| A Word Edgewise
by Mary Joe Clendenin |
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Back in the days when the presence of a railroad made the town, Alexander was probably the biggest trading center in Erath County. It boasted two or three banks, as many general mercantile stores, stables, hardware, and more saloons than any other kind of accommodations, and three or four doctors-- of animals or humans.
Goods and materials destined for Stephenville, were shipped by the iron horse to Alexander, and then by wagon train to Stephenville and other points. The roads were often axle deep in mud on the freight wagons, and it took six or eight or more mules to deliver the goods.
Responsibility for maintaining the necessary roads was shared by the county and by the residents who lived on land adjoining. Recently, I was reading some old Justice of the Peace record books, dating to before the turn of the century. One hundred and eleven years ago a person was brought to court, and tried for "not working public road." In this instance he was "acquieted by the state." Court costs were listed:
Filing complaint .10
Docketing cost .20
Warrant 1.00
Subpoena 1.75
Bond 1.00
Swearing 5 witnesses 1.25
Swearing and
impaneling jury 3.50
(Working the roads, after cars were the mode of travel, in the 1920's and 30's meant, making a drag to be pulled by a mule or horse team after rains, to smooth the surface somewhat, and cleaning the ditches so the water could drain.)
Evidently, a great effort was made to keep Alexander clean and law abiding. Several cases were brought for misconduct. One, of many for the same cause in the 1880's, said, "Cussing and swearing in a public place, to wit: on the streets of Alexander." He was fined $1.00 and court cost of $1.45.
In 1886 one instance was for "unlawfull carrying a pistol on or about his person." He requested a jury trial but was fined $25 and cost. That was about the biggest fine I saw. It was also assessed for selling whiskey to a minor.
Several were fined $1.00 for "rasing their horses on the streets of Alexander." One man was fined and paid court cost for being drunk in the drug store. Another for "Stealing 2 plugs of tobacco at the store of Hammitt and Keith." That one had to pay a $5 fine and court cost of $1.70.
If the man just had to vent his temper, he had better pick the place and time. One arrest was for "Cursing and swearing and using violently abusive language in the hearing of a lady." Many cases were for affrays, or assaults. I really couldn't detect from the wording the difference between the two.
In 1888, a man was brought before the judge for "Indeacently exposing his person." He requested a jury trial and was found not guilty.
Boys will be boys in late August, and two were fined for robbing a melon patch. Court costs on that one ran above $15.
A real raid by the sheriff and constable took place when 12 men were arrested for "Playing at a game with cards in a public place." Each one was fined $10. That sweep of bad men was made in November of 1890. But the crime was not wiped out. Again on the 31 of December others were arrested for playing in a public place. Then there were those that were arrested for "Playing at a game with cards on Sunday." I can just hear the gossips asking, "What is this world coming to?"
When dad, Joe Fitzgerald, started in the nursery business in 1900, he peddled berries, fruit, and fruit trees in Alexander.
As the railroads came to Stephenville and Dublin, Alexander began to fade away. The whole town burned one time, and was rebuilt, but the second time fire came, no one had the heart to hold on. Nothing of the town on the main street below the railroad existed when I went to school there in 1941. The school was still going strong, but that was the year of Pearl Harbor. Most of my classmates went to the armed services or to war related occupations.
Nothing was ever the same after that. Farming became more mechanized and people moved to town. The need for country schools faded. I taught there the last year school was held in the old court-house looking building, along with Alberta Ross (other name since then.) We had about 16 or17 pupils in 7 grades. Uel Boucher and Homer Pendleton signed our pay checks.
There is still a sign on Highway 6 between Dublin and Hico that says "Alexander," but don't honk your horn, only ghosts will hear. The rip roaring population witnessed by the record books is gone. Not a great many of us who got our education there are kicking very high, but we remember the school with affection.