February 19, 1910
El Paso's Growth Is Largely Due to the Efforts of the Former Mayor, Who Is Now Mourned as Dead
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To Co. B.F. Hammett's friends there is no need for an eulogy. But in the broader scope of Col. Hammett's activities in El Paso, in his work as a civic builder, as a man who with a few other far seeing minds let this city out of the wilderness of mesquite and greasewood into an era of prosperous growth, Col. Hammett left a heritage to the newer generations of El Pasoans.
As the head of a company which promoted one of the first large townsite additions to El Paso, as alderman, mayor, private citizen and business man, Col. B.F. Hammett's name was always found among the progressives who were working against great odds to make a city. "He never pulled back," is the estimate of a man who knew him perhaps better than any other man knew him. "I have known Hammett since I came here, 22 years ago," A.P. Coles said last night. "He was always - Hammett - with a charming personality. Charitable, liberal donator to public enterprises, steward in the Trinity church, he was a man who was loved for his fine qualities, for himself."
When He First Came
Col. Hammett's real estate and development activity was not confined to El Paso. Before he moved here he was as active in the affairs of St. Louis in a larger way than he was in El Paso later, Mr. Coles said. He came here to make his home about 1893 or '94, being president of the Campbell Real Estate company, of St. Louis, which owned the district known as the Campbell addition, extending from the river on the south to the intersection of Olive and San Antonio streets on the east, northward to include an irregular line east and south of the Mills and Sattenthwaite additions and the Santa Fe yard reservation.
This property was acquired by the St. Louis company in an interesting way. Robert Campbell, from whom the company and the addition took its name, was a wholesale merchant of St. Louis. Near the little town of Franklin, Texas, now El Paso, there were two brothers, John and Henry Gillette, who owned a goat ranch which was a part of the town of Franklin. The Gillette brothers failed, according to A.P. Cole's version of the early history of the town. In part payment of his indebtedness to Robert Campbell, John Gillette, who was the active member of the family partnership, turned over the goat ranch.
Selling Off a Goat Ranch
W.S. Hills was sent out from St. Louis to manage the ranch and arrange for disposing of it. This he did in a very competent way for a number of years, until the Campbell addition, as it was then called, was taken over by a St. Louis syndicate, composed of Col. B.F. Hammett, J.C. Van Blarcom, president of the Bank of Commerce, in St. Louis; David R. Francis, ex-governor of Missouri, and afterwards president of the St. Louis exposition; Gen. Noble, Gen. Boffinger, Thomas Rankin and others. Gen. Noble was president of the syndicate which took the name of the Campbell Real Estate company, and had for its purpose the promotion of the Campbell addition in El Paso. Prior to this time, Col. Hammett, who had been making trips to El Paso for many years before, brought a party of prominent capitalists here to inspect the field offered in the then little town for investments. After the organization of the real estate company, Col. Hammett moved to El Paso to make his home. This was in either 1893 or '94, Mr. Coles says, and since that time he and Mrs. Hammett have made this their home, taking an active part in the social and business affairs of the community.
B.F. Hammett, Jr., who was known to everyone as "Forest," was also associated with his father in the active real estate campaign for disposing of the Campbell company's holdings. After "Forest's" death, Paul Hammett came out from St. Louis and joined his father in the realty business. Associated with Col. Hammett in the upbuilding of El Paso were four men, each strong types, and to whom is due much of the credit of the Greater El Paso of today. These men were H.L. Newman, A.M. Loomis, Felix Martinez and A.P. Coles. While not directly associated in business, these four men, with Col. Hammett, worked elbow to elbow for the growth of El Paso, the results of their efforts being apparent in every corner of the present city of El Paso.
Railroad Building
Before Col. Hammett moved to El Paso, A.P. Coles was in charge of both the Campbell addition and the Franklin Heights addition. But finding the work of placing these properties on the market too hard, Mr. Coles relinquished the Campbell addition to Col. Hammett and confined his efforts to the Franklin Heights addition. Although they did not come here together, Col. Hammett, who was also a railroad promoter and builder, became associated with H.L. Newman in the promotion of the old White Oaks line, now the El Paso & Southwestern line, east. It was a strenuous campaign,and Col. Hammett, imbued with the St. Louis ideas, waged for a greater city of the southwest at the gateway. He built the Van Blarcom block on Texas street and Mesa avenue, which was named after his close friend, J.C. Van Blarcom, of St. Louis. He also built the D.R. Francis hotel on St. Louis street, which was also name after his very dear fiend, the former governor of Missouri. The Hammett building, where the Fraternal Brotherhood hall is located, on South Oregon street, was only recently remodeled by Col. and Mrs. Hammett. In addition to these holdings, Col. Hammett acquired a large quantity of city and valley property, his estimated wealth in realty holdings being placed at $500,000 at the time of his death.
Retires From Business
After disposing of the property in the Campbell addition, Col. Hammett in association with his son, did a general real estate business until about two years ago, when he decided to retire from active business life and devote his time to his private interest. During his administration as mayor, the antiquated mule cars were replaced by electric street cars, Col. Hammett being an active worker in the cause of better transportation facilities during his term as mayor from 1901 to 1903. Later, as alderman, he helped inaugurate the street paving era for El Paso.
Deceased was a member of the Elks' lodge, and with Mrs. Hammett was one of the leading spirits in starting the annual Christmas dinner and party for the poor children of the city which has grown to be the most comprehensive charitable efforts of each year.
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