Tales from the Morgue

1889: Mentions Around Town

Dec. 3, 1889

The Herald has become idiotic again. The editor is absent.

Judge Alfonso Taft and wife of Cincinnati, are at the Grand Central hotel.

There was not anything of interest going on in the courts yesterday.

Dr. Harrington and Editor Rule are in New Mexico. They left her Sunday for Eddy.

Assistant City Attorney Burgess, makes it warm for offenders of the city ordinances.

There will be an entertainment at St. Joseph's Convent, San Elizario, Thursday evening next, and the Times acknowledges the receipt of an invitation to attend.

The game of ball Sunday afternoon resulted in the defeat of the Jonses by a score of 8 to 2.

Colonel Baylor, United States court deputy clerk at this point has received a complete set (131 volumes) of United States reports.

F.M. Pixley, of the San Francisco Argonaut, is autographed at the Grand Central.

The city certainly looked deserted last night. Everybody was over in Juarez.

The Wigwam closed its doors last night. The proprietors say they cannot stand the expense.

The fiesta festivities commence in Juarez next Sunday, and will of course be enjoyed by a large number from this side.

J.F. Satterthwaite returned yesterday from the east looking as happy and healthy as his friends could possible wish.

Ben Dunkle, Si Ryan, Butterworth and Wilder were having a great time with a one-in-hand last night. They dashed through the principal streets in great style.

Recorder Davis did a lively business yesterday morning. He find Judge Loomis $25 for offending the health ordinance and fined Mr. W.M. James for not being present to act as a juror.

The I.O.O.F.'s of El Paso Lodge No. 284 held their regular annual election last night with the following result: H.L. Copell, representative; A.A. Ellis, N.G.; T.S. Kerr, V.G.; W.E. Sharp, R.S.; Jacob Oppenheim, P.S.; C.W. Fassett, treasurer. This a splendid set of officers.

Hon. Thomas Ryan, United States minister to Mexico, passed through the city Sunday on his return from washington to the City of Mexico. He expressed himself as an enthusiastic supporter of reciprocity with Mexico and said he was glad to see the Times was in line with him on that question.

An organ from El Paso went to Eddy, New Mexico, yesterday. Mr. Walz made the sale and got under eastern prices to do it. Sabe.

El Paso street names

Richard Bussell, of the El Paso County Historical Society, has been compiling a list of El Paso street names and who they were named for, here is what he has found:

Ange	Most likely named for wife of Dr. J.A. Mckinney. Doctor and school board member – a prominent citizen of the 1880s.
Bassett	Named by and for O.T. Bassett, developer of Bassett Addition.
Blacker	For pioneer jurist Judge Allen Blacker.
Boone	J.H Boone. Policeman, deputy sheriff, chief customs inspector and Sheriff. Former operator of Washington Park. Also large land owner.
Broaddus	H.W. Broaddus, real estate developer.
Burges	The street and school are named for W.H. Burges, one of the most prominent attorneys in EP history.
Campbell	Named for Robert Campbell, St. Louis banker, and owner of Campbell Real Estate Co (Campbell Addition.) This property was owned by the Gillett brothers and was picked up by Campbell at a foreclosure sale in Austin.
Cotton	Named by and for Frank B. Cotton, Boston banker who bought the property from Joseph Magoffin and started the Cotton Addition.
Crosby	For J.F. Crosby pioneer lawyer. One of our most prominent early (1854) citizens and a major land holder.
Dyer	Most certainly named for John L. Dyer, a lawyer, City Attorney, and Secretary for the Grandview Realty Co., owners of the Grandview Addition.
El Paso	Named by Anson Mills on original town plat – it was the street that led to El Paso del Norte (Juarez).
Eubank	J.W. Eubank. Engineer (Civil) with T&P Railroad. Came here in 1882. County Surveyor for14 years.  Plotted East El Paso & Highland Park. Owned farm near Clint. Married Central School teacher, their daughter married Ballard Coldwell.
Florence	Named for daughter of W.S. Hills, manager of Campbell Real Estate Co.
Flory	Named for George Flory, Cashier of State National Bank.
Fred Wilson	County Engineer. Built the road named for him. Also built the County road to the border with New Mexico, known as the “Newman Road.”
Grant	Judge Walter B. Grant came here in 1907 to complete development of the Cotton Addition as executor of the Cotton Estate following the death of Frank Cotton that same year.
Hague	Named for pioneer attorney James P. Hague.
Hammett	B.F. Hammett replaced W.S. Hills as manager of the Campbell Real Estate Co. Active in business, civic and social life later became Mayor. Also built the D.R. Francis Hotel, a portion of which still exists, known as the Cathcart Building.
Hawkins	Named for Hawkins family – owners of Hawkins Dairy. The Hawkins brothers were also real estate developers.
Hills	Named for W.S. Hills, manager of the Campbell Real Estate Co.
Howze	For General Robert L. Howze, former commander of Ft. Bliss
Idalia	Named for Ida Morehead, daughter of C.R.
Joyce Circle	Named for Kenyon Joyce, former commander of Ft. Bliss
Kansas	Named by Anson Mills on original town plat.
La Taste	Named for the city staff member who approved street names, Mrs. Ashley La Taste (later Mrs. Wagnon,)
Lee	Named for son of W.S. Hills, manager of Campbell Real Estate Co.
Lowenstein	Moritz Lowenstein settled in Ysleta in 1871. Farmer and large land owner. Married Juana Buchanan, daughter of valley pioneer James Buchanan.
Magoffin	By and for pioneer Joseph Magoffin.
Main	On Anson Mills map.
Marr	James L. Marr. Pioneer businessman, real estate and insurance.
Martinez	Felix Martinez, already a prominent citizen of Las Vegas, New Mexico, came here in 1899 and became involved in some of El Paso’s biggest building and land development projects.
McRae	Began in the Scottish themed Scotsdale Addition. The McRae family came into possession of Eilean Donan castle in Loch Durich Northwest Scotland. Mostly destroyed by the British in 1719, a descendent bought the property in 1911 and rebuilt it. It became one of Scotland’s most visited tourist attractions.
Mesa	Originally named Utah on Anson Mills map. South Utah became notorious for its dives and bordellos, so, in 1897 the citizens of North Utah got the name changed to Mesa. South Utah, below Texas, was later changed to Broadway, then to Mesa.
Mills	Originally named St. Louis. Name changed in 1910 to honor Anson Mills.
Morehead	Pioneer Charles R. Morehead established State National Bank in 1881.
Myrtle	Named by O.T. Bassett for his wife who died in 1882.
Nations	J.H. Nations. Arriving circa 1885, was from a pioneer family in Gonzales, Texas where he was born. Owned several extensive ranches, including a large part of Northeast El Paso. Opened J.H. Nations Packing Co. and Nations Meat Market .
Newman	H.L. Newman. Came to El Paso in 1885. Pioneer banker and rancher who owned vast acreage in Northeast EP at La Noria.
Ochoa	Inocente Ochoa was one of the most prominent citizens of El Paso del Norte (Juarez) in the 1800s.
Octavia	For Octavia Magoffin, wife of Joseph.
Pollard	Named for pioneer (1882) druggist J.H Pollard. He and C.E. Kelly partnered to form Kelly and Pollard Wholesale Drug Co. His sister became second wife of W.H. Burges.
Russell	J.H. Russell. Assistant Cashier of State National Bank (and relative of the Morehead family.) Large property owner.
ST. Vrain	For Vincent St. Vrain. A son of the famous French explorer/trapper, and an early pioneer of New Mexico and El Paso. His name is on several pieces of property on the Mills map of 1859, including the Ponce ranch house, later known as the Central Hotel.
Stanton	Most probably named by Anson Mills on original town plat for Edwin M. Stanton, a prominent lawyer in Washington by 1856. By 1858 Stanton was a special counsel for cases involving Mexican land grants. A northern Democrat, Stanton was a staunch Unionist. He later would become Secretary of War.
Stevens	Horace B. Stevens, real estate developer.
Threadgill	W.W. Threadgill. Rancher, owned 160 acres in Northeast El Paso near the old tin mines which the Army bought from him in 1941.
Timberwolf	Named for General Terry Allen’s 104th Division.
Wainwright	For General “Skinny” Wainwright hero of WWII’s defense of Corregidor.
Wickham	In the Logan Heights area. Named for Major Thomas H. Logan’s son-in-law.
Yandell	West Yandell was originally called Boulevard by J.F. Satterthwaite, developer of Satterthwaite Addition, now called Sunset Heights. East Yandell was originally called Idaho. Idaho was changed to Boulevard, and in 1920 the name was changed to Yandell in honor of Dr. William Yandell. Dr. Yandell, who was an uncle (by marriage) to the Burges brothers, William, Richard and Rust, came here in 1887.

 

1914: An Appreciation of El Paso from General John J. Pershing

October 14, 1914

To the Editor, El Paso Times,

El Paso, Texas

 

Dear Sir-I trust you will kindly permit me to use the columns of your paper to convey a word of thanks to the people of El Paso for their very generous assistance and encouragement in connection with the military tournament held last week. The liberal cash contribution from the Chamber of Commerce for prizes, and the cups donated by enterprising business firms of El Paso, stimulated competition among officers and men to a high degree. It is extremely gratifying to have the work of the army meet with such appreciation as has been shown by the citizens of El Paso, both in material aid and in applause. The crowds in attendance during the three days' exhibition largely exceeded all expectation. As representing the people, the army feels that it should acquit itself with credit under all circumstances, and considering the lack of opportunity for preparation the border troops have had, we may perhaps be pardoned for the pride that we take in the results. The meet, as such, has been very beneficial to the command, but, best of all, the occasion has served still further to endear the people of El Paso as a whole to the portion of the army at present stationed along this part of the border. Very respectfully,

JOH J. PERSHING

Brigadier General, U.S Army, Commanding