In 1877: “Stephenville has seven dry goods houses, two family grocery stores, three bar rooms, two hotels, two saddle and harness shops, one tin shop, one millinery establishment, one watchmaker and jeweler, one large blacksmith shop, two steam mills, one wood shop, one furniture store, one livery stable, nine lawyers, three or four doctors, one bank of exchange, two land agencies, two drug stores, one flourishing school, one finely finished lodge, and two unfinished churches.” Waco Examiner

1893: “Stephenville’s “Prairie Wildcat” is the only paper in the county that is strictly independent. If you don’t like it don’t read it. Ordering it stopped won’t do a bit of good. It’ll keep coming. We are going to print what you ought to be told rather than what you would like to hear.”