The Mineola Daily Argus (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 11, 1903 Page: 4 of 4
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MINEOLA
AND
WOOD COUNTY.
EARLY IIISTORY OF MINEOLA.
The origin of tho D&ma of Mlneola
remains an entitled question. It Is
said that tho railroad people Intended
that the town should l o called Junc-
tion City from the simultaneous con-
junction of the two railroads hwo, but
in 8ouno unknown manner that name
was defeated. There is a oommon be-
lief among the citizens of the city that
the town was named by a Kr. Burnett
of Galveston who, as npreaentatife of
the Texas Land company, before the
founding of the town, purchased for 60
dents an acre the land on which Mlpe-
ola Is built, called the place Mlneola
fn honor either of hi# llttlo daughter
named Minnie or after some other llt-
tlo girl or young lady ivy that name.
' Mlneola owes tor existence and
datos her origin from the junction of
the Texas and Pacific and the Inter-
national and Groat Northern railroads,
at a point not far from half way be-
tween Dallas and Marshall on tho west
nnd east and between Tyler and Qrnn-
vllle on the south and nor.h. vhleh
was consummated In Juno 1873. As the
two roads, one building waetward and
the other to the north, grew olaser and
closer to tho verging point, the builu-
ir.g of them became more aad more
interesting, as both construction crew
were about equidistant from the point
where they were to conTerge, and this
occasioned a very high pitch of rival-
ry between the laborers building the
two great railroads. and in conse-
quence betting wts Indulged In con
Biderably by sports both big and lit-
tle ar to which road would first be
built to the point of conjunction. Both
crews worked hard and tireless, labor-
ing both night and day, In order to
win the race.
Added to the interest and excite-
ment is the construction of the roads,
grout speculation was exercised by the
people, who were contemplating the
founding of a new railroad town in
EuHt Text*, as to wbere the converg-
ing point of the two railroads would
he for that point w-as to be the place
where the new town should be located.
Pretty soon the point of junction *«e
reached, being first obtalnedby the T.
ft P., defeating its rival by only about
thirty minute*, and the former ad-
vanced about fifty yards before the I
ft O. N. track was laid to the goal.
The event wm duly celebrated by the
building crews by tho drinking of
spirltous liquor* and having a general
good time In their way. The T. ft P.
continued its progress westward, while
the I. ft G. N., which, it was believed,
designed to go oa to Sulphur Springs,
made Mlneola Its permanent terminus
of ftbe Troupe extension. Eight years
afterward, however, the "Katy" sys-
tem built a line of railroad from
fiTwenvllle to Mlneola, making a con-
tinuous line with the International
nnd Great Northern and giving Mlneo-
la a railroad outlet in every cardinal
direction—north, east, south and west.
Several months previous to the
junction of tho two railroads a town
was started about three quarters of a
mile southeast of where the union de-
pot now stands, being located where
it was generally understood the survey
of the International and Great North-
ern road would be made to come along.
Some forty or fifty small, cheap, rough,
unfinished box shanties and tents were
hastily erected in a row alongside the
coming road and stocked with the va-
rious lines of goods common to fron-
tier towns In those days. The coun-
try round about contalnod many
tough characters of the homo genus a8
well as th« native wild animals of
more or less vicious disposition, as
farms or settlements were scareo for
miles around at that time, and the
tpwn was frequented by so many of
those barbarous characters known as
desperadoes, who went heavily armed,
drank bad liquors, carried blood in
their eyes, as It were, and committed
murder at the slightest provocation
and oftentimes without any provoca-
tion at all. that the place was called
"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 tike two rail-
roads, where tho permanent town
roust be located.
Then when tho survey of the Texas
and Pacific road was made another
location was selected for the town, in
the vicinity or where the cotton com-
press now stands, and four or five
stores were put up there in anticipa-
tion of the International and Great
Northern touching tho Texas and P-v
dflc at that point But this location
was also doomed to bo a failure. 'Jho
International and Great Northern did
at .first Intend to connect therr, and
"even surveyed the line thithf/r, but
subsequently rejected the location on
account of its swampy surfr^e. Then
.'he International and Gree.t Northern
road * a* made to bend Yo the west-
ward and touched tho T« ^xaa ft Pacific
about throe hundred J'jrda west of
there, striking the Te^as and Pacific
track at thfc union <'4epot as It is at
pr**KM t.
There r.as one Fian who was wiser
than al? the rest 'in anticipating the
location of the junction of tho two
railr^ds. He was L. R. Graham, the
present inanar.^r of tho wholesale gro-
cery and fee,d store of L. R Graham
ft Co. of Viineola. Ho was one of the
merchant^ of Hell's Half Acre, but his
store was built directly in the way
where the International and Great
Northern road was subsequently sur-
veyed to pass along, and in conse-
quence thereof was compelled to move
3atne out of the road's 1 ight-of-way,
and instead of relocating at location
No. 2 (in the vicinity where the cotton
compress row stands), acted upon a
wli'-r judgment and bought the west
corner lot on the block directly front-
ing on the north the future location of
the union depot, the town having al
refdfcjtaap laid otf. and he bujjt there-
on the Brat storehouse, stocked it with
>mjly( groceries and became the first
merrbart of Minoola as permanently
located, even beat ing the railroads to
the place about two months. 9am A.
Joseph's saloon, at tho east corner of
Front and Johnson streets, now stands
on the lot where Mr. Orahatn establish-
ed his business.
At this timo the slto of the fiftnre
city of Mineola was a perfect wilder-
ness. with very few farms or settle-
ments within a radius of ten or fiftoen
mllae. Wild animals roamed at will
over the forests and game of all kluds
W. W. Cox, flagman of the union do
pot railroad creeping, come to Mlneola
In 1873.
J. R. Turmnn, agent of the Dallas
Nows In Mlneola, came here in 1873,
before the founding of the town.
W. 8. Henry, now engaged In farm-
ing in the edge of Mineola, came bore
with L R. Oraham In 1873.
T. W. Wren, residing In the weat
l>ortlon of Minoola, came to this rlcla
lty In 1870, three year* before the
founding of the town, tuttf opened np
was plentiful. I>eor were junnerous | }-be farm on which he^BOW realdea, and
and venison a common article ou 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,
aad pretty soon the place was cleared
up sufficiently to give tho appearanco
of a town under good headway to fu-
tnre greatness. Though the surround-
ing country was sparsely settled, the
town at once began to bo a great trad-
ing point, attracting trade for forty
miles around, on account "of tho scarc-
ity of railroads In those days.
Immediately following the junction
of tho railroads Front street began to
build up rapidly with storehouses,
while In a few yeans the stores In the
rleinlty where the cotton compress
now stands wore either deserted or
moved away. Mineola Continued
building up rapidly for several years Texas, about two years ago.) Shortly
is still engaged at terming. He
county eommfwBtoner ot tut* precinct
(No. 2) for ail ran.
Phintp Weaver MM to fftteofe In
1S7S teg eagacaf to tike Mftri
for a yrmr er m, Umm tatetaret
tm ien, Cheat «eM to fenrJ**
later ouaiwHet r, tort yehrt toa iff
bae a great atoie mi
garbing Um early fcMaty to
JoUa WOaer aa4 f, ft#"?toto* vha
were pertMve at HMM to
camo to Ifiaeula twitotoMp totoi the
building Jt the ralkaato toe • -
tablirliod Um trst diw gapd* > «iaiaeaa
In this place. la 1ST! lie l4>wlager
sold Ills interest In the htotnean to 31*
mon Munzeehelmer, who aame hare In
1875 and conducted a watah repair and
jewelry shop In the store 4a which he
bought an interest. (Mr. Lowinger
left Mlneola In 18Sti and died in Waco,
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
the town contaiued 800 or 1000 popula-
tion of fer more permanent character
than at first, and the merchants enjoy-
ed, or did, a tremendous bueslness, for
the treds was actually too great and
pressing to be enjoyed by anyoue but
the most covetous-hearted. The town
obtained tho cotton and trade from ton
other counties besides Wood, viz.:
Kaufman, Henderson. Van Zandt,
Smith, Rains. Hunt, Delta, Upehur,
Hopkins and Camp. In fact tho busi-
ness transacted here at that time was
phenomenally large, especially during
the marketing of cotton, when tho re-
ceipts would frequently reach 500 and
600 bales per day. Tho business In the
stores was so pressing that the mer
after Mr. Munzesheiraer married Miss
Carrie Marks, a wealthy lady of Jef-
ferson, Texas, and Ih 18S(I he pur-
chased the interest of hts partner, Mr.
Weinor, who then left Mineola with
considerable moans and returned to tho
home of his nativity in Hungary and
engaged in the manufacture ot pearl
buttons. He has now retired from
business and resides In Stofhols, Hun-
gary. Mr. Munzesheimer continued
the business several years and efcld it
to a company of Greenville, Texas,
who moved tho same to that place. Mr.
Munzesheimer then moved wlfh hlB
family to New York City, where they
remained nine or ton years and then
returned to Mineola and purchased the
general merchandise business of Bruce
and company of which he was a heavy
creditor. About six years ago Mr.
Munzesheimer organized the Mlneola
Meroflntile company, which is one of
the largest mercantile establishments
chants would have to keep open till (in tho city. Mr. Munzesheimer died
midnight or later to accommodate all [ practice of law 12 or 14 years and en-
the customers and then many would I last year. He was born In Germany
have to remain over till next day be-land came to Texas when quite young
fore thoy could obtain their purchases. I and soon became a full-fledged Ameri-
In 1878 the East Line (now 3. S. and) can with a devout Interest in all that
S.) road was built from Greenville to!pertained to Minoola and Wood coun-
Jefferson and that detached much
trade from Mineola, but the increase
In the number of farms opening up in
the territory surrounding and still
tributary to Mineola served to prevent
any conaiderable decrease in the vol-
ume at her trade. Since then tho later
history of Mineola is too well known to
warrant a continuation ot the story, so
we close this historical sketch for
the present
Mineola was Incorporated In the
spring of 1877, the confines of the mun-
icipality being a circle formed by a
half mile radius with tin union depot
as the center. Jas. Farrell, who came
from Omaha, Neb., was elected the
first mayor. He now resides some-
where in Weet Texas. The first baord
of alderman was oompoaed 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 of Mineola now. B. F. McDon-
ald was the first city marshal. George
A. Cage was elected tho 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 was the first jus-
tice of the peace of Mineola (No. 2)
precinct after the founding of the
town.
EARLY SETTLERS OF MINEOLA.
Below wo take pleasure in mention-
ing those first and subsequent settlers
of Mineola 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
name. They all deserve the highest
encomium for the excellent stato to
which they have developed and built
the splendid, modern, up-to-date little
city of which we arc all so proud and
muchly enjoy.
Thos. Breen, who has just begun his
fourth term as postmaster of Min-
eola, camo here a couple of months be-
fore the arrival of the railroads and
engagod iu the hardware business as a
member of the firm of T. L. Edwards
& Co. Two years later Mr. Edwards
retired from the llrm, leaving as prop-
rietors Mr, Breen and Jacob Elmer,
the latter dying in 1885, since which
timo Mr. Breea has been sole proprie-
tor.
George A. Cage came to Mlneola In
July, one month aftor the arrival of
the railroads, and engaged 1n the re-
ceiving 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 engagod in the banking business,
which ho pursued about thirteen years.
For the past eighteen years ho has
been writing Are insurance.
W. J. Jennings came to Minoola in
the fall of 1878 and built the first sub-
stantial residence in the south ward,
which is south of tho Toxas & Pacific
railroad.
D. S. Lankford, proprietor of the
drug store on West Broadway, was in
tho vicinity of Mineola before the
founding of the town. He was one of
the first clerks In tho store of N. S.
Sodekson, which was ostabllshod iu
1875, and has served ten years as
mayor of tho city. Ho is one of the
best known persons in Wood county.
Dr. A. Patten camo to Mlneola In the
spring of 1873, but did not move liis
family here from Quitman, an old
town and the county Beat of Wood
county, till 1875. Tie Is still liore and
actively engaged in the practlco ot
medicine.
J. F. Wren, clerking in the Racket
Store of C. C. Staler, and his brothers.
Wm. H. and R: X. Wren, pursuing the
carpcntor's tradio, came to Minoola in
1876, and Bay there were only two or
throe farms between here and Golden
.then, whllo now th«re .la sot -enough
woodland dlrectlf botween the two
polata to make a good tised rAach.
ty. He ever possessed a warm heart
and an open hand for tho relief of the
poor and unfortunate. None ever
went to him for a favor and was turn-
ed away empty handed. His son, Gus
Munzesheimer, Is secretary and treas-
urer of tho Mineola Mercantile com-
pany and is probably the only native
born merchant in Mineola.
N. S. Sodekson came to Mineola In
1875 with his brother, H. Sodekson,
and established a goneral merchandise
business in a livery stable building lo-
cated about the middle of the bloek on
Front street, directly fronting the un-
ion depot. He paid $75 a month for
tbe building and converted itMato a
store 'house by tearing away tbe atalla
and flooring It with the lumber obtain-
ed, and by canvassing the unsightly
walls as well as ceiling the overhead
joists with canvasing. In 1884 * Mr.
Sodekson organized the present cor-
poration of N. S. Sodekson &■ Co.,
doing business In their fine two-etory
brick on Weet Broadway.
The double brick house on Front
street fronting the union depot, now
occupied by Lloyd & Benton as a liv-
ery stable and owned by J. C. 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 Weiner & Mun-
zoshelmer. 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 accom-
plished as an office 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 residences.
John Jones, a carpenter residing In
the south part of town, came to Mln-
eola in 1876.
B. F. Read came here the same year
from Lovelady, Texas, and engaged In
the general mercantile buBineae While
Mineola enjoyed such a large "ffade
from all tbe surrounding coufltlee.
He retired from an active bualneto life
in 1896 and is now serving as city
treasurer. *
I. G. Brom berg camo to M'aMta in
February 1877, and located on Front
street with a very small stock of gen-
eral merchandise. Ho Is now thfe se-
nior member of the firm of I. G. Brom-
berg & company and is regarded as the
wealthiest citizen otf the city. We have
heard it said of Mr. Brom berg that he
has acquired every cent of his great
gains In fair, honest, legitimate deal-
ings with his fellowmen. and that no
one has ever been known to question
his honesty o chargo any crooked-
ness to him In any wise.
A. II. Blaslngame camo here in 1879
and engaged in the saloon bualneae
and Is still a resident of Mlneola.
Judge H. M. Cate came to Mineola
in January 18S0, and engaged in the
practice of law with Capt. W. M. Giles,
who died last summer. 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 be voluntary retired and return-
ed to Mineola nnd re-entered the prac-
tice of law. Iu 1888 he organized the
First National Bank of Mineola, one
of the solid institutions of east Texas,
and in 1899 organized the H. M. Cate
Dry Goods & Grocery CO., Known as
"Tho Big Four," one of tho largest
general merchandise stores In this
city. Ho moved to Terrell In 1901 and
now resides there.
Geo. C. Reeves came here Ih 1874.
He was i lty Marshal of Mlneola three
terms, engaged in the hardware busi-
ness fix years, and was state convict
agent during Gdv. Hogg's 4-years' ad-
ministration. Ho is now engaged In
the .stock bu9intas aad owns about, a
dozen farms In the country JtiuTound-
Log Mlneola. Ha also has ft taw mill
5 miles efist of town.
J. A. Calloway came to Mlneola In
1S81 and engaged In the mercantile
business, organizing tho firm of J. A.
Calloway & Co. Four years ago he
left Mineola and went to Big Springs,
Texas, where he Is now engaged in
the stock business. Ills son, L. D.
Calloway, has taken his place In the
business here and the firm name now
1b L. D. Calloway & Co.
Ex-Governor Jas. 9. F?ogg, now re-
siding in Austin, was ones a nesMeat
of Mineola a short time whits he was
county attorney of Wood wuty, Safc-
sequentiy he was district attorney,
then attorney general of tho state and
lastly aorernor.
Senator R. N. Stafford came to Mln-
eola in 1880 from Quitman, being
county attorney at tho time. He serv-
ed two terms In that capacity and
waa elected district attorney and serv-
ed two terma. In 1891 to 1893 ho was
master In ohoncery of the I. & G. N.
railroad which waa under a receiver-
ship. In 1S94 ho waa elected to the
senate and has been re-elocted twice
since and has Just begun his third 4-
yaar term of faithful and efficient ser-
vice for the 7th souatorial district. He
vyu president pro tern of the senate 2
years and has been twice a delegate to
national democratic conventions. Is
manager of the Mineola Ire & Light
Co., and owns considerable valuable
property In the city.
J. L. Ray was reared in Wood coun-
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 woetern outskirts of town
and is also Is the real estate bualnees.
He Is president of the Old 9ettlara' as
sedation ot Vood county and is re-
garded as tho prims mover in organ-
izing the association. He waa master
of the state grauga several years.
B. Q. Hart moved £rom Quitman to
Mlneola In 1881 and engagod In the
practloe ot law with J. C. Buchanan,
an earlier settler of tho 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. Sara W. Hart, camo with him
to Mineola and still resides here.
W. B. Teagarden,, president of the
Mlneola Mercantile Co., came to Min-
eola in 1875 and clerked a while and
later was publisher of the Mineola
Monitor (now defunct) a couple of
years. He has been engaged in the
Joys a lucrative practice
Te first paper published In Mineola
was the Advortiser, 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
waa discontinued after awhle. 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 Mineola in
1876 and engaged In hie present busi-
ness, being proprietor i of the bar-
ber shop on tbe east Bide of Johnson
street. Mr. Pebworth Is an ordained
minister of the Baptist church and
takes prominent part in the lodge
work cf the town.
J. W. McMurry, manager of the
hardware and leather goods establish-
ment of J. W. McMurry & company,
came to Mineoia in 1876 and engaged
In the saddlery and harness business.
George F. Flynt, the jewoler, watch-
maker and optician on the east side
of Johnson street, came to Mineola in
1876.
J. M. Allen came to Mineola in 1878
and engaged in his present occupation,
that of the dray business.
LH. Hijffmaster came to Mlneola in
1878 and engaged In a confectionery
and grocery business a few months.
Then he was a commercial traveler
for a clothing firm for about ten years.
Later he waa a clerk in Mineola stores
and was city assessor and collector live
yoars, and Is now serving his third
term as mayor of Mlneola.
B. H. Greer came here with tho Tex-
as & Pacific preliminary surveying
crew in 1872 before the arrival of the
railroads or founding of the town of
Mineola. He has followed railroading
at different places ever since and Is
again a resident of Mlneola.
J. F. McDanlel camo to Mlneola In
1877 and took charge as agent of the
old Texas Express company located
at thi3 place. Later tho Pacific Express
company took the place of the Texas
Express company and Mr. McDaniel
continued as agent. Ho is still agent
here, having been with the Pacific Ex-
press company 21 years, duriDg which
time he 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 servlco as Mr. McDanlel
can. His services are so efficient and
satisfactory that the express company
would not let him resign if he wanted
to.
W. R. Aldridge camo to Mlneola in
the fall of 1881 and engaged as fuel
agent for the M. K. ft T. railroad, lat?r
as baggoge master, then was clerk In
tho freight house. He has 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 tho practice of law in Mineola, went
to Laredo many years ago and later
to San Antonio, where ho was elocted
mayor of that city and Is now serving
as stato senator of that district.
Aaron Munzesheimer came to Mineo-
la in 1878 and engaged in business with
S. Zuckerman & Company, carrying
general merchandise. Two or three
years later Weinor & Munzesheimer
bought the business of Mr. Zuckerman
and Mr. Aaron Munzeeholmer went
with the purchasing firm, who then
changed the Arm name to H. Munzes-
heimer & Company. Later Mr. Aaron
Munzesheimer was with Bruce ft com-
pany, general merchandise dealers, and
In' 1900 he established his present busi-
ness, one of the largest in Mlneoln,
having two large stores in conjunction
and carrying genoral merchandise, in-
ctuding.a full .Une.of gu>cori«a, etc,
J. and I. Goldman, brothers, doing
biutn«MS In the name of J Goldman ft
company, were In business bore during
tho early history of the town. They
left Minoola In the latter part of the
70s, and both are now dead, the former
dying in Winsboro about 19 years ago
and tho latter in Hillsbaro about five
years since. Mrs. A. Munzesheimer
and Ben Goldman, both of this city,
aro daughter and son, respoctively, of
J. Goldman.
W. j. McDonald ft Cafflfany was one
of the fioneot mercantile #rmS «f Mln-
eola M< wcrtmMr dft the kvrfvri tort-
w* Ot cay aartwl tr trim while
hsra Mr. UtOneM Ml ttfcteeia
about treaty r*are age mU to mtv
captain of the staVi raag«rs aad Rat-
ioned a*. Quanah.
Levy ft Browa was also a prominent
mercantile firm of Mlneola In early
days. They left here In tho latter part
of the 70s and now resido in Wax&Ua-
chlo. Mr. Levy has retired from an
active business life aud is now one of
tho wealthiest men in the state.
MINEOLA AT PRESENT.
Mineola is in the southwestern por-
tion of Wood, ono of tho best counties
of Toxas, 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 cf railway, connecting at a union
depot near the center of the city. The
main line of the Texas and Pacific rail-
road runs through the city east and
west, from New Orleans to El Paso;
the great "Katy" system has a line
here from Greenville, north, and the
International nnd Great Northern, "the
Texas railroad," comes in from Troupe
on the south. With tho advantages of
these systems o| transportation, it
seems reasonable to predict that Mln-
eola will at no distant duy grow to be
a place of great importance. Nothing
but lack of sufficient eapltal, that one
groat 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 bore 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 bo a safe and profitable invest-
ment here. A fire-proof warehouse Is
also needed; also a candy factory, soap
factory, broom factory, etc.
Mineola has a splendid local tele-
phone system, with over 100 subscrib-
ers, connected with the long distance
system of the Southwestern Tolepohnc
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 im-
proved machinery.
There is in the city a big cotton com-
press; one of tho largest factories in
the state for tho manufacture of boxes,
baskets, crates, etc., for the shipping of
fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.; a steam
laundry, and iron warka a bottling
works ant two systems of waterworks
in the residence section, as well as a
largo, deep public well oa Jk>hnson 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 never
having lost any money on a loan.
The mercantile firms of the city will
compare favorably with those in the
best towns of Texas. There Is one
wholesale grocery and feed store en-
joying a Bplendid jobbing trade; five
large establishments making a special-
ty of dry goods, clothing, etc., bnt 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, one cash exclusive dry goods
store, one gents' furnishing goods
store, 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 sad-
dlery and leather good in addition;
three lumber yards, two livery sta-
bles, five exclusive grocery stores, as
well as seven other firms handling fam-
ily groceries; four 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 fancy woodwork shop, two
watch repair shops, threo newspanevs
and two job printing offices.
Among the professions and trades
represented in Minoola there are nine
physicians, two dentists, ono spsclal-
iat, twelve or fourteen notaries, eight
lawyers, two underwriters, three real
estato dealers, nine clergymen, four be-
ing colored; numerous literary and
music teachers, eight truck and fruit
growors and several others beginning
in tho business; four tn-lck masons,
threo painters and |*iper bangers, six-
teen carpenters, two draymen, three
white nnd four colored church houses,
with five white and four colored church
organizations.
Mineola is incorporated tindetr the
general laws of the state and is divid-
ed Into three wards, with two alder-
men from each, and a full complement
of city officers, a r <■ c o r -
der's court., with criminal Jurisdic-
tion, etc. The south ward Is all that
part of the clt.y south of the Texas and
Pacific railroad, while Johnson street
separates the east from the west, ward
In the north part of town.
Tho health of the city Is uniformly
good and the death rate in phenomenal-
ly small, being perhaps, as low as can
be found In any part of the state,
Mlneola In in as lino a fruit, iruck
and grape country iu< there Ih In the
world, to which fact the people are Just
awakening. The Mlneola Fruit and
Vegetable Growers' association Ih a
prod tut <>f the recent awakening of the
lieopla on the subJcct. The members
of the nssoclatlori will Inenwuie their
acreagrtlthis year considerably. Dr. A
H, Cochrane aud i), li 1/nukford have
leecmtiy set out ho «on* In Elh<<rtn
neA"he i two t'tll'in wont ot t«wn, and
Mr. Lankford Is also Betting out a 30-
acro Elberta peach orchard six miles
6outh of town; also Dr. E. W. Mo-
Cam ish hae Just sot out a 30-acre PL
berta poach orchard in tho northern
outskirts °f town. Tho land here Is
sandy with occasional Iron oro spots
and is very productive ot overythingTn
tho agricultural, horticultural or or-
chard lino adaptor to this climate.
the Verier of
Tcxaw * better eotton market than
*** pe«f fa ewt er trado. Just
«• dWra* lnu fitvan am a eash basis.
Tftere ore five Vu-ge coacerne here that
buy Cotton «JJ ftkrfmgh Ibe season acfl
are never la's than w 13 tu ' "
iho streets, ready to samp^ an| bid
on the tamer's 00U00. There ar" ger.
ral cotton yards, aud It cost.* the taw.
mer nothing to have his cot .on welch-
ed, sampled and receipted for in thl-
market. A hog market hfis also lieen
ostabllshod hero, and fat logs can al-
ways be sold for cash. There is a
compress hare also, which is an advan-
tage to the man who sells cotton in
inr!Lm et" The cottou receipts are
creasing61^ BeaS°Q consUtl"ly In-
VVith her splendid railroad facilities,
fine building and manufacturing tinv
tanrrnsurr!ed farm'tnick and f>3t
ands excellent possibilitiee for obtain-
ing abundant supplies of good water
shL mi and Industrious cltlzen-
! Possesses the nucleus to
become one of the best towns In the
itets. Mil there is no reason why It
should not hare 10,000 population with-
in a few years and he teeming with fac-
tories of various kinds.
The rttyi for ono thinR, hag
cramped for lack of sufficient room, but
the city council several months a«o
passed an ordinance expanding the
city limits double the distance <mt
making the city contain four square
miles instead of only two square E
as formerly. £ ho 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 tho op-
portune time for the capitalist to coma
to Mineola and Join In the march of
progress.
This city has as fine talent in the le-
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
Li Jexas' her schools rank with the
highest, and her peoplo are a sober
moral, refined, church-going people.
Mineola is an auspicious and invitin«
field for both the capitalist and skilled
laborer as well as the up-to-date horti-
culturist or orchardist. and her sur-
rounding fertile land3 are beckoning
as it were, the coming of the husband-
man as never before. Market garden-
ois, orcnardlsts, 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-
2t 'UCtl°D °f a11 ,hoee ch0,c-
est and mostly Bought articles of diet
The intelligent farmer who engages
of fhey8tematlCa"y in the cultlvatfon
the giape, strawberrv, blackberrv
M S 01 a" k,nd - K'^rta peaches
and other varieties, app!es or pears
Now Is the tCl°mTfS a "'an of mean8'
' w is the time to come, as the land*
are fast being taken up at a rmidlv
Increasing price. rapidly
WOOD COUNTY. -V<
'so°nniaiD9102 square mile8 or <«.-
-80 acres of as good land as fs to hp
IMsrt afn.y timbered section of the
united State3 of America, in 4he
county there are about 50,000 acres'of
and in cultivation, leaving about 400 -
000 acres waiting for and inviting the
man with the axe. plow, spade\n,l
eorA ? produce in abundance
corn, cotton, oats, wheat, barley rye
and Irish), melons of all dcscrlptfons
grasses in endless variety, sugar cane
centeTTf'"/h1' WV'P situa,p(1 ^ the
center of the great fruit belt, here
grapes and berries grow spontaneously
and the Improved varieties cannot bo
surpassed either in quantity or quality.
Our special oroduction3 in the fruit
line are: apples, peaches, pears, plums
grapes and berries. All foreign varie-
ties so far as tested are a success. Our
so.l Is peculiarly adapted to garden
vegetables, not only in variety, but iu
quality, and numbers of our most pro-
pessjve farmers are making a special-
ty of raising the watermelon, canta-
loupe, Irish potato, tomato, cabbage,
etc., and they are making money at
The county is well supplied with wa-
ter. The Sabine river on our south-
western boundary, with Lake Fork,
one of its principal tributaries, running
through its center from north to
south with numbers of bo^d running
creeks, branches and brooklets, many
of them furnishing power to run ma-
chinery thr> year round. There are
numerous lakes on our water courses
teeming with the finny 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
groat health resort for the afflicted. The
soil is grey Bandy or grey loam as a
rule, although there are large bodies
of red gravily sandy land.
Tho timbers are white, black, red
and post, oak, ovoreup, ash, walnut,
mulberry, sweet aud black gum, white
and black hickory, black Jack, cotton
wood, hack berry, pine, etc. A large
area of the south end of the county is
covered with a magnificent growth of
as (hie yet low pines us can be. found
in the south, from which are furnish-
ed millions of feet of lumber and
shingles nnnunlly.
Unimproved lands in tbo county sell
nt from $1 50 to $8.00 an acre, accord-
ing to location, quality and quantity.
Improved lands range In prlco from
IS.00 to |2fI.OO per acre. I^and can be
purcUtt.'jed on easy terms.
Health of tho county Is givod, schools
ure first-class, mul churches of nearly
every nntno and order «v(ist, an<l ep<ile-
ty Id splendid. The Jury scrip Is bV
waytt worth I< rents <>n tii« dnljnr
ei
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The Mineola Daily Argus (Mineola, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 11, 1903, newspaper, February 11, 1903; Mineola, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254288/m1/4/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mineola Memorial Library.