The DeLeon Free Press. (De Leon, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, February 23, 1940 Page: 1 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Comanche Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Comanche Public Library.
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VOLUME 49 — NUMBER 36
DE LEON. COMANCHE COUNTY. TEXAS
District Girls Basketball
Tournament Going On
TRUCKING PAYS
$25,000 TAXES IN
COMANCHE CO.
Some of the fastest, most furious
-basketball in the history of De Leon
is now going on at the Municipal
Gymnasium, where the iocal winners
of eight counties are being matched
for District championship honors.
The all-girls tournament is drawing
hundreds of visitors to the Gym to
witness the contests.
De Leon showed* to be strong in
the preliminary games, but at the
time of going to press the stage of
the three finals had not been advanc-
ed to a point where anyone could ven-
ture more than a guess as to which
team would emerge the victor.
•"The matches commenced at 7:15
o’clock Thursday morning, with a
good crowd of players and followers
of the games on hand for the open-
ing match between Rising Star and
Gustine, Gorman and Highland will
also play Thursday night.
Playing Friday at 4 p. m. with
Morton Valley and Cross Plains in
for honors.
____At. 7:15 the De Leon Band will
play a short concert. Playing will
start at 8:15 between Beattie and
Crosscut. Desdemona and Denton
will also play* Friday * night.
Saturday playing will begin at 10
a. m. and run all day and into the
night until 9:30 p. m. All trophies and
awards will be made at this time.
These are now on display at Hamp-
ton’s Jewelry Store.
Prof. H. F. Davis is District Man-
ager, having been so designated by
L. G. McKamie, State Director^ and
Mr. Davis and a local committee had
made plans previous to the opening
to entertain the large number of
guests expected in the city for the
event. v - > .
The district is composed of eight
counties, as follows: Comanche, East-
land, Erath, Shackelford, Stephens,
Brown, Callahan and Coleman.
The winner of the District meets,
being held throughout the State this
week end, will go to Austin to con-
tend for**State championship honors.
There are twelve districts in Texas,
Mr. Davis said.
De Leon people who read this an-
nouncement: will have opportunity.
Friday and Saturday to witness these
excellent games, a small admission
charge being made.
Announcement
Of Perry Sinclair
For Sheriff
This week W. P. St. Clair, deputy
sherifff of Comanche County, author-
ized The Free Press to place his name
in our political column. He is a can-
didate for Sheriff in the coming elec-
tion.
Mr. St. Clair is well known at De-
Leon and vacinity. He has served
a number of years as deputy and
has given satisfaction and made
many friends. His statement will
follow in a later issue.
F. F. A. Boys Get
Recognition In John
Tarleton Contest
Twenty-one boys from De Leon
were given recognition recently for
making unusual progress in F. F. A.
work. This was made known by A.
J. Spangler, Director of...Agriculture
at John Tarleton College and area
adviser of the farm boy organization.
Roy B. Mefferd, area supervisor, con-
gratulated the “boys of the De Leon
chapter and their vocational agricul-
ture teacher, Tom Denman, for the
commendable showing 'they have
made. d
Those receiving certificates of mer-
it for achisyement in Future Farmer
wdrlC were Bob Miller, Don Lee Kin-
nard, Felton Crawford, Ray Bunting,
Lloyd .Hardin, Fayne Psif, Herman
Brooks, ^Roy Hill, ' Belton Hornsby,
Edward Otwell, Theron Wilfon,
neth Morgan, William Morris. Paul
Warren, James Peters, Tilman Brown,
Bob Golden, John Raymond Isbell,
James Miears, Omer McAdams, Billy
Jo McCrum, Gayle Loudermilk.
The Texas trucking industry last
year paid taxes to Comanche County
amounting to $52,192.85, Lynn B.
Shaw, general manager of the Texas
Motor Transpartation Association,
reports.
Shaw said the amount represented
$41,075.20 for highway construction
and maintenance, and $11,117.65 for
the public schools of Comanche Coun-
ty. For each scholastic .in the State,
the truckers last year paid $2.49.
The total amount of taxes paid in
the State by the truck operators dur-
ing 1939 was $15,388,004.78’.—Chief.
I'JUDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1940
Two New Teams
Added To District
12-A next Year
?•
FORMEIT TfE LEON WOMAN---
HAD OPERATION FEB. 5AT
PORT* ARTHUR HOSPITAL
Mrs. Richard Be vans underwent a
major operation at a hospital at Port
Arthur on February 5. She is do-
ing well, reports from there say. Mrs.
Bevans is a daughter of Mrs. Nath
Nabors of this city, the former. Miss
Gladys Nabors . Mrs: Nabors is with
her daughter.
On Silver Screen
AT THE NEW TEXAS
Friday—James Cagney, Pat O’Brien
and George Brent in The Fighting
69th, a grand story of adventure.
One of Warner Bros, biggest shows.
'See The Fighting 69th. Also March
of Time. “
Saturday—Thrilling action irom
Paramount. William Henry and Lou-
ise Campbell in Emergency Squad.
Also Dick Tracy’s G Men and Color-
ed Cartoon. A fine 3 in 1 show.
Sunday and Monday—They were
meant for each other — just like
thunder and lightening. John Garfield
and Ann Sheridan in Castle of Hud-
son with Pat O’Brien and Burgess
Merideth. John Garfield terrific, Ann
Sheridan, to,rrid. Together T. N. T.
Also Fox News and Frankie Masters
Band Act.
Tuesday and Wednesday' — Max
"3-Fleisher’s beautiful, all Technicolor
feature length cartoon Gulliver’s
Travels. For old and young. The
thrilling adventures of Gulliver, the
giant in pygmy land.
Thursday and Friday—Double fea-
ture program. Stuart* Erwin and Mar-
jorie Weaver in The Honeymoon’s
Over. A rip roaring comedy. Also
CkArUe Chah At Treasure Island.
Two good features an lain
Lightfoot To Head
Beattie Schools
For Coming Year
«■ ,
Mr. J. E. Lightfoot was recently
reelected as superintendent of the
Beattie school of this county for an-
other school year. Superintendent
Lightfoot has served three years as
head of the Beattie "school. The
schocff has made much progress un-
der Mr. Lightfoot’8 administration,
and a sound program is being plan-
ned. for 1940-41.
_ Mrs. Lightfoot, who has served as
homer economics teacher for the past
three years, has also been reelected
upon her satisfactory service.
Last Surviving
Civil War Veteran
Has 93rd Birthday
Rev. G. E. Murphrey is the last
survivor of De Leon’s former long
list of Civil War Veterans, so far as
this_ newspaper is aware. It has not
been so long since there were many
Civil War veterans, and reunions and
picnics were held in their honor.
Rev. Murphrey observed his nine-
ty-third anniversary of his birth, at
his home here on February 14.. St.
Valentine’s Day.- A number of friends
remembered his birthday and called
at- ifisT home to pay their respects.
Rev. Murphrey for many years has
made a daily trip to town, some four
blocks from his home,-but of late has
been hindered from doing so by the
state of his health and by unfavor-
able weather . He has enjoyed re-
markable health and physical stam-
ina all through his long life._____His
friends hope he may retain his vigor
and live to reach the century mark-—i
and morel
Supt. E. H. Boulter and Coach
Charlie Turner of De Leon Public
Schools, have announced the addition
of two new teams to District 12-A
for the coming football season. The
pew "additions are Rising Star and
Weatherford. ______
Weatherford is being transferred
from District 11-A. Weatherford un-
til two years ago played in the AA
class, being matched against some of
the strongest and largest high schools.
Rising Star played in District 10-A
previously, however, this school is be-
ing transferred back into the district
with De Leon after having been trans-
ferred out a few years.
Nine teams will make up the new
District 12-A. They are: Dublin,
Hamilton, Comanche, De Leon, Gor-
man, Eastland, Hico, Rising Star and
Weatherford. x -‘
HIGGINBOTHAM
DOLLAR SALE WILL
CLOSE SATURDAY
Concluding a successful seven-day
“Dollar Sale’’ next Saturday, Higgin-
botham Bros. & Co. managers report
another successful merchandising ev-
ent throughout their stores. The
sales was held in the many Higgin-
botham stores over central and west
Texas. Winter merchandise was of-
fered, and will continue to be sold
until next Saturday night, at great
savings, with many items offered at
two dollars value for one dollar in
cash.
The sale applies to merchandise
store-wide, and prices havj been
marked to sell. Many De Leon cus-
tomers have taken advantage of the
savings and purchased needed wear-
ables and other goods.
INCREASE IN RURAL
AID FOR SCHOOLS
The first payment of salary aid for
the Rural Aid Schools of this county
has been received. Tins payment re-
presents fifty percent of the actual
amount as approved by the State
Department and the State Auditor.
Last year the schools did not receive
the first payment until March 15th.
The amount received at this time
was approximately 15,000 dollars. An
increase of fifteen hundred dollars
was represented over last year for
the schools. It is predicted that at
least ninety-five percent payment
will be made and probably the grant
will be paid one hundred pfecent. The
percentage payment for last school
year amounted to seventy-six percent
ROBINSON SPRINGS TO
HAVE CHURCH SUNDA^f
Rev. R. E. Jackson will preach
Sunday at 11 o’clock at the Baptist
Church in Robinson Springs. All
members are urged to attend.
3747 POLL TAX
RECEIPTS ISSUED
COMANCHE CO.
The exact number of poll tax re-
ceipts issued in Comanche County
prior to February 1, the deadline to
qualify as a 1940 voter has been an •
nounced as 3747 according to a final
check, in the Tax Assessor-Collector’s
office. Figures by boxes are not
available at this time. v
This year’s payment totals 84 more
than that of 1938, the last election
year, when a total #f 3,663 polls
were paid. More than 4100 votes
were polled in the county two years
ago and it is predicted that at least
4200 will vote this year.—Ctyief.
De Leon Truck Snow-Bound
Fine Rains Beneficial
To Farm Interests
During February
I Rainfall at De Leon for February
has totaled 2.63 inches, according to
the guage kept by the Free Press. A
rain early in the month totaled I.C6,
inches, and the rain of late last
Week guaged .97 inches, giving the
total above stated-.
Farming conditions are very fine,
the soil being in ideal condition to
work. Much land is being broken and
ipaue ready for planting a little lat-
Some^ Spring oats are being
lAanted, and a considerable acreage
in orchards is being put out. Most
of the fruit being planted is peaches,
according .to nurserymen.
Byron E. Short
Speaker At Texas
Exes Banquet
House Burned
m ’
• point
-- .IV. ,Jl
A house burned dewn at
near the southwest corner of De Leon
cemetery ope day the post week. The
building was occupied by Mr. aiyl
Mrs. Henry Loudermilk, neither be-
ing at home at the time. Practically
all their household effects were de
str-'yed. There was no
V. G.
from Ft.
f
and Wtfa
Worth Sunday.
i
here
! '
M. W. Holdridge -returned here
early this week from a trucking trip
to the panhandle. Holdridge was one
of the many motorists caught in the
blizzard and snow-storm late last
week. Mr. Holdridge tells of driving
in the snow until his heavily loaded
truck would go not a foot further
and he left the loaded machine stand-
ing on the pavement 12 miles from
Tahoka for 48 hours. The snow was
about 12 inches on a level, and ex-
ceedingly “wet,” Mr. Holdridge said.
In places vast fields were blown clean
of snow and the white moisture was
piled many feet deep against any ob-
struction,-----------------—--------------------------
New Feed Store
1 “Location Will Be
Occupied March 1
Bassett Peed & Seed Store, now
operating in the Higginbotham Ware-
house Building, across- from the M-
K-T depot, will be moved on March
1, to the new building being erected
on the corner west from Foust lum-
ber Co. Mr. Bassett will conduct a
general retail feed and seed bus-
iness there, with free delivery ser-
vice, he stated. The new building, on
the comer of the Lambert lot, site of
the old Wayside Inn, prominent ear-
ly-day hotel, will be 30x40 feet. Mr.
Bassett has been,.operating a feed
and seed business here the past two
years.
The present Bassett location will
continue to be the headquarters of
Johnson MotorFreight, it was stated.
REV, WILLSHIRE BEGINS
SERIES OF SERMONS, “THE
PROBLEM OF SUFFERING”
F. G. Harmon, chairman of the Co-
manche County Texas Exes Club, an-
nounced Thursday that Byron E.
Short will be the principal speaker
at the banquet at the Travelers Ho-
tel March 2 at 8 p. m. The diih
composed of ex-stduents of the Uni-
versity who are in Comanche County.
Byron Elliott Short, instructor in
mechanical engineering at The Uni-
versity of Texas, was bom at Put-
nam, Texas on December 19, 1901.
After finishing high school, he at-
tended the^ Univeisity and— in______1826
received his bachelor of science de-
gree in mechanical engineering. La-
ter he returned and took his master
of science degree in 1930.
Mr. Short has published a “Power
Engineer’s Handbook,” and collabor-
ated in the preparation of “Heat
Transfer in a Commercial Heat Ex-
changer.” ‘ i t ’ ■ *
He is a member of the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers; of
Tau Beta Pi, the Society for Promo-
tion of Engineering Education; and
of Pi Tau Sigma, the University
Sciece Club. Mr. Short is a son of Eld.
and Mrs. S. W. Short of this city.
Eastland To Be
Host To American
Legion Sunday
Eastland, Feb. 19.^-Persortal invi-
tations have been sent to 1,900 veter-
ans reminding them of the Seven-
teenth District American Legion Con-
vention here Saturday and Sunday,
February 24th and 25th ,and urging
their attendance.
Among officials who have accept-
ed invitations to attend are Loa
Roberts of Borger, Department at
Texas Commandos, and Ed Riedel, of
San Angelo, former fifth division
commander . The National American
Legion organization hah promised to
send a representative .
Henry Pullman, Commander of the
local host post, stated that then are
23 American Legion posts in the- *«-
trict and indications point to a heavy
attendance from each.
The convention will be staged in the
local post's new club house, which
was dedicated recently.
George Barber of Sweetwater, com-
mander of the district, has named
Herbert Reed of Eastland as chair-
man of the credential committee, H.
J. Tanner of Eastland as convenftita
adjutant, and M. M. Dutto of Ranger •
as chairinan of the resolutions com-
mittee.
The Legion Band of Sweetwater,
designated as the official band of the
American Legion in Texas, will be
present,Barber has also advised Com-
mander Pullman . ”
The district auxiliary ilso wirf haw
official sessions in connection with
the convention- Mrs. Leon McPher-
son of Cisco is president of the dis-
trict auxiliary.
One of. the features of the opening,
day’s program will be a dance Satur-
day evening ~ at the local post’s club-
house. The/ clubhpuee is located in
the City Park c
the city.
on a hill overlooking
Rabbit Drive Will
Be Held At Duster
Wednesday, Feb. 28
L. L. Dukes requested the Free
Press to announce a rabbit drive for
the Duster community on Wednes-
day, February 28. The drive will
start from the Dukes residence at
H:00 a. m. and return there at noon
for lunch, which will be free to all
hunters. There will be a supply of
shells for all types of guns, Mr.
Dukes said, and a cordial invitation
is extended to all candidates.
Attempted Robbery
Burglars entered the Magnolia
Service Station one night last week
and among other tdings, knocked the
knob from the iron safe. They failed,
however, to get the doof open, ac-
cording to Jim Norton, manager. The
job had the ear marks of an amateur.
Nothing of consequence was missing
from th» place, and there was no fur-
ther damage than that done to the
safe.
The Magnolia Station, former
Steakley’s Filling. Station, has been
the scene of other robberies from
time to time. It is a short distance
removed from the principal business
section, on Gorman highway two
blocks north of-the M-K-T depot, and
burglars evidently fell that they can
work there more or lees undisturbed.
Mrs. Schumsii 111 .
Mrs. A. C. Sc human was carried
to Gorman early In the week and was
treated at Blackwell Sanitarium.
Friends trust that, her Mlnees may
not
These messages are planned with
the belief that they will be helpful
to all who hear them. Subjects for
each message as follows:
Sunday, February 25, 11 a. m. —
"Our Attitude Toward Suffering.”
Sunday, March 3, 7:30 p. m. —
"Suffering in The Trying Hour.”
Sunday, March 10, 11 a. m. —
Suffering, The Christian Way.”
Sunday, March 17, 11 a. m. —
“Choice Between Easy and Suffer-
ing.-”
Sunday, March 24. — “Suffering,
The Supreme Value and Endless
Possibilities.”
The essential element of Lent and
Easter is the renewal of spiritual life
among Christians . Hear these mes-
sages and receive a sustaining force
within you that will help you triumph
over evil forces in life .
YOUNG PREACHER OF
TENNESSEE COLLEGE
TO SPEAK SUNDAY
Chain Stores Carry
Peanut Campaign
Into Every State
Wm. H. (Bill) Kittrell of the Texas
Chain Store association, and Luther
Sharp, vice president and director
for Texas of Agricultural Trade Re-
lations, Inc., were through De Leon
late last week and called at the Free
Pi-ess office. Kittrell is a former Cis-
co man.
Mr. Kittrell told the Free Press
that the campaign to increase—the
sale of peanuts and peanut products,
conducted nationally in responre to
appeals from the Virginia-Carolina
Peanut association and the Southwes-
tern Peanut Growers association at
Eastland, and had been highly suc-
cessful.
“We have been instrumental in
placing Eastland county peanuts on
sale in 34,000 grocery .stores and
15,000 variety stores, representing
Rev. Carl 'Mullen^ young preacherjevery sUte in the union'” he 8aid- “In
Silicic U„„ i.____. I addition, J. C. Penney company
stores, Sears, Roebuck stores and
H. W. Locke Improves
H. W. Locke, who has been suffer-
ing from pneumonia and other com-
plicaitions, is reported considerably
improved. He wss critically ill dur-
ing the past week.
Mrs. Van Callan returned to her
home at 708 Austin St., Wichita
Falls, Monday. Shs had been visiting
her father, Frank Holland. While
here Edith Ann, baby daughter, ar-
rived at Gorman hospital. Mr. Cal-
lan is-employed by s drilling con-
tractor in the Wichita Falla area.
of Sillsbee, Texas, who has been at-
tending school at Johnson Bible
College in Tennessee, will come to
De Leon on Sunday, February 25, and
preach at the Christian Church. All
members are urged to be present and
hear him, and visitora are welcome
the Free Press was asked t«5 say.
Rev. Mullin will preach at 11:00 a. m.
the announcement said.
Four R. F. D. Substitutes
Four substitutes served four of
the five De Leon rural mail routes on
Tuesday this week. The records of
the office fail to show an equal num-
ber of substitutes on duty on any one
day in a number of years. Regular
carriers were absent from sickness or
for personal reasons . Fred Bowden
served .Rout* 1 in the place of W. S.
Glover. Melvin Holdridge served on
Route 2 in the {dace of John W.
Jones. Leonard Clefhom served on
Route 4 while George Mohon was ill.
Homer flafford served Route 5 in the
place of regular carried W. M. Col-
ey. B. C. Chambers, Route 8 carrier,
was the only regular on duty.
Aristotla wrote about
360 B C.
other chain stores which do not sell
peanuts, have aided in the campaign
with displays and publicity.”
Proposed Highway
Rebuild Job Between
Gorman-Desdemona
Gorman business men met late last
week with a committee from the
Eastland county board and WPA of-
ficials and drafted plain for rebuild-
ing the Gorman - Desdemofis Highway
at a cost of $100,000,000. It is pro-'
posed to widen the right of way to
100 feet, and the roadbed to 18 feet.
>The road will be re-topped with
asphalt, according to the Gorman
Progress.
V
“Gone With the Wind”
A party of De Leon people seeing
the n«tw screen production, "Gone
With the Wind,” showing aft Fort
Worth Wednesday evening, included
Mr.- and Mrs. Ksrmit Ned, Mra\y*l-
ma Sparks, Misses Mary Kimble,
Roger Mae and Gram Smith, Pmtae
Bills. I -
I »
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Scott, Mrs. R. L. The DeLeon Free Press. (De Leon, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, February 23, 1940, newspaper, February 23, 1940; De Leon, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1143519/m1/1/?q=j+w+gardner: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Comanche Public Library.