Early Days in Fort Worth, Much of Which I saw and Part of Which I Was

by B. B. Paddock

The attendance for the second year exceeded that of the first, as the beauty and attractiveness as well as the utility of the exhibit had been heralded over the State and adjoining States. The season was most profitable and successful from every standpoint.

The last night but one was dedicated to a grand fancy dress ball to be held on the ground floor of the building which had a space for dancing of approximately 16,000 square feet. A most extensive ball room. Special trains were run from near-by cities and towns; that from Dallas bringing over one thousand people in their best “bib and tucker.” But they were destined not to enjoy the occasion. Just as the floor had been cleared and the visitors were entering the gates the cry of “Fire! Fire!! Fire!!!” rang through the building, carrying terror to every inmate of the vast structure. How the fire originated was never determined. It started on the north side, about the center of the Main Building, and in less time than it takes to write these lines, the entire structure was a mass of flames, inside and out. It was estimated that there were 7000 people in the building and why hundreds did not perish is a mystery. The officials of the company, who were present, directed the visitors to the various exits, of which there were sixteen, and no Sunday school in the country was ever dismissed with more decorum and good order. Every person accepted the direction of those in charge as if they were on dress parade on a military plaza. In four minutes the building was a mass of flame, inside and out, and in eleven minutes the building fell to the ground. So rapid was the spread of the fire, that the firemen, who were stationed in different parts of the building with their hose connected to the fire hydrants, did not have time to turn on the water.

That the loss of life was not appalling is one of the wonders of the occasion. About thirty people were injured, more or less seriously, and many were burned. Low necked and short sleeved dresses of the ladies exposed them to the falling cinders and pieces from the decorations which were of the lightest and most inflammable character.

One life only was sacrificed, that of Al Haynes, a civil engineer, who was one of the most active and efficient in directing the moving throngs to the various exits and rendering assistance to the people. He seemed to be as cool and collected as any person in the building. But he seemed to have lost self-control at the last minute and ran and jumped through a window to the ground below, a distance of seventeen feet. The fall broke both ankles and prevented him from getting away from the fire which was raging over that part of the exterior. Some gallant men took the “fly” from a tent that stood in the garden and holding it before them rushed up and threw it over Haynes and then dragged him away from the building. The most conspicuous man in this was a workman, named Mahoney, who was badly burned. Haynes was removed to the hospital and received the best medical treatment that could be obtained, but he succumbed to the injuries received, the following day.

The ladies of the city, under the leadership of Mrs. Drew Pruitt, now of Los Angeles, solicited the funds and erected the monument to his memory that now stands in the triangle at the foot of Main and Houston streets.

The Spring Palace, which was a credit to the public spirit of the people of Fort Worth, went out in a blaze of glory.

TELEGRAPH LINES.

The first telegraph line was built into Fort Worth in the summer of 1876. It was owned and operated by C. L. Frost and Max Elser. After the advent of the Railroad it was sold to the Western Union. In 1886 the Baltimore & Ohio Telegraph Company built into the city, but it soon sold to the Western Union.

FLOURING MILLS.

The first flouring mill for commercial purposes was built by Messrs. Wolcott & Blandin. Work commenced on November 28th, 1874, and the first flour was ground June 26th, 1875. Later Joseph H. Brown bought an interest in the mill and secured the expert services of James W. Swayne as manager. Swayne, who was called “Jim” by his friends, was educated for the law and of course knew all about the manufacture and sale of flour. The second mill was built by Mr. M. P. Bewley, whose worthy son, E. E. Bewley is at this writing the manager of the Medlin Mills.