The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 28, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, October 31, 1941 Page: 1 of 8
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Serving Mercedes, Edcouch, and La Villa
(In Combination with the News-Tribune)
Vol. XXVIII, No. 48
Mercedes, Texas, Friday, October 31, 1941
$1.50 per Year; 5c per Copy
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Rio Rico Bridge Faiis In Rio Grande
Although the $110,000 interna-
tional bridge about seven miles
south of Mercedes connecting Thay-
er and Rio Rico wag lost in the
turbulent Rio Grande River early
Monday morning, it was authora-
tively stated Wednesday that fer-
ry boat service would be started
some time Thursday.
Mrs. Kate iChaddick Martin, Mer-
cedes, who holds a large interest in
the lost bridge made the statement
Wednesday that traffic would be
resumed by ferry boat Thursday
and that plansl would be made af-
ter the water receeds for a new
span.
Water has receeded several feet
since, the weekend when the bridge
collapsed into the swollen stream
and Rio Rico, on the Mexican side
which was covered by several feet
of water from the river is now in
the dry again. Silt from the over-
flow has settled over the little Mex-
ican town and has deposited; about
two feet of earth over the town and
this!, it is believed, will make the
town safer in respect to future
floods, although the main channel
of the River has shifted closer to
the Mexican side.
The Rio Rico bridge, built about
thirteen years ago, fell into the
swollen stream which has crested at
22.2 feet Saturday, lat two o’clock
Monday morning when the 500,000
pound concrete anchor on the Mex-
ican side of the river pulled out
after being exposed to the diverted
stream. Five hours later the con-
crete south bridge pier became un-
dermined and toppled into the
stream.
Several houses along the Rio Rico
side of the stream were washed
away but no lives were lost. The
Mexican custom house at the South
end of the bridge fell into the
stream late Sunday night.
Chamber of commerce and city
officials of Mercedes wired Wash-
ington for assistance when the dian-
ger to the bridge became apparent
and did all possible to assist in the
evacuation of residents from the
Mexican side, Water district offi-
cials have been fearful that the
shift in the stream to the Mexican
bank may silt over the intake of
the pumping plant which supplies)
water for irrigation and domestic
purposes for the Mercedes, Wesla-
co, Elsa, Edcouch and La Villa
area. So far the danger is not acute.
Eldon B. Smith, manager of the
Hidalgo and Cameron County Wa-
ter District No. 9 stated Wednesday
that the main channel of the river
had moved; about five hundred feet
south and a sand bar had formed
on the American side near the
pump intake. He stated, however,
that a natural channel to the pump
intake had been formed.
— • —
Seay Club House
To Be Winter
Hotel Center
Purchase of the former Seay
Club House, just north of Merce-
des, by northern interests, and the
opening of a hotel, especially for
winter tourists, was announced
Wednesday, when the arrangements
were completed.
Mr. and Mrs. Luther McDonald,
long-time residents of Mercedes,
will have the management of the
hotel, it wfas announced.
The club house, which was re-
cently purchased by the H. A. Man-
ley Corporation, is located on Hill
Crest, and is among the most beau-
tiful locations in the Valley. The en^
tire club house has recently under-
gone a remodeling program and
hias been redecorated. Mr. McDon-
(Continued on Page Eight)
Delegation Back
From National
FFA Convention
Returning Saturday from the
National FFA convention in Kan-
sas City, the Mercedes delegation
of five boys are glowing with en-
thusiasm and ambition for better
work.
In the delegation were Erwin
Twenhafel, Herman Newman, Merle
Borchelt, Jack Scott and Roy Sch-
warz. Accompanying them were
Captain Truitt Jordan of the Hi-
dalgo County traffic patrol and B.
L. Schwarz, Jr. The trip was par-
tially financed by the Mercedes
Chamber of Commerce, E. A. Brown
acting as chairman.
The boysi arrived at Kansas City
Sunday evening of last week and
Monday morning found them ready
to look the town over and set up
their exhibit at the municipal audi-
torium.
Mercedes had the honor of fur-
nishing the citrus exhibit for the
convention which represented the
exhibit for the State of Texas.
Composed of pink grapefruit and
grapefruit by-products, the attrac-
tive display won a gold award.
While in Kansas City the delega-
tion also visited the Swift & Co.
packing house, the American Royal
Livestock Show and other points! of
educational interest.
Free Movie Passes
Tuesdiay-W ednesday
Next Tuesday and Wednesday,
November 4 and 5, will be special
bargain days at the State Theatre
in Mercedes. With every paid adult
admission, an extra pass will be
issued free by the management.
All that is necessary is that read-
ers of the Enterprise cut out the
program on the back page of this
issue land, present it at the box of-
fice and pay a small federal tax.
Mercedes XEW
Program Postponed
The Mercedes broadcast over Ra-
dio Station XEW at Reynosa, which
was supposed to have been on the
air Tuesday noon at 12.: 30 ’clock,
has been postponed fr a few days.
Radio Station officials telephoned
Carl A. Blasig, Manager of the
Mercedes Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday forenoon suggesting a
postponement since the station was
experiencing some trouble with its
new machinery and were doubtful
whether repairs could be made by-
noon. This station, one of the most
powerful in the world since its re-
cent construction as the second
Reynosa Radio Station, covers a
large number of states. Six Valley
Chambers of Commerce are coope-
rating in six 15-minute broadcasts
to advertise the resources of the
Valley. Those cooperating are; Mer-
cedes, McAllen, Harlingen, Ray-
mondville, Brownsville and Edin-
burg. The new date for the Merce-
des broadcast has not been announc-
ed, but it will be some day next
week.
TIGERS GO TO
RAYMONDVILLE
FRIDAY NIGHT
The Mercedes Tigers, in the best
of spirits following the 13-0 win
over Lyfordi, will go to Raymond-
ville Friday night to engage with
the Bearkats in their third confer-
ence game of the season.
Both the band and the pep squad
will accompany the Tigers, accord-
ing to Supt. Leon R. Graham.
R. C. Bonner, captain of the Ti-
gers, will be in the play Friday
night following several weeks in-
jury and is expected to do some of
the heavy work of the game. Bon-
ner played part of the game with
Lyford last week and is almost his
old self again.
Mission Man
Elected President
Dr. William T. Gibb of Mission,
was elected president of the Presby-
terian Men, Valley organization in
Presbyterian Churchsi, at the fall
session held here Tuesday night at
the high school cafeteria. Dr. Gibbs
succeeds Bill Brisco of Harlingen.
H. T. Stotler of Mercedes was elect-
ed vice president, and F. B. Hol-
land of Mission, was elected secre-
tary-treasurer. Mr. Brisco was mas-
ter of ceremonies and R. H. Kern
of Mercdes wias in charge of the
program.
The Rev. J. Russell Woods of
Pharr and the Rev. Harvard Ander-
son of Weslaco are new ministers
since the last meeting of the or-
ganization. Stanley Addington of
Raymondville, contributed vocal
numbers.
The Rev. Charles A. Tucker, pas-
of the Mercedes Presbyterian
Church introduced the speaker for
the evening, the Rev. Bryan Keath-
ley, pastor of the Mineral Wells
Presbyterian Church, whose address
on “Liberty Is More Than That’’,
held the audience spellbound. Rev.
Keathley is world-travelled and
termed one of the most versatile
and fluent speakers in America.
MERCEDES JP
COURT NOTES
Cases handled at the T. J. Fikes
Justice of the Peace Court at Mer-
cedes the past week:
Martina Gloria, affray, fined $1
and costs.
Margarito Serra, acquitted.
Anacleto Cerrera, drunk in pub-
lic place, $1 and costs.
M.r. and Mrs. Bob Frix and fam-
ily have moved to Tjexarkana to
make their home. They accompan-
ied Mr. and Mrs. Roy Frix to Tex-
arkana, who had been visiting here.
Edcoujeh-Elsia
Hallowe’en Carnival
Friday Night
The annual Hallowe’en Carnival
is being sponsored by the High
school press club instead of the lo-
cal P.T. A. This! gala affair will be
held at the high school on Oct. 31st
at 7:00 P. M. and is a Penny Carni-
val, that is—every thing will be a
penny with the exception of ham-
burgers and the Coronation which
will be two cents.
Among the (attractions or various
booths will be Fortune telling, Fac-
ulty graveyard, art gallery, Horror-
house, For Women Only, For Men
Only, boxing, all of which can be
seen for a penny for each person.
Concessions priced at a penny in-
clude drinkst, candy, popcorn and
pe/anuts.
The highlight of the carnival will
be the coronation of the Queen,
June Vittetoe, popular members of
the senior class. June will be crown-
ed by her twin brother, Gene who
is also a member of the senior class.
Duchessses attending the Queen are
Dorist Hughes, representing the
Junior class who will have as her
escort Glen Baird; Johnny Beth
Palmer, sophomore, escort, Glen
Farris; Rosemary Adkins, fresh-
man with Tom Stovall as escort and
Rubye Harbison, eighth grade hav-
ing Billy Cellum ag her escort.
This carnival is being given es-
pecially for the students but the
parents will be welcome to attend
if they are to do so.
Mercedes Legion Post’s
Armistice Day Plan's
Following out a custom of the
past ten years or more the Merce-
des J. A. Garcia American Legion
Post and the Weslaco Post will hold
their joint Armistice Day Breakfast
again this year.
Alternating each year, the break-
fast this year will be held at the
Cortez Hotel in Weslaco, with the
post commander, Chester Fitzger-
ald in charge of the program.
W. R. Hoover is commander of
the Mercedes Post.
The above photograph is from the American side of the swept into the swollen Rio Grande early Monday morning.
Rio Rico crossing at Thayer below Mercedes and shows the
dangling remains of the international bridge, which was (Photo by courtesy Valley Morning Star.)
Mercedes’ annual goblin fiesta
an event of fun and frolic, will get
under \rtay piromtply at 6:45 o'-
clock Thursday night with a band
concert on Texas Avenue in the
downtown business district. At 7:30
several hundred youngsters will pa-
rade in the annual Hallowe’en
cositume parade in which the idea of
Hallowe’en will be, portrayed in hi-
larious fashion by the many youth-
ful actors.
The parade will gather on Tex-
as Avenue between fourth and
fifth street. All participants are
asked to be on hand not later than
7:15 o’clock. There will be four di-
visions in the parade with the child-
ren four to five years old consti-
tuting the first division, the child-
ren six to seven years! old the sec-
ond divison, the children eight to
nine years old the third division
and the children ten and eleven
years old the fourth division. Each
division will be divided as to hoys
and girls with two prizes to be
(awarded for the winning costumes
in each group. Prizes will be given
for the most unique costume, judg-
ed 50% on originality of design
and 50% on appearance, and for
the most comical costume judged
50% on the mirth provoking de-
sign or idea of the costume and
50% on appearance.
The entire two downtown blocks
on Texas Avenue will be converted
into a midway of merry making. Car
nival attractions and amusements
of every type will keep the crowd
in a spirit of gayety throughout
the evening. One of the highlights
of the entire celebration will be the
coronation of the queen to be se-
lected by pouplar vote during the
early part of the evening. The
streets will be roped of on both
ends! of the Hallowe’en playground,
according to Walter Collier, Gen-
eral Chairman of the celebration.
Other committee chairmen are Mrs.
Eldon B. Smith, chairmen, booth
committee; Mr. J. L. B&tes, chair-
man Platform Committee; Mr. Jim
Slaughter, chairman Lighting Com-
mittee; Mrs. H. L. Lauderdale,
chairman Children’s Parade Com-
mittee; fcaptain Don Warner, chair-
man Police Committee, Miss Pearl
Brooks, chairman coronation com-
mitee. Carl A. Blasig is secretary
and Leon Graham, treasurer of the
celebration.
People from all sections of the
Valley are invited to attend this
goblin festival. A large crowd its
expected to be on hand to join in
the gayety of the evening.
POWELLS OREN
NEW RESTAURANT
Henry Powell and wife, who have
operated1 in the restaurant business
in Mercedes for a number of years,
are again back on the job in their
new location at the corner of Ver-
mont and the Highway.
The Powells have spent weeks
at remodeling the present location
and really have a creditable place,
both in appearance and service. Al-
though located on a busy corner,
they have plenty of parking space.
They invite their many friends to
come around and inspect the new
establishment.
— ® —
TOEPER SAYS
By CLAUDE ROGERS
An air-raid shelter is no
protection against a> bundle
from Heaven.
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Netz, Paul C. The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 28, No. 48, Ed. 1 Friday, October 31, 1941, newspaper, October 31, 1941; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1105904/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.