The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-07
GERMAN DAY CELEBRAl led
BY A LARGE ATTENDANCE LAST
NIGHT AT sAENGERBUNO HALL.
Pretty Tableaux and Misunderstanding
Of Early German Settlement
in America.

The program as outlined In Yesterdays
Post was carried out by the German cii-
liens OF Houston In their celebration Of
German Day at Saengcrbund hall last
night. There was lot Of patriotic music
aud some very pretty and appropriate tab.
leanx representing. among other themes,
"Armlnius.' Queen Louise and Napoleon, -
THE Uniters Of Germany Columbia and
Gcrmanla.' All Of these tablcaux were
well mounted artistlcally arranged and
well sustained.
After The concert and tableaux the hall
was cleared and dancing was kept up til
late hour
The Post told yesterday of the hrst land
ing Of German colony on American soil
headed by Franz Daniel Past rus on oc-
toner g. 1888 and Of their settlement Of
PENNSYLVANIA, at place afterwards named
Germantown.
II took only a few years for the found
ers and settlers of Germantown to make
out Of the wilderness they found on their
arrival friendly and thriving town
Through the middle of the town ran a
street sixty feet wide. with peach trees
planted on the sides. forty foot street
crossed this street, and on the crossing was
a Elpu
was built. Every dwelling was built in A
garden OF three acres. abounding with flow
1 ers, fruit trees and vegetables The land
| Tor agricultural purposes was situated north
! long until the fruits and vegetables of the
gardens and the grains and other products
/ or the nelds not only served the needs OF
the Inhabitants, but left a surplus growing
! from year to year, to he sold at the mar
RetS OF Philadelphia and to be shipped TO
other parts OF the country. even to foreign
| countries. So Germantown at very early
date exported grain and cattle to Barba-
! does, and furs, purchased from the Indians,
| to England.
When the Germans from the Rhine set
! tied Germantown they discovered wild
| grapes growing there. suitable for the max.
ing Of wine like that Of the Rhine. OF
course, the Germantowners produced the
! wine so that 1t soon became one of the
chief products Of their town They also
/ cultivated fax, and as most Of the settlers
were weavers by trade. they built up very
soon large linen WEAVING industry. whose
! products controlled for long time the
| home markets of the colonies.
| The knitting industry also soon found a
home in Germantown and hose and stock.
/ lncs Of that town have kept their place in
/ the markets since. The first paper mill In
| the country was also established there by
! William Ruettnghuysen lRittenhouse), a
! Dutchman. on the Wlssahlckon, and the
paper manufactured by It soon gained a
wide and well deserved fame.
/ Pastorlus was, Of course, the leader OF
| the town. lie was the FIRST burgomaster
Cmayorl Of Germantown and the counselor
, and adviser of every lnhlbtant. On Au-
gust T., 1859. Germantown received the
first town charter. and under this an indie
pendent town administration with It's own
/ lave wae created and was in force until
1907, in which year II was annulled and Ger
mAHtoWn put under the general laws OF
/ PENNSYLVANIA. The inhabitants OF the loWn
/ thrlvcd under their own administration.
but they had one fault to find with It, and
that was the double taxes they had to
Germantown
the county OF Philadelphia which latter
was very high. One of the first pubic IN
/ stituuouS of Germantown was a school.
founded by Pastorius, NJ which he was the
first teacher.
In 1893 open markets or fairs were cstnb
lshcd. which lasted two days each. and
We're held on the 18Th and 18th of March
and September
Thus the Germans set an example OF
thrift and industry which has marked their
career In this country from that day 70