Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 6, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 21, 1923 Page: 1 of 8
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VOLUME X
MERCEDES, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEX., WEDNESDA MCH. 21, 1923
NUMBER02
WATER COMPANY SAYS
PUMPED INTO MAINS
Inspection of Hydrants Shows In-
sufficient Pressure in Small
Mains. — Claims Pumps
Running at Time of Fire
Since last week’s issue of the Trib-
une, it has appar aptly developed that
the lack of pressure in the city wat-
er mains during the Acker fire was
not due to any fault of the employees
at the plant. The engineer in charge
at the time of the Acker fire worked
for the Mercedes Wataer, Light and
Power Company before the present
management took charge and his
statement is that he did start to
pump directly into the mains as
soon as the fire siren was sounded.
A similar statement was made by the
engineer in charge at the time of
the Hamuei fire Wednesday night,
and contrary to statements made by
some at the fire, he stated that the
pumps had been running at least a
half hour prior to the sounding of
the siren and were not turned off
but that pressure was turned direct-
ly into the mains as soon as the siren
was sounded.
An inspection of hydrants in scat-
tered parts of ithe city last Thursday
morning showed ample water in all
served by six inch or larger mains
while in those served by four and a
half inch mains, the pressure did
not appear to be ample for fire pur-
poses. While making the inspec-
tion, a representative of the Tribune
together with the chief engineer in
charge of the Donna and Mercedes
plants visited the plant where the
pressure from the tank registered
twenty-seven pounds per square inch.
The engineer at tie plant was told
to turn the pressure directly into the
mains. It required less than five
minutes for the minimum pressure
of thirty-seven pounds per square
inch to be reached after the order
was given. Statements that the lack
of pressure may have been due to
mud in the mains did not seem to be
. substantiated in ithe inspection Thurs-
day for while the water was quite
muddy in most of the hydrants
when first turned on, it cleared up
appreciably in a few minutes but
ithere was no noticeable increase
in the pressure or volume of wataer
when it became clearer.
Deep Water Contract Awarded
And Dredging Starts in May
Major L. M. Adams, United States District Engineer with
headquarters "at Galveston, announced in a-message to D. A.
O’Brien on Friday of last week that the contract for dredging
both the inner and outer channels at Point Isabel was awarded
by the War Department to John Jacobson of Galveston and that
the actual channel work of dredging these channels will start the
latter part of May.,
Jacobson was low bidder when the bids were opened in
Galveston ;on the 21st of February. Those conversant with the
amount of work to be done estimate that from 3 to 5 months
will be sufficient to complete the Valley’s deep water harbor,
depending somewhat on weather conditions which are expected
to be favorable during the late spring and summer months. It
is stated that the work will be done under the direct supervision
of Major Adams.
Washington
On Road Building
Cameron County Engineer W. 0.
Washington was the principal speak-
er at a meeting of the Rio Grande
Chapter of the American Association
of Engineers held at San Benito last
Saturday night. Mr. Washington
spoke on the construction of con-
crete roads, and spoke of the neces-
sary action where state and federal
aid was made available in county
road building programs. Details
which enter into the building of roads
were also taken up by the speaker.
It is understood that the program
for the next meeting of the chapter
trill include a debate on the feasi-
bility of gravity irrigation for the
Lower Rio Grande Valley.
H. H. Kidder of Mercedes was
chosen by the chapter as its repre-
sentative at the National convention
to be held at Norfolk, Va.
SCHOOL BOARD
APPROVES CONTRACT
MERCEDES LEADS IN
TRUCK SHIPMENTS
Shipping One-third oi Entire Tal-
ley Output.—One Half Talley
Shipments Come from Wes-
laco and Mercedes
Taylor Signs as Superintendent at a
Salary of $2,700 a Year,—Dawson
Chosen to Fill Place
REFUSES RECORD
OFFER FOR CITRUS
Will Speak on
Cooperation
Through arrangements made by
R. T. Stuart of Stuart Place, James
H. Heron of Orange, New Jersey,
will speak at the April 6th bilk-
ing of the Valley Chamber of Com-
merce, to be held in the Rialto Thea-
tre at Harlingen, on rhe subject
‘Cooperation.”
Mr. Heron is a prominent lecturer,
and has given this lecture before a
number of Rotary Clubs and Cham-
bers of Commerce in Missouri and
Oklahoma. The lecture will be open
to the general public.
$45,000 for 14 acres of citrus trees
is, so far as is known, the record' of-
fer made for Valley citrus lands,
this offer being made Mrs. F. M.
Carter of Mercedes recently by Mr.
Bardwell of Michigan, and refused
by her. Mr. Bardwell has purchased
land near La Feria which he will set:
out to citrus.
The 14 acres involved is set to fourj
and five year old trees and yielded aj
gross revenue this past season of
$1,000 per acre.
-o-
Revival Services
Arouse Interest
At a called meeting of the board
of trustees of the Mercedes Indepen-
dent School District Monday night,
the contract with C. W. Taylor for
superintendent for the year- June 1,
1923 to May 31, 1924, was approved
with a salary of $2,700 per year. The
contract also called for a leave of
absence during the summer months
to allow him to complete his degree
work.
Prior to the approval of the con-
tract, some discussion arose as to
the wisdom of starting a man at
that salary without any previous ex-
perience as superintendent and Mr.
Dawson moved that he employed at
a salary of $200 per month. This
motion failing of a second, Mr. Smith
moved that tbe contract, carrying a
salary of $2,700 per year, be ap-
proved as read. This motion was
seconded by Mr. Wood and carried
with one dissenting vote.
The Board accepted the resigna- According to County Commissioner
tion of Charles Settles whose term j j} chadick of Mercedes, the com-
expires next month and elected J. P. . . , , ' ,, , ,
^ , missioners court of the county at
Dawson to fill the unexpired term.
-o—:--
Of the 124 cars of vegetables ship-
ped from the Valley during the week
beginning Wednesday, March 14, and
ending Tuesday, March 20, inclusive,
61 cars or one half, originated on the
Mercedes canal system and were
loaded at either Mercedes or Weslaco.
Of this number 47 cars, or more than
one third of the total Valley ship-
ment, were shipped from Mercedes,
and 14 from Weslaco.
The vegetable movement was fair-
ly brisk during the first part of this
period, shipments ranging ranging
from 21 to 29 cars per day. Tues-
day the movement slackened, but 3
cars being shipped. With warm
weather again the vegetable move-
ment is expected to recover from the
effects of the cold spell when it was
impossible to find labor to harvest
the crop.
The cars shipped from Mercedes
duirng the week were classified as
follows: cabbage, 1 car; mixed, 8
cars; beets and carrots, 26 cars;
Beets, 9 cars; carrots, 3 cars. Wes-
laco shipments were, cabbage, 1 car;
mixed, 5 cars; beets and carrots, 7
cars; beets, 2 cars.
Mercedes and Weslaco are making
practically all of the carrot and beet
and mixed car shipments, with
Brownsville, Combes and San Benito
contributing a few cars to this class.
The bulk of the shipments from other
towns is composed of cabbage.
Fire Destroys
Mexican Stores
Fire breaking out at 2:05 on Thurs-
day morning of last week totally de-
stroyed the store on North Texas
Avenue belonging to Alex. Hamue,
and carried with it five other Mexi-
can residences and stores. The cause
of the fire is unknown, but the
blaze is thought , to have originated in
the rear of the store building on the
inside. It is believed that the loss
to the Hamuei store was fully cov-
ered by insurance.
The fire department arrived
promptly on the scene, but due to
lack of hose and the consequent
trouble in making connection with
the water main, were delayed some-
what in their attempts to control the
blaze.
It is understood that the fire truck
was carrying its maximum load of
hose when it arrived at the fire, but
this was not sufficient to make the
connection, and made it necessary to
return to the house for additional
lengths of hose.
HEAVY CLOUDS SAVED
VALLEY FROM DAMAGE
This Section of all Texas Came Thru; ,
Unprecedented March Cold Spell
With Fruit and Crops
Uninjured
ROAD PLANS AND
ESCROW PAPERS
ARE FORWARDED
PAPER COMPANY
BOOSTS VALLEY CITRUS
l ~
BILL BOOSTER SAYS
Chaplain H. F. MaoLane, formerly
with the 37th Division, A. E. F. is
proving an interesting speaker at the
revival services being held at every
night with the exception of Saturdays
in the newly completed building of
the Christian Church.
Next Sunday afternoon Mr, Mac-
Lane will deliver an address for men
only at the Empire Theatre at 3 p.
m. All men of the community are in-
vited by .those in charge of the ser-
vices to attend this meeting.
PONDEEOSA LEMON AROUSES
WONDERMENT IN NEW MEXICO
V(^\°mV4G: PEPS UP A. XOVD4
w LIKE PAWiXV FRESHPAWiTl
LOTS OP PA'.UXX \MHAT
VIE MEED \ WE GOT PEAA.ERS
WHO SELL \Y AMO PAiU'TERS
WWO CAM X OU\ LETS
- TELL 'EtA XQ GO XO \X»
MOVJ\ „
The sight of a Ponderosa lemon
grown in .the Ramsey orchard near
Mercedes seemingly convinced the
editor of the Clayton, New Mexico,
News, that the Lower Rio Graned
Valley is akin to the Garden of
Eden. He states that “if he had
not seen it wtih his own eyes he
would surely have proclaimed that it
was an impossibility to grow them
that large anywhere. But we now
believe that the statement that the
Valley is the garden spot of the
world and is close to the place where
they find the flowing milk and
honey.”
•-o—-
OFFICIALS OF WOMAN’S
CLUBS ARE ENTERTAINED
“Insist upon Rio Grande Valley
Grapefruit” is the slogan which
greets all customers' of the San An-
tonio Paper Company as they receive
their invoices for goods purchased
from this concern. The company,
in accord with other San Antonio
business houses is a strong booster
for the Valley and its products, and
has printed the above sentence on
all its statements.
Valley Fire Chiefs
At Harlingen
Fire chiefs from all cities of the
Valley are meeting today at Harlin-
gen pursuant to a notice sent out by
H. J. Menton of Mercedes, chief of
District No. 5 composing the "Valley
counties. The meeting convened at
2 p. m. and it is understood that the
principal business to be brought be-
fore the fire chiefs will be the
working out of some system where-
by departments may be of mutual
assistance in case of a big fire any-
where in the Valley.
PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR
MUSIC CLUB ENTERTAINMENT
Mrs. Eltweed Pomeroy of Donna
was hostess to officials of six of the
Valley Federated Women’s Clubs on
Thursday evening of last week.
Those attending the reception from
Mercedes were Mesdames Amzi Stew-
art, Harry Rouse, Mary Morrow, and
G. C. Fittz, representing the Coun-
cil if Women.
The following program has been
announced for the Music Club en-
tertainment ito be held on Friday
night of this week at the Harriet
Claycomb school auditorium: Piano
Solo, Mrs. Vigness; Reading, “A Visit
With Barry’s Dream Children,” Mrs.
Katherine Oliver McCoy: Vocal Solo,
Mrs. Knight; Dance, Mary McDonald;
Vocal Duet, Mesdames Rouse and
Carlisle; Piano Solo, Mrs. Perry Per-
kins; Vocal Selections, Mrs. H. E.
F. Ardery.
-o—-
Ladies Auxiliary Will Meet
The regular bi-monthly meeting
of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ameri-
can Legion will be held on Friday
night of this week at 7:30 p. m.. in
the American Legion rooms.
missioners’ court
their meeting last Wednesday ap-
J proved the road plans as submitted
| by County Engineer Devine and ap-
i proved and checked in the field by T.
j R. Spence, division engineer of the
| s,taate highway department. Mr.
Chadick stated that the plans were
forwarded to Austin the latter part
of last wTeek.
The escrow papers were also exe-
cuted and forwarded by the Com-
missioners’ Court, according to Mr.
Chadick.
--o-
GAME COMMISSIONER ISSUES
WARNING TO FISHERMEN
w. W. Boyd, state fish and game
commissioner has issued a warning
from his Austin office against the
catching of bass or white perch
during the closed season from March
1 to May 1. This period, he points
out, covers the spawning season of
these game fish, and the enforcement
of this closed season will result in
better fishing throughout the year.
Violations of the law will be rigid-
ly enforced, he announced, and are
punishable by a fine of as high as
$100.
--o-
Thank Scouts
For Services
The Boy Scouts of Mercedes
thanked for their services during the
two recent fires in a communication
from the Mercedes Fire Department.
The communication states that he
department is glad to avail itself of
the services of the scouts and ex-
presses the hope that the public will
recognize that the boys are acting as
guards and will follow their direc-
tions.
LA FERIA MASONS HOLD
SOCIAL GATHERING
/ _
A get together meeting o fall Ma-
sons and their lady friends of the
La Feria community was held last
week in the new Masonic Hall over
Betts Grocery Store.
It is expected that the installation
services of the newly organized La
Feria Lodge of Masons will be held
next week.
FAILS TO APPOINT'
DISTRICT JUDGE
To date Governor Neff has given
no indication as to his probable
choice of a judge for the newly cre-
ataed 93rd District Court, compris-
ing Hidalgo County alone for the
trial of civil cases.
L. J. Polk of Pharr, whose name,
has been prominently mentioned for
ithe position, was in Austin recently
and talked with Governor Neff
regarding the appointment. A ru-
mor current in McAllen yesterday
was to the effect that attorney Daw-
son of Mission was looming strong
as contender for the position. F. G.
Moffett of Mercedes is still a con-
tender for the position.
It is thought the governor will
take his time and not hurry in an-
nouncing his choice for position.
Robbers Blow
Weslaco Safe
Robbers last Friday night blew a
small safe in the establishment of
the Weslaco Mercantile Company at
Weslaco and secure about $40.00
in money. In addition jto the money,
silks and other merchandise of a to-
tal value of $500 were secured from
the store by the robbers.
From caps and fuses left near the
big safe belonging to the company
it is thought that an effort was made
to blow it up, but that the thieves
were scared away.
-o-
Here From Paris
Judge W. L. Hutchinson of Paris,
Texas, who owns land near Merce-
des, was in the city the latter part
of last week on business.
A heavy blanket of clouds which
covered the entire Valley all night
Monday is believed .to have saved
this section many millions of dollars
in damage to frudt, vegetables and
staple crops, all of which are at the.
most tender and susceptible stage of
their development. Had the clouds-
cleared away for as much as two
hours it is believed that .the temper-
ature would have dropped below the
freezing point. 'With the heavy
clouds holding, the thermometer
failed to register below 41 degrees
Monday night. A heavy wind accom-
panying the arrival of the norther
Sunda yafternoon and night prevented
any material damage the first day,,
although the temperature registered
as low as 36 Sunday night.
A earlier scare came to the Valiev
on Friday of last week, w hen pre-
dictions of a frost eaused glowers ire
all sections of the Valley to take
precautions. While the temperature
dropped to 36, according to Oscar
Roman, official observer at Mercedes,
little or no damage wqs reported in
the Mercedes vicinity. A white frost
was observed which caused some
damage to beans, but did not kill
the crop. The loss of some potatoes
and squash was reported from the
San Benito and Brownsville sections-
The escape of the Valley from un-
precedented cold weather, the cold-
est recorded for all Texas in.March is
ithe more remarkable when it is rea-
lized that the entire state suffered a
loss of practically its entire truck
and vegetable crop. Corpus Christ!
reported a loss of around -$125,000
from the cucumber and early bean
damage. Robstown reported all veg-
etables killed, and vegetables, corn,
and cotton of all points from Fal-
furrias north are considered to be a
total loss.
Local growers were well prepared
for ,the cold spell, ample warning be-
ing given.
Ask Charter
for Elk’s Lodge
Application for a charter for am
Elks Lodge for Mercedes has been
signed and forwarded to the proper
authorities by members of the order,
living in Mercedes- and vicinity. Since
.the taking of the last census at
which the population of the city was.
officially determined to ,be over 5,000'
local Elks have been enthusiastic:
over the possibility of locating a.
lodge in Mercedes.
It is understood that prospects are
favorable for the granting of the
charter.
Dancy Outlines Status Cameron
County Road Building Program
The status of Cameron County’s
road paving program is fully out-
lined in a recent letter from County
Judge Oscar C. Dancy addressed to
J. B. Challes, secretary of the Har-
lingen Chamber of Commerce and
published in last week’s issue of
the Harlingen Star.
In his letter Judge Dancy states
that contracts have beqn let to com-
plete the Cameron County concrete
road from Brownsville to the Hidal-
go County line, making the longest
from bond sales including accumu-
lataed interest, just a little over
$450,000,000 The figures I have be-
fore me are $462,739.11 but I arm
sure that this is just a little above-
tbe figures. To this is to be added!
One Hundred Thousand dollars al-
lotted to us out of the State High-
way Fund or more properly speaking,
Federal Aid. Now there has been,
allotted to us but not available as
yet, $200,000.00 more Federal Aid
which will be available on the first;
of next July but is not available at
stretch of concrete road in the state I this .time. So you can see that we
of Texas. This contract was let in
two sections; section F, from Browns-
ville to San Benito, will cost $343,
753.74; section G, from Harlingen to
the county line will cost $337,453.16
a total of $681,206.90, to which is
added 10% for engineering and con-
tingencies, making $749,327.59, or
$50,000 less than the original esti-
mate of cost.
Judge Dancy continues, “Right now
after spending considerable money
we have $329,692.39 in the bank and
but a small part of this has been re-
ceived by us from the Highway De-
partment. At the beginning of the
contract our assets could be con-
sidered as follows: Cash received
have more than seven hundred and!
fifty thousand dollars of assets with--
which to build the road. The High-
way Department, including the
Bureau of Public Roads at Fort
Worth has approved the contracts.
‘The actual work began at the Hi-
dalgo County line some two or three:
weeks before it began fit this end
but paving began at this end first'
for the reason that the structures-
were put up at .this end with auto
money something like a year ago ant?
had had plenty of time to settle. A'
new paving machine is unloaded fit'
La Feria, material is ordered and'
we expect the paving there to begirt,
the first of tbe week after next.”’
Jit®
1
■rid—
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Holland, W. D. & Buell, Ralph L. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 6, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 21, 1923, newspaper, March 21, 1923; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1003283/m1/1/?q=peddler: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.