Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-28
From the Printing Case to the
United States Senate.
THE HISTORY OF ASTATESMAN.
A Grand Congratulatory Meeting to Be Held al
Tyler on the ist Of May.
Born Upon Farm. by Manly Strokes He
Climbs Through tho Vicissitudes of
Life to the Highest Political
Position in Texas.
RECEIVED THE NEWS.
Special 70 the Gazette.

Special 10 the Gazette
TYLER, TEX, April e7,.-The news of the
appointment of Hon. Horace Chiffon TO fill
out the expired term. vice Hon. j. X.
Reagan, resigned, as United States senator
was received here yesterday, and Tyler and
East Texas are in a unit of rejoicing over
his good fortune. Col. Chiffon was born
and reared here, and the people have known
him always and appreciate his ability and
achievements fully for having worked his
way up from the plowhandles TO the place
he now holds. A GAZETTE reporter sought
him out and from him learned the following
interesting incidents of his life up TO the
present time.
Horace Chiffon was born on farm in
Smith county. Tex, twelve miles south OF
the city of Tyler, on December 70, 1888.
The civil war came on when he was quite
small lad. and this and other Interruptions
deprived him of nearly all early educational
advantages; but his mother devoted herself
to his training and supplied the deficiency
to great extent by her own personal atten-
ton. He also had the advantage of attend
ing school for short time under Thomas
Smith and j. T. Hand of Tyler, but neces-
sites were such that at the early age of
sixteen he was compelled to quit school and
entered into a newspaper office under con-
tract to work for one year at 81 per week
AND HIS BOARD
and learn the printing business. After
serving out the term of his contract and
the refusal of the paper to raise his
wages, he left Tyler and worked in
Crockett, jefferson, Shreveport, Minden
and other places in Texas and Louisiana.
The mode of travel in those days being by
staging altogether, and 1t cost so much 70
60 only short distance, he was compelled
to walk from one place to another the
greater portion of the time, but by being
careful and economical he managed to save
p+rn c,,1oN .r0t hnr
sion. He then started a small paper IN
Tyler, which looks so diminutlve now In
these days Of immense papers as to provoke
smile While running this paper he be-
gan the study of law, and as soon as he
could secure license he was admitted to the
practice. He opened an office at Tyler, and
after year or two of the
USUAL HARDSHIP,
from which few young lawyers are exempt,
he secured q good practice, which steadily
grew in proportions until Governor .. NJ.
Roberts rendered him, without solicitation,
the position of assistant Encouragement
of the state. He accepted this position in
February, 1882. He made his first political
contest in memorable race for congress,
in which he and Governor Hubbard made
an animated canvass OF the Third con-
gressional district. Other candidates also
entered the field, and the contest terminated
in the nomination Of James h. Jones or
Henderson. In 1884 he made speech IN
behalf of Tilden as presidential candidate
in the Fort Worth convention. In the Cal
weston convention of 1886 he pressed the
claims of James S. Hogg as candidate for
Encouragement. In 1885 again at Fort
Worth, he was selected, together with j.
w. Throckmorton, D. C. Giddings and
George Clark as delegate from
THE STATE AT LARGE
to the national Democratic convention at
St. Louis.
He has for many years advocated the in
strumentality OF a railroad commission as
the most Just and effective method of solving
the railroad transportation problem, and
accordingly in 1890 he ardently entered into
the advocacy OF that policy and OF Gen.
Hogg. its champion and leader. He made
the speech nominating Governor Hogg at
the San Antonio convention; but carefully
abstalned from all expressions Of bitterness
towards those Democrats who took differ
ent view.
MIR. Chiffon will be the first native Texan
to occupy seat in the senate of the United
States He now lives in large and ele-
gantly furnished residence, situated in the
suburbs of the city. He also owns farm at
Swans Switch, eight miles north of Tyler,
to which he devotes a considerable portion
of his time.
The following was issued to-day by the
mayor:
THE PROCLAMATION.
'sThe governor of the state having con-
ferred upon our distinguished fellow citizen,
Hon. Horace Chiffon. the great honor of APP
pointment to the position of United States
senator, filling the vacancy occasioned by
the resignation of the Hon. John Fl. Reagan,
and thereby honoring our city, l hereby ap-
point and direct formal reception to be
given to Mr.. Chiffon at the Grand opera
house, Friday. May l. at $3.50 p. N.
Upon this occasion our congratulations
and feeling of pride as an entire city will be
formally expressed.
[Signed.l r. B. LoNG. JR,,
Mayor of the City of Tyler.
Tyler, April 81, 1891"