1920 :: Scarbrough & Hicks Co.

The Rockdale Reporter

Thursday, April 8, 1920

1899 :: Photo of Cameron Street

J.F. Lewis, the photographer, has recently made a picture of Cameron street that is fine. It is a splended advertisement for Rockdale, as it shows the street loaded with wagons from Mistrot's store to the city hall. He is selling these splendid pictures at a reasonable price. The Rockdale Reporter, November 1, 1899

1877 :: A Prosperous City

Rockdale - A Statesman Attache Takes a Glimpse at the Place and Some of its Business Men.

Weekly Democratic Statesman, 
Austin, Texas
Thursday, June 21, 1877

Rockdale, Texas, for a long time the terminus of the International and Great Northern Railroad, is a prosperous city of nearly two thousand inhabitants and is the shipping point for most of the cotton and other produce raised in Cameron and the adjoining counties.

A representative of this paper spent a very pleasant as well as a profitable day, last week, in this pretty little city, and was astonished at the amount of business done, as well as the large stocks carried by the merchants.

Everybody looked happy, and the prospects for trade were never better.

We will only mention a few of the principal merchants and business men and do up the rest at some future time.

Rockdale has only one bank, under the firm name of J.S. Perry & Co. The business is managed by Mr. E.E. Wynne. This firm does a general banking and exchange business and is reliable.

H.P. Hale & Co. carry a full stock of general merchandise under the management of Mr. E.M. Scarbrough.

Mr. H. Goldsticker, the wholesale and retail dealer in liquors, cigars and tobacco, can be found on the corner of Main and Cameron streets, and he is always pleased to serve his friends with the best of whisky, wine and lager beer.

Mr. John Redding is the largest saddle and harness dealer.

The firm of Giles & Wolf keeps a large stock of hardware, stoves and tinware; they sell as low as the lowest.

Mr. J.O. Sitman carries a stock of groceries that will please those wanting good and fresh goods at living prices.

The Grangers run a grocery and feed store on the corner of Main and Milam streets, opposite the depot. Mr. J.A. Hargrove is in charge and assisted by the "Louisiana tiger." This house is very popular.

Mr. Solon Joynes, the commission merchant, deals very largely in all kinds of farm and mill machinery. He also buys produce, paying the best prices.

Isaacs & Coffield are wholesale and retail druggists, and have a well selected stock of goods.

The Osborne Brothers run the lumber yard near the depot.

W. Max & Co. are now the owners and proprietors of the Max House and restaurant. Mr. George B. Randle, late of Austin, is in charge, and knows how to keep a hotel. The table will compare with the best in Texas. "Slim Jim" is the chief cook, if not bottle washer, and does things up in brown style.

J.J. Mosely keeps a first-class livery and feed stable, and fits people out either for the city or country.

Messrs Witcher & Co., retail liquor dealers, carry a full stock and do a live business.

Mr. A. Kaiser does the leading business in clothing, dry goods, boots, shoes, etc.

Dr. W.A. Brooks is the proprietor of the "Brooks House." His rooms are good and the table first-class.

M.L. Kritser's livery and feed stable and wagon yard are convenient to the Max House. He carries on an open and shut game; that is, he opens to many customers, treats them well, and shuts down on much filthy lucre.

Mrs. E.S. Lapper [sic, i.e., Loper] presides over Rockdale's most fashionable millinery and dressmaking establishment, and puts to shame many city emporiums.

Only one paper -- a wonder to be told -- is published in Rockdale. Mr. Enoch Breeding is publisher of the Messenger, and he makes it a live, newsy paper.

The leading physician of the city is Dr. A.C. Walker, who is besides a pleasant gentleman.

Rockdale has passed through the period that distinguishes new railroad towns, and is now as quiet and law-abiding a place as any in Texas. This fact is to be attributed both to the character of its citizens and the excellent administration of Hon. F.A. Hill, its mayor.

Once in a while some one of the Statesman will take Rockdale in, and its resources and progress will be more extendedly noticed.

1922 :: Death of Little Velma Ashby

Rockdale Child is Victim of High Powered Electric Wire

Little Velma Ashby Meets Instant Death by Electrocution When Hand Comes in Contact with Texas Power & Light High Voltage Line. 

One of the most distressing tragedies that has ever happened in Rockdale occurred Friday, resulting in the death of little Velma Ashby, thirteen year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. Ashby, who met her untimely end by coming in contact with a high powered electric light wire. 

The child was across the street from her home in the yard of J.D. Hamilton, playing with the Hamilton children. She climbed into a chinaberry tree to gather some of the sweet-smelling blossoms. It so happened that two uninsulated wires of the Texas Power & Light Company ran through the foliage of the tree, and little Velma evidently grasped one or both of the wires, receiving the full charge of the 2,200 volts of electricity, and evidently resulting in instant death. Her body slipped and caught by the feet in a tangle of small limbs, leaving her hanging by her feet, head down, some eight or ten feet from the ground. 

The children gave the alarm and Tom Marrs, from across the alley, ran over with a ladder and assisted by his son, Wynette, and Miss Laura Hamilton, got the body down. Life was then practically extinct the child gasping once or twice after being taken down. Physicians were soon on the grounds and pronounced death due to electrocution. 

The funeral was held Saturday morning at ten o'clock, being conducted by Rev. B.B. Blaylock of Temple assisted by Rev. G.S. Tumlin of this city, and the unanimous interest and sympathy of the people of Rockdale was evidenced by the large attendance and many beautiful flowers. The attendance of children was particularly notable. Velma was in the sixth grade at school and was popular with her classmates who grieved sorely at her death. Interment was at the New City Cemetery [i.e., Oaklawn], the religious services being conducted at the grave, where the consoling words of Bro. Blaylock, and the tender prayer of Bro. Tumlin brought comfort to the bruised hearts of the stricken family. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, Thursday, April 27, 1922

1927 :: Rockdale Highway Bridge is Opened

Rockdale, Milam Co., Texas, July 5. -- The State Highway bridge on West Cameron street, which spans Ham Branch, the stream that separates the town proper from College Hill, was opened to traffic Monday, when hundreds of autoists passed over it out to Fair Park to participate in the Fourth of July festivities. 

The City Council recently let the contract to the Pace-Davis Company for the building of two new concrete bridges over the stream, one to be on West Bell, the other on North Ackerman street. Work will begin within the next few days. The estimated cost of the Bell street bridge is $3,000 while the new Ackerman bridge work will run close to $2,000. Dallas Morning News, July 6, 1927