The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-03-21

Texas editor, now the puOllShef OF the bryan
Daily Eagle. The first deals with old Jetfer
son. 1t follows;
Along in the early 70's Jefferson,
Texas, was the largest and most I'M
portant city for hundreds of miles
around. 1t is said that it had "A popu-
lation of 10000 and was several times
larger than Fort Worth and Dallas.
1t was the greatest trade center III
Texas. jefferson thrived on water
transportation and goods were freight
ed for hundreds of miles. Jefferson was
satisfied with her place in the business
world The railroads began to head
toward Texas after the days of war
and reconstruction. In the 80's Jeffer-
son refused to keep abreast of the
times. She lost the railroads. Her
newspapers perished and her business
disappeared. | saw the town as it be-
gan to decay. Even then the whole
saers and retailers did not realize the
situation. a newspaper editor friend
of mine told me the merchants with
their prosperity would not advertise or
push the town and It's business. lhls
paper suspended for lack Of business.
Old jefferson was practically forgot
ten A few years ago | visited Jetter-
son again. 1t had come down IRON
10000 people to about 5000. The
town was old and ugly, the houses
empty and decaying Trees grew in
former business houses. Many houses
were decayng and the habitation Of
bats and rats jefferson failed to
keep up with the march Of progress.
The merchants and business men failed
to advertise They were soon for
gotten.
Old jefferson was the home Of many
If the representative men OF the South
vest The Culbersons, father and son; the
Jrawfords, the Harrisons and many others
we're residents of jefferson in the days when
t was flourishing city. This is the story
If prosperous Greenvle:
The other day on my way to
Bryan | stopped in Greenvile 1t is a
city of nearly 10000 people built in
the black lands. 1t had no water, tim
ber or natural advantages. Along Nam
street are the handsomest mercantile
establishments, hotels, theaters and
shops. The street was iammed With
people trading. They came for forty
miles. | met group OF people WHO
had come forty-two miles to buy goods.
They were citizens Of Hopkins county
and | asked them why they came to
Greenville to trade. One of the ladies
(and the women are the wisest shop
pers) handed me copy of the Green
vile afternoon daily paper and it con-
tanned three full page advertisements
from three of the leading merchants,
giving description of goods and prices.
There were two auto parties represent
ing three families. Later i'll the after
noon | saw them and they had pur-
chased 1902 worth of merchandise for
themselves and friends. They came to
GreenVille in answer to the advertise
ment in the Greenvile paper. Dozens
of others were doing the same thing.
jefferson and Greenville are two North
Texas towns. Their history is the his
tory of many other towns. Shall we
profit by this true story? Business and
prosperity make happy and contented
people and towns. Business institutions
must keep the fires burning. No busi-
ness is too large or too small to adver-
tiSe. If it is worth while it is worth
advertising.
Isn't it possible for old Jefferson to come
gain. Jefferson is not far from the Shreve-
ort oil fields. There are oil indications all
round jefferson. East Texas is well watered
ell timbered far removed from the drouth
rea and its soil is exceedingly productive.
t one time the jefferson bar ranked with
le first east of the Mississippi river. JEFF
,rSon was the home of some of the greatest
Iwyers and juristS of the South. jefferson
as an interesting history and there is one
IAN who should be able TO tell it-Charles
Martin of Dallas. He is a native Texan.
e was a Confederate soldier. He spent his
9yhood in East Texas. He worked as a re-
orter on a Houston daily in 1865 and he re-
embers when the Red was a navigable river
nd steamboats, carried passengers and freight
New Orleans. Texas historians should get
lSy. There is vast amount of material
hch should not be permitted to perish
ort Worth Record.