Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-25
TIME TO ACT.
The Southern Baptist Convention Will
be Here Soon.
What are You Going to Do About It-BrOther
Wells In Desperation Attempts to
Do Up a Reporter


ing hard of late in an earnest effort to
secure the promise of sufficient accom-
modatious for the delegates 10 the South
ern Baptist convention to satisfy him
that that large body would be
entertained in a manner BETTING its i'm
portance. A GAZETTE man met him
Yesterday and inquired if he were not
becoming discouraged over the outlook,
| to which he replied:
eyes, somewhat discouraging, but
believe in Fort Worth so strongly that
am not in despair. When she realizes
that this is the only national gathering
| that has ever knocked at her doors for
| entertainment it will arouse her pride,
for 1t would be simply the most fatal
blunder to have people return to the
Eastern and Southern and North
eastern states and say they did not
receive due hospitality at Fort Worth.
| You should consider that at least one
| half of those attending are prospecting
for locations for their children in the
West, and if properly managed this con-
vention will be the means of locating 500
| families in Texas. In fact, I have let
| tiers of inquiry constantly of prospects liz
| Fort Worth, and hundreds are taking
| advantage of excursion rates to come
| and see for themselves. If pleased they
| will locate; If not, they would return
| cured of the Western fever. Aud that
is one fever we do not want cured.
FDon't you think Fort Worth too
small a place to have invited such
body?''
ono, indeed. 1t is not the size of the
place. The question is solved by the an
swer TO another query: Are the people
of L1or
yes be your answer, 1 claim that we can
give free entertainment to
10, 900 people instead of 1900.
To illustrate my points, would say that
in 1888, when Waco bad ~ 900 popula-
ton, her citizens opened their doors in
good style and entertained 300, and
gave herself q name for hospitality that
has given her a reputation that will
never fade in beauty with the
denomination from Maine to Florida
and California to South Carolina.
Her praises have been sung in
every Baptist paper in the United States,
and when L invited the convention last
year they all said: 'We will go to
Texas! Remember how grandly we
were treated by Waco Jefferson, in
1873, entertained it and had room to
spare. Do you tell me Fort Worth can
not do what u 200 town did DOPE
But the Spring PaIace?''
''That cuts no figure, for the Palace |
Will not get start before the convention |
is over. The convention arrives on the |
9Th and leaves on the 18th. The Palace |
opens on Saturday of the 10th and the |
directors selected that time to have the |
advantage of the convention to give the |
Palace a good start. The convention |
will put $50, ZOO into the Palaoe-for be- |
side the 1900 delegates, there will be |
several thousand visitors, and every Wis
itor will attend from two to four times
each. -
f'Who will be here?''
''Men world-renowned in church and
commercial circles, such as DR.. John A.
Broadus, who stands second to no man /
as preacher; Hon. J. L. NJ. Curry, ex-
minister to the Spanish court, and who
now has control of the Peabody
fund for education in the South;
Mr.. Joshua lowering, the coffee king of
Baltimore; perhaps Mr.. RoekefelloW and
Mr.. Colgate will attend; also, Hon Jos.
E. Brown Of Georgia, if his health ad-
mits of the trip, and host, of others. -
''Have your committees seen all the
housekee pers?''
''No! Some of my own members have
been missed in the canvass. And wish
delegates during the convention will |
confer a favor by dropping me card
stating their street and the number they
can accommodate. l will further say
that when the convention is over,
every housek eeper will be glad they
entertained and will say they were fully
paid by the blessing of having such peo-
pie as guests. Furthermore, families in
this way form friendships that last
through life. Last year at Memphis, as
is my custom, 1 stopped at the hotel, but
q total stranger, a wholesale hardware
merchant, heard Of it and sent for me
and would not take no for my answer
aud formed friendships that 1 would
not have missed for anything.
"Will 1t be as much advantage IS a
manufacturing house located in our
midst?''
sit may be the means of locating a
number of manufacturers, merchants,
mechanics and farmers. The older
states are looking to the West and
and this will bring proba-
bly, 5000 strangers to our tow
in the prettiest time Of the
year, when our Spring Palace is in its
beauty and Hecker's band at its best,
and all we are asked is to entertain 1900
delegates five days.
NOW MT. ReporJer, SAID Mr.. |
Wells, 'let me put you on the witness
stand. Suppose our board of trade had
q communication from responsible parties
in the East saying: what indueement
for US to bring 5000 exeur- I
sionists and prospect ors to you town?'
what would they say? Would the Fort
Worth board of trade be willing to tele- {
graph back? we will entertain one
quarter of your party free for five
days if the rest pay their board Why,
sir, Dallas would have her committee
over here before breakfast to catch the
plum if Fort Worth hesitated.
[ know ten men who would
say: we will foot the BILL
Now, this is what 1 have done for Fort
Worth in getting this session of the con-
vention, and back of all that we also :
get seven hundred papers TO give US free I
for six months. - t
''From what you say :" the reporter !
"and il looks as you say, the
business men who own property and !
have Fort Worth's interests at heart, :
lffofit to call q meeting and helm in this