MIDLAND COUNTY RECORDS
THE THORNY TRAIL SUMMER-FALL 1985
The following article from the "Midland Livestock Reporter" Dated February 13, 1904, Vol. 7, is on file
at the Dallas Historical Society, Dallas, Texas. The article was copied by Jacob L. Williams and Fred E. Reed of
Midland, Texas:
EARLY HISTORY OF MIDLAND
By J. 0. Harris
Ottawa, Illinois
(Dr. J. 0. Harris, now of Ottawa, Illinois will perhaps be well remember(ed) by such citizens as were here when the
town was started. It is a fact that there still remains in the town a number of them, and they especially will be
interested in these memoirs. We are glad to have this communication from the old citizen and will be glad to hear
from him again. Editor)
In the fall of 1883 Dr. J. E. Ennis, then northern passenger agent of the Gould System of railways suggested to some
of his friends the idea of building a new town on the line of the T P Railway in Western Texas. As Dr. Ennis was
known to be a far seeing man, active, energetic and a whole host in himself – his plan was at once approved
by those to whom he presented It. And accordingly, in September of that year a party of excursionists among whom
were quite a number of those who were interested in the project, arrived at Big Springs, at which place a special train
was made up and the party proceeded as far west as the sand hills, stopping at various-places along the route.
After a careful inspection of the most promising sites, Midland (then called Midway) was unanimously selected as
being by far the best location for the new town, it being nearly the actual center of the division between Ft. Worth
and El Paso. In addition to this fact, the site was as beautiful a one as could be desired for a prairie town. The air
was perfectly pure, and the situation seemed to be the natural center point for a large ranch trade in all directions. The soil was fertile, although doubts
were freely expressed as to the probability of a sufficient rainfall to produce even garden crops.
A temporary organization of a town company was made the next day, and the following officers were duly chosen:
Rev. Asa Leonard, President; E. G. Mower, Vice President;
Dr. J. 0. Harris, Secretary; and J. C. Barber, Treasurer.
The members of the Company when it was finally incorporated were F. Chandler, St. Louis, MO; Fred Cheadle,
Dallas, Texas; W. F. Correll, Illioplis, Illinois; Warder Cumming, Marshall, Texas; Dr. J. E. Ennis, Chicago, Ill.; J.
M. Eddy, Omaha, Nebr.; J. B. Frawley, Chicago, Illinois; D. Flannigan, Savannah, Ill.; J. W. Hayes, Pleasant.
Plains, Ill.; Dr. J. 0. Harris, Ottawa, Ill.; Noah Hunt, Lacey, Ia.; John Howard, Wichita Fallas, Tex.; A. B. Judkins,
Springfield, Ill.; B. F. Kagay, Effingham, Ill.; Rev. Asa Leard, Farmingdale, Ill.; R. T. C. Lord, Des Moines, Ia.; J. A.
McLeramant, Springfield, Ill.; Capt. E. G. Mower, of Ft. Worth, Texas; Geo. P. Phillips, Abilene, Tex.; A. C. Rush,
Perry, Ill.; J. E. Scruggs, Oskaloosa, Ia.; W. D. Scruggs, Des Moines, Ia.; H. W. Stone, Beacon, Ia.; H. C. Townsend,
St. Louis, Mo.; J. T. Wheedon, Little Rock, Ark.; and N. R. Warwick of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The section of land selected by the Town Company was then owned by the Texas and Pacific Railway, and was
not offered for sale at any price. The only building on this land was a section house occupied by the telegrapher
as an office for freight and passenger (flag) station and for the usual purposes of such a building. And the only
other building in sight from the railway was Moody's
sheep ranch situated about one mile south. In consideration of the intention to build a town prompted by the
gentlemen above named, the railway company sold this section to the town company for the same price that
adjacent lands were then sold at.
The negotiation and purchase was a long tedious affair, and while it was pending the company became duly
incorporated (May 3, 1884) under the laws of Texas. Gen. J. A. McClernand being elected President, E. G. Mower,
Vice President, Dr. J. 0. Harris as Secretary and Geo. P. Phillips, Treasurer The secretary was also made general
manager with headquarters at Big Springs until the company completed an office at Midland. He was instructed to
have the office built as rapidly as possible, to write a set of by-laws and after their approval by the directors to
have them printed; to have a large quantity of deeds, notes, etc. printed; to have the
townsite surveyed and platted and then to procure five hundred copies of the plat; to have a well dug
on the office lot; to have frequent articles published in the leading newspapers at Ft. Worth, Dallas, Austin, San
Antonio, Houston and Galveston; the other directors taking general charge of the advertising matter (prepared in
part by the secretary) which was liberal andextensive. It was decided to offer the lots for sale at auction about the middle of May (1884), and Capt. J. A. H.
Hosack (now of Cleburne, Tex.) the most able and successful real estate auctioneer in the south if not in the United
States was engaged for the occasion.
The day of the sale arrived and with it a large party of excursioners from all over the country, some of them having
ideas as to the future of the new town, and others more conservative in their views; but the greater number of the
party were prepared to and did buy one or more lots at the sale. Capt. Hosack proved
worthy of his reputation, and in two days sold lots to the value of about $50,000, one fifth of which was paid in cash.
The larger portion of the payment was made to men from the north.
After the sale came the verifying of the books kept at the time, checking upon the auctioneer's large map of the town,
entering them by blocks, rechecking and then writing and mailing notes and deeds. Disregarding chronological
order, I will say at the time of the auction sale, G. W. Cain of Tyler, Tex. offered to remove a large hotel he owned
in the eastern part of the state to Midland provided the Town Company would give him two lots on the northwest
Corner of Iowa Avenue and. Abilene Streets. Although this would involve the removal of the office and the gift of the
excellent and expensive well on one of those lots, the company accepted the offer and in due time the Llano Hotel
was erected at this point.
Arrangements were also made for the publication of a newspaper and not long after "The Staked Plain"
made its appearance to the gratification of the citizens as well as of the company.
The school question received early attention and the writer had a
Census taken giving not only the names and
number of the children in town, but also of all the residents therein - about three hundred - and at due application
at Austin our request for a portion of the "school money" was granted. An elligible lot had been set apart
for a school house, which the Town Company, ordered built at its expense, and the Manager let the contract and
superintended the work, and in due time the building was completed. A good teacher was employed and the school
opened in the fall with, I think, about thirty-five pupils.
Meanwhile, although everything of a speculative or "boom" character was discouraged, the town was
growing fairly well. By Nov., 1884 Mr. Hunter had built the first dwelling house, which he was persuaded to use
as a hotel as far as space permitted, the Llano Hotel was progressing finely. Judge Lancaster erected a dwelling
house, Theo. Ray a grocery store; J. C. Carr a saloon.
We had an excellent lumberyard under charge of Mr. Wadley (I think), and all this with by far the best Station
House or depot on the division, a large commodious "Emigrants House". a well managed Post Office,
a good school in successful operation, a fairly good newspaper, stockyards and shipping pens. All
seemed to be doing quite as well as could be expected for six months work. The officers and members of the
Town Company believed that Midland had been planted on a solid foundation and that it was not unreasonable
to feel that our young town would become, as it has, the most thriving of all the new western towns, the "Queen City of the Plains."
Extracted Records
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