The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-10-17
Tho Ancient boundaries of the Town OF
Dallas.

The following letter from an old citizen
OF Dallas, now living in Austin, to our city
engineer, gives information of interest as to
the first charter lines of our city;
Austin, Texas, October II, sS2.-Captain II. NJ,
Johnson, Dallas, Texas-Dear Sir;
In reply to your favor of the 9th inst,
beg to say that an examination of the
official records in the office of the secretary
OF state shows that the town of Dallas was
Incorporated by the 9th legislature, by
act approved February 2, 1856. Section
of said act reads as follows:
Section .. That the limits of said cor
poration shall be as follows: Beginning at
tBe waters edge at the east bank of the
Trinity river opposite the centre of the
public square; thence south parallel with
the streets of said town according to the
town plot, onequarter of mile; thence
east parallel with the streets, one half a
mile, and thence north parallel with the
streets one-half mile; thence west parallel
with the streets one.half mile, or to
the Trinity river; thence south along with
the meanderings of said Trinity river one
quarter of mile to the place of begin
ming
The 18th legislature passed al act in
cooperating the city of Dallas which act was
approved April 20, 1871. Section2 of this
act reads as follows:
Section .. That the bounds and limits
oil said corporation shall be as follows, to-
wit Beginning at point on the east bank
OF the Trinity river, at low water mark
directly opposite (westward) from the centre
OF the courthouse square, running thence
east parallel with Main street, one and one.
hali miles; thence north, parallel with JEFF
ferson street, three-iourths of one mile;
thence west parallel with Main street, to
SAID Trinity river thence down said river,
with the meanderings thereof, to the place
OF beginning; thence east, along the line
iirst described, one and one.half miles,
thence south, parallel with Jefferson street,
three-fourths off mile; thence west, parallel
With Main street, to SAID Trinity river;
thence up said river, with the meanderngs
thereof, to the place of beginning; provided
that the said limits of said corporation may
be hereafter extended by adding additional
territory to the same wbensoever the ma
1ority of the inhabitants of said territory
shall indicate desire to be included within
the limits of said corporation"
The 10Th legislature (August o, 1870 en-.
acted law granting u new charter, but the
provisions OF Section . of the act are identi-
cal with those of the act of April ~, 1871,
tit is desired can give you a full copy of
each OF the acts of incorporation as passed
aud any other information that you may
wish will cheeriully obtain for YOU.
Very truly yours,
JoHN w. SwINpELLs.
The first boundary lines would embrace
n territory OF onc.half mil. square, and
would reach out on Main street little be-
You'd the east side of Murphy street, and
south about the south side Of Columbia
street, and north about the north side OF
Walnut street, making the northeast corner
in Matthews lumber yard on Camp street
and the southeast corner in the Masonic
cemetery.
In June, 1855, Judge Patterson issued an
order of court making the corporation lines
one miles square, which would reach out
on Main street about 100 feet east of Uar.
wood street, and north about the Masten
street bridge over Dallas branch, and south
about the terminus of the Ervay street
railroad, making the northeast corner
at the west corner OF San Jacinto
and Leonard street, and the southeast cor
ner at the middle line OF block 100, on the
west side of Evererceu street.
The 18th legislature, in April, 1871. in.
corporated the city of Dallas, giving us the
present territory of one and one.half miles
square, and the next legislature will proba.
bly, extend these limits one mile east and
one,half mile north and south, embracing q
territory OF two and one.half miles square
ana containing a population of 5000 PEG
pie, and property valued at S7,0O0,OO0, ant
Dallas will rank next in size and wealth Il
Galveston.