Continued Inner City Improvements

By 1887, an estimated 19,988 citizens lived in Gonzales County.  On January 29th, D. Louie Beach had returned to Gonzales, and began working for The Inquirer: Henry Reese, Jr. publisher and proprietor. Mr. Beach had been working for the Houston Post for more than a year. On February 5th, the Gonzales Post Office had moved to the old G.N. Dilworth bank building at 319 St. Lawrence. On February 5th, the new jail (Block 25), 414 St. Lawrence Street, was completed and approved by the commissioners court at a total cost of $21,660.20. On March 2nd, a candy pulling was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Fly. On March 12th, the Houston brothers started a herd of 3,000 one and two-year-old steers up the trail. On April 2nd, J.B. Wells & Company purchased fifteen full-blood and three quarter grade
Hereford bulls and had them sent to his ranch where he will use them for breeding with his Devon stock. The opinion stated is that the Hereford was well-suited to this area. The Devon was well-suited to the area but is somewhat smaller than desired. The Hereford was expected to add size to the improved stock. On April 30th, all the owners of buildings fronting on the squares should keep good sidewalks, and the city fathers should require it of them. On May 21st, John Ollre was offering dishes of ice cream for ten cents; for little ones it is five cents. On May 24th, the Ladies Masonic Cemetery Association was formed. They met regularly, paid dues, and supervised work done in the cemetery, including beautification. On July 9th, report of the acts of the Texas Legislature included an act to abolish the law which provided 1,260 acres to veterans. On July 16th, an ordinance was passed levying a license fee of $2.50 per year for persons who pursue the occupation of boot blacking. On August 13th, City Council passed an ordinance requiring property owners keep their sidewalks in good repair. If the owner is notified and fails to comply, the City will hire the work done and charge the property owner. If
this fails, a part of the property owners’ land will be sold in order to pay for the sidewalk repairs. They also declared no business could be conducted and no public entertainment could be held on Sunday. The fine would be no less than twenty and no more than fifty dollars. Some necessary businesses like burial suppliers, ice cream parlors, newspapers, milk deliveries, telephone and telegraph businesses etc.
would be exempted. On August 27th, Boothe & Son had a water trough built on the square in front of their store for the convenience of their customers. Several large bulls were seen roaming the streets early in the morning. They are frightening to the women who are out early and the Inquirer suggested the City could arrange to have these bulls captured and confined until their owners may be
found and fined. On October 1st, the City Council began plans for a brick or stone High School building with a seating capacity of 500 students, not to cost more than $10,000. Some women in town ladies were offended over the summer by clerks wearing shirt sleeves
without a vest; stating a salesman should be more careful of his appearance. On October 15th, after dissolving the lumber yard known as Remschel and Son, Henry Remschel moved to Kerrville for a small lumber business. J.H. Remschel would continue the lumber business in Gonzales. The work on improving the inner town progressed. The ditch between the courthouse and the churches will be bridged on the street north of the courthouse, and a sidewalk was planned from the Miller & Sayers Bank (upstairs in the building on the corner of St. Lawrence and St. Joseph) to the building north of the Methodist Church. On December 3rd, the Methodist Church was the location of a non-denominational Thanksgiving Service, November 24, at 11 a.m. Reverend J.R. Carter of the Episcopal Church led the service.