El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-30
HOW THE PIONEERS SPENT
THE NEW YEAR IN FL PAS0
Some Talks With the Men Who Came Here When Ell
Paso Was Young-Kiefer Had No Turkey The
Mayor Worked That Day-Dad Burnham Had
Clean Shirt-Po Postmaster Smith
Sold Apples

1882. I came up to FL Paso from down
along the line of the Mexican Central,
where I was doing grading work
came in every month TO purchase sup
plies. L do not remember that there
was any particular celebration connect
ed with the day"
Mayor Worked on First New Year.
Mayor c. E. Kelly says; The first
in 1854 1 celebrated the day by work
ing"
Alderman w. S. Clayton says: Il eel
ebrated my first New Years day with
the McGinties in FL PasO in 1889. We
had a smoker and band concert and
met all the people there. My memory
is rather hazy as to what occurred but
1 had a good time"
J. H. Comstock says: My first New
Years day in Ell PaSO was in 1881. L
spent it as a guard on the Santa Fe
stub train running up to Albuquerque
We had two guards on the trains IN
those days. 1 remember everybody
celebrated the day as a holiday and the
saloons all did a big business.
Postmaster Sold Apples.
Postmaster J. A. Smith says: 4 spent
my first New Years day in FL Paso in
1885 and celebrated the day by selling
apples"
Going calling was the way 1 spent
my first New Years day in FL Paso,
and that was in 1882, and nearly every
same way, as there wasn't much else 10
do" said Lew H Davis. John ". ZOl-
lard and T. ?. HOeck were with me and
We went 10 the dozen or so families in
town and all kept open house during
the day. Among the places We visited
were the homes of J. p. Deter and Col.
Slade. At that time there weren't many
over 500 Americans in the city, but all
enjoyed the day, as 1t was one OF the
most beautiful days OF the season. 1t
he NnV n
road had come into FL PasO and there
were several strange people IN the city
then, but everyone was acquainted with
the other and, though nothing special
happened on the day, everyone enjoyed
it. remember distinctly seeing on my
first New Years day in FL PaSo the
first silk hat which struck FL PaSo.
It was worn by judge Allen Blacker.
The judge had hired one Of the two
hacks in the town and mad placed
foOtman on the top of the hack and
with the silk hat was doing the day
up in grand style calling"
No Turkeys Here in 1882.
There wasn't turkey dinner in Fl
PasO my first New Years day here
switch was IN 1882" said Charles Q.
then and no one in the city was able to
have any sent in At that time L was
working for my uncle, Jacob SchWeln-
gle, who ran a grocery store on south
I'll RaSO street. ana L ndQ JUST CU4lG "
the city in the month of September, the
railroad being just opened The town
was rather quiet then, as 1 remem Der,
and there weren't many people here
Among some of them / remember were
/ Haas, Dick LightbOdy, James and
Stewart and Sutherland"
Has Been Here 80 Years.
James L. Mari says: The first New
Years day I spent in FL PasO was in
1879. They tell me 1 had very good
time, but as / was only Is months old i
cannot remember how we celebrated
Ex-mayOr c. r. Morehead says: I
came here in February, 1880, and the
following New Years day L spent in
FL Paso, but how spent it 1 cannot
recall"
H L. CapelI says: The first New
Years day I spent in Ell PaSO was in
1881, when I came up from Kent, where
I had charge Of sheep for the Mundys.
] do not remember what / did, but
suppose I had a good dinner that day;
that was the custom"
Crossed River in Boat.
Ct came over from Juarez in a boat
to spend my first New Years day in FL
Paso in 1881" says J. A Buckler.
spent most Of my time around the va
rious law offices in the city, much of it
in the office Of judge Cook, where the
Mills building now stands I was liv-
ing at the home Of the late YnOcente
OchOa, in Juarez, and came over every
day We had a boat at the foot of FL
PasO street and I used to make the trip
over every morning and back every
night"
w NJ ColdweH says: eI~spent my
first New Years day in FL PasO in 1874
in the Palace hotel which is where
LongwelIs stable now stands on San
Francisco street. 1t was the only house
in the valley that was floored through
out. I had come to FL PasO but nine
days previous to locate
H Y. Ellis says: Il spent my first
New Years day in Ell Paso in 1890
working as a twilight printer which
means that was on the job all night"
Pitman Was skinny.
Park w. Pitman says: I spent my
first New Years day in FL Paso in
1886. was a young fellow then and
weighed only 113 pounds. but was not
a bit sick. I had a good time, but I
cannot remember just how"
W. G. Walz says: My first New
Years day in El PasO was 1888. All I
can remember about 1t is that I was
sober all day"
Sheriff PeytOn J. Edwards SAYS: al