Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-03-17

llh towns tnht lohl luelF pitrtlSt IN
the last century. among them he
Ing old Washington on the Rra1os.
This ancient tosn was at one tims
one OF The most important places in
the state OF Texas. Certain II T.
that she enjoyed the unique distino-
ton OF beine the cradle Of Texas in
dependence. for the famous declare
ton. which followed 50 closely JET
fersons wonderful document. was
signed March .. 1886. at Washington
N the Brazos. 76 years ago.
June q. 1915. is the first anthem
tif account OF the historic town. Il
was then, with all of Texas, under
/ Mexican rrle To this place on a
/ hiqh bluff on the west side of The
Brazos river at It's junction with III,
/ Nayasota, came Captain Randall
lanes Walker. with q men. They
were sent by General James Long
with instructions to erect fortifica-
tions. build boats with which to ex-
plore the river. and establish head
quarters for a port This early effort
At colonization resulted disastrously
as a force OF MeXicans attacked and
dispersed them October -. OF the
same wear
The next effort was made two
years later. when Andrew Robinson.
and his son-in-law. John W. Hall.
came and located. The former built
the ferry across the BrazOs river at
old Washington This useful old
ferry carried many famous men and
women, and only succrmbeJ to decay
In 1880.
In the fall OF 1922. John 2. Coles
Amos Gates and other members OF
stephen + Austins colony settled
here. Stephen +. Austin and Baron
de Bastrop in 1924. gave Robinson
a formal conveyance Of his half
league Of land as a colonist This
grant included his ferry, and the
land on which the town Of old Wash
ineton Is situated Robinson gave
Hail and his wife. Patsy. 6i0 acres
OF this land Halls greatest ambi-
/ ton was 70 build a town. and In 1893
ne had the site survived and plated
The following wear tlS3D Hall pur-
chased the remainder Of Robinson's
land for $1,000 This conveyance
included tho townsitc and the ferry
/ Washington was so named bv DR.
ASA lloyic, after Washington. Wilkes
county. Georgia
Under Military Rule.
The storm OF war was catherine
with the advent of 1896. and with
The adjustment Of the state govern.
mcnt Texas fell under military rule
Toe people were disconnected with
Mexican oppression and tho militia.
tory steps toward the declaration oi
/ independence was taken az san Felipe
de Austin. whore a convention wa,
called 70 discuss matters CT public In
terest On TUESDAY, March I. 1896
a convention was called 10 meet a;
Washington on the Brazos. and dele
gates came on horseback, many oil
them coming from great distances
The vcuthfr' town then contained
only one house large enough to &C
commodatc this body of representa-
tive men II was a two story struc
ture. rudely made Richard Fiji.
was made president. and II. s. kimbl,
secretary Of this convention. ~
March ., 1895. the delegates solemn
" declared the political connection
Of Texas and Mexico forever ended
and as representatives OF the people
| and delegates constituted Texas Z
free sovereign and Independent re
public, fully vested with all th'
rigEts and attributes which properl,
belong TO Independent nations tn,
declaration was written by Georro .
Childress OF Washington on th,
Brazos.
On motion Of Sam Houston It wa.
adopted. attached their signatures
So was born the republic Of Texas
During the session of this convention
the infant republic was baptsed Will
the blood Of the martyrs Of the Ma
mo those brave ones who yioIdel
/ up their lives 10 the cause Of liberty
Fifty-onc DAYS later at San la,iu'o .
decisive blow was given at the prop
er time ard in vital part tn,
Texans won in noble contest
,though the army Of the Napoleon o.
the West perhaps twice outnumber
cd them The victory was physically
and morally complete. InderSndenc,
was declared March 9 and consum
mated April -. The manuscript o.
the declaration was lost for som,
wears and was found by Chief Justic,
Seth shepard in the archives OF in.
state department in WASHINGTON
y c.
Burnet Made President.
The Washington convention ais.
adopted on March Il, 1896. the con
stitu,ion for independent Texas
David G Burnet was installed presi
dent and Lorenzo de Zayala vic,
president and they held their office
until October %. 1886.
Halls dream of building towr
became a reality and in 1887 he dis
posed of 22 hots fer s1.9Os.s5. a
the beginning Of the revolution N,
stirring events in prospect offered