The Sunday Morning Herald. (Amarillo, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 12, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 17, 1910 Page: 9 of 12
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THE -SUNDAY MORNING HERALD
Second Section
Pages 9 to 12
VOL XXII NO. la
ArURILLO TbXAS APRIL 17 IQ10
PKICh 5 CUNTS
OLD TASCOSA RICH IN MEMORIES OF A STORIED AND EVENTFUL PAST
Nestling nerencl In Its m ttl ig o(
Stately old colon wee J trees away to
the northwestern o:iromliy of Old-
ytfi eotnty hemmed lu by the Jow
knii on the north Tascosa treek oa
the wes' th Canadian rWor on tho
jeuth ard tho Caslmero Romero and
Ij. I. T. iiprlnc branchca oa tho east
Old Tam oii sUnda pre-eminently th
moat h' torlt ally Interstlnj spot In
II 0 panhandle country today.
Hodr.cd in as It wore from tho
encroachments of civilisation this
fcuatat tld frontier town sleeps on
-'J - " -'- 1 ........... - ... ..ij.U'u'ia
COUU nuisb a
Testing i. II her In lis scenes of this
past than In its hopes (or the future.
In tho former It In rich and vivid
while the latter promises nothing
certainly as might connect It with
a city or town of commercial Impor-
tance. It .were well perhaps to have
Beaded this arUele "Tho Passing of
Old Tacosn'' for at present there Is
an agitation and one in which the
combined citizenship virtually coin-
cides locking to the removal of Uio
seat of Oldham county's government
to a point more readily aencBslhle.
In ursine this chanse of nlte it is
pointed out that whilo all the resi-
dents of the rouniy love old Tasco-
sa the location is not only far from
the center of operations but is also
difficult of access lying as It does
aeparated from the stretching; fertile
acres of Oldham bv the treacherous
Canadian river. From some -portions
of tho county a three days
journey Is necesWy to reach tho
county seat responsive to court sum-
mons. Anticipating this detitro for
greater facility one or two enter-
prising towns in other and more fa-
vored tactions at least from nn ugrl-
culinivl mid cr inmercUil Ktandpoint
have lai-l mi-. -t tho l carts of the
voters in a:i ciioit m dlslodne the
prize from 'n pir: ui-csnju' k-i tint;.
una re-is r-i.! til n iuiita scones more
busy. If lcr..i appealing to the aiti.-
tle sense.
In order to determine tho wish of
ri.i. in.i vmfim i ...yyq ; i. iv "ymf MT
mm Mm I
i "" ' ..Miw.iwa-r' m iifilf.w..iiiiiiil..iM...l.wil.a...i..l
J ' ' 1 m:tmm. m-i .... ..i.iJ. ..J .. ' .ii .'. . . . l-.vl.. . .1 ' .. j...
C i.- ; - .... .
r I i . . ; '
tho voters t f Ohlli::in county wi'h
reference n win'-- - p. ..;irod 1 h at
Hi" M'J! of i;iici'nnont shall l mi
election linn dm 11 culled fur ni.;
Tuesday April lit. Thin quern Ion Ik
on that han created great activity
and tie voting strength or tho coun-
ty w! he leiupK-ntt' l It. li believed
tn almost full capacity.
Mm regardless nf the termination
f thin present contest -Old Tas-
cosa for ninny years tlio metropolis
of the plains country will continue
to live In the hearts of the people.
Memories of her cooling breezes of
her pure sparkling draughts of fresh
spring water bubbling and crystal
coupled with tho hospitality of her
lovable people will Inhabit the mind
whilo its functions remain enthroned.
Tho picture of thl3 beloved though
Isolated community like u restful
canvas of a master haul for Indeed
it was the artlstlo Fashioner of the
Universe who set the stage will ra-
cur with Increasing forco while tha
years In their course come and go
in their trend toward the vast soa
of eternity.
Leaving Amarlllo 'via the Fort
Worth & Denver fl'y railway one
Is borne on a course to tho north-
west touching the lanndlan river nt
the mouth of the Slrlta Lu Cruz
creek a pretty llitle stream taking
Its name from a nromlnet rise or
sharp hill known as the Little Moun-
tin of the Cress or as the Spanish
. Fap Slrlta La Cruz both of which are
( t .i uatod on the "L. I. T." ranch prop-j
erty from which place the road ne.l
parallels the larger stream to Ma-
genta a water and fnal station
threti miles and a half to the south-
west of Old Tascosa. Magenta Is
however not the station from whi-li
passengers ordinarily leave thP train
for Old Tascosa and Is only so used
when the river Is past fording at a
point directly south of the town one
mile and a half away.
Muilt primarily on the bank of the
Canadian river the town t this Hni"
- j mm Jjrv-rrtn 'I'. "t" ' wrTTrm
Same
H a li ilf in:!c iiwny from that wate'
course ilinuuh froaKisli clinnpe In
I " ( ha.iM l ;i . ;ir.icci.-.ilc of nianv
we I tii nimiii: t the 1 1 J.J o of the
liulMlnn n (). lahciini thu chaniel
was Jniit iiinler he bank glvlnp i'so'
to a Iii.mmi that was (iilt? b.njsv
KRUiliSt ih.J twAIIMltO liemo i ho
Spa.iiili i aim l':sivta iiwhii 1 ni. b
entcrprot Him. liiiRRy." liut with I
the chilli;'.. n: of (he channel .hlfi-
ing the f'l .i-M bonn the vje:
Island or h.iml l.ai tl bayou with
Its inci(i ;ii mid pni 01 li'avi.i.T t.io
town olenr hihI dry with lis we ier.i
boundary nurim'1 ' y Hie dii.liiii'. .
clear and limpid w.iiora of T.ih.'nsi
creek in;!. in- Her yay l:itj tin?
river.'
It In a iiTiieiy with th" youth
growing .o in: hhrod and wn .vinhool
In Tascii.'1 t:VI t. )hini o w l.irh
reference . -cm nude K.:ewii
ns "Iiend Vim Ida-id." This title
was den ;i; 'U. ; n I full of uvnn-
Ing. Tie' l ii'y or a ir. an win burled
In the rhifili'n sin is oi' do mliin 1.
KiU h year v i !) ih eenniiT f the
spring wli.' rns.:nMil i.i whl.h
the body was held was exposed an 1
It became the oru of d o yniingi-vr.i
tu re-Inter It. proi So;iS-n i0 f0J.
son the (had mn:i inno In for his
share of ntiei.iidii. Finally Wth an
unprei eilent": overflovi;iS of t
liar the liut nortal remains .f Hie
dead ldng of (ho Isluul Went out on
tho turgid waters ami Mio ta.s';K. sell's
imposed upon willing hand- had
ended. ;
In a little 'ilrdie-walled house to
the right ns the court tstnirturo is
aprpoached from the souh the
. ' -: ...- '":. 'j '
' 'Vt '
V ' l - - I X r i ' Ir1; ':uX
.. s " v v :xx?k -' :t
' nr? -i' r-'A v-.
A V .... . ' l'
A.N OLD TASCOSA I'lO.NKtilt.
young of the community the fledg-
lings wer9 given such educational
slants" as the surroundings made
possible. This picturesque building
now serves as a Catholic chapel tiki
school edifice having taken on more
pretentious proportions with the
passage of tlmo.
Mut it may not be said that Old
I'ascosn was always the sciitiineiital
win'y Ml"'-"
""" mi ""
Seems as though neatly everyone in
OUT
low prices and
ttefi
dre-i'iiy. quiet place of today. Th'..J
('".'cripiicn applicable at this time
would havo been far from applicable
dul l n (lie jays of its founding about
IS7P - forty years ago. So rich and
ft) varied ar the Incidents that go
to make up the final history of the
community that onlv the most noted
mr.y r.t ihla time bo given.
I.Ike all impnrant eolonlea of the
western frontier characters wero
gathered therein from the various
quarters of the globi These men
c&.to with their varied personalities
with their hopes and desires for the
fu'cie with their pre-conerlved ideas
cf what the destinies of that com-
nn" lty rhf.uld show. Out of this
cotvrlonieraie there grew a e.Hlzeu-B!i'p--not
inllshed perhaps as the
world rrrs thhign. but pome true
mrn and voifien Hmo.ig them who
have wielded nn inflticnte th'it will
tr.Te its final re'ords upon the
shon-n of i:?terr:'y.
A'.l:raied end netuatcd by a alrit
f i!di i-n ttr'e bis irlnt coursing with
the bine. 1 of the Highlanders. Alex
iS-votfi Wilson then little nior
i!:an a cal'.ow youth tiftachej hlm-
n if to ihc pxpfdltion of Oeneral Cus-
ter and was first" known to Nhii
r.reit ranhiindlo country distin-
Riiished fir his slftnal hravery and
dartni; In the campaign against thu
notorious chief "Black Kettlo." who
was vanquisned by the pile faces nf-
trr a memorable struggle in IS6D.
.ttrr.etcd by ttie scenic boaufy tuo
wild free roil of the country- the liv-
ing w aters an ! dreaming of the pit?-
sibl'.ities of the section wileon be-
came a fixture acd hence o;ie cf thu
"tw
w ' " ' f .
first hardy settlers of the Panhandle
Stopping near the site of his present
home tftis son of bonnle Scotland
has never wandered from Its conflnei
for moro than a third of a century.
A man with set and deep convictions
ho soon Impressed his neighbors
with his fitness for public office and
for over a (uartor of a century ho
has acted as Justice of tho peace
! I
SBTl'
llJl
big values will
BSlt
-J-X: 1
without oppntltion.' Whatsvor hia
educational attainments taay or may
not haio been he Is a ma cf a high
iegrce of hor.io scm-e aid bo Is
quoud cs having said when priced
ny aom unfortunate one who lud
fallen under the penalty of the trib-
unal: "From thia court mere is no
appeal." Whether "uouy" Wmion
said this or did net It matters but
littie for It is knowa t.iat his Judg-
ments have withstood the tiiia of
the superlf r courts to such a degreo
tn.i( an appeal la seldom taken.
Keady mid steady in times of war.
cor.ioa.'ing with bis fellowg tLe tom-
mon eiic..y at tho' time t.i. r!dsKln
Btutty" Wilton lu been lovable
true tnd .iui' len.r.t .1 times of
peace. .:ihju-i aj.j u;il gor.ie-
wnet wr.nMcd tm (-.j;' nr. 9 Hji
poba-itui or n van i.uo of mental
-r.d phiticai ;.ti;t)-.
Accompanying tn.-.t artl'b Is a cut
shewing a rare coublaatlca the
lu't cur a u.o hid imildlng and
tho ple:unsi;i:o t :n w.;ul the lat-
ter uUu fii.in t Ij 9 rj.t-r bod prob-
ably the foi-K.ir property of a Mex-
ican colony in iho r.iouiiuin3. This
o.uesi cit.iea Is "i-r.otiy'' Wilson
whcto frlf tid.'hip fr hie lamented
inile" jck U jiuri was known
to all. tie iwo lia.1:ig stu; I shoulder
o shoutder In nmro ihan o.ie serious
illi with liiuiuiu. The det!t of
tudi)" jaK Luc nurd Vhode tody
i.a luur.cl io.x... a icrnlc mow
.'i.d wiu fctoiiu to i.i wec of tha
ny u..l Lc tetai.fd by i4 rcadera
oi in. i jajir. 'Ji.e Luy of this old
" ro v. .. tDkctt te- .a 1 aad l.ild
)e-t
It wus iLo wi hcrcd lund of!
bcotty" Wilson that gavn'tao llnul
etrolic to the rigid trow of his friend
as he wag lewereu ti ii tJl
rest awaiting the euinaict s from thlt I
lover of all true souls a.-ioi r men
Prominent anionic iu r r ...i.l.
' .i.isnn
"i mo now vanisn:.-!' lus-osa was
the late James McMan.cr.: who died
J a ii .
iu rtmuniio auring the 'So g. it vas
this man who ereced the .i...t i.iu' i
nig a building to wnhh refw.n
Is made in a prevUus paragraph.
The structure Is of mono and adobe
with a roof constructed of logs turf
and soil with the dra.n vents com-
mon to the architecture of that date.
Mc.Masters was thoro jyi.ly cultured
and came from the eastern portion of
the United States. He soon be.amu
a love- of the broad and free p.a.-.is.
untrameled by conventinnalltlej nn.l
other frivolities of civilization m
was recognized as a niim of worth
and was one of the lending spirits In
organizing Oldham county and mnk-
tng Tascosa the metropolis of tin
then sparsely settled country. Old-
- t luai ume.was made
to embrace all that range of counties
in this portion of the Panhandle
In recognition of his efforts he whs .
given one of the leading offices of .
the newly Incorporated county which
fin m cnttn I. at tk.i i.
ne neia ior n considerable time. f
town attekded
BUSINESS
be found tomorrow
IlU
r-J)
Another of the notable pioneers
of tha town of Tancosa was Henry
Klir.ball who now resides Chan-
nlrg fourteen miles away from this
historic oil village which at thia
time bonsts not to exceed fifty Inhab-
itants. This man's band was seen
In the working of the destinies of
the commuuiiy.and the memories of
his connection therewith constitute
a heritage (or tho present anJ com-
ing generations
Marlon Armstrong new a resident
of Eouth Dakota father of Mcl Arm-
i-'flA- 1
'. t t tf-a- 7.' ..rfc
.'v.
riTKl'.'KT SCLXK
s:re ns prercnt shrrlff of the county
was for many years trennirer of the
commonwealth lie was prominent
R"alni f tb0 C0Unly' und hl3
'n ln" 'aken "p lh" P"b"c fp'r:t f
fc slr' romlns P)inently to the
orf"0'it ln !lt ilefnifc 6f every ad-
vnn0fl moV!mc"i; ljr tn" devclopmcni
f h t0W" Rn1 f0U'-lty' '
Capo- 'illliiKhmn was the first
. .
Din i hi ui mo cuuiiiv uuuur wnosa ior numnero ana me aavaniage ui
direction many strides i.i behalf of ! their position fled ln disorder leav-
civilization were made. Those wero ing the field clear. It Is believed
80 ny (ln-v"' 0".no waH more
ahlo to cope with unfavorable condi
tions than was thU sturdy pioneer
officer lie was Inter a cattleman
of more than ordinary note finally
drifting with the td? of frontiers
rr.cn to fonora Mexico.
Tim second fheriff cf the county
was 'Ini C:ut who accompanied Ty
Jack Ryan a.il Dob Rober.son nnd
others routed 'nnd car.o rie tf "Vip-
turln the famous outlaw "IT.lv the
KM." who wns Inter .tilled by Pat
Crarrett whose death at the handa
of an assassin resulted about two
years ago on a ranch near El Paso.
This raid was a notable on0 In whlcu
not only East but all of his men
proved their mettle. Jim East Is
now chief of police of Douglas. Ariz.
and is known there as well as' ln this
country ns an officer who knows but
one roln.-c and thatduty well and
iuil performed
As th third sheriff of Oldham
county. Tobe Robertson made
a rec-
the
1 '
XXX
ji meirrow
cm- (;:r iu.M-.t and tho community
ft wig whilo Hol:i rti Dn and his bravo
comrades were penned within tha
adobe walls of tlio Improvised fort
that lila friend and boon companion
Wily Dixon made the then match-
lefs long distance shot killing an
Indian chief at a distance of inoro
than a mile with a buffalo gun.
Dixon had asked his companions to
waeh blm bring the redskin down
but it Is believed that his success
In the undertaking possibly surprised
hlu fully as much as It did those
St-
V.
1 1-
.
At' OLD TASCOSA.
around him. It was possibly only
through estimating not only the In-
tervenlng distance but also the car-
rying power of the weapon and tie
vnting th0 gun In such manner as
to drop the leaden mlcsll.upon thu
exposed head of the -ictlm. So un
usual was the result of the shot that
! ne In(llan8 who had the whites m-
tlroly In their power through super-
. . . .
that ln the absence of this lucV.y
shot there would most ' probably
have been a totat extermination of
the settlement. . The "particular
brave slain by the bullet from Dix-
on's gtiu seemed to tako special and
fiendish delight In flaunting In tho
face of tho whites the defenseless-
refg of their position and the seem-
ing certainty of their defeat. He-
poatedly 'ho had advanced to tho
prominence from which ho was slain
and put on a kind of wterd war
dapro to the discomfiture of tbt
wnites. Then came the banter ol
Dixon to watch the final and suc-
cessful i It Is needless tq say that
Dixon was the hero of the) hour but
he bore his honors modestly and ex-
cited no jealousy among those who
bad fought as nobly If not so ef-
fectively against the enemy.
This battle was conducted In tho
famous old Turkey Track range and
(Continued on Tage Twelve.)
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The Sunday Morning Herald. (Amarillo, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 12, Ed. 1 Sunday, April 17, 1910, newspaper, April 17, 1910; Amarillo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth288998/m1/9/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .