The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1908-10-20
CHAPLIN DECLARED
THE COUNTY SEAT
REMOVAL OF COUNTY RECORDS
OF HIDALGO COUNTY no
NEW CAPITAL.
Before Ink Dries on Judge Silver's
Order, Wagons Were Loaded with
COmty's Property and Started TO
Chapin-NOw Housed in Tents.

Chapin-NOW Housed In rents.
On Monday, Oct. 18th, A. D., 1908,
the new town of Chaplin was officially
declared the county seat of Hidalgo
county. On that date the election re-
turns from the election held through
out the county on Saturday. October
10th, were delivered to Judge S. P.
Silver by the different presiding
| Judges and were opened and
the votes counted, with the result
that it was officially declared that 422
votes were cast for the removal to
Chaplin and 80 for remaining at Hi
dalgo. 1t having thus been ascer-
tanned that more than two-thirds
majority fthe qualified voters of
Hidalgo county had declared them
selves in favor of the removal of the
county seat Chaplin, the official or
der to that effect was prepared and
signed by County Judge Silver and
entered upon the minutes of the
Commissioners court and certified
copy thereof recorded in the deed
of records of Hidalgo county. The
ink upon the pen which entered the
order had hardly become dry when
a dozen or more mule teams were in
readiness to begin the move to Chap
in BY four O'Clock Monday after
noon everything in the old court
house was loaded and packed upon
the wagons and the court house of
Hidalgo county and most of the Of
ficials were. so to speak. on wheels
on their way to the new capital. They
arrived safely at Chaplin about mid
night and Tuesday morning bright
and early the county officials estab-
lished their Offices in as many tents
upon the court house square in the
town of Chaplin. and were ready for
business. Poor old Hidaigo-for
more than fifty years 1t has been the
county seat and now must give way
TO the new order of things. But IL
has done so most gracefully, With
the exception of only one of its
citizens Hidalgo willingly eliminated
itself from the contest for the county
seat and practically gave unani-
nous vote for the removal of what
had been It's own for fifty years
what a magnanimous and unselfish
act 1t was, and what a rebuke TO
those certain towns that so strenu-
ously endeavored 20 fasten upon poor
old Hidalgo that which she had be-
come weary of carrying for fifty
years, But Hidalgo broadminded.
liberal and loyal to the county as a
whole. recognized that its inaccessi-
bility rendered IL necessary TO step
aside and allow the selection of a
more central location of the county
seat. Accordingly when the new town
of Chaplin presented its claims. IL was
at once recognized that it's central
location. its accessibility by reason OF
its new railroad and It's ample re-
sources for the making of a modern
city. should result favor
ably in its selection as the proper
and logical capital of Hidalgo county
and il did by the decisive vote of
422 to 80. The hustling little city of
Chaplin is now the county seat. Cha |
pin now becomes the Mecca of ali cit |
liens of Hidaigo county-every deed
must be filed there, every marriage
license must be secured at Chaplin.
II birth and death records ,andthe dis
triet. county, justice and commission |
ers' courts must be held there. Even |
the Hidalgo Advance will shortly |
move there and become known here |
after to fame and posterity as the |
Hidalgo County Advance" published |
at Chaplin. Texas.
'All roads lead to Chaplin |
and they are already crowded, |
Get seat on the band |
wagon" and let's make things hum at |
Chaplin. -Hidalgo Advance.
AnN-rrrrIc,r, N r..rrr,