El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-17
JUDGE CROSBY'S
ADDRESS
A Synopsis Of the Able Ad-
dress Judge Crosby De-
Iivered Today.
EARLY FRONTIER DAYS
"RanehO De Ponce" Then Franklin"
Small Trading Post, Now the
Live sAnd the Thriving City OF
Ell PaSO.

[ assume thai | was selected to de.
liver an address on this suspicious oc-
casion, because OF the fact that | am,
today the oldest resident pioneer OF
what was fret known rs "Rsncho de
Ponce, - then for brief space of time
as ''FrAnklin," and subseg uently as
the town of FL Pa5o, then with no de-
linealive sign on the map, and now re-
cognized as the young, vigorous active,
promising city, the bright particular
star" of the southwest.
Under these circums I'd noes, even
were my ability equal to the effort, 1
beg that you will expect nothing more
from me, than a brief, plaiC, unvsr-
nished historical recitation, OF the
rise, progress, and some of nay Opt
Mons ns TO the future possiA litjes
(which are now most fsttering) of our
present advancing, vimful, and ''git
up and git" .Gp cowboy vernaonlar)
little city.
In 1852 Hon Rufus Doane, the then
State Senator from FL Paoo county, y.
c. hyde, afterwards county judge, Hon.
joel Ankrlm, then district Judge and
myself, finding ourselves at San An
tonic, en- route for this point, Clipped
in" and purchased an ambulance and
team of mules, aud received permission
from w. L. Smith [" Uncle B!lly") 20
travel in company With his train, some
twenty wagons and teams. We were
warned in advance. that we were ex-
pected so be ''grubb for & sixty
days trip over an expause without a
sign OF civilization. and to be armed
and ammuninOned for aug contingent
oy.
The country west of San Antonio,
even as near as Csstroville was then
subject to raids from the COmanche !
Mescolero, and other tribes of Indians: |
H.,
miles west of San Antonio, was thea
the outpost OF the frontier limit.
We wended our way westward ,averag-
ing some twenty miles a dsy without
any occurrence OF note, until we reach
ed the'poin. of departure from the Pecos
to the next watering place, Comsucho
Springs Here we were confronted by
the appearance of some sixty Conan
Chez, on she Mess. They were gay |
looking ses of ducks, as they had just
come out from raid on Mexico, and |
were mouuted on the best of horses,
gaily capsrisoned with silver mounted |
saddles brides, etc. etc. We soon |
learned that their only armament va.
bows and arrows, crude lauces, and
few "Escopetss' which they had secur-
ed on iheir raid.
AS with team5ters, muleteers, and
some seven or eighs Americans, skilled
|
who was a semi-tenderfoOt, we numb er-
ed some forty in party; armed up to
date, we were not Inclined to stampede,
but returned the Com0nChe sslutstions
;aucily and coufd emily. Night came
On and We moved along our dreary mo-
1otonous way without seeing more of
these then Lords OF the Plains"
After long, weary, but not alto
yether embarrassing trip of hfty-seven
a o. al hnp
he eastern initial town OF Ell Paso
County. After this long toilsome trip,
raught with danger from beginning to
md, Is was indeed a joyful climax to
each this home OF civilization, 10 see
he varions kinds of fruit trees In full
bloom, the vineyards giving pro-
Mise OF fruision, and more
han all, to receive the Qenu-
ne ospitsble welcome from
be deuizens of this village, many OF
he walls OF the structures Of which 9
we're covered with she mould OF CEN
uries past. AS, is perhaps known, !,
his WAS one of the original Missions i,
r Presidios, established in this part =
+ the country, under the authority Of :
he Vice Regal Government OF "Espa
O Mera" or Mexico, ss it was sub
equently entitled.
From San Eliz&rio our fleet of 8
Prairie Schooners" finally reached g
Rancho del Ponce" or Franklin with (
Uncle Billy Smith" under whose J
we had made our long, weari- {
ome. but still TO me most novel and in c
sresting trip. Mt. FRANKLIN, acquired g
% name from q party Oy the name OF C
rankin Coon, who had made verbal @
urchase of the Ponce Ran cho, which
e subsequently, abandoned and re- .
-.