[p.542] The enterprising and liberal men of the township had built and organized a most excellent high school at the village of Dallas, and in the unfolding of events it became apparent that it would be necessary to incorporate the place into a borough in order to protect the interests of the school. Therefore the court was petitioned and a charter granted April 21, 1879. The boundary lines are surrounded by Dallas township from which it was taken entire, being a little south of the center of the township. Dwight Wolcott was chosen first burgess; council: Jacob Rice, Ira D. Shover, William Snyder, Theodore Fryman, Charles Henderson, and Philip T. Raub. Present officers: Parkerson Perrego, burgess; council: William Snyder, Jacob Rice (deceased), and his son, William Rice, is filling the vacancy; William P. Kirkland, H. H. Shover, George Heitsman and John Furgerson. The one continuous clerk since the organization is and has been Charles H. Cooke.
The borough is beautifully located; is a station on the Harvey's lake branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad and noted as a good business point. On every hand are evidences of a healthy growth in building and business. The population now is estimated at 500. The business and thrift are indicated by the organization here by the leading citizens of the Dallas Union Agricultural society, April 24, 1884, leasing grounds of William J. Honeywell. In 1890, at a meeting of the directors at Raub's hotel in the borough to purchase the grounds, eighty acres were purchased, the consideration being $5,000. The first officers of the fair were Chester White, president; Philip Raub, W. J. Honeywell, Leonard Matchell, Levi Howell, Jacob Rice, James Morrigan, A. D. Hay, I. D. Shaver, with Charles H. Cooke as first secretary. This has, especially in the past three years, given excellent agricultural exhibitions, said by competent judges to be the best ever in the county. While it partakes a little of the agricultural "hoss trot" yet there is only enough of this to give zest to the real agricultural and stock displays that have marked its annual meetings of 1890-1. Their eighty acres of ground have all the needed improvements —stables, stalls, shelters, and an amphitheater seating 1,500 persons.
The I. O. O. F.'s have here an elegant hall. The Oneida, No. 327, was instituted in 1849, and has at present a membership of thirty-five. Other societies meet in their hall.
Albert Lewis, lumber king of this region, has here a saw and planing mill. Another large similar establishment is owned by A. Ryman & Co.
There are in the place 3 general stores, 1 hardware store, an elegant hotel that is much patronized as a summer resort. Gregory & Heitsman's merchant mill is quite an institution of the place.
In 1889 J. J. Ryman became the prime mover in establishing here the broom factory; he is now president and general manager—a stock company known as the Dallas Broom company. This gives employment the year round to about thirty hands, with a capacity of seventy-five dozen brooms a day, in addition to a foot-mat made that has a popular sale all over the country. This factory offers strong inducements and pays the farmers of the surrounding country well for raising broom-corn.