The Hockley County Herald (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1949 Page: 1 of 16
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—Local News
—Features
—Advertising
—Circulation
Jlcckletf. Qawdy cMe/udA
SERVING LEVELLAND AND HOCKLEY COUNTY FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS
Thursday, January 13, 1949
SECTION ONE
LEVELLAND, Hockley County, TEXAS
Numbar 25
10c A Copy
Volume Number 24
Sleet, Ice And Rain Bring 2 Inches Needed Moisture To County
Sundown Youth First Traffic
Victim Of Year In Hockley Area
the
9.
Levelland Jaycees are being
ably assisted in the project by the
Sundown Lions club and various
civic workers at Anton, Ropes-
Here From
Creek, Colo.
Hall
Dove
the
Willie Joe Hendrix, 18-year-old
Sundown youth, died 'at the Phil-
lips-Dupre hospital at 2:20 a. m.
Saturday of injuries received in
a car accident at about 1:15 a. m.
on the Levelland-Sundown high-
way. This was believed to be the
first 1949 traffic fatallity in this
county.
Hendrix, employed as rousta-
bout for Texas Pacific Coal and
Oil company, and Sam Findley, al-
Local VFW Post
Seeks To Locate
Lost Wheelchair
the
or-
where the car left the highway.
The accident was near the farm
home of a Mr. Cody, who was not
at home at the time of the acci-
dent but arrived shortly after. It
was learned that Findley, who suf-
fered several bruises but was not
seriously injured, crawled from
the car and found Hendrix lying
on the highway where he had been
thrown clear. He went to the farm
house and secured the farmer to
drive them to the Phillips-Dupre
hospital where it was found that
Hendrix had suffered head and
chest injuries, including a punc-
tured lung, dying a short time
after arrival at the hospital. Find-
ley was not hospitalized.
Sheriff Bullock said that the
car apparently went out of control
when it hit the first turn of the
curve, going off the highway onto
the left shoulder.
The sheriff said that drifting
sand had formed small dunes
along the shoulder of the highway
and the car was believed to have
overturned when it hit these ob-
structions.
Mr. Bullock said that on looking
at the scene of the accident it ap-
peared that the car had turned
over a number of times. The hood
being jammed toward the wind-
shield led the sheriff to believe
that the car had made at least one
end-over-end flipflop. He said
that the windshield and most of
the other glass in the car was shat-
tered.
Funeral services were held at
1:30 p. m. Sunday at Sundown
Church of Christ with F. F. Con-
ley reading the rites.
Burial was at Pyron, about 18
miles southeast of Snyder with the
Plains Funeral home in charge of
arrangements.
Survivors include his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Lee Hendrix,
Sundown; two brothers, Wendle
and Curtis, both of Sundown; a
sister, Mrs. Maxine Teague, Sun-
down; and his grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. W. M. Hendrix of Sny-
der and Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Lester
of Blum.
As the result of an explosion on
a Levelland street last spring a
$61,500 damage suit was filed in
..., 72nd District Court in Lubbock
# Monday afternoon. Action grew
out of an alleged explosion and
serious burning on May 3, 1948 of
Marvin Merrell Maples, 7-year-
old local youth.
The accident is said to have oc-
curred on Houston street near the
Phillips service station, located
across Avenue L from Phillips-
Dupre hospital.
m The suit, styled O. J. Rhodes, as
next friend for Marvin Merrell
Maples, a minor, and Mr. and Mrs.
O. J. Rhodes, in their individual
right, plaintiff, against J. R. Fan-
ning, defendant, was removed
from the 72nd district court of
Hockley county Jan. 4, after a plea
of privilege hearing brought by
defendant Fanning
The removal order was signed
by Judge Dan Blair, who presides
_ over the 72nd district courts fo
J. V. Davis New
Pastor Austin St.
Church Of Christ
both Hockley and Lubbock coun-
ties. The plaintiffs, all of Hockley
county, are the step-father of the
minor, the minor and the boy’s
mother. Fanning, a contractor,
lives in Lubbock.
The petition said that the mi-
nor, 7, was injured when he pick-
ed up a match from the ground
and struck it near a barrel of gas-
oline which had been left on West
Houston street in connection with
Fanning’s repair of the street un-
der contract with the City of Lev-
elland. Leaving the barrel there
constituted an “attractive nuis-
ance,” the petition, filed by the
Dallas law firm of Caldwell, Baker
and Jordan, said.
Fanning is represented by the
Lubbock law firm of Crenshaw,
Dupree, Milam and Crenshaw,
which filed the plea of privilege
motion.
The suit asks actual damages of
$25,000 for the minor, $36,500 for
Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes.
so of Sundown, were enroute from
Sundown to Levelland when Find-
ley’s car—a 1948 Ford—over-
turned on a sharp curve on the
cutoff farm-to-market road from
Sundown to Highway 51, 7 miles
from Levelland. Sheriff Chas. Bul-
lock who investigated the accident,
said that the car seemed to have
turned over as many as five
times before finally coming to rest
on its wheels some 100 feet from
Move
Dove
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest T.
have moved here from
Creek, Colorado. He is in
watch repair business at McCall-
Parsons.
J. V. Davis, who succeeds Ernest
E. West as minister of the Austin
Street Church of Christ, has as-
sumed his new duties with the
w local congregation. He preached
his initial sermon here last Sun-
day evening.
The Davis family, composed of
Mr. and Mrs. Davis and their four
children, Lillian, 8, Kent, 5, Lynn,
4, and Mike, 7 months, moved
here late last week and are now
at home in the minister’s home,
adjacent to the church building.
— Davis has been pastor of the
w Southside Church of Christ in
Midland for over two years and in
1945 and 1946, was minister of a
Brownfield church. In coming to
Levelland, the Davises are return-
ing to familiar territory as both
were reared at Morton and spent
most of their lives on the South
Plains.
ville and other parts of the county,
it was said.
First man to sign the petition
was W. E. Fry, long-time land-
owner and farmer who lives about
seven or eight miles southeast of
Levelland. After reading the docu-
ment carefully, Mr. Fry signed, re-
marking “Hockley county certain-
ly needs some parks and I’m in
favor of this move.”
Four Parks Planned
The present plans call for es-
tablishment of four parks and the
petition requests the election be
called to “determine whether or
not the bonds of Hockley county,
Texas, shall be issued in the
amount of $325,000, bearing inter-
est at a rate of not exceeding four
per centum (4%) per annum from
their date and maturing at such
time or times and in such amounts,
as may be deemed most expedient
by the Commissioners Court of
Hockley county, Texas, serially
not later than 15 years from their
date for the purpose of purchas-
ing and improving lands for park
purposes in Hockley county, Tex-
as; and whether or not ad valorem
taxes shall be levied annually up-
on all taxable proprety within said
county at a rate sufficient in
amount, within the limitations
prescribed by law, to pay the an-
nual interest on said bonds and to
provide a sinking fund to pay the
principal thereof at maturity.”
The petition goes on to say that
proceeds from the sale of the
bonds will be used to establish a
unified county-wide park system
to be allocated as follows: $154,-
500 for the Levelland branch to
be in the city’s vicinity and out
of this allocation, $10,000 shall be
used to provide caretakers living
quarters, tool sheds and other im-
provements necessary to maintain
all parks; $72,500 for the Sundown
branch and $49,000 each for parks
to be located at Anton and Ropes-
ville.
As originally planned, proposed
bonds would be retired by a 10
cen tax on each $100 taxable valu-
ation in the county and at the
same time vote 5 cent tax on each
$100 taxable valuation to main-
tain such a system.
As previously reported, a tax
reallocation election may have to
be called at the same time in order
to make the county’s tax structure
conform to the proposed changes.
With all legal difficulties and
obstacles cleared, as far as is
known, backers of the proposed
Hockley County Park System are
going ahead this week with plans
■for an election on the proposed
$325,000 bond issue.
Ten petitions are being circu-
lated in Levelland, Sundown, An-
ton, Ropesville and other parts of
the county and over 100 signatures
have already been obtained by
Wednesday morning, according to
W. J. O’Connor, chairman of the
Jaycee park committee. The peti-
tions were presented at the Mon-
day luncheon of the Levelland
Jaycees. Only 50 legally qualified
property-owning taxpayers are
required to sign, it was said.
Present plans are for the Jay-
cees to present the petitions to
County Judge LaVern I. McCann
and members of the Commission-
ers Court at their regular meeting
next Monday, and request an elec-
tion order.
Members of the Levelland Jun-
ior Chamber of Commerce discus-
sed largely the attending of the
regional convention in Lubbock
this Saturday and Sunday, at
Monday noon meeting of the
ganization.
Ike Johnson reported on
Muleshoe meeting last week; Doyle
Ranson, Lamesa; Jim St. Clair,
Plainview; and Lois H. Vestal,
Lubbock.
Bumper cards urging citizens to
“pay their poll tax” were distri-
buted by John R. Potts, chairman
of the committee.
President St. Clair appointed
Truett Rattan, as chairman with
Doyle Ranson and Potts on a spec-
ial sports committee to entertain
Lamesa Jaycees when they attend
the Lamesa-Levelland game here
Sept.
Jaycees Report
On Meets; Study
Future Plans
The James Oliver McDonald
Veterans of Foreign Wars post has
lost their wheel chair, which is
used for emergency use in Lev-
elland and Hockley county, ac-
cording to Chas. Micheal, ar., pub-
licity director.
He is urging the person who has
the chair to return it to the Mason
and Company Furniture company
store.
The chair was loaned to some-
one in this area and the VFW has
lost record of it, Mr. Micheal said.
The organization needs the chair
at onee.
County Park Election
Petitions Circulated
Big Damage Suit Filed As Result
Of Explosion Here On May 3,1948
T raffic Slow, Schools
Close As Blizzard
Blankets Plains Area
In spite of everything else the weather was the main
story of the week as winter tightened its grip on Levelland
and the South Plains, increasing the threat to transporta-
tion and communication as the blizzard went into its third
day Wednesday with a slow rain which was freezing as it
fell.
LEVELLANDER AT WORK ... A skilled craftsman is
shown at work above. Carl Lucodo is a prnter-pressman
at the Weimhold Printing & Office Supply and is shown
here hand-feeding a press and in the background is one
of the plants automatic presses. Lucado, who claims Lub-
bock as his former home, has been here five months. He
attended Texas School for the Deaf in Austin and there
learned the pmter's trade. (Herald-Sun-News Photo)
Article 1165, Chapter 13, Revised
Civil Statutes of Texas, Levelland
has the privilege of adopting the
Home Rule Charter type of gov-
ernment if the citizens so desire.
and the entire South Plains-Pan-
recent
the city at
poll tax re-
Cupid is taking a vaca-
Annual March Of Dimes Campagin
To Get Underway In County Friday
direct
of
in
of
six
G. H. Tubb
officer with
needs
gener-
was
per
1948.
Dan Cupid Laying
Down On The Job?
a
of wet
keeping
between
of the State
have resided
of the City
period of
marriage licenses were
at the office of County
Harold E. Clingan during
ordered on
by the City
orders
Citizens of Levelland will de-
termine next Tuesday, January
18, whether or not they want to
retain the present form of city
government “as is” or change to
the type now permissable because
of its increased population. Quali-
fied voters will ballot that day on
whether to reject or adopt the
Home Rule Charter which was re-
cently drawn up by a group of
citizens, assisted by
torney.
The election was
Nov. 19 of last year
Commission and election
were issued early in December by
Mayor Ray Watson and City Sec-
retary L. E. Mabe.
Because of its rapid increase in
population, far beyond the 5,000
population needed to qualify under
NEW MINISTER . . . J. V.
Davis is the new minister of
the Austin Street Church of
Christ, succeeding Ernest E.
West, who has gone to the
church at Tahoka. A native
of Cochran county, Mr. Da-
vis comes here from the
Southside Church of Christ
in Midland.
(Herald-Sun-News Photo)
BIGGEST NEWS ... of the winter for Hockley county
handle area is the sleet, snow and rain that has fallen over the area since Sunday morning.
The above picture was taken Monday morning, looking west across the courthouse square
and since that time even more sleet and ice has ben added to put a heavy layer all over our
fertile, but very dry topsoil. (Herald-Sun-News Photo)
southern part, with many towns
being isolated and communications
shut off.
In this area the Southwestern
Associated Telephone Co. said the
storm was causing them
local trouble because
cables, but they were
most of their lines open
here and Lubbock.
The Southwestern Public Ser-
vice informed a Herald reporter
early Wednesday morning that
they had two lines down in the oil
field section yesterday, which was
repaired. Two lines were out of
commission in the city Wednesday,
and they were also having trouble
with the high line between Den-
ver City and Carlsbad. They have
ten “trouble-shooters” constantly
on the job and were keeping
things in pretty good shape.
West Texas Gas company folks '
were very optimistic, saying that
an adequate supply of gas was
being supplied and that they were
“blowing and going” with only
some minor adjustments to be
made in homes where the gas was
off temporarily for a short time
Sunday.
The local water company said
that none of their main lines had
been frozen and plenty of water
was reaching the tanks for the
city’s needs.
Schools Open Here
Levelland schools were kept
open during the week, although
buses were not sent out the first
three days of th_ week. All other
schools of the county, including
Sundown, Anton, and Ropes were
period. Coin jars will be placed in
business houses and schools
throughout the county and coin
envelopes are being mailed to
hundreds of individuals.
Girl Scout troop H volunteered
to prepare the envelopes for mail-
ing and worked in the county
building Tuesday afternoon under
the direction of their leader, Mrs.
Clark Pirtle. Another story and
the names of the Scouts is carried
in the society section of The Her-
ald.
“If we are to continue to help
polio patients and be prepared
for epidemics next year, and con-
tinue our research and educational
program the March of Dimes this
January must be the greatest ever
and net at least thirty million dol-
lars in the United States,”
ors of the drive have said.
“The March of Dimes
your support. Contribute
ously.”
Dan
tion!
No
issued
Clerk
the last seven days, according
to the records.
It was the first time in sever-
al months that there were no
marriage licenses issued.
Average for the office
between five and seven
week throughout most of
Glancing backward to the year
1948, we see a black record of 26,-
000 cases of dreaded infantile
paralysis in the United States, the
highest since 1916, and Hockley
county residents are preparing to
stage the annual March of Dimes
campaign for funds to fight polio
in 1949. County Judge LaVern Mc-
Cann, county chairman, is confi-
dent the drive will be a success
with contributions to be taken be-
ginning Friday, Jan. 14 through
Jan. 31.
T. O. Petty is chairman for Lev-
elland; Mrs. Chester Jones, for
Anton, and Mrs. George Ragland,
for Sundown. Due to road condf-
tions, Mr. McCann has not been
able to go to Ropesville to contact
a chairman there, but the arrange-
ments will be made as soon as
possible, he said.
County theatres will operate as
in the past by taking contributions
for the drive during the campaign
The bright side of the picture is the moisture that the
winter’s storm is bringing to the thirsty soil of the South
Plains.
Rain began falling in this section about 4 a- m. Sunday
and continued with a drizzle and mist until in the late
afternoon when the cold front from the Rockies moved in changing
the mist and rain to sleet. It continued throughout the night and sent
the mercury skidding to 15 degrees early Monday morning, the low-
est of the week, and covering the ground with about one-inch of
snow and sleet and the temperature remained below 24 for the day.
On Monday night this section received a second dose of sleet and
snow with a low reading of 19 on Tuesday morning. During Tuesday
night more sleet and rain fell and was continuing intermittently
throughout Wednesday.
From Artie Forehand, county agent, it was learned that a little
more than 2 inches of moisture in snow, sleet and rain, had fallen,
in this section up to early Wednesday morning. This is almost a Jan-
uary record, as the only January to exceed the present was in 1939.
The rainfall during the past three days was considerable above the
total rainfall received here during the first three months of last year,
Mr. Forehand said that was the wettest sleet that he had ever wit-
nessed, that it melted down to almost equal volume of the sleet.
The cold wave enveloped most of the state except the extreme
The charter upon which Level-
landers will ballot Tuesday is
quite lengthy and requires nearly
four standard newspaper pages for
publication. A large number of
circulars and booklets containing
the charter have been printed and
i distributed so that citizens could
I study the proposals in full.
Secretary Mabe said the elec-
tion would be held at'1 the City Hall
with the polls to open at 8 a. m.
and close at 7 p. m.
will be the presiding
L. Sherrod as judge.
Holders of a 1947
ceipt, who have been residents of
Levelland for six months will be
eligible to vote, Mabe said.
“All persons who are legally
qualified voters
Texas, and who
the City Limits
Levelland for a
months next preceding the date of
said election and whose names
appear on the Tax Colector’s rolls
for the year ending January 31,
1948, shall be entitled to vote at
said election,” were the qualifica-
tions set out in the formal election
notice.
Form of the ballot shall be as
follows, according to the election
order:
“OFFICIAL BALLOT”
“FOR THE ADOPTION
OF THE CHARTER”
“AGAINST THE ADOPTION
OF THE CHARTER”
In the opening part of the Char-
ter, Article I, the corporate name
is given as “City of Levelland,”
and Article II establishes the
boundaries of the same and pro-
vides amply for extension of
boundaries and platting of pro-
perty.
Article III outlines general cor-
porate powers and is divided into
28 diferent sections that cover vir-
tually all corporate functions.
Article IV concerns city man-
agement; Article V concerns the
' governing body itself and its var-
ious functions; Article VI deals
with taxation: Article VII provides
for recall elections; Article VIII
for initiative and referendum on
the part of citizens and council.
Article IX is concerned with
bond issues and warrants and Ar-
ticle X sets out regulations con-
cerning qualified voters, jurors,
officers and other matetrs.
Members of the citizens com-
mittee, formally designated as the
Charter Commission, are as fol-
lows: L. L. Cox, Bishop Keeling,
C. M. Phillips, Gene Yeager, John
Potts, C. E. Birdwell, Percy Cole,
Jim Peeler. D. N. Bills, A. A
Sparkman, Howard Vaughan, N.
T. House, Roy Cox, Forrest Weim-
hold, and Vance Sibley. In their
report they recommended its
adoption.
One thing that all the
sleet and snow hasn’t moistened is
the determination of the Hock-
ley county farm agents to keep
their different activities at high
speed.
Artie Forehand, county agent,
said Wednesday morning that the
Dairy Day meeting set last week
for January 14, would hot be can-
celled. Instead he was expecting
the dairymen of the county to be
present at the meet with “bells
on and rearing to go.”
The meeting will begin at 10 a.
m. and will be held in the county
court room.
An interesting program has been
arranged for the day on which will
be discussed such subjects as, Ar-
tificial Breeding, Milk Regulations,
Water for Dairy Cattle, a movie
will also be shown on Artificial
Breeding, and “Dairying as it
Should be Done.”
Speakers slated to appear on
the program are: Amos Bollinger,
Sanitarian of the South Plains
Health Unit; Waren B. Woods, VA
teacher, Levelland; W. Murphey
Byrd, VA teacher, Whitharral; C.
T. McCormick, VA teacher, Ropes-
ville, and assistant county agent,
James A. Foy.
Has Pneumonia
J. B. Reese, tax assesor-collec-said to be closed. School Supt.
tor is ill with pneumonia. This is
the third time he has had the same
ailment this winter, it is reported.
» bctlU LU UC VJUBtTU. QtUUUl UUpi.
is I Marcom said .hat they were not
1 taking any chances of getting
See WEATHER on Page 6
Levelland To Decide Change In
Form City Government Tuesday
Despite Weather
Dairy Show To
Be Held Friday
“The Hockley County Herald
Covers Its Whole Field As
Well As It Could Be Done By
I Two Or More Papers And Ad-
vertisers Pay But One Bill.”
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The Hockley County Herald (Levelland, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 25, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 13, 1949, newspaper, January 13, 1949; Levelland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1219041/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting South Plains College.