History of El Paso, Texas, USA

El Paso, an unorganized county forming the W. extremity of Texas. It is not mentioned in the census of 1850.

El Paso, or El Passo, a post-office in the above county.

El Paso del Norte, el pa'so del nor'ti, better known as El Paso, (often written El Passo,) though not within the limits of the United States, has become so well known in connection with the unsettled national boundary question, that some notice of it seems indispensable. El Paso is properly a line of settlements, embracing a population of about 5000 souls, situated in a rich but narrow valley, which extends 9 or 10 miles along the right bank of the Rio Grande, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, 350 miles S. by W.from Santa Fe. The grape is extensively cultivated in this locality, and considerable quantities of a weak but well-flavoured wine and brandy (known to the American traders as Pass wine and Pass brandy) are made. The houses are built of adobes, or sun-dried bricks, chiefly of one story, with earthen floors. ...

El Paso, a city, capital of El Paso co, Tex., is on the Rio Grande, 196 miles by rail N.W. of Marfa. It has 7 Churches, 4 banks, 5 newspaper offices, and public schools. Pop, in 1890, 10,338.

At 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon, dark, angry looking clouds from the east swept over the city and dropped a heavy shower of rain, and on Franklin mountain there was a regular cloud burst. The water rushed down from the mountains in little rivers, overflowing the ditch north of the Southern Pacific track and flooded San Antonio and Oregon streets; the water overflowed the sidewalks and advanced to the very doors of Stolaroff's dry goods store and the Silver Palace saloon. The alley between the Bronson block and the Astor House was a miniature river. But Street Commissioner McGlennen followed up the waters with a force of men and opened up all outlets to enable the water to pass on to the river [Rio Grande] and in this way considerable damage was averted. As the rain had ceased falling in the city before the water from the mountainside made its appearance the sidewalks were thronged with hundreds of people watching the progress of the mountain torrents. – El Paso Times.

Miss Jessie Margaret Corn and Stanley Duncan Cobb were married at noon at the home of Mrs. J. A. Corn on North Santa Fe street. When Cobb went to the clerk of records office to get the marriage license the clerk refused to issue it thinking it was a practical joke. It was not until the bride's mother insisted that the Corn-Cobb wedding was on the level that the license was issued. Cobb shelled out for the license and said he expected to be shelling out for Mrs. Cobb and the little nubbins the rest of his life. -- El Paso Dispatch Los Angeles Times.

El Paso, a city and port of entry, capital of El Paso co., Tex., is on the Rio Grande, 712 miles WNW. of Austin, on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, the Texas and Pacific, the Southern Pacific and the Mexican Central Rs. It has ore-smelters, iron-foundries, cigar-factories, etc., and extensive cattle interests, and exports wine from grapes grown in the district formerly known as El Paso. It is one of the chief gate-ways leading into Mexico, and is the seat of St. Joseph's Academy, a school of mines, and the Rio Grande Congregational Training School. Pop. in 1890, 10,338 ; in 1900, 15,906.

(By Associated Press)
El Paso, Texas, March 7. - Although the death list remains at eighteen in the jail explosion here last night, several more prisoners are expected to die. The explosion occurred in the disinfecting room where there were fifty prisoners. A lighted match ignited vapors arising from the bath, which was a mixture of gasoline, kerosene and vinegar.
An inquest and city investigation of the accident were ordered for today.

While the investigation is proceeding on this side of the river, Juarez authorities were looking for an unidentified Mexican who boarded a street car near the Juarez race track last night and shot the motorman, an American, after a report was spread that two hundred Mexicans had been thrown in jail here and deliberately burned to death. PHELPS, the motorman may die.