A Century Ago Today: When Arrow Was a Collar and a Car

Readers of the Star-Telegram on September 15, 1914 read these articles and ads:

1914 chocolate

When World War I began on July 28 thousands of Americans had been caught in Europe. (America would not enter the war until April 6, 1917.) A group of Fort Worth residents told of some anxious moments while trying to get out of Germany after one member of the group threw a chocolate to a soldier.

1914 armoredIt was a war in which two new technologies—the automobile and the aeroplane—would be drafted and adapted with armor and armament.

1914 joy rideBut old technologies still had their appeal. J. B. Fuller hotwired a horse and buggy and took them for a joy ride. He could not explain how he started out in Grapevine and ended up in Dallas but added that a quart of whiskey had been riding shotgun.

1914 federal leagueThe Federal League was an “outlaw” third baseball major league that existed in 1914 and 1915.

1914 jailbreakThey came, they sawed, they conquered (briefly): Four men sawed their way out of jail, one of them for the second time in two days.

1914 arrest and notifyThis ad was a 1914 version of the Amber Alert.

1914 arrowThe maker of Arrow detachable shirt collars had a new model called the “Norman.” Two for a quarter. The Paul Waggoner who ordered a custom Pierce-Arrow car ($144,000 today) surely was E. Paul Waggoner, twenty-five-year-old son of millionaire W. T. Waggoner. Note that the “Heard Along Automobile Row” column artwork was drawn by Jay Plangman.

1914 striplingStripling Department Store gave a preview of fall styles for women. Note that the ad says that all streetcars pass the store. W. C. Stripling had opened his department store in Fort Worth in 1893.

1914 central highPrincipal R. L. Paschal announced that Central High School would have a football team come autumn. In 1914 Central High was located on South Jennings (now Homes of Parker Commons) after Fort Worth High burned in 1910 and before the high school we call “Green B. Trimble Tech” opened in 1918. (More on the complicated history of these schools and their buildings here.)

1914 sawyerOut on South Main at Sawyer’s grocery store, for thirty-five cents you could pick a peck of potatoes.

grocery sawyerThe Sawyer Building today.

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