Thomas G. Moses worked with Fitch Fulton on a variety of Scottish Rite scenery projects during 1924 and 1925. One was Pasadena Scottish Rite, a project that offered escape from the cold in Chicago. Moses desperately wanted to spend his winters in California, and the Pasadena Scottish Rite project ensured a few months of work in a warm location.
At the end of 1924, Moses wrote, “The last Sunday in the year we spent at the Fultons, where we enjoyed the day. As I had hoped a year ago, we are spending the winter in California and so far we have thoroughly enjoyed it, as we have many winters in the past.”
Even when Moses and Fulton weren’t painting scenery, they enjoyed social gatherings and sketching trips. The two were a generation apart, with Fulton in his 40s and Moses in his 60s. Both were skilled artists and greatly enjoyed plein air painting. Of one excursion, Moses wrote, “Walter, Fulton and I went out for a day’s sketching at Sycamore Rock near Eagle Rock. We had plenty of visitors. I found a vast difference between the far east and California as far as atmosphere is concerned. So, I was not as successful with my sketches as I had hoped to be.”
Later in 1925, Moses wrote, “We all enjoyed the many week-end trips, we took with wonderful lunches and good sketching grounds. Mrs. Fulton looked after the eats and she certainly did not overlook anything, as we were overfed and did not feel like sketching after the meal. We found some very good sketching down in Topanga Canyon, over towards Santa Monica and Flint Cliff. I would like to make an extended sketching trip out here, but I am very much afraid I will never be able to, as business will keep me from it as it has always done in the past. It has been very pleasant out of doors. Some days the sun was so hot that we had to get under a tree – pretty good for January.”
Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.Topanga postcard form the 1920s.
In 1924, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “…made my way to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to meet Mr. Wehn, Secretary of the Board of Education. We went up into the hills and I made two sketches, which I afterward presented to him.” That spring, newspapers reported, “Jamestown’s School Cost Takes Big Jump” (The Warren Tribune, 8 May 1924, page 12). From 1919-1924, the cost for operating the public schools in Jamestown increased 13 percent. Class sizes were getting bigger as the town expanded. There was a similar situation all over the country as schools were continually planned and built.
Postcard of the Johnstown High School in Pennsylvania
Later in 1924, Moses wrote, “Our work is running to schoolhouses and parochial halls.”
New school buildings meant that there was in increased demand for stage scenery and draperies in these academic facilities. Although the projects were much smaller than touring productions and Masonic projects, these school auditoriums offered a constant stream of work.
Stages were also being outfitted with new equipment and scenery throughout Pennsylvania. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the “Evening News” reported, “New scenery and a new curtain was yesterday set up on the auditorium stage at the High School building. The equipment will be used the first time tomorrow evening for the opening performance of “The Charm School,” the senior class play” (March 26, 1924, page 4).
In 1924 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “July 30th, I started south to Memphis, where I had to go over into Arkansas to make a sketch in a dismal swamp. Architect Awsumb went with me. I believe everything in the line of insects and reptiles lived in that swamp and had been waiting for us. I made a sketch as quickly as possible and got all other data necessary.”
ArchitectGeorge Awsumb (1880-1959)
Moses was accompanied by the well-known architect George Awsumb (1880-1959). The two worked together on the Memphis Municipal Auditorium that year. I find their trip to an Arkansas swamp fascinating, as they were going on site to gather source material, likely for one of the exterior stage settings at the auditorium. Moses came from a generation of artists who gathered primary source work for both their stage settings and easel art.
Much has been written about Awsumb and his architectural endeavors, but here is a brief synopsis.
George Awsumb was born in Skien, Norway, on July 20, 1880. He emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1883 when he was three years old. The Awsumbs settled in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where George graduated from the high school in 1898. The family later moved to Eau Claire. He started college studies as an engineering student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1901. His interest and studies changed, and he began studying architecture at the University of Illinois in Champaign. After completing a Bachelors in Science by 1906, he began working as a draftsman in Chicago at various architectural offices. By 1913, he founded his own architectural firm and became a member of the Chicago Architectural Club. He won the Club’s traveling scholarship and later became the president in 1919. That same year, he entered a competition with Charles O. Pfeil for the design of the Memphis Municipal Auditorium. On October 26, 1924, the “Leader-Telegram” reported, the designer and architect of the building was George Awsumb, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Awsumb of this city. Mrs. Awsumb is at present visiting her son in Memphis. Mr. Awsumb was also the architect who designed both the city hall here and also the city auditorium.”
Pfeil & Awsumb operated until 1929, when Awsumb broke away and founded another firm under his own name. Eventually, his firm became Awsumn & Sons. Here is the link to the Awsumb Architectural Collection in the Digital Archive of the Memphis Public Libraries: https://memphislibrary.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p13039coll1/id/220/rec/1
At the end of 1923, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “This year has been a very disastrous one, in respect to my picture painting. I have not been able to do anything but a few pencil sketches, enroute to the south and east. I will never be able to have the time I had in New York, where I could run up to the Catskills in a few hours at very little expense. My dream of desert sketching will never come true, unless I sell out. My forest pictures will always be with me, as it is now second nature for me to do them. I should have made a stronger effort in Oregon and Washington to get some of the big tree sketches and a few more of Mt. Rainier, that very elusive peak that was under a cloud cap, most of the time, as there is only a few months during July, August and September that it is possible to get it at all. It is almost necessary for one to live there and catch it on the fly.”
You can feel his regret, the realization that he had gambled and lost. When Moses went back to Sosman & Landis in 1904 he gave up the one thing he valued most – time; time to paint pictures. He left a successful business in New York to supervise all aspects of production at Sosman & Landis. He was initially compensated for the loss, receiving shares of stock, the title of vice-president and recognition, but he lost time…and time is the one thing that you can’t get back. Moses must have told himself along the way that all of his sacrifices would eventually pay off. When he got older, there would be enough time and enough money to go paint for himself. But year after year, the sketching trips became less frequent, until there were none.
This is one of the reasons that I started painting for myself this year. I didn’t want to waste another decade.
Painting by Thomas G. Moses, 1900. From the Waszut-Barrett Theatre Collection.
Thomas G. Moses traveled with his wife Ella to Tacoma, Washington, in 1921. He was primarily there to paint scenery for the Tacoma Scottish Rite. However, Tacoma was one of his favorite places to sketch and do easel painting. After arriving that December, Moses wrote, “I found we needed another room for a studio, which I got, and it is going to be a good asset to my picture painting. The most glorious view of the mountain at sunrise, noon, sunset and an hour after sunset. I have finally got to work and while it is going to be a long job, I will enjoy doing it, and incidentally getting some good sketches of the mountain.” When it was time to head home Moses wrote, “I made several sketches of the famous mountain from my studio window. We met so many nice people that it was a hardship to leave.” He loved painting Mt. Rainier.
While in Tacoma, Moses and Ella became close friends with Fred and Jane Southworth. Of the couple, Moses wrote, “Dr. Southworth and his wife were extremely kind to us. He is a clever painter, besides being a physician. We took an auto ride to Seattle to see a collection of pictures, which we truly enjoyed.” Whenever Moses returned to the area, he would visit the Southworth’s. In 1924, he wrote, “Took a run over to Tacoma and had a very pleasant visit with Dr. Southworth.” In 1923 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I proposed Dr. Southworth for an artist’s membership in the Salmagundi Club, but the Art Jury would not pass his work for which I was very sorry, as I did want him in as a member. It would have meant a lot to him.”
This was Dr. F. W. Southworth, a pioneer Tacoma physician and regional artist. In 1921 Dr. Southworth was practicing at 416 California Building. However, when Dr. Southworth first met Moses, his offices were located in rooms 1, 2, and 3 of the new Tacoma Theatre Building. The two likely met at the theater.
Frederick William Southworth was the son of Nelson E. Southworth and Mary Hubbard. He was one of nine children born to the Canadian couple, arriving on February 7, 1860, in Thedford, Ontario. He emigrated to the United States in May 1876 and was educated at the University of Iowa, graduating with an M.D. in 1887. That fall he began practicing in Tacoma. He was known as one of the primarily physicians for many Chinese in city.
In 1889, he married Jane Walthers on Nov. 18, 1889. Although the wedding was held in St. Paul, Minnesota, the couple lived in Tacoma; Jane being from Minnesota. The couple celebrated the birth of one daughter, Catherin Deane, born on February 14, 1897.
“Fred” Southworth exhibited works in Seattle and Tacoma and is considered part of the Northwest Impressionist movement; a loose group of artists practicing from 1910 to 1935. Any images of his paintings are extremely difficult to track down. Fortunately, a couple were sold at auction, indicating his range from realistic to impressionistic work. During his life, he was quite well known as a Tacoma painter. In 1893, one of Dr. Southworth’s paintings was exhibited in the Washington State building at the World’s Fair in Chicago (Post-Intelligencer, 13 April 1893, page 8). Later he became president of the Tacoma Art League. Several of Dr. Southworth’s paintings were even used as cover illustrations for national magazines, although I have yet to locate any to date (Spokesman-Review, 23 Mar 1934, page 3). In 1916, Dr. Southworth was even a guest speaker at the Tacoma Fine Arts Society, sill lecturing about his artistic passion (Tacoma Times, 25 Oct 1916, page 3).
Dr. Southworth was one of the guest speakers for the newly formed Tacoma Fine Arts Society in 1916Painting by Dr. F. W. Southworth in 1896 recently sold at auction. Painting by Dr. F. W. Southworth in 1935 recently sold at auction.Dr. F. W. Southworth’s signature in his 1935 painting.
Dr. Southworth as also a published author. By 1901 he published “True Metaphysical Science and Its Practical Application through the Law of Suggestion,” (2 editions). He was still lecturing on the subject in 1911 when he spoke on “Law of Suggestion” at the Plymouth Congregational Church (Tacoma Times, 9 Feb 1911, page 3). By 1913 he was quite well known and doing extremely well. That year he was even listed in “Who’s Who on the Pacific Coast.”
Listing for Dr. F. W. Southworth in the 1913 publication “Who’s Who on the Pacific Coast.”
This is about the time trouble began and never quite left; it was always waiting in the shadows. It may have started as early as 1907 when Dr. Southworth tested on behalf of Chinese-American citizens, particularly the Ah Rook family. It was part of the long-going investigation of Chinese children who claimed citizenship after the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1882. This was the first law restricting immigration, establishing a ten-year moratorium of Chinese Labor immigration. The law continued to be extended until 1943 when the United States became allies China with during World War II, subsequently repealing the ban on Chinese immigration and naturalization.
In 1914, Dr. Southworth’s legal troubles began in earnest. That year Philip and Myrtle Butler filed suit against Dr. Southworth for $15,500, alleging carelessness in medical treatment (Tacoma Times, 20 March 1914, page 1). The malpractice case was settled out of court after the doctor paid the couple $600 (The Tacoma Times, 256 June 1914, page 1).
Two decades later, he faced much more serious allegations. In 1934, Dr. Southworth was arrested and charged with having illegally issued a number of prescriptions for narcotics . He was immediately arraigned before Judge Edward E. Cushman in the federal district court. After entering a plea of not guilty, was released on his own recognizance until the trial date (Spokesman-Review, 23 Mar 1934, page 3). The government charged that Dr. Southworth wrote an excessive number of narcotic prescriptions and for amounts in excess of that needed for the treatment of disease. Dr. Southworth entered a plea of not guilty for each of the fifteen counts of his violating narcotic laws (Spokesman-Review, 19 Sept 1934, page 16). I have had a difficult time tracking down the final outcome of the trial, but the 1930 and 1940 census report suggests that he was found guilty. The 1930 census that listed Dr. Southworth as a physician working in the medical industry. In the 1940 Census, Dr. Southworth was listed as a Diagnostician working in the Drugstore industry. At the time he was 80 yrs. old.
Dr. Southworth passed away in 1946 and is buried in Tacoma.
In 1884, Henry C. Tryon joined the Sosman & Landis studio staff in Chicago as replacement for Lemuel L. Graham. “Lem” had left for Kansas City to open a regional branch there. At the time, John H. Young was also working for Sosman & Landis, but primarily painting at the firm’s New York studio.
Henry C. Tryon pictured in the “Inter Ocean,” Feb. 28, 1886, page 9.John H. Young pictured in the “Inter Ocean,” Feb. 28, 1886, page 9.Thomas G. Moses pictured in the “Inter Ocean,” Feb. 28, 1886, page 9.
Of Tryon’s arrival at Sosman & Landis, Moses wrote, “he enthused Young and I more than anyone ever had. He was a pupil of Thos. Moran and James and William Hart and was very clever, but awfully eccentric.”
In October 1885, Moses, Young and Tryon journeyed to West Virginia on a sketching trip. The full story was published in the “Palette & Chisel Club” newsletter years later. Today’s post is a series of excerpts about Tryon from Moses’ story. It provides ten sort scenes that give us a glimpse into Tryon’s personality on the sketching trip:
1. Moses wrote, “I certainly enjoyed talking on any subject with Tryon. He was very strong on politics, which did not particularly interest me. He was very interesting when it came to anything on art. He had been a pupil of Thomas Moran. Tryon told this story: He had bothered Moran for some time trying to induce Moran to take him on as a pupil. Moran was too much of a gentleman to throw Tryon out of his studio, so he finally took an old canvas, slapped on a lot of color with a palette knife, handed it to Tryon and said: “Take home that, make a picture out of the accidentals and bring it back in a week.” Moran felt that Tryon would throw the canvas away and not come back. The week-end found Tryon back and Moran was so well pleased with the result that he took Tryon in as a pupil, which was very beneficial to Tryon who followed Moran’s style of work even into his scenic painting, as well as his oil. He enjoyed telling this story; he surely must have made a good picture of Moran’s accidentals.”
2. Moses wrote, “We went through a number of tunnels and one, which was over a mile in length, was at a town called Tunneltown. We were now in West Virginia, on the Cheat River. The color was wonderful; the extreme blue of the distant mountains gave the whole landscape a most brilliant opalescent effect. Tryon was simply wild with joy, jumping from one side of the car to the other and calling me “There look a that, isn’t it wonderful! Aren’t you glad that you came? Did you ever see such color”? We both felt like jumping off; at every turn we could see a picture. As we neared Piedmont, West Virginia, the scenery became wilder and more colorful.”
3. Moses wrote, “While we were waiting for our dinner, and were all seated on the big porch, Tryon was seized with stomach cramps. Mr. Elkins noticed Tryon’s groaning and said, “Mr. Tryon, if you will go up to Room 3 you will find a black grip; open it and right on top you will find a cure for stomach trouble.” Tryon did this and came down feeling better, thanked Mr. Elkins, and within fifteen minutes had another cramp. Mr. Elkins said, “Go after it again, Tryon,” and he did. This time he must have taken a good long one, for it seemed to settle him.”
4. Moses wrote, “The General Store at Schell was some store and included the post office. Back of that was the living-room and kitchen and there were three rooms upstairs. Tryon and I occupied one of these. John Young joined us here and entered into the spirit of the outing. The evening of Young’s arrival we were all in the store. Young was stretched out on the counter, with his head resting in the scoop of the scales, and Tryon, with his immense meerschaum, was hitting it up like an engine. We missed the talkative huntsman, but everyone here was interested in us and our work because Mr. Elkins had told them who we were. We had two beds in our room, but had to pass through a room occupied by the landlord’s son. If he happened to be awake when we retired, Tryon would always stop and talk with him. The landlord was an infidel, which pleased Tryon, for it gave him the opportunity to assist in tearing all of the religions of the world into shreds. In one way, Tryon did not believe all he said. I believe he only wanted a chance to argue.”
5. Moses wrote, “The eccentric antics of Tryon seemed to amuse the natives. He very seldom had breakfast with Young and me; we would usually be out sketching an hour before he showed up. We found one fine place not more than a quarter of a mile from the store, across the river, which, at this point, was very narrow and awfully swift. We had a small boat which we used in crossing this turbulent stream, and we had to be very careful to avoid being dashed to pieces against the big rocks. By going upstream some distance we could ford across, and Young, with his long legs could jump across from rock to rock, but he preferred the boat. On the other side we found all kinds of sketches.”
6. Moses wrote, “During the night a heavy thunderstorm passed over us, and the wind through the big pine and hemlock trees, together with the constant baying of the hounds, made the night one of unpleasant dreams. Tryon and I had a double room. As he was very careless with his clothes – the floor was better than a chair – he stepped on his derby hat. A fine kind of hat to take on a sketching trip! Strips of paper glued to the inside of it put it in good working shape again.”
7. Moses wrote, “On a trip to Blackwater Falls we experienced a hard battle to get through the laurel, not so much ourselves as the unwieldy stools, easels and paint boxes, which managed to get caught at every other step, sorely impeding our progress. On reaching the brink of the Falls we discovered a very precipitous bank, impossible of descent. We made a couple of sketches up the river from the brink, then tried to figure out some way to get below, for that was the sketch we wanted. Tryon was not quite through with his sketch, but agreed to follow us, so Young and I forged ahead down the river, trying to find a place to crawl down. We went fully a mile before we found an opening; then the walk back to the falls was pretty hard – mostly over rocks in midstream, which was madly rushing over and around them. It was hard to keep our feet from slipping on the wet stones. On reaching the bottom of the Falls we were surprised to find Tryon calmly sketching and smoking his big pipe and quietly giving us the merry “Ha! Ha!” We were quite anxious to know how he did it. He explained that he had come down on a big pine tree which grew within three feet of the bank and was fully sixty feet high. He had dropped his stool and easel before going down himself. For a wonder, nothing was broken; they just happened to fall on a lot of moss and leaves. One look at his clothes, face and hands proved that he had paid the price, but he did not mind that. The pleasure of beating his two young students (as he always called us) was all he cared for. The effort of getting down and back was offset by the good sketches we had made. On returning we asked Tryon why he did not return the same way he had dropped into the pocket. He looked at the big tree, shook his head – then went back with us.”
8. Moses wrote, “Another long tramp into the wilderness brought us to the head of the north branch of the Potomac, a spring as little known as the source of the River Nile. We tramped through jungles. Forded streams and climbed precipices until I gave out and had to rest and take the good-natured jibes of Tryon and Young. After a good rest, in which my tramping friends participated, we pushed onto the Potomac. It is a narrow powerful stream; a number of cataracts, in a series of eleven bold leaps, are a shining flood down the mountain side; gloomy chasms open from either side, dense, dark laurel thickets choke every approach, but through all the vigorous, bright stream leaps and shouts with a mad joy as it forces, its way on to the ocean. In the early spring this stream must be very powerful as is indicates by the amount of good-sized logs and debris of all kinds piled up on the banks, at present out of reach of the water which, at this season of year, is clear and cold.”
9. Moses wrote, “When we three were working together there was a constant stream of talk, not always about art. Tryon was very fond of an argument. One instance: In painting a rock in the water, the wet part of the rock, being so much darker, forms a sharp line on the top of the water. Young and I had always painted a light line – Tryon proved to us that the line was dark and water threw a shadow on the rock. He would lie on his back for hours studying the light coming through the eaves of a red maple. At that time of year the color was fine. He succeeded in making a very effective sketch; the undertone was fine and the cool, grey lights were very effective.”
10. Moses wrote, “At this time, Tryon was very much in love with a schoolteacher in Haverhill, Massachusetts, whose name was Hattie. He promised to write her every day and she had promised to reciprocate. So we spent the evening writing letters to our dear ones.”
Tryon’s relationship with Hattie was announced earlier that summer in the “Salt Lake Herald.” On June 18, 1884, the newspaper reported, “Henry C. Tryon, the scenic artist, wrote from Haverhill, Mass., that he is about to perpetuate matrimony, and he sends a photo of the beautiful lady whom he designates as the victim. In gazing at the picture and thinking of Henry, we wonder how he was able to “work the act” (page 8).
Two years ago, I was writing about events in the life and times of Thomas C. Moses in 1884. At the time, I was trying to track down information about Henry C. Tryon. Tryon had entered my storyline when he began working at the Sosman & Landis Studio during 1884, filling in for Lem Graham after Graham left to establish a scenic studio in Kansas City.
By 1885, Tryon, Moses and John H. Young went to West Virginia on a sketching trip. Moses described Tryon as “eccentric,” and recorded some pretty humorous episodes about the older artist. While searching for additional information about Tryon’s projects in Utah (this is before he returned to Chicago in 1884), I came across mention of Alfred Lambourne (1850-1926). Lambourne worked with Tryon at the Springvale Theatre Hall. In 1883 Tryon’s younger brother, Spencer, assisted the two while creating stock scenery for the venue.
As I searched for articles in historic newspapers and past publications, I located an interesting description of Tryon by Lambourne in “Reuben Kirkham: Pioneer Artist” by Donna L. Poulton, PhD. Here is a link to her book: https://www.amazon.com/Reuben-Kirkham-Donna…/dp/1599553805. Poulton’s book provided an excerpt from Lambourne’s memoirs that described Tryon.
Lambourne referred to his mentor as “that erratic genius, that Bohemian of Bohemians.” Of his training with Tryon, Lambourne wrote, “…I worked with Tryon about seven weeks. Not on the paint gallery of the Salt Lake theatre, but in one of our southern towns, where we had taken a contract, jointly, for furnishing a set of stock scenery. Those seven weeks were among the most exciting, and from the art standpoint, most profitable of my life. Tryon arrived in Salt Lake City, after a long and successful season of scene-painting in Chicago, and at the Tabor Grand, in Denver. Who, that knew the man, could ever forget that walk, that shock of unkempt red hair, that shrewd ingratiating smile and fun, the enthusiasm, or flash of anger in those steel gray Irish eyes. How distinctly I remember the low suppressed tones of his voice and the sparkle in the same eyes, as he once confronted me and uttered these words: “I have never yet met a man whose combativeness I could not overcome with my own.” However that may have been, we became fast friends and without surrender on either side.”First of all, I find it fascinating that Lambourne not only worked as a scenic artist, but also authored several fictional works. In fact, I have just ordered three of his short stories about scenic artists; original copies are difficult to track down. Lambourne was like many of his peers; nineteenth-century scenic artists enthusiastically wrote about their art, the times, loves lost, and popular stage personalities, providing brief glimpses of life behind the curtain line and the challenges faced by theatre artists.
Lambourne’s memories of Tryon’s combative nature adds a lot of additional color to Moses’s own recollections about Tryon. It is clear that Moses liked and respected Tryon; after all, they planned a sketching trip together in 1885. However, respecting and working with someone is often different than living and traveling with them. Moses provides a peak into Tryon’s personal habits. I previously posted the article that Moses wrote for the “Palette & Chisel Club” newsletter concerning his 1885 trip to West Virginia – see past posts parts 202 to 212 at www.drypigment.net. For now, I’ll start with Moses and Tryon’s departure from the Chicago train station in 1885. Moses wrote,“Henry Tryon and I started for West Virginia on a sketching trip. I had more bother and worry with Tryon than a hen with a brood of chickens; he was simply impossible. A very clever painter but he was not balanced – very temperamental. While he was more than ten years my senior I had to lead him to everything that we had to do for the trip. I went to the B. & O. R. R. Co. and endeavored to secure free transportation. I tried to show them the great benefit our trip would be to the advertising department, as Mr. Tryon expected to write an account for the Chicago Tribune. They had plenty of this advertising, but encouraged us by giving us half fare both ways. We were highly pleased to get this with the understanding that John Young was to follow at the same rate within the week. I had a struggle to get Tryon down to the depot at 5 P.M. – the train left at 5:10. While we were rushing for the sleeper, Tryon stopped – he must get into his trunk which I had checked early in the day. I informed him that we had no time – the baggage was being put on the train. He insisted, so I went with him at 5:05 to the baggage-car. He asked the baggage master to pull the trunk off the truck so he could open it. After much grumbling it was lowered to the platform. Tryon untied the rope, unlocked it and from the top tray took out a fifteen-cent package of Durham smoking tobacco; replacing the rope he informed the baggage-man he was through with it. The baggage-man had been watching him and when he saw what was taken out he made some remarks that would not look well in print. Tryon never lost his temper, so the remarks did not affect him. We had less than two minutes to get to our sleeper, the trunk was thrown on and away we went. I never mentioned the incident again and Tryon forgot it immediately.”
More entertaining tales about Tryon tomorrow.
Henry C. Tryon pictured in the “Inter Ocean,” Feb. 28, 1886, page 9.
In 1921 Thomas G. Moses was working in Dallas, Texas, at the
new Majestic Theatre. His wife Ella was able to accompany him on the nine-week southern
trip; there were ample opportunities for sighting seeing and sketching
trips. That spring, Moses wrote, “A
short trip to San Antonio was thoroughly enjoyed by both of us. It was a very interesting place, being so
close to Mexico. It has taken over many
ideas in buildings and costumes. One
place we enjoyed more than the others was the large Brackenridge Park, which
was built in a Stone Quarry. Made
several sketches.”
Japanese Garden in Brackenridge Park, 1921 postcard.
Brackenridge park made headlines that year, as American
newspapers focused on the success of San Antonio’s various beautification
projects and park system. The “Central New Jersey Home News” reported, “How
City Officials Beautified San Antonio by Unique Methods” (New Brunswick, NJ, 22
May 1921, page 11). The article noted, “Once in a thousand years you find a
person who possesses the gift of making much form little or nothing. Sometimes
it is a woman who can make a stylish dress from a piece of great grandmother’s
shawl and a yard of ribbon, in San Antonio it was Ray Lambert who made
Breckenridge [sic.] Park blossom like the rose – the whole rose bush, indeed –
and did it so economically that people still ask – ‘how did he do it?’”
The “Dearborn Independent” also included an article on the
park entitled, “Texan’s Magic Has Brought Beauty to City” (Dearborn, Michigan,
April 16, 1921, page 6). It provided a little more information about the man
behind the mission – J. R. Lambert. Here is an interesting section from the article,
as it gives some history:
“San Antonio was a wide-open town and J. R. Lambert on of
the best known bar keeps. Situated within 150 miles of the Mexican border,
within easy access of vast stretches of plains and prairies where wandered
countless herds of Texas long and shorthorns, San Antonio drew to her bosom the
sons of wild and wild stretches. Here they came to take a chance at faro or the
cards and drink whisky straight. In the midst of this oasis was J. R. Lambert’s
saloon and he stood behind the baar and served the spirit-loving throngs.
“Before he became a barkeep Lambert was a stone mason. He
saved his money and finally accumulated enough cash to buy the saloon. Like
many of his kind in those days Lambert also became interested in politics.
Politics and the saloon were bed-mates before the Eighteenth Amendment went
into effect. His power became felt in local election. He was a man to be
reckoned with in any local issue that was decided at the polls. His saloon grew
more and more prominent as Lambert extended his political power.
“There came a mayoralty campaign in San Antonio. It was a
biter contest and after the votes were counted Lambert’s candidate was a
declared the winner. And then Lambert, who had exacted no political reward
before, demanded one, He insisted on being appointed commissioner of parks and
plazas of the city of San Antonio. Since the mayor was morally bound to give
Lambert any political appointment he demanded, because of his services at the
polls, he had to comply. This he did reluctantly. There was much protesting,
much agitation, much denouncing. Giving a job like commissioner of parks and
plazas to a saloonkeeper was preposterous. Much in the way of political graft
had probably been attempted in San Antonio, but this was too bold, too brazen,
too horrid. The public wrath grew, the flame of public indignation swelled and
the mayo was denounced along with Lambert. But the mayor was firm and Lambert
kept his peace. The tumult subsided as such tumults always do. Lambert sold his
saloon and settled himself in a downstairs corner of the city hall and went to
work.
“Today J. Raymond Lambert, or Ray Lambert, is the biggest
man, as far as could be learned in one month’s time, in San Antonio. Forty-six
parks and plazas within the city limits testify to his greatness. In the opinion
of the writer he is the most efficient city official in the country today.
Lambert has been commissioner of parks and plazas of San
Antonio for a number of years and he will probably be able to continue as
commissioner just as long as he cares to. During all this time he has worked
within his power, regardless of time, energy, personal hardships and
self-denials and to save as much money for the public as possible. In both he
has been brilliantly successful.
San Antonio has her Missions and her Alamo, ‘the cradle of
Texas liberty.’ San Antonio has her old churches, a wonderful country club and
beautiful residential sections, but if you ask the average San Antonian what
point he considers of most importance and interest he will answer immediately,
‘Brackenridge Park. Have you seen the Japanese Gardens there?”
“Brackenridge Park is the palace ground of San Antonio’s 46
parks and plazas , and the sunken Japanese Garden the palace. Of the 592 acres
that are included in park and plaza allotments, Brackenridge Park is big and
complete, a remarkable city playground, but the Japanese Gardens lift it to
fame and the history of the gardens shows the creative genius of Lambert.
When Lambert became commissioner of parks and plazas,
Brackenridge Park was little more than a larger tract of waste land. It had few
possibilities. Many landscape gardeners would have passed it up. Some of the
experts said it would never do as a park. It contained an abandoned stone
quarry and a garbage incinerating plant, also abandoned. It presented a dismal
aspect. Not only was a large portion an eyesore, but most repulsive.
“Lambert gathered his laborers and got busy. He dismantled
the garbage plant and tore it down. He saved every part of it, stone and all.
After everything was piled up neatly, he sent his army of laborers into the
stone quarry and hauled out al the loose stone that remained. The quarry
cleared, he began building and after much hard work the Japanese Gardens were
created and the disgusting eyesore became a thing of unparalleled beauty in way
of landscape gardening.
In this garden are Japanese houses built of stone, lily
ponds and flower beds, rustic Japanese bridges and tropical foliage. There are
fishponds and shaded nooks. Stone steps wind down into the gardens and the
gardens are spotted with the same kind of steps and benches.
“The stone house, the large one, was built of the loose
stones picked up in the quarry. They also served for the steps and the benches.
“The stones, now fast, line the lily ponds, and the quaint
fishponds with their rare goldfish were made from the dilapidated vats found in
the incinerating plant. The roof of the bog house is made of thatched palm
leaves. There are many palm trees in San Antonio. You find them in all the
parks and plazas. Lambert had his men collect then and, instead of destroying
them, they were hauled to the Japanese Garden where they served for roofing. It
is said that the only expense of the garden, outside of labor, was for wire
used in attaching the palm fronds. And the quaint-looking steeple at one edge
of the garden, the one covered with vines and looking so artistic in the
distance? Why, that was the chimney of the incinerating plant, the only part of
the plant that Lambert left standing when he dismantled the building. At night
the gardens are lighted with thousands of globes and to view this spot from a
place that was once the edge of the
stone quarry, gives a sight that will be long remembered.”
There is a fantastic paper by Susanna R. Katz and Anna A.
Fox -“Archeological and Historical
Assessment of Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Texas” (1979). The two identified
15 prehistoric site s and 27 historic sites and features within the boundaries
of Brackenridge Park. They noted the sites reflect a variety of activities
which have been carried out over a period of several thousand years; here is
the link: (http://www.car.utsa.edu/CARResearch/Publications/ASRFiles/1-100/ASR%20No.%2033.pdf)
In 1921 Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“Did two watercolors for Mr. Hoblitzelle, which I trust will be pleasing to him
and his wife.” This was immediately after Moses painted the asbestos curtain
and decorated Hoblitzelle’s new Majestic Theatre in 1921.
Karl Hoblitzelle pictured with his new Majestic Theatre in 1921.
Much has been written about Karl
St. John Hoblitzelle, namesake of the Hoblitzelle Foundation.
The following write up about Hoblitzelle
is included as part of the foundation’s history (https://hoblitzelle.org/about):
“Karl St. John Hoblitzelle was born in St. Louis in
1879. While serving as an event manager at the St. Louis World Fair in his
early 20s, Karl Hoblitzelle met performers and concession operators who
indicated the south, in particular Texas, lacked venues to showcase their work
and talent. Upon the fair’s closing in 1903, Karl Hoblitzelle came to
Dallas, Texas with $2,500 and began to build a chain of vaudeville
theaters. At its peak, Interstate Theater Company held 160 theaters across
Texas and the Southeast. These theaters were soon transformed into movie
houses, and the success of this entertainment business created financial
resources which he invested in the growing oil and gas, real estate, and
banking industries in Texas.
Karl Hoblitzelle married Esther Thomas in 1920, a Broadway
starlet who had performed under the name of “Esther Walker” and come to Dallas
to perform at one of the theaters. Both were active in the social, civic,
and cultural activities of Dallas, and did not have any descendants.
Prudent management of their financial assets resulted in the
accumulation of significant wealth, which upon the death of Mrs. Hoblitzelle in
1943 and Mr. Hoblitzelle in 1967, became the corpus of Hoblitzelle Foundation.
It was likely that Moses first
met Karl St. John Hoblitzelle at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Moses attended the
event with his wife Ella, checking on several attractions delivered by the
Sosman & Landis Studio for the event. Moses frequently gifted a painted to client’s
he considered good friends by the end of a project. It is no surprise that
Hoblitzelle was the recipient of two watercolor paintings. I wonder where they
are now?
In 1920 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Early in June I went to Fox
Lake to see about tearing down the club houses and moving them to another place…
I go up to Fox Lake every Saturday, looking after the house and I hope to complete
it on time.”
The Palette & Chisel Club House at Fox Lake.
Moses was back at Sosman & Landis after two tumultuous
years of working for New York Studios and Chicago Studios. He was constantly suffering from headaches
much of the time and had all but six teeth extracted. Yet he made time to visit
and work on the Palette & Chisel Club’s house on Fox Lake. In two years, he
would lose interest and begin focusing on the west coast.
In 1904, Moses became a member of the Salmagundi Club in New
York, sponsored by R. M. Shurtleff. Moses
joined the Palette & Chisel Club when he was 50 years old in 1906.
Founded in 1895, the Palette & Chisel Club was an
association of artists and craftsmen for the purpose of work and study. The
organization’s members were reported to be “all wage-workers, busy during the
week with pencil, brush or chisel, doing work to please other people” (Inland
Printer, 1896). But on Sunday mornings, they assembled for five hours to paint
for themselves.
In 1905, the members of the Palette and Chisel Club
established a seasonal camp at Fox Lake, Illinois.
In 1906 Moses wrote, “I joined the Palette and Chisel Club
at the Chicago Society of Artists. I
don’t know why, as I had so little time to give to pictures, but I live in
hopes of doing something someday, that is what I have lived on for years, Hope,
and how little we realize from our dreams of hope. As the years roll by, I think one’s whole
life is one continuous dream, unless we are wonderfully gifted and fame drops
on us while we sleep.”
The year that Moses joined the Palette and Chisel Club, the
group consisted of sixty local painters, illustrators, and sculptors. The
Chicago Tribune reported that it was “primarily a working club, being the
oldest organization in the west” (Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 1906, page 2). That
year, the club’s new enterprise was the maintenance of a permanent exhibition
in the clubrooms on the seventh floor of the Athenæum building.
In the beginning it was quite rustic. Of the camping
experience, Moses wrote, “June 1st, I made my first trip to the
Palette and Chisel Club camp at Fox Lake, Ill.
Helped to put up the tent. A new
experience for me, but I enjoyed it. I
slept well on a cot. Made a few
sketches. A very interesting place. I don’t like the cooking in the tent and
there should be a floor in the tent. I
saw a great many improvements that could be made in the outfit and I started
something very soon.” The Palette and Chisel Club camp drew a variety of
artists during the summer months. An
artistic community was formed along the shores of Fox Lake, providing a haven
far away from the hustle and bustle of work in Chicago. There were many Sosman
& Landis employees who also became members of the Palette & Chisel
Club, escaping to Fox Lake whenever they could.
In 1908, Moses wrote, “I bought the portable house that we
built years ago and at that time we received $300.00 for it. I finally got it for $50.00, some
bargain. It cost $25.00 to remove it and
we will put it up at Fox Lake in the Spring.
It has been used in Forest Park all summer to show “The Day in the
Alps.”
By 1909, Moses wrote, “As we had
put up the portable house in Fox Lake, I was better contented to go up. I gave the camp a portable kitchen and it was
some class. I felt sure I would manage
to get a camp outfit worth while and the boys all fell in line with me.” Moses
enjoyed his scenic retreats to Fox Lake, escaping from the hard grind of the
studio whenever he could during the summer. He painted numerous landscapes of
Fox Lake and the Palette & Chisel camp house over the years, including on that
I own from 1909. “
Painting of Fox Lake by Thomas G. Moses. Back side. Painting of Fox Lake by Thomas G. Moses.
In 1910, Moses wrote, “Fox Lake
appealed to me all summer. I went up as
much as possible and made good use of my time.
How I wished in vain for time and money to spend all summer
sketching. I know I could do something
worthwhile.” Regardless of his own opinion, Moses was making progress in the
eyes of Palette and Chisel Club members. By 1912 the Palette and Chisel Club
honored Thomas G. Moses by giving him a big dinner and a new nickname – “Uncle
Tom” of the Club.
By 1913, Moses was still
spending time at Fox Lake, writing, “I enjoyed the summer at Fox Lake, as the
motorboat kept us busy and I enjoyed the water.
I also did quite a number of sketches, a few very good, balance rather
doubtful.” That same year, he wrote,
“The Palette and Chisel Club boys wanted me to give an exhibit at the
club. I always refused, claiming that I
am not in the picture game, and paint pictures for pleasure only. September 3rd, a committee came to
the house and insisted on going to the studio, I had over three hundred
pictures in the studio; some very good but the other 275 were not as good, but
the boys seemed to think I had at least 250 good ones, which was quite
flattering.” That year, Moses also commented, “The Palette and Chisel Club were
anxious to buy a lot near the lake, but we found it would cost too much.” Yet
the search for a new home continued the following year.
In 1914, Moses wrote, “Early in
April a number of Palette and Chisel Club boys, including myself, went to Fox
Lake to look for a new site. We didn’t
find anything worthwhile, so we will remain where we are for another season… Miss
Maude Oliver, Art Critic of the Herald, wanted to see the animals fed and
housed, so she went to Fox Lake to the camp.
She requested that we all act perfectly natural and not put on any
frills and do nothing out of the ordinary to entertain her. I never saw a bunch act worse. It was awful.
I think she got plenty of local color and artistic atmosphere for her
article in the Sunday Herald the next week – convinced me that she had drunk a
glass full of camp life…I am not very regular at Fox Lake this year and I miss
sketching. I also miss my rocks and
running brooks. I have to go some
distance for that kind of a motive.”
By 1915, Moses commented about
the Palette and Chisel Club’s new site on Fox Lake, “April 17th a
crowd of us went to Fox Lake and took down the old house and moved it to our
new site south of the track on a very high hill, overlooking Pistakee Bay. Got the carpenter and lumberyard men together
and we arranged for credit and ordered the material for a new house 22 x 50, was
soon ready for members. We certainly got
great sport in assisting the carpenter.
Pretty hard work for an artist, but they all did very well.”
The next few years include only
a few sporadic entries in Moses’ memoirs. In 1917, Moses wrote, “I went to Fox
Lake on Decoration Day, official opening.
I had a new cot sent up and it was certainly and improvement over the
old one. I actually rest now and enjoy
going up.” In 1918, Moses wrote, “I have not been out to Fox Lake this year,
the first I have missed in twelve years.
The business is in such an upset condition that I felt I should stick to
it.” In 1919, Moses and his son Rupert made several trips to Fox Lake where he
made a few sketches. He wrote, “It is
very nice to make the trip in a car, as we made it in three hours. The roads were not any too good.”
By 1922, Moses wrote, “I made one trip to Fox Lake
Camp. It is not the same, and I am very
sorry to say that I have lost interest in it, besides I feel that all the good
sketching had been worked to death.” He did not write about Fox Lake again.
