Following the completion of the railroad to Fort Worth came lumber yards
and lumber dealers from all over East Texas. All that section of the
city bounded by Houston street, Monroe street, on the east and west and
by Ninth street on the north and as far south as the railroad
reservation, was one vast lumber yard; and the entire country west,
southwest and northwest of Fort Worth was supplied with building
material from this city. Hundreds of wagons were loaded daily and the
roads out of Fort Worth were lined with wagons transporting it to as far
west as San Angelo and even beyond. It was the nearest market for all
the western country for several years and brought millions of dollars to
the city.
The first cotton compress was erected by Col. E. W. Morton, about the
foot of Commerce street. The first bale of cotton was compressed on the
17th day of September, 1877, with appropriate ceremonies. On September
2d, 1878, a second compress was erected.
The first grain elevator was erected by Mark Evans about where the
present depot of the Fort Worth & Denver road now stands.
The first ice factory was built by R. E. Maddox, W. H. Little and Dr. N.
Wallerich, they having acquired the plant of the first refrigerator and
converted it into an ice factory.