Leon Metz: Burges was El Paso's social leader in the early 1900s
August 09, 2009, El Paso Times
By Leon Metz
During the early 1900s, and in particular around 1910, El Paso had commenced reaching the peak of its early social life. The city had a population of around 10,000 in 1890, roughly 15,000 around 1900, and was crowding 40,000 by 1910.
The Sheldon Building, a four-story structure on Pioneer Plaza, was the tallest in town. Otherwise, the community had very little in ways of population, but as the city grew, Magoffin and East San Antonio streets became the leading residential areas.
During this period, mule cars evolved into the leading source of transportation, the city offering two routes. One took the residential tour, turning around somewhere in the vicinity of today's Cotton Avenue, whereas the other crossed the Rio Grande into Juárez, delivering and picking up passengers.
Social life generally consisted of dinners in private homes, a typical dinner beginning with soup, fish and white wine. Attorney Richard Burges often sponsored these things.
The Myar Opera House became the initial and preferred center of entertainment until it burned on Nov. 4, 1905. Otherwise, the English Kitchen became one of the better and more classic eating places.
But in terms of eating with friends, no one individual excelled the above-mentioned Richard Burges, who was living in a magnificent home at 1302 Montana Avenue.
Burges turned his basement into a library, the house otherwise being constructed primarily for entertainment. Guests gathered in the living room, and then meandered into the dining room where they sat at a table built to accommodate 16 people.
And Burges was a remarkable conversationalist, spicing his comments with appropriate quotations from plays and poems, all usually interspersed with anecdotes regarding towering figures of history.
After dinner, everyone went downstairs to his library for additional conversation and relaxation, although at the foot of the stairs the visitors encountered busts of Napoleon and Beethoven. A long line of autographed pictures followed, one of these being a signed photo by Gen. John J. Pershing.
And during this period, El Paso also had a sizable Jewish community, its members all being prominent in the business life of the city. Burges often attended their parties, remarking in later years that he and Mrs. Burges were often the only gentiles present.
Of course, Ciudad Juárez also figured prominently in the social affairs of El Paso. Not only did El Paso residents attend Mexican bullfights, many also attended social functions, usually at the Juárez Customs House, the dances often being lavish affairs and lasting until dawn.
On occasions Chihuahua Gov. Ahumada showed up in Juárez, bringing the Chihuahua band, and usually throwing parties lasting until dawn. Otherwise, some of the largest party bashes took place at the home of Max Weber, the German consul in Juárez, Weber lived just below town in the valley. Old- timers would later describe all these parties as social extravaganzas.
On Dec. 12, 1908, the El Paso Times reported that the Toltec Club had purchased a site at San Antonio and Magoffin streets, and was planning to build a clubhouse at a cost of $80,000. The building permit was given in February 1909, for $75,000, a handsome, five-story building therefore arising a few months later costing $82,000.
A formal opening and reception took place on Oct. 14, 1910. For many years thereafter, the Toltec Club dominated the many banquets and balls in El Paso.