, 1935-03-10
TR0stR lee STATEN

March 3. 1s3S-Cincinnati. on the
south side Of the Trinity river Q2
miles north Of present Huntsyille)
was a landing place for steamboats,
and other water craft. and promised
to become a more important ship
ping point with the increasing use OF
me trinity River as the principal
route OF transportation from the
Gull 70 the interior OF Texas. The
place was 50 named as an indication
OF the regard which the early SET
tiers Of Texas had for the City Of
Cincinnati, Ohio. There is q feeling
OF trlendlinesS and intimacy thai
grows up between cities and localities
which is the result OF pretty much
the same sort Of interest in one
another that prompts those emo
tons IN individuals. In the case Z
ne Ohio metropolis and Texas, a.
crew partly out Of agreeable and
profitable business contact and
partly out OF the fact that in each
place there were persons who once
-43d made up Iamily groups. Progress,
years later, elected that long before
he lapse OF a century all physical
violence OF the Texas river port that
once was Cincinnati should be for
ever erased and that Texas geo.
graphy should know 1t no more. But
II could not bet from the memory
OF the men in whose hands the fate
Of Texas now rested. nor from the
recollection Of those following them.
hat there were men IN another Gin
cinnati who were concerned over the
welfare OF Texas and who were de-
termined 10 do their part in illumin-
ating the darkness OF biPotry and op-
preston with freedoms holy light.
The German element in Cincinnati.
Ohio. az this tim~e-Shortlv to grow
into and forever remain the dom
mating part Of its solid citizenry-
knew what It meant 70 be free, and
they saw to II that their city. like
its sturdy old Roman namesake. re-
Sponded when Justice beckoned
Among the gifts TO Texans by the
Cincinnati that survived we're two
brass cannons which belched the
voice Of liberty when Texans
fought - San Jacinto, and because
IL that gift. there Is more in the
memory OF the Cincinnati that fall
ed than the mere literal fact that
once 1t was a promising Texas river
town and that years later railroads
clme along and consigned 1t TO OBJ
liyion-
TEXAS 100 YEARS AGO TODAY.
March 10, l835-Some old records
relate that prairie fires. which rush.
ed along so rapidly as TO quickly re-
move from their paths anything OF
an imposing character, were curious
and interesting to behold, particular
" at night, but were not so terrible
in effect as they have often in later
years been pictured. They declare
that farmers frequently set fire TO the
grass in order to destroy insects and
nut their lands in shape for use, and
that the flames, which sometimes
Termed a long and brilliant line,
rarely rose more than a few feet
from the earth. Reptiles escaped oy
hiding In holes, and deer and other
plains animals, which most OF US
have imagined fled from such fires
in the widest disorder. we're said 70
have been actually observed brows-
ing peacefully within a few yards OF
hem and jumping over the flames
when they approached too closely
-or comfort. Those who purposely
set or witnessed prairie fires have
aid that herds Of oxen and horses
retire before them fearlessly,
and. like the deer leap over them
when necessary. After the fires had
turned out. or their progress was
crested BY streams. the whole coun-
~ presented a dreary appeara' e.
My 70 quickly become one Of spr \
Ike freshness after rain fell and the
grass shot I'D through the cinder
covered surfaces II Is not difficult
for present day readers 10 visualize
the desolate appearance or the coun-
try after such fires nor the change
which helpful rains brought about.
Many of us. however. who have
known little OF the prairies. but who
been fascinated BY contempla-
ton OF their loneliness-their very
deathlike and measureless expanse
confess TO a keen disappoint-
ment over such a tame recital OF
what we have always thought Of as
an open country tragedy.