"Rockdale, my hometown, is Texas' heart and significant part of its soul," George Sessions Perry wrote in his book, Texas: A World Unto Itself. Perry wrote with lifelong affection about his hometown, first as a novelist and later as a magazine journalist. He describes the pioneers of Rockdale as typical of restless Southerners who hitched their wagons and moved to Texas after the Civil War. . . . Clay Coppedge . . .
Showing posts with label electric plant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label electric plant. Show all posts
Saturday, October 11, 2014
1897 :: A Fatal Explosion
Rockdale, Tex., Oct. 10. -- One of the seventy-five horse-power boilers of the water and electric light plant blew up last night, completely wrecking the entire plant, house and machinery. An eight-foot section of the front end of the boiler was blown three blocks away, passing over several houses, and fell on Mr. Rexford Wells' seed shute, completely demolishing it and otherwise damaging his gin house. The other portion of the boiler was blown about a block in the opposite direction, landing in Mr. Davis' cow lot. Two large pieces of timber crashed through the roof and ceiling of Mrs. Charles Brieger's house, over a block away, and completely demolished two bedsteads on which he and three other members of his family were sleeping. Fortunately none of the family were hurt. The fireman, Mr. Antone Strelsky, was killed, and M. Wooldridge and J.L. Wooldridge, father and son, injured, the young man seriously. The town is left without light or water, and it is thought it will be thirty days before either can be supplied. The situation grows more serious every hour, as the people realize they are entirely without water and the difficulty of procuring it. The loss is estimated at $8000. Dallas Morning News, October 11, 1897
Friday, September 12, 2014
1892 :: Electric Lights in Rockdale
Rockdale, Tex., Sept. 10. -- The streets of Rockdale will now be lighted by electricity. At the regular September monthly meeting of the city council a contract was made with the Rockdale electric light company for street lights. . . . The Rockdale Exchange, a people's party paper, edited by J.W. Wenbrener, made its first appearance to-day. The paper speaks well of Rockdale and promises to work for the good of Rockdale and surrounding country. . . . Rockdale cotton receipts average 175 bales a day. Shipper buyers are paying 6 5/8c for average receipts. Dallas Morning News, September 12, 1892
Friday, April 26, 2013
1891 :: Waterworks for Rockdale
Rockdale, Tex., April 25. -- Arrangements were perfected to-day between an authorized committee of the city council and Mr. M.P. Kelley, representative of eastern parties, whereby a $42,000 system of waterworks will be established here, work to commence in sixty days and to be completed before January next. This clinches a long felt ambition of the town, and Mr. Kelley assures the council that an ice and electric plant will immediately follow. Dallas Morning News, April 26, 1891
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