of Ireland, and was placed
upon the shield as a token to the Irish
patriots who took an active part in the
war for independence; in fact, having
brought over with them a spirit of dis-
like and revenge against England,
-they fought most bravely In our strug-
discovered by their unsklllfulness in
“playing of the harp."
That the heraldic^ device^ of_which.
Du Simitier was the author pleased
his critics is proved by the fact that
Franklfn at once withdrew his design,
Adams ’ abandoned his and JefTerson
relegated his diagram to oblivion in
favor of the compilation offered by the
French expert. Also there were other
designs placed in evidence by distin-
guished colonists. Among them was
an emblem of Ireland,* a “Harp” with
thirteen strings, and the motto, Majora
Minorobus Consonant, meaning “The
greater and lesser ones sound togeth-
er.” The strings of the harp were of
different lengths, yet they composed
one Instrument in a strong frame and
sounded in harmony. This appropri-
ate device was intended to represent
thereof the same as in the canton;
and round her waist a purple girdle,
fringed or embroidered, argent, with
the word ‘Virtute,’ resting her in-
terior hand on the escutcheon, gnd
holding in the other the proper stand-
ard of the United States, having a
dove argent perched on the top of It.
“On the sinister side: a man in
complete armor, his sword-belt azure
fringed with gold, his helmet encircled
with a wreath of laurel and crested
with one white and two blue plumes;
supporting with his dexter hand the
escutcheon, and holding in the interior
a lance, with the point sanguinated,
and upon it a banner displayed, vert;
(green), in the fess-point a harp strung
with silver, between a star in chief,
two fleurs-de-lys in fess, a pair of
swords in saltier, in basses, all argent
,<!*«
1 •-'*
m
m
man he had gleaned sufficient knowl-
edge to be counted among the “Uteri."
8
a
Barton’s Second Design.
the new; government under the Con-
tinental Congress, as composed of
provinces of various sizes and
strength, but all working and re-
sponding harmoniously for the gen-
eral good —made united in strength
and purpose by the framework of Con-
Thta. design no doubt was ob-
The tenants of the escutcheon stand
on a scroll on which Is the following
motto: Deo Favente.’ which alludes
to the eye in the arms, meant for the
eye of Providence."
The Congress evidently counted It
more important to possess the 6eal
than a flag, for no definite action on
terested in the following sketch of the
career of the man who solved ths
problem of providing a seal for the ^
Government of the United States:
Charles Thomson was born at Ma-
gbera, Ireland, November 59, 1729, and
came to America with his throe elder
brothers in 1741. They landed at
New Castle. Delaware^ with no other
dependence than their Industry.
Thomson was educated by Doctor Al-
lison, the tutor of several of th*
signers of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence. He had a great passion
for reading and when yet a young
ffleient knowi-
ng the “literL"
He was afterwards a teacher In the
Friends’ academy, at New Castle, Del-
aware. From thence he went to
Philadelphia, where he became ac-
quainted with and obtained advice
from Benjamin Franklin; he soon be-
came the intimate friend of the
“learned Philadelphian” and their
friendship seemed to increase dally.
In 1772 he served as negotiator wlt£
the Iroquois and Delaware Indiana,
and his good, conscientious work
among the natives brought for him
the worthy nickname, “TruthteUer,"
by which name the Indians always
after called him. He was a man of rare
abilities and had the peculiar requi-
sites to make and keep friends where
ever he happened to wander. He was
called to the responsible duty of keep-
ing minutes of the proceedings of the
first Continental Congress in 1774, and
from that time until he resigned his
office in 1789—then fifty-nine years old
—he was the secretary of that dignl-
fled and important body.
John Adams called him “the Sam
Adams of Philadelphia, the life of the
cause of liberty." This certainly was
a compliment, coming as it did from a
tried and honest patriot Thomsen, It
is true, made a most diligent secre-
tary, and in that position he had the
rare pleasure of taking notes of all
the important congressional actions.
For the first year’s work be received
no pay. He served as permanent sec-
retary during the eventful fifteen
years that followed. His seal was an-
iU
cepted officially on Juns 30. 17**.
• n
YV
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Hulbert, Elbert Monroe & Tufts, Minnie Wetmore. The Lancaster Herald. (Lancaster, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 6, Ed. 1 Friday, March 8, 1912, newspaper, March 8, 1912; Lancaster, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth542626/m1/3/: accessed April 24, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lancaster Genealogical Society.