Seat of Empire: The Embattled Birth of Austin, Texas

12. Frontier Capital

Seat of Empire | 128 || Chapter 12 | Frontier Capital The people are very intelligent and polite—I have not lived in better society in 25 years. Brewster H. Jayne, writing from Austin to Juliet Jayne, June 7, 1840 As we lay in bed yesterday morning thinking of the joyful era, there crept into our mind a remembrance of our last Christmas in Austin in 1841, then socially the pleasantest place we have ever known. From an article in the Clarksville Standard, December 24, 1885 At Austin, mid every discomfort and privation no room nor bed to be had for love or money. Anson Jones, Brazoria County senator in the Fourth Congress, part of diary entry from October 31, 1839 A strange fact for a place of which so many hard things are said. Presbyterian minister William McCalla, referring to his surprisingly pleasant experiences during an 1840 visit to Austin, Adventures in Texas, 32 One winter day in 1839 two men rode west out of Austin, Texas. One rider loomed tall and imposing in the saddle, sitting comfortably atop his mount while admiring the scenery with curiosity . This was Sam Houston. The other carried himself with equal confidence , but presented a less dashing appearance due to his unusual right leg. A childhood illness had crippled the extremity, leaving it strangely atrophic and contracted at the knee. To compensate for this disability, the man had attached a wooden peg to his right knee, thereby enabling contact with the ground. From a distance this produced the illusion of an extra leg. Friends thus knew Robert Williamson as “Three-Legged Willie .”1 Frontier Capital | 129 | Houston and Williamson forded Shoal Creek and followed Pecan Street to its western terminus. Turning northwest, the pair rode through a patchwork of woodland and open prairie before ascending the gentle slope of the tallest peak in the hills west of Austin.2 The spectacular view from the summit moved both men to dismount and stare appreciatively into the distance. Houston finally broke the silence by slapping his companion on the shoulder and trumpeting, “Upon my soul, Williamson, this must be the very spot where Satan took our Savior to show and tempt Him with the riches and beauties of the world!” Three-Legged Willie’s reply reflected his equally awestruck mood, “Yes, General, and if Jesus Christ had been fallible, He would have accepted his Satanic majesty’s proposition.”3 Pedestrians strolling up Congress Avenue early in 1840 might have noticed larger than usual crowds in front of Bullock’s hotel. A jumble of logs left in front of the hotel during city construction offered seats to those with a few spare moments. These “Loafer’s Logs” now constituted an informal arena for joke-telling, story-swapping, and political squabbling.4 Cheap and readily available liquor fueled the proceedings, lending a clubhouse atmosphere to the popular gathering spot. Regulars included Hugh McLeod, Richard Brenham, T. G. Forster, Ira Munson, James M. Ogden, and others “who kept the company in a roar by their witty sallies and bon mots.”5 Crowds might have also been larger than usual in front of the Treasury building just down the avenue from Bullock’s. This one-story frame structure sat about fifteen feet from the street. A steady stream of mechanics , rangers, clerks, and others receiving government pay kept the front yard filled with waiting and gossiping men.6 Asa Brigham organized the city election—Austin’s first—that was responsible for the increased activity at Bullock’s and the Treasury office.7 City residents, never at a loss for controversial issues, now had a particularly juicy one to trigger argument. Who among them would direct city affairs? Who would set rules, impose taxes, and prioritize public projects? Who would organize defense, settle disputes, and control city revenue? And who would expose themselves to public blame and humiliation should events take a sour turn? Edwin Waller figured he was up to the task and announced he was running for mayor. Like many others who helped build Austin in 1839, Waller stayed to make the city his home. His house on the northeast corner of Mulberry Street and Congress Avenue hosted the first Masonic meeting in Austin on October 11, 1839. Other aspirants must have real- Seat of Empire | 130 | ized the futility of running against the man credited with constructing the city, for Waller easily won an uncontested...