San Antonio light and gazette. [volume], December 31, 1909, Image 1

About San Antonio light and gazette. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1909-1911

Image provided by: University of North Texas; Denton, TX

                
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UwiryßaityPe. Hamill
VOLUME 2*. Na. 339
Boston Wizard Promises to Show His Wonderful Long Distance 120 Miles an Hour Aeroplane
LEADS ENTIRE
UNITED STATES
Banner Year in History of San An
tonio Closes Today With Won
derful Record. .
A jISI ft A O No Cl *t 100,000 Population
1•X bO 111 Country Has Etou Touched
Skirts of This ••Capital of the
fKT DY TTY YtYATfIQ World's Treasure Strip” in Remark
Yll DUlvl/lllVu » bla Twelve Months of 1909.
San Antonio's banner year in building operations and improve
ments clones today.
Permits issued during the last 12 months for the erection of new
structures attained the enormous sum of $3.45 LV4B, the greatest in the
history of San Antonio.
The unprecedented record of 1009 shows an increase of over n
million dollars compared with the year 1908 and over a million and a
half dollars compared with the year 1907.
Permits issued for improvements during the year aggregate 3530,
the majority being for modern dwellings and substantial business
houses, veritable sky-scrapers.
City Building Inspector Ix‘o M. J. Deilinann says San Antonio’s
record is unparalleled in any city in the United States of equal pop
ulation. Plans for improvements for 1910 in this city, he says, reach
millions of dollars and that the new year will smash the present
record.
Today closes the year during which
this eity has witnessed its greatest era
in building activity. Never before in
the annals of the Alamo City have im
provements of such grandeur, triumphs
of modern architecture, sprung into ex
istence, as has taken place within the
corporate limits during the last 365
days. With a record of practically
three and a half millions of dollars in
vested in the erection of buildings here,
the year takes first place in its indus
trial and commercial history.
The official records of Building In
spector Dielmann, which closrd the
year's record today at 19-wMoek noon
reveal an almost inconceivable amount
of building operations. While thb
figures shown in the permits are known
to be underestimated in most instances
—perhaps as much as one-third; cer
tainly one-fourth, as to the actual cost
of improvements, still the record reach
ed is one of which the city may well
be proud. The American Builder and
Contractor, the most reliable publica
tion and authority in the building world,
has shown San Antonio to take the lead
during each of the past eleven months,
compared with other cities of the United i
States of 100,000 population.
The official records at the eity hall
show that during'the year, ending to
day, there were 3530 permits issued by
the inspector for the erection of va
rious structures, the combined valua
tion of which is listed at $3,451,948. The
year of 1908, a most remarkable year in
building activity, shows a record of
$2,382,315, being surpassed by the pres
ent year by $1,069,635. The previous
year, or 1907, stands with a total valua
tion of improvements in the sum of
$1,951,393, showing an increase for 1909
in the tremendous figure of $1,500,555.
An Astonishing Record.
“The year of 1909 reveals an aston
ishing record in the building world.”
said Building Inspector Dielmann to
day. “The activity in this direction
in this city is nothing short of miracu
lous, compared with other cities of the
United States, for the record established
here towers high above that of other
communities of the country like a nioun-1
tain to a mole hill, in every sense of
the word. San Antonio may be justly
proud of its attainment in this regard.
It is really something that cannot be
disputed—the record is clear, in black
and white, and the buildings are here
to show for themselves; in fact, they
have almost changed the very appear
ance of the city. While this year has'
•>een the greatest in our history, I feel;
perfectly safe in predicting that the!
new year will close with a record of j
such magnitude that even the most op !
timistic will fall short in depicting.” I
The number of permits issued each;
month of the year and the valuation of ,
improvements during that period, as;
taken from the official records, are as;
follows: January, 294 permits, $307,895;
February, 286 permits, $570,695; March. ;
304 permits, $279,585; April, 248 per j
mits, $255,835; May. 279 permits, $266,-!
450; June; 286 permits. $265,845; July, j
£BO permits. $474,544: August, 307 per-1
mits. $216,G0G; September. 29.8 ' per-i
Local Weather
For Sun Antonio and vicinity. .
tonight and Saturday:
Unsettled weather; rain to- ।
Huielit or Saturday; colder Sat- ,
unlay.
OThe maximum temperature
for the 24 hours ending at 8
o'clock this morning was 66 de
-IAJ grees and the minimum was 54 ,
■ ■ degrees.
£ Comparative temperatures fori
this year and last:
1908 1909 • !
R 4 a. m 59 56 ;
J « m 2?, |
SW a. in 64 ♦}«
U noon -56
I p. m M 59 I
2 £. m.sea.e 55 67
SAN ANTONIO LIGHT
AND GAZETTE
mits. $194,386; October, 358 permit.*.
$242,870; November. 329 permits. $240.-
537; December, 261 permits, $136,710.
SAN ANTONIO OF
1910 WILL LEAD
THE PROCESSION
i Predictions for the Next Twelve
Months Show Faith In
City’s Future.
WILL MAKE A NEW RECORD
Remarkable Outlook Shown In
Interviews on the Last
Day of 1909.
Below arc some predictions made by
men, citizens of San Antonio, who are
in a position to forecast the future of
the city and what the next twelve
months will produce. As a commentary
on the faith held by all the citizenship
in the city they will form interesting
reading on this last day of the year
1909:
County Tax Collector John Bitter —
Money should be free in San Antouio
during the approaching year. The in
flux of northern capitalists and the in
numerable homeseekers who are com
ing to this section monthly, will cause
more currency to circulate and will in
crease our population. San Antonio's
chances during 1910 are multitudinous
and I know she will on to any '
■ that come her way.
Tax Values Over $100,000,000.
County Commissioner Frank Sommers
— I trust that during 1910 the taxable ।
values of Bexar county will run over ;
$100,000,000. And I would want this i
increase'to be brought about by natural
advance in values, such as the construe- !
tion of more buildings, the incoming of i
settlers who would buy or erect homes,
and the many ways in which land val
ues can be enhanced.
County Commissioner Antonio Her
rera —I look for Bexar county and this
entire section of the state to produce a
mammoth croq of all kinds and for San !
Antonio to get the benefit of it. I
hope that corn and cotton will bring a 1
fine figure and that the fanners will !
get just the kind of weather they want.
Above all, I trust there will be plenty
of rain.
County Commissioner Dave A. Meyer 1
—Every indication points to the fact
that Bexar county will stay on a cash
basis just as it has this past year. It
has been the most satisfactory year we
have had and if 1910 could be Qin on ■
a cash basis the county could do many i
improvements not now possible.
County Commissioner W. C. Kroeger;
— San Antonio's population during the
coming year will increase not less tlrsn
25 per cent.. Of course. Bexar county)
will get additional population, ami I
look for both San Antouio and Bexar
county to make strides this coming
year beside which all the efforts of the ;
past have' been insignificant.
More Railroad Enterprises.
County Tax Assessor Albert V. Huth ;
—During 1910 San Antonio should have
more railway enterprises. These are !
what build up a town, and the news is
good news when it says that the Frisco I
is to eider and that the road to Browns-
(Continued on Page 2.)
u PAoes
24 PUSHMOBILES TOMORROW WILL
POSH Oil TO FAME AND FORTUNE
These two cars will give some idea of the class of the Pn’hmohiles to go in the races tomorrow. At the top is
Walter Crouch, who built the car, and his driver, Johnny Gibson. This will- be No. 24. At the bottom is a big ma
chine turned ont by Harry Bull, Jr., and Victor Marx. No. 0.
% PROGRAM AND PRIZES. / %
S '
% For machine that looks most like a Stoddard-Dayton—s2s cash, giv- ”■
I % en by Alamo Auto Co. %
*• Consolation for second best car—ss cash. “■
' First race, oho block—ss cash for first, $2.50 for second. “■
% Second race, two blocks —$5 cash for first, $2.50 for second. *•
■■ Third race, grand free-for-all, six blocks—slo cash (offered by Alamo
’• Auto Co.) for first. $5 for second. "•
% Fourth race, three blocks—ss cash for first, $2.50 for second. *■
% -4'ifth race, four blocks—ss cash for first, $2.50 for second. *•
S
% FACTS OF INTEREST ABOUT FUSHMOBILE CONTEST. %
"r Judge of best Stoddard-Dayton—G. A. C. Halff. S
\ Judges of races —Judge Phil 11. Shook. < harles C. Cresson. Tobin De- *■
■■ Hymel. - \ , . %
■» Starter —Dr. George M. Fairfield. ’■
% Keferee—H. H. Boone. * •»
■» Time—lo o'clock Saturday morning. *■
S Flace—South Flores street, one block from Military plaza. ’■
■■ Entrants will bring their machines to the office of The Light and Ga-
■» zette at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning, and parade in a body to the *»
course, going around Alamo plaza to Houston, down Houston to Main *•
\ avenue and thence to South Flores. * • .
\ First race will be called promptly at 10 o 'clock, and events will be ’•
*• run as rapidly as possible. “■
"• Au effort will be made to classify entries in all races, except free- •«
•« for-all, according to syze and durability of machine and size of piston *■
■» displacement (the pusher). %
*■ All complaints must be made to referee, who will do his hest to sat- ••
•. isfy everybody. %
S
Twenty-four of the sturdiest and
1 speediest youngsters in San Antonio
will compete in the Pushmobile races
to be run under the auspices of The
Light and Gazette tomorrow morning ;
at 10 o’clock bn South Flores street.;
Under the advice of Chief of Police :
Charles Van Riper, the course on East
Commerce street had to be abandoned, |
it being deemed best to pull the meet (
off ou South Flores. It was pointed out
by the chief that East Commerce street i
is one of the busiest thoroughfares n I
San Antonio, that street cars run over i
it every few minutes and that it would I
be impossible to pull off the raJes suc
cessfully ou it. Chief Van Rmer and ;
Mayor Callaghan have
sion to hold the contests on South j
Flores street and nothing now stands j
in the way of one of the greatest feat- '
ure events over pulled off anywhere 1
in the country.
One point that will be noticed proh- I
ably in every auto trade journal in the j
United States, as well as in hundreds
of newspapers, is the fact that every
one of the 24 miniature autos were
built bv the boys themselves. While '
some of them may not be very.fancy I
in looks, they all away above what I
was expected, each is strongly built
and capablejof speed and show a class;
of workmanship that is nothing less
than remarkable.
Xo. 25 in the contest had to be tunic I
down at 2 o'clock this afternoon. It!
was a hard blow to the little fellow, J
FAN ANTONIO. TEXAS. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 31. 1900.
but niles were made for the conduct of
the event, and one of them was that
the entries closed at 12 o’clock sharp.
It wouldn't be fair to admit anyone
i after that. For instance, supposing this
No. 25 should win a race. The referee
; would have some trouble fixing up for
I having admitted him after the hour of
closing. •
As predicted in The Light and Ga
। zette several days ago, a majority of
I the entrants came piling in this morn
-1 ing. Little Pushmobiles and big Push
i mobiles, red ones and gray ones and
| green ones followed each other in with
such rapidity that it was difficult to
■ keep track of the numbers. The Push
! mobile editor spent the morning receiv
| ing entries, no less than 14 coming in
| during the morning. One or two of the j
beys whose machines were still wet I
I from the last coat of paint, brought I
I notes from their parents. However, out I
I of the 24 entries, the management, has
। seen at least 26, and they are all pip
pins.
The only disappoinment of the en
' tire affair was brought to light yes- :
■ terday wlaen the Jackson agency with- '
' drew its offer for cash prizes for the j
I cars that looked the mbst like Jack- i
sons. It seems the offer had been madgl
ill advisedly; However, The Light and !
Gazette immediately made good the of- I
for. which will be given in cash to the!
winners of races. In addition, a $5 eon
! solation prize will be given to the sec-:
| ond best constructed car. The races, I
Unique Races to Be Pushed By
Two Score Boys in Light
and Gazette
ONLOOKERS TO SEE MORE
FUN THAN AT CIRCUS
Some Wonderful Cars Have!
Been Built—Are Reproduc
tions of Famous Racers.
RACES ON S. FLORES.
ENO NEAR MILITARY'
—Photos bv Smith.
[.five of. them, range from a one-block
; dash to the big six block free-for-all,
; which will be a real endurance test.
The prizes are all cash, and all are
worth winning.
Competent officials will be in charge
of the running off of the events. Dr.
Fairfield will be the starter. He offi
ciated in the auto race meet held dur
; ing the last fair and has had much ex-
I perience in such matters. For the judges
County Judge Shook, Charles C. Cres
son and Tobin DeHymel will decide on
the' winners. The timers and a clerk of
the course are all the officials who
have not yet been named, but these
will be on hand with sterp watches.
It is surprising the amount of pub
lit interest that is being taken in the
event. The Light nnd Gazette is satis
fied with the arrangements as they now
stand, and no matter how much one
looks forward to the event, there is no
room for disappointment. Every eh'
| ment of human emotion will enter into
j the running off the races—comedy, pa
| thos, excitement, all will be present -ii
unmistakable quantities, better than
any circus or sliow over put on in this
city or anywhere else probably.
OFFICIAL ENTRY NUMBERS.
No. I—William Pape. Henry Lutz.
No. 2—Sam and William Bradford.
No. 3—Martin and Carl Spahr.
No. 4 —Jim Cosgrove, George Lyons.
No. s—Reinold Heick, Abe Wise.
No. 6—John Effingcr. Henry Seffel.
No. 7—Richard and Aleck Klaus.
No. B—Jim8 —Jim Green and Alan Heard.
No. 9—Victor Marx, Harry Bull.
No. 10 —Solomon and Ferris Yamin.
No. 11—Paul Lindau, Win. McCul
lough.
| No. 12 —Bernard Rice, Walter Shultz.
No. 13—William and Henry Tanii
lion.
No. 14 —Sherman Hight, Gordon ।
Long.
No. 15—Homer and Scott McCurdy.
No. 16—Clem Farrington. Gus Wild.
No. 17—Fred Heber. George Fred
erich.
No. 18—Quentin Hewitt, Art Wag- j
ner.
No. 19 —Malcolm Cashion, Jesse
( haffe.
No. 20—Arthur Randol, Louise Se]
linger.
N<>. 21 ! —Chas. Ileiligmann, Roy Crow.
No. 22—Earl Rossman, J. 11. Whit ,
oey.
No. 23—Arthur Scherrer, Johiinq ’
Dawson.
No. 24—Walter Crouch . Johnny I
Smith.
Two well known cattlemen are today
registered at the Southern hotel, one
of them being Jolin R. Johnston <f
Midland, and the other 11. B. Holmes!;
of Marfa. Mr. Johnston is accompanied ;
by his wife. They are here partly fot i
business and partly for pleasure. 11
12 PAOES
SCORE BURN
IN A WRECK
Passengers in Pullman Sleepers Roast
to Death When Train on Rock Is
land Is Derailed in Missouri.
MANY PASSENGERS ARE HURT
♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ + ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
♦ Kansas < ity, Dec. 31.—A long distance 'telephone message from ♦
♦ Trenton this afternoon says the dead in the burned tourist car on the ♦
+ Rock Island train are estimated all the wax* from 20 to 30 persons. ♦
+ ♦
♦♦4 4♦4♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦s♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦+♦♦♦♦♦♦s
Trenton. Mo.. Dec. 31.—Imprisoned in a tourist sleeping ccr and
burned to death is believed to lie the fate of |x*rhnps 12 passengers on
the westbound California special on the Chicago. Rock Island & Pa
eific railroad three miles east of Trenton today. The number of
victims may lie larger, but the facts will not l>e known until the debris
of the ear has been searched. The train went into the ditch at 8:30
from an unknown cause and the engine and cars were overturned.
The cars caught fire ami burned fiercely without any interruption as
the accident occurred three miles from any fire fighting apparatus.
I he known dead are:
FIREMAX LIXINGER of Trenton, scalded and burned to
death, and four passengers unidentified.
Ilie injured are: Engineer Millington of Trenton, seabird, will
recover; William Flynn, agent of the Cudahy Packing company, Kan«
-sis City, shoulder broken and head cut: J. Z. Orning of I>*venport,
leg broken ami head cut: Steve Howard of Alabama, leg broken: V- E,
Spencer of Dallas, Texas, back sprained; J. C. Childers of Anderson,
Ind., sprains and bruises; Mrs. Nancy Ilamershley of Letts, lowa,
badly hurt about head and may die: Julius Metldlesom of Boston,
Mass., slight: David Siegs! of Cleveland. Ohio, probably fatal.
The dead included two women whose bodies were taken from the
chair car. Most of the injured were also in this ear. All the passen
gers in the burned Pullman escaped and aside from bruises and slight
cuts none of these were hurt. The number of those who lost their lives
in ihe tourist car is in doubt. None are known positively to have
escaped from this car and it is-lteheved all the passengers were ere;.
mated.
The train was cne of the heaviest and
finest in the Rock Island service and
consisted of a drawing-room sleeper,
state-room and drawing-room sleeper,
buffet library observation ear. smoking
ear. tourist car, dining ear and three
baggage ears.
The train left Chicago at 9 o’clock
Thursdav night and was due to arrive
in Kansas City at 10:35 a. m. today.
The cause of the accident is not
known. The train was running at a high
rate of speed when the engine jumped
the track and landed fifty feet off the
right of way. The ears following all
left the track and all but one tumbled
“WONDER AIRSHIP” WILL BE
EXHIBITED IT AEHO SHOW
—
i Mysterious New England Avi
-1 ator Promises to Show the
Machine Next Month.
FLIES ONLY AT NIGHT
As Yet None But Privileged
Have Seen Ship Which Has
Secret Landing Place.
Special Dispatch.
Boston, Dec. 31. —Wallace Tillinghast,
the “mysterious aviator” of Worcester,
has at last promised to exhibit his air
ship. He agrees to place it on public
view at the aero show next month.
Tillinghast claimed that he had flown
from Worcester, which is 44 miles south
of Boston, to New York, back to Wor
cester, then to Boston and return in one
night. His machine has been making
wonderful nocturnal flights, carrying a
huge headlight that has been a source
of amazement to New Englanders for;
the past month.
Tillinghast has a hiding place for his
airship which no one has as yet discov
ered and from this secret retreat the
aviator lias been making long and swift
flights to the amazement of this section)
of the country.
That a strange light moving at great i
speed through rhe air. usually 2000 feet
above the earth, was an airship was ac-1
cidentally discovered and a newspaper)
reporter feaced Tillinghast almost to his,
hiding place. Tint..after missing him
found him in Worcester. Pledging the
newspaper man to secrecy and as a re-i
ward for his keeping quiet. Tillinghast j
told him of his airship and the flights;
he bad been making. Until today lie has)
refused to make any promises regarding j
the location of his machine nor would'
he agree to allow the public to see it.
Several nights ago Tillinghast startled
Boston by flying over the eity with his
great searchlight sweeping the streets
nnd passing through the air at a speed,
estimated at 100 miles an hour. Tilling i
hast claimed that while making the New I
VELKT KE CKM
»TMTM LIKB Mo»r.
M «M>ntalne. Org«r« fee basauMo. *•
iWaw. club affaire aM famltv
Dairy Co. Phom 871
PRICE: FIVE CENTS
' over. Two Pullman cars that broka
away caught fire. The crash came with
; out the least warning and the passen
gers were unable to extricate them
selves. Those of the passengers and
crew who eseaped went to work imme
diately with great energy to aid tbosa
imprisoned in the blazing Pullmans but
were unable to reach them and it is
feared that most of those in the Pull
mans will be burned to death. Tha
fireman is missing and is believed to
be buried under the engine which turn
ed turtle. Several of the injured were
brought into Trenton later and placed
in hospitals.
York flight his machinery met with •
mishap and that he remained in the air
for 40 minutes while repairs were beimj
made. The inventor states that he can
fly at the sustained speed of 120 milea
I an hour for 10 hours ami that he has
solved the problem of aerial navigation.
His performances and demonstration
have caused the greatest excitement
here and his gigantic machine ploughing
’ through the ether 2000 feet above the
| earth has been witnessed by several
hundred reputable witnesses.
:
JANUARY COTTON
SETS HIGH RECORD
! Associated Press.
New York. Dec. 31.—When it was
found that all January options were be
ing promptly taken the cotton market
became firmer and before the end of
the morning January sold at 16.86 or 7
I oints uet higher and at a new rec
ord for the season, while later positions
allowed a uet advance of about 3 to J
points.
RESOLUTION FORBIDS
EMPLOYES TO BOOZE
Special Dispatch.
Waco, Tex.. Dee. 31. —A resolution
forbidding city employes, especially ia
the fire department, from drinking in
toxicants, was brought before the eity
commission today and referred to Fira
Commissioner John Wright.
RANDALL'S BROTHER DEAD.
Special Dispatch.
Sherman. Tex.. Dev. 31.—Congrea*
man C. B. Randal! today received a i»e»
sage announcing the death of his broth
er, A c. Randall, a farmer, at I'oal
Gate. Congressman Randall went la
Coal Gato