Disorderly bailes and drunkenness not tolerated by Duval County Commissioners

Houses of ill repute came to the notice of Duval County Commissioners in March 1877. The Commissioners Court ordered that the sheriff, deputies and constables were not to provide services to fandangos, bailes and other places of amusement that did not have a license. In fact, law enforcement officials were to arrest any owner of these places for keeping a disorderly house if any misdemeanor or felony crime was committed at their places of business.

Commissioners also urged law enforcement officers and justices of the peace to enforce laws on the books relating to drunkenness forcefully.

The court also accepted the resignation of Apolonio Vela as Constable for Precinct Number 1 and then named him Constable of Precinct Number 2. At a subsequent meeting, the court named Luis Cuellar to replace Vela as Constable for Precinct Number 1.

The court also received applications from W. B. Jones and from Dr. Alexander to be the county physician. Commissioners tabled the request. Meanwhile, Dr. Alexander submitted a bill of $90 for treatment of wounded prisoner Rafael Ruiz. The court and Dr. Alexander settled on a payment of $50 for his services.

The court also named C. K. Gravis to replace John Vining on the committee meeting with Nueces County to resolve boundary and other issues. It seems that Vining lost a limb on a trip between San Diego and Corpus Christi.

The costs of burials were decidedly less in 1877 than today. Duval County Commissioners approved payment of $9.50 to Vining for the care and pauper’s funeral for Gregorio Sauceda.

The court ordered the rent payment of $100 for the courthouse building to Manuel Ancira. The court also asked County Judge James Luby to work with Mr. Ancira on providing a secure ceiling to the county clerk and the county surveyor’s office in order to protect records and maps. The court also directed the sheriff and county judge to look for a building in San Diego that the county could use as a county jail.

Commissioners Court received and approved a petition from Concepcion area citizens for a county road from Concepcion to Clovis. The court designated it as a Class 2 Road and appointed a Board of Reviewers to oversee the road’s development. The court named Eduardo G. Hinojosa, Santa Ana Garcia, Francisco Cadena, Juan Leal and Ignacio Gonzales to the board.

The court also approved as a Class 1 Road, a request for a road from Corpus Christi to Rio Grande City via Concepcion. The court approved the report submitted by the Board of Reviewers consisting of Julian Palacios, Jesus Palacios, Juan Leal, Secundo Vela and Mauricio Salinas. In Duval County, the road was to start a little west, not more than three miles, off the Rosita Creek and the road running from Corpus Christi by Los Indios Rancho. From there it was to run the most direct line practicable to the county line.