Smokey Row
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The Rains County Record
May 9, 1890
Doss Peoples will take pleasure in setting up to you the best liquor ever
thrown over a counter in this county.
Rains County Sentinel
March 23, 1894
“When in the city and wanting a first class meal, call on Annie White,
next door to the Oriental saloon. She keeps the Delmonico of Emory.
On Saturday evening last about 7:20 o’clock the most destructive
storm passed over this city. Following are the details:
…The business property destroyed includes:
O. Dick, saloon
November 25, 1904
Local News
Smoky Row is improving. Mr. Kirkpatrick has had a well bored back of his saloon
August 4, 1905
Pilgrim Rest Notes
To the Leader:
Alba is the banner prohibition box of Wood county, having voted 195 to 45
at the recent election. Hurrah for Grayson! We are glad to note the prohibition
sentiment has come to stay. Wherever he antis think they can get the people
to swallow the old racket: “It don’t prohibit,” in the dry
counties and try to vote the saloons back they get taught over again the lesson
of defeat. The truth of the business is that people are fast becoming prohibitionists
from principle. They keep their eye straight on the saloon and seeing nothing
but evil in it, they would withdraw their sanction and rid themselves of the
responsibility of its existence even though they knew it would not diminish
drinking on single drop. The saloon must go, gentlemen. It has no rightful
place in an enlightened Christian nation. Its death knell has been sounded;
its overthrow is the one great battle of the age. All other great questions
become small in comparison. Let the good work go on.---Jupiter
Rains County Leader
July 5, 1907
The roof caught fire over the Ann Martin (col.) restaurant Monday morning,
and but for the early discovery Smoky Row would have been in ashes at this
writing….
100th Anniversary – Rains County
Note: The compilers of this anniversary book don’t give sources of info.
By 1890, the town was running wide open with 6 saloons going full blast 24 hours a day. Local law enforcement officials often locked up so many drunks on Saturday night that only standing room remained in the jail.
Taking in the Town
In 1878, a young man, who was later to become a prominent central Texas doctor,
persuaded his mother to allow him to accompany a trail herd from Jefferson,
Texas to Cooke County. When the drive was completed, he outfitted himself
with chaps, cowboy hat, and a 6-shooter and set out for home in an around-about
fashion so as to seek some adventure. Some days later this young man struck
upon a cowboy with 6 horses and they decided to ride together seeing as how
they were both headed in the same general direction.
One evening late they arrived at Emory, hobbled their horses, cooked supper
and then decided to take in the town. After visiting several of the leading
saloons, they proceeded to Shoot Up The Town. The sport lasted until one of
the local citizens began returning the gunfire, at which time, thy hastily
returned to camp.
During the night, horse thieves visited the campsite and stole all the horses
from our young adventurers. The young men decided to split up and the young
man from Jefferson, riding a wide circle around Emory, returned to his home.
In 1894, the following businesses were in existence and each suffered heavy damages during the Spring cyclone….O. Dick Saloon, The Oriental Saloon, Annie White’s Restaurant….
Smokey Row
According to what we have heard, the most infamous business section of Emory
can well be proclaimed as Smokey Row. This section of town seemed to be blessed
with a charmed life, having experienced a number of fires and survived 2 cyclones,
but in an April 1914 edition of the Rains County Leader, we found the following
article:
“For the first time ‘since when’ the oldest inhabitants
can remember, Smokey Row is deserted – not one thing of life can be
found abiding therein, and the old historic and much talked of business section
of our little city will soon be a thing of the past. It is remarkable that
the present generation should live to see this thing happen. It would not
burn, and it can be proven by good and impeachable evidence that it has been
set on fire more than a dozen times and each time the fire went out of its
own accord. It used to be said that a load of hay saturated with coal oil
would not burn on Smokey Row – neither would she blow down, and seemingly,
as if she would last until time no more. But not so – the remaining
2 houses on this famous and infamous row are soon to be pulled down. Goodbye
“Smokey”, goodbye, we will be glad to see you go-go-go.”
August 23, 1912
Mr. Harry CARPENTER of Greenville, one of the delegates to the State Convention
from Hunt county writes was highly satisfied with the selection of William
BACON as a member of the State Executive Committee and wound up with a tribute
to Judge CLENDENIN, a member of the Rains county delegation...he (Judge CLENDENIN)
offered a plank providing for the closing of saloons at 8 p.m., which was
supported by Judge POINDEXTER, Cone JOHNSON and other pros.....