Fort Worth first came into prominence in the year 1872. when Col. Thomas
A. Scott, who had come into the ownership and control of the Texas &
Pacific Railway, in company with Col. John W. Forney, the editor and
proprietor of the "Chronicle" of Philadelphia, made a trip across Texas
for the purpose of selecting a route for this road across the State.
Colonel Forney wrote voluminous letters to his paper describing in great
detail what he saw and how he was impressed with the resources of the
State. He afterwards wrote and published a pamphlet entitled "What I Saw
in Texas" which had a wide circulation.
In these letters and in the pamphlet he had much to say about Fort
Worth. In fact, he gave it more space than any other point in the State,
and predicted for it a brilliant future. He did not hesitate to predict
that it would be the most prominent place in the northern part of the
State. It being generally known that he was the guest of Colonel Scott
on the trip, it was quite natural that his readers should reach the
conclusion that he reflected the opinion of the President of the Railway
Company.
A secondary purpose of the trip across Texas and the presence of Mr.
Forney, then among the foremost editorial writers of the day, was to
educate the public and to influence it in favor of a grant or subsidy
from the general government in aid of the construction of the road, such
as had been granted to the Union Pacific Railroad. A bill was then
pending in Congress for this purpose. Forney's paper as well as others
in the east set forth with great emphasis that this line would be of
greater benefit to the nation at large than the more northern route,
inasmuch as it was in a more southerly latitude and would be open for
traffic every day of the year, and would not be snowbound as it was
contended the more northern line would be at certain seasons of the
year.
Col. Scott commenced the active work of construction westward from
Marshall and Jefferson immediately on his return from the Pacific slope
and prosecuted it with all possible energy. He had associated with him
General Grenville M. Dodge who was the chief engineer of the Union
Pacific and Mr. Frank S. Bond who was the financial director of the same
road. The road was constructed as fast as men and money could do the
work and every argument that could be devised was put forth to persuade
representatives in Congress that this line was of prime necessity to the
commerce of the country.
Representatives of the company attended every convention of importance
that was held in the country and resolutions were adopted urging
Congress to grant the southern route the same concessions that had been
given the northern line.
Meanwhile Col. Scott and his associates were bending every energy to
secure capital for the construction of the road. In the summer of 1873,
Scott went to Europe on this mission. It was reported, from what was
regarded as reliable sources, that he had interested English capital in
the enterprise and every one in North Texas was rejoicing in his
success. It was stated that so confident was Col. Scott that he had
provided a dinner at which all who were in London, interested in the
enterprise, participated in celebrating his success. While the dinner
was in progress a cablegram was received announcing the suspension of
the financial house of Jay Cooke & Co. This firm was the financial house
of the general government at that time. It was they who had carried on
the negotiations for the United States during the war and who had
handled and marketed the bonds issued to support the armies of the
United States in that great contest. This had given it the widest
reputation throughout the world and its failure wrought havoc in
financial circles everywhere. Very naturally it put an end to Scott's
negotiations and he returned to this country very much dejected but not
at all dismayed or discouraged.
It was a dark day for Fort Worth. The news fell upon this city like a
thunder bolt from a clear sky. From the highest point of expectancy the
people descended into the lowest depths of despondency.
When the work of the road had reached a point west of its eastern
terminal this side of Marshall, Fort Worth commenced to grow. People
came to the city from all points, but more numerously from Kansas and
Missouri. But they came from everywhere and bought property, built
houses and engaged in business. From the fall of 1872 to that of 1873,
Fort Worth grew from a little hamlet of a few hundred into a bustling
city of three or four thousand. Rents were fabulous and business in all
lines was active. Fortunes were made in real estate and corner lots
would double in value in a night.
But the first day of September, the day of the suspension of Jay Cooke &
Co. told another story. Values declined with as much rapidity as they
had grown up. People who had invested their money and paid a part in
cash and gave their notes for the remainder; who had commenced the
erection of houses that they were never to see finished; who had ordered
and in many instances received stocks of goods for which there was no
market saw bankruptcy staring them in the face. Professional men from
all over the country had left comfortable homes and good business to
come here and begin their fortunes anew, faced inevitable ruin. The
population dwindled as rapidly as it had grown. Stores and dwellings
were vacated by the score. Business was at a standstill and gloom and
despondency was everywhere visible. The road to the eastward was filled
with people who were leaving the town in as large numbers as a few days
previous they had sought it.
Meanwhile the road to which so many looked with expectancy and hope was
nearing Dallas. It was completed to about Forney, east of Dallas, and
the work was continued until the road reached Eagle Ford, six miles west
of Dallas, when it was discontinued and the forces disbanded. Eagle Ford
which had sprung into a town of more than a thousand was as quickly
depopulated--the people for the most part moving back to Dallas. It was
the opportunity for that city. Had the panic broken thirty days later so
that it would have been practicable to have completed the road to Fort
Worth before suspending operations, Dallas would have been a good county
seat town instead of a thriving city and Fort Worth would today have
been a city of a quarter of a million population.
The decimation of Fort Worth left here about one thousand people. Many
of them stayed because they could not well get away. Others remained
because their faith in the ultimate growth and preeminence of the city
was not shaken by this disaster. They went to work with a grim
determination to make a city of Fort Worth and how well they performed
the task, many still living, well remember. Their names are household
words with the older citizens and will never be forgotten. They are
inscribed on the tablets of their memories never to be effaced.
A great number of those who left Fort Worth at that time went to Dallas.
Some of them have become prominent factors in the development of the
city. There was little or no business left to Fort Worth, except the
spring cattle drive. That brought business to a few. The town was dead
as far as business and development went. The grass literally grew in the
streets. This was not a metaphor to indicate stagnation, but a doleful
fact. There were more empty stores and vacant dwellings than those that
were occupied. The people busied themselves principally with an effort
to devise ways and means to secure a railroad and with politics in which
they took an interest that was keen and constant. Town meetings were
almost of weekly occurrence, and a sufficient number of resolutions were
adopted and committees appointed to have built the embankments for a
road to Dallas if they could have been utilized for that purpose. The
faith of the people never wavered for a moment. It was with them
constantly and under all circumstances. They never failed to sing the
praises of the city and to predict its glorious future. Volumes were
written and distributed telling of the glorious future that waited upon
those who believed and remained with the city.
Among those who left the place when the cyclone hit it was a young
lawyer who had come hither from Georgia. One Robert E. Cowart. He went
to Dallas where he still lives and is one of the promoters of the scheme
to get deep water in the Trinity at that place. Cowart was, and is, a
bright man. He has a keen sense of the ridiculous and verbiage that can
make an Indian's hair curl. He lived long enough in Fort Worth to become
acquainted with the peculiarities of its people. It was he who furnished
the facts that gave Fort Worth the name of the "Panther City." Knowing
the conditions that prevailed here, he wrote a communication for the
Dallas Herald, then the leading paper of North Texas, telling of the
discovery of a panther in the streets of Fort Worth, and the action
taken by the people.
No attempt was made to deny or explain the charge. It was accepted as a
fact. The town was by common consent christened "Pantherville." Every
one named every thing "Panther." There were "panther" stores, "panther"
meat markets, "panther" saloons. The "Democrat," a weekly paper, being
printed here, secured a cut of a panther couchant, which it displayed at
the head of the paper. A fire company organized at about that time named
the engine the "Panther." Two panther cubs were advertised for and
secured by the local paper and they were housed in a handsome cage at
the firehall. When, a little later, Dallas gave a big celebration or
demonstration of some kind, the wagon with the panthers were taken over
there, drawn by four white horses and escorted by forty good and
patriotic citizens of the town clad in white uniforms. It was easily the
most attractive part of the procession on that occasion. Fort Worth is
still known as "Pantherville," or the "Panther City."