The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 38, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1954 Page: 1 of 8
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(
Mercedes Public Library xx
Box 551
COPY
10c
QUEEN CITY OF THE VALLEY
VOL. XXXXII — NO. 38
MERCEDES, TEXAS
THE MERCEDES ENTERPRISE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1954
FINEST WATER IN THE VALLEY
$3.00 PER YEAR
-JllIlLtJI'priHfc; OLiAU JTIlOtO
SWINE SHOW WINNERS in the gilt division for the Valley area show their animals just after judging
last Saturday at the Livestock Showgrounds. First place winner was Alfred Martin, center, son of A1
Martin of La Feria and Mercedes. Second was Kenneth Hood, right, of Donna. Third was Bill Down-
ing’s glit, of Lyford.
Alfred Martin
Wins Top Prizes
In Swine Show
Alfred Martin, son of A. A. Mar-
ton of La Feria and Mercedes,
won two first prizes at the annual
Valley 4-H all registered swine
show at the Livestock Show-
grounds Saturday.
Martin’s entry won first place
in the Area gilt show in competi-
tion with winners of county elim-
inations. His gilt also won first
prize in the Cameron County judg-
ing.
The show and swine program are
Billy Snider, Weslaco; third, Hans
sponsored by the Sears Roebuck
Foundation. The foundation gives
each of the boys a registered pig,
grown out under supervision of the
county agent. From his first litter
of pigs, each boy must return one
back to the program to be given
some other deserving 4-H boy.
Frank Sharp, manager of the
Sears store at Harlingen, presented
the awards. Ted Martin, Mercedes,
district extension agent, was gen-
eral director of the show.
Other winners included:
Cameron County Gilts — First,
Alfred Martin, La Feria; second,
Michael Martin, La Feria (his
brother); third, Gerald Halsey, San
Benito; fourth, Dickey Collings-
worth, Los Fresnos.
Hidalgo County Gilts — First,
Kenneth Hood, Donna; second,
L. Hansen, Donna; fourth, Bill
Dillon, Donna; fifth, Carroll
Vaughan, Donna.
Willacy County Gilts — First,
Bill Downing, Lyford; second, Stan-
ley Freeman, Lyford; third, Vance
Armistead, Raymondville; fourth,
Lawrence Gustafson, Lyford; fifth,
Roy Bingham, Lyford.
Area Gilt Show — First, Alfred
Martin, La Feria; second, Ken-
neth Hood, Donna; third, Bill
Downing, Lyford.
Area Boar Show — First, Jimmy
Lowe, Jr„ Raymondville; second,
Alfred Martin, La Feria; third,
Billy Snider, Weslaco.
Funeral Held Here
For Frank Crawford;
Was Former Resident
Funeral services were held Sun-
day afternoon at the Stotler Mor-
tuary for Frank W. Crawford, who
died Friday night at Pharr.
Crawford was born in Little
Rock, Ark., and had lived in Mer-
cedes from 1909 till 1932. He had
been a resident of Pharr for the
past 2% years. He had been in the
produce business and had also
manufactured chemical fertilizers.
Survivors include his wife, Isa-
belle and a daughter, Mrs. Frances
Bradshaw, both of Pharr; mother,
Mrs. A. S. Crawford and brother,
Dwight, both of Little Rock.
Rev. J. Russell Brown, pastor of
the Mercedes Methodist Church,
officiated at the Sunday services
here. Graveside services were con-
ducted by the Mercedes Masonic
Lodge, of which group the de-
ceased had been a member. Burial
was in Mercedes Ebony Grove
Cemetery.
Tigers Travel To Sinton Friday
For First Match In AA Class
By JIMMY TAYLOR
After two heavy losses to AAA
opponents, the Mercedes Tigers
will meet a team of their own
class Friday night.
The Tigers travel to Sinton to
take on the AA Pirates. This
game, which will start at 8:00 p.m.,
should prove to be a very hard-
fought contest, with the decision
going either way. The Sinton Pi-
rates are a darkhorse in their dis-
trict, but in last Friday’s game,
they upset Regional Champion Re-
fugio of 31-AA. However, the Ti-
gers will be seeking their first win
and should make the game a close
Sanders Motor
Leases Building
On Highway S3
Sanders Motor Co., Dodge-Ply-
mouth dealer, has leased the H. F.
Johns Bldg at 611 Second St., it
was announced this week by E. J.
Sanders and Jim Yawn, partners.
The building formerly was oc-
cupied by International Harvester
dealers, Mercedes Equipment Co.
and later Williamson Equipment
Co.
Sanders Motor Co. started the
task of moving from their old
location at 242 S. Ohio last Sat-
urday and opened for business in
the new location Monday. The
Dodge dealership has been at the
Ohio St. location since 1924.
“We will have much larger
quarters for all our various de-
partments,” Sanders said this
week. “We will be able to combine
more of our operations under one
roof.”
The building is 100x150 feet, giv-
ing a total of 15,000 square feet of
floor space. Repair shop, paint
and body shop, parts department
and showrooms will be located in
the building, which is located on a
lot 150x175 feet.
Sanders and Yawn plan to par-
tition a showroom 35x80 feet,
Sanders Motor Co. has had the
Dodge-Plymouth and Dodge Truck
agency about four and one-half
years. 1
Local Men Attend
Christian Meeting
The state retreat for men of the
Christian Church will be held at
Athens, Tex., this weekend, Sept.
24, 25, and 26.
Rev. Geo. A. Wheeler, pastor of
the local Christian Church, and
Everette Tankersley and J. P. Daw-
son will attend from Mercedes.
SANDERS NAMED TO PANEL
E. J. Sanders of Mercedes has
been elected regional advisory con-
ference member for the national
Dodge-Plymouth dealer organiza-
tion. Sanders is the representative
from the Corpus Christi District
which includes 21 dealerships. He
will attend meetings throughout
the year at which dealer-company
policies will be discussed.
contest. The Pirates, as usual, will
be exceptionally tough on their
home field and will be out to get
revenge for the upset tie Mercedes
gained in 1953.
A factor to be considered in
picking a winner in this contest is
the improvement of the Tiger de-
fensive line. The Bengal defenders
were unusually strong through the
middle of their line against Edin-
burg, and they will make it tough
on Sinton’s ground attack. The
Tigers should be a good deal
stronger with the return of Javier
Garcia to the lineup. Still missing
from the lineup are Jack Wil-
liams, Oscar Hinojosa and Liborio
Hinojosa.
I give Sinton the nod in a close
contest, due to the fact that they
will be playing at home. The Tigers,
being hungry for a win if possible,
will be out for blood and should
hit paydirt for the first time this
year. The score should be some-
thing like this:
SINTON —19; MERCEDES —12.
For the second week in a row,
an AAA team clobbered the Mer-
cedes Bengals. After a 41-0 loss to
P-SJ-A, the Tigers were humbled
to the tune of 42-0 by the Edin-
burg Bobcats last Friday night.
The ’Cats slugged through mud
with bulldog persistence, and with
the leadership of quarterback Jim-
my Green, tallied six times.
Green was personally responsible
for four of the “little cat” touch-
downs, as he scampered 36, 17, 80,
and 58 yards for scores. All but
one of his touchdowns came in the
first half and one was tallied in
the third quarter. Other scores
were pushed across by Cecilio Rios
and Will Chappell. Rios went 40
yards on the first Bobcat play of
the third period and Chappell re-
covered a Rios fumble in the end
zone after he had sparked a drive
to the Tiger 1-yard line. Bobby
Brawner, Edinburg end, kicked
six extra points for a perfect night
of toework. Other outstanding
Bobcats were Mickey Longoria,
Fred Garza, and A. C. Johnson.
The Tigers never threatened dur-
ing the game, and didn’t pick up a
first down until midway in the last
quarter. Sparking the Tiger’s
herky-Jerky running attack were
Raul Sauceda and Roger Rodri-
guez. Both boys, even' though they
are small ran good on the muddy
field.
The Tiger line did not show much
offensive improvement, but the de-
fensive line was much better. John
Norris and Harold Dalton played
stellar defensive ball, tas Norris
got numerous tackles, and Dalton
blocked an Edinburg punt to high-
light the Tiger defensive efforts.
Also turning in a fine defensive
performance was Roy Hales, who
is playing his first season of high
school football.
By, Quarters 12 3 4
Mercedes ___________ 0 0 0 0
Edinburg ____________14 14 14 0
Edinburg scoring: touchdowns—
Green, 4; Rios, 1; Chappell, 1.
PAT: Brawner. 6.
Next week’s probable starting
lineup: LE, Hales; LT, J. Norris;
LG, Dalton; C, Davis; RG, Jo.
Norris; RT, Rogers; RE, Russell;
QB, Terry; RB, Rodriguez; HB,
J. Garcia; FB, Sauceda.
Valley Meeting
Of Farm Bureau
Set Here Monday
Current agriculture issues and
policy matters will be discussed at
an important Valley-wide Farm
Bureau meeting at 10 o’clock Mon-
day morning,' Sept. 27, at the Mer-
cedes Community Building, accord-
ing to Howard Wright, State Di-
rector, Texas Farm Bureau.
This meeting is one of a series of
13 being held over Texas during
September. Farm Bureau officials
expected to be present for the
meeting, according to Wright, are
C. H. DeVaney, vice-president of
the Texas Farm Bureau and O. R.
Long, Organizational Director
Southern Region, American Farm
Bureau Federation. This is the sec-
ond phase of Valley Farm Bureau’s
program of fall and winter activi-
ties. The first phase was begun in
September when farmers were con-
tacted throughout the Valley to
“mobilize the full strength of Val-
ley farmers into a strong well in-
formed organization.”
Immediately following the Dis-
trict meeting it is planned to hold
community meetings throughout the
Valley, at which time the various
issues ’ such as labor, water, taxa-
tion, and government expenditpres,
and National farm programs will
be discussed. Following the cbm-
munity meetings where all Farm
Bureau members will have an' op-
portunity to air their opinions and
ideas, resolution committees will
be given the task of expressing the
collective views of farmers. It is
anticipated that Valley farmers will
be able to present a united front
at the State Convention to be held
in Galveston, Nov. 8-10.
Those expected to attend the
District meeting on Sept. 27 in-
clude County and unit officers,
membership committeemen, and
all other interested Farm Bureau
members. Wright indicated that
Vocational Agriculture Teachers
and Extension Agents had been
invited.
-o-
Family Loses
Goods In Blaze
The Nathanial Gupton family
lost most of their clothing and
most of their personal effects in a
fire which virtually destroyed the
interior of an apartment just be-
hind the post office Monday.
The Guptons, parents of a new
daughter, June Nan, just 15 days
old, were in Edinburg visiting Mr.
Gupton’s parents and planned to
remain a few weeks. Mrs. Gupton
is the daughter of Woody Meeks.
The fire apparently smouldered
some time before it was discov-
ered, firemen said. Woody Tullis,
who was on his way to the post
office, discovered the blaze and
turned in the alarm. Flames were
shooting out the rooftop as fire-
men arrived, but they quickly
brought the blaze under control,
preventing spread to nearby build-
ings.
The apartment was reported
owned by Dr. A. D. Caldeira.
-o--
Rev. Geo. Wheeler
Assembly Speaker
Traditional Constitution Day
speaker at the first assembly pro-
gram at Mercedes High School
each year is Rev. Geo. O. Wheeler,
pastor of the First Christian
Church, Mercedes.
Wednesday morning, Sept. 15,
saw Rev. Wheeler address the high
school assembly for the 10th con-
secutive year.
This year, Sept. 17, marked the
167th anniversary of the adoption
of the American Constitution.
-o-
Parents League
Elects New Officers
The Lutheran Parents League
met at the Lutheran school last
Thursday night.
The following new officers were
elected: president, Marvin Vogel;
vice-president, C. B. Chandler; sec-
retary, Mrs. Lloyd Heggen; treas-
urer, Mrs. Donald Salmon; report-
er, Mrs. Omer L. Hix. Mrs. Martin
Vandiver will serve as chairman
of the planning committee.
A panel led an interesting dis-
cussion on Christian education.
Rev. M. J. Cordes had charge of
the discussion Other members on
the panel included Alfred Thies,
Mrs. L. J. Luecke, and Mrs. Stan-
ley Massey.
Bowe Heads C of C Officers
To Be Installed at Annual Meet
—Enterprise Staff Photo
USO DRIVE LEADERS map campaign to start Oct. 1. Meeting at the El Sombrero Tuesday morning on
the call of General Chairman Gilson Knapp, these district committee heads discuss the campaign. Also
present, but not in the picture, were many of the blo’ck chairmen. Shown in front row, left to right,
are Mrs. Adolph Mondragon, Gilson Knapp, Mrs. Don Warner, and Mrs. Julia Solis. Bar^k row: E. L.
Park, Tony Garcia, Mrs. Tony Garcia, T. F. McArthur;, and Rev. George Wheeler. A block to block cam-
paign lasting one week is planned. Goal has been set at $900 during the short drive. Mrs. Don Warner
is chairman of the workers committee, a list of wh ich will be published next week.
RGV Gas Co. Ads Sell Valley
To Wall Street Journal Readers
Last Trades Day
Called Success;
Bond Hits SIM
Another big Trades Day program
was conducted in Mercedes Sat-
urday with shoppers being offered
bargains iri merchandise and free
parking offered anywhere in the
city.
Again, the holder of the winning
number for the savings bond was
not present, and the amount in-
creases to $100 for the next trades
day Oct. 16.
William F. Reeves, 640 S. Vir-
ginia, was winner of the $365 tele-
vision set.
“I’ve never won anything like it
before,” he said.
He added that he already had a
TV set, and would give this one
to a daughter who had just given
birth to a baby earlier Saturday.
Mrs. Maria Delrosario Solis of
912 S. Indiana was the trades day
queen winner. Mother of three
children, she said she had lived
in Mercedes two years and had
never won so many gifts before.
Her husband, Clemente, is a car-
penter.
Audience reaction indicated a
good response to the first public
concert by the Mercedes High
School Band under direction of
Henry M. Streety. The band*
played just prior to awarding of
the gifts at 7:30 p.m.
-o-
FARM BUREAU WILL MEET
Members of the Mercedes Farm
Bureau will meet at 8 p.m. tonight
(Thursday) to formulate policy
resolutions to be presented the
County Farm Bureau for Approval.
The meeting will be held in the
eFderated \Clubs Bldg.
Mercedes and the rest of the
Rio Grande Valley are being “sold”
to industry leaders of the East
through a series of advertisements
in The Wall Street Journal under
sponsorship of The Rio Grande
Valley Gas Co.
In a series of 14 advertisements,
the gas company tells important
facts about the “Golden Valley of
the Lower Rio Grande”—its na-
tural resources, climate, transpor-
tation, recreation, labor supply and
living conditions.
“Facts like these are real busi-
ness news to Wall Street Journal
readers,” said one Journal official.
More than half of the paper’s
Eastern Edition’s 140,227 subscrib-
ers are major executives or owners
of businesses—men who influence
any decisions about plant reloca-
tion.
These meif are constantly look-
ing for new ideas that benefit
their companies. The gas company
is advertising to attract industry,
commerce, and travel to the grow-
ing Lower Rio Grande Valley—
and thus to bring more jobs, more
people and more prosperity to each
community, it was pointed out.
Funeral Services
Here For Johnston
Funeral services were held at
Garcia Mortuary Sept. 21 for Sam-
uel Warren Johnston, who died at
his home at noon Sept. 20. He had
lived in Mercedes since 1920.
He was born Nov. 14, 1878, and
is survived by his wife, Mrs. Car-
men Johnston, and a brother,
George O. Johnston, of Kingfish-
er, Okla.
The first ad, published last week
and occupying nearly half a page,
pictured a map of the Valley, plus
photographs of winter vegetables
being harvested, ruby-red grape-
fruit, palm-studded highways and
recycling natural gas from Valley
fields. Others will emphasize cot-
ton, quick-freeze facilities, aviation,
irrigation canals, seaports, Falcon
Dam, climate and other assets.
Prospects are ipvited to write
The Rio Grande Valley Gas Co. at
Brownsville or The Valley Chamber
of Commerce, Weslaco.
-o-
Judge Bennett Is
Constitution Speaker
Judge Fred Bennett, director in
charge of Vocational Service, spoke
to the Rotary Club Tuesday on the
subject, “The Constitution of the
United States.” Sept. 17 was Con-
stitution Day.
Bennett, an attorney and former
district judge, is well qualified as
a constitution speaker.
The Mercedes Rotary Club placed
fourth in the district for the month
of August. The local club had the
same number of absentees as the
clubs in second and third places,
but their larger membership caused
their percentage to be a fraction
above that of the local group. At-
tendance was 100% on Sept. 7 and
also on Sept. 14.
There were eight visiting Ro-
tarians at Tuesday’s meeting.
-o-
Jr. High Football
Begins Here Tuesday
Season football competition for
the Junior High Football team of
the Mercedes school will begin
Tuesday, Sept. 28. 1
A complete schedule of the Jr.
High football games for the Mer-
cedes Jr. High team was announced
this week through the Jr. High
principal, N. K. Fitzgerald. Junior
High coaches are E. R. Broughton
and Tom Dawson.
Sept. 28—La Feria (1)______Here
Oct. 7—Rio Grande City (1), Here
Oct. 14—Raymondville (2) __ Here
Oct. 21—Weslaco (2)______There
Oct. 28—Rio Hondo Cl)____Here
Nov. 4—Mission (2) ________Here
Nov. 11—Edcouch-Elsa (1), There
Nov. 18—Donna (2)___^_____There
Games marked (1) will begin at
7:30; those marked (2) begin at
7 p.m. and two games will be
played, a “B” game at the first
period followed by the “A” game.
Student tickets this year are
25c and adult tickets are 50c.
" --o-
1.26 INCH RAIN FALLS
Rainfall last Thursday and Fri-
day totalled 1.26, according to the
gauge at Water District No. 9 of-
fice in Mercedes. Reports from
near the river indicated as much
as 2 inches fell farther south. The
moisture fell at a good time, with
farmers preparing seed beds for
fall vegetables and some seed and
plants being planted or set.
A new slate of officers for the
Mercedes Chamber of Commerce,
headed by John W. Bowe, presi-
dent, will be installed at the annual
banquet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday,
Sept. 30, at the El Sombrero Cafe.
Presiden Bowe and other offi-
cers were elected Thursday night
of last.week by the board of di-
rectors. Raymond Shotwell was
named vice-president and Col. H. G.
Stein was re-elected secretary-
manager.
Principal speaker will be Robert
Dennis O’Callaghan, San Antonio
attorney. A popular speaker, he will
discuss “Our Challenge.” He is a
director and former chairman of
the San Antonio Chamber’s Tour-
ist Committee. He is a graduate of
the University of Georgia and Har-
vard Law School.
Entertainment for the annual
banquet, to which the general
public is,invited, will be furnished
by Mrs. J. L. Swann and daughter,
Ruth Swann, of Harlingen. Mrs.
Swann will provide dinner music
on the organo and solovox and Miss
Swann will offer vocal solos later
in the program. Miss Swann, in-
cidentally, has just won top hon-
ors in B’nai B’rith amateur show
finals at San Antonio and will get
an all-expense paid trip to New
York where she will appear on the
Ted Mack Talent Show. She won
over a field of 200 contestants with
her rendition of “One Kiss.” She
is a coloraturo soprano.
Tickets are on sale and must be
purchased by Monday, Sept. 27. Any
director can provide them, at $2
per person, or they may be ob-
tained at the Chamber office.
Col. H. G. Stein, manager, will
be master of ceremonies. Invoca-
tion will be given by Rev. George
Wheeler and songs will be led by
Jake Bauer.
The new chamber president,
who will succeed Charles Sala-
dino, has lived in or near Mercedes
since 1920. He received his law de-
gree from the University of Texas
in 1941 and has practiced here
since. He is a Democratic Pre-
cinct committeeman, is currently
service officer of the American
Legion, and is a past Legion com-
mander.
At its last meeting, the board of
directors passed a resolution ex-
pressing its appreciation to Out-
going President Saladino for an
outstanding leadership job during
the past year. A resolution also
was passed commending the old
directors for their part in the
chamber program.
-o-
Mercedes Fishermen
Go Catch Fish
Showers over the weekend dis-
couraged a number of Mercedes
fishermen. One well known fisher-
man, who usually fishes in com-
pany with another well known fish-
erman, went fishing after he said
he wasn’t going, and we hear he
had a good catch. However, no
details have been forthcoming for
print.
Paul Pemelton, Ralph Powell and
Billy Joe Ryan were fishing at Port
Isabel over the weekend and re-
port a catch of 3 trout, 7 trout, and
1 red fish respectively.
Too late for publication last
week we learned that Fred Patillo
had gone fishing at Port Isabel
and caught a number of trout.
Also fishing over the\ previous
weekend near the port city were
Jose Hinojosa and S. V. Villarreal
who reported a catch of a 15 foot
shark, and a number of red fish.
L05-2425 to report your catch.
--o---•
Christian Men Name
Officers For Year
The Christian Men’s Fellowship
of the Mercedes Christian Church
has elected officers for the ensu-
ing year.
Luther McDonald will lead the
group as president. Other officers
are Jake Bauer, viee-president;
J. O. Clark, secretary. E. E. Mc-
Queen and Everette Tankersley
are captains for an attendance
contest. Geo. B. Graf, Jr,, and Mr.
Bauer are co-chairmen for the pot
luck suppers and E. V. (Judge)
Lyons and Everette Tankersley are
program chairmen
--o-
ANNUAL KIWANIS MEETING^
The Mercedes Kiwanis Cluf
neets Thursday (today) noon, 12:15,.
for its annual business meeting
and election of officers.
—Enterprise Staff Photo
LUCKY TRADES DAY it was, last Saturday, for W. F. Reeves, left,
and Mrs. Maria Delrosario Solis, right. Reeves won the 21-inch tele-
vision set, while Mrs. Solis was trades day queen, receiving all the
other gifts on the stage except the TV. “It certainly pays to trade
at home in Mercedes,” both agreed. One of Mrs. Solis’ three children
is seated beside her.
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The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 38, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 23, 1954, newspaper, September 23, 1954; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1072565/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.