Refugio Timely Remarks (Refugio, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 8, 1965 Page: 4 of 8
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Page 4—Refugio Timely Remarks, Thurs., July 8, 1965
Refugio County Became
Oil Area 37 Years Ago
By Nora L. Krisch
Refugio. — During the month
of July, 37 years ago Refugio
County became an important
oil producing area of Texas. |
Since 1928 the production of
oil has been the life of Refugio
County, and because of the
prosperity the community has
been able to develop its facili-
ties : schools, paved roads and
the county hospital.
Drilling took place in all
parts of Refugio County and
many were within the city
limits of the town of Refugio
until June 25, 1930 when a blow-
out occurred on block 20. Three
days later the well caught fire
and burned for several weeks.
The fire could be seen from the
top floors of the Smith-Young
Tower in San Antonio, which is
about 100 airmiles away.
But a few unfortunate inci-
dents can not detract from the
growing development of the
county. From the Houston Gulf
Gas Co. has developed the Uni-
ted Gas System including the
Union Producing Co., the Uni-
ted Gas Pipeline Co. and the
United Gas Corporation.
The Moody - Seagraves Co.
was the forerunner to the Re-
public Natural Gas Corporation,
which was in production from
the 20’s until is was purchased
early in the 1960’s by the Mo-
bil Corporation.
During the opening years of
the 1930’s the area of Refugio
underwent a slump in produc-
tion and in interest. Then in
May of '33, George “Wingie”
Smith, wildcatter and drilling
contractor, discovered oil in the
Greta Field which was located
on the O’Brian Ranch.
The development of the Greta
field and the Greta sand enticed
many new concerns to this
area, Stanlond Oil Co., Pan
American Petroleum Corp., the
Blanco Oil Co., the J & C Drill-
ing Co., the Floboots Co.,
Hewitt-Dougherty, the Atlantic
Refining Co. apd the Humble
Oil and Refining Co.
The Lenoir M. Josey Co. and
many others, which were iden-
tified with the further develop-
ment of the Greta field and oth-
er areas of Refugio County.
In 1934 the Quintana Corpora-
tion drilled the discovery well
on the O’Connor Ranch 15 miles
northeast of Refugio. This field
was one of the most efficiently
worked and became one of the
finest production fields along
the Texas Gulf Coast.
Also on O’Connor property
the company of Nordan and
Morris drilled, just to the south
of Quintana.
Southeast of Woodsboro in
1939 the La Rosa field was de-
veloped; early 40’s saw the de-
velopment of the Bonnie View
field.
There was nothing unusual
about a field worker working a
twelve-hour day, seven days
per week. The early days of de-
velopment required men of in-
dividual resourcefulness and in-
genuity, even in the rough-
necks and the roustabouts. The
men were rugged, and the
times were difficult.
“The development of the gas
industry started mainly in Re-
fugio and nearby counties,
said Clarence Boone, Humble
agent. “The extensive develop-
ment led to the seeking of mar-
kets beyond the local area. The
result is that natural gas is ac-
cepted as a household utility
today.
“Gas pressures and the ac-
companying volume of gas in
Refugio was a fore runner to
the fact that heavier and safer
equipment was a necessity. The
completion of wells and the
manufacturing of safer oil field
equipment today, also resulted
from these early times of Re-
fugio,’’ concluded Boone.
■SOIL CONSERVATION I
DISTRICT NEWS
Mammy-
sow son* on mania
The Board of Supervisors of
the Copano Bay Soil Conserva-
tion District recently reviewed
and approved soil and water
conservation plans for ranches
operated by: Roger Fleming,
Woodsboro; Joe D. McGuill, Re-
fugio; and C. L. Heard, Re-
fugio.
Now is the time for coopera-
tors of the Copano Bay SCD to
make plans on how to use their
crop residues to the best ad-
vantage.
Crop residues will furnish an
abundance of organic material
that is needed by the heavy
clay soils found in the district.
These residues when left on
or near the surface will con-
sume moisture, increase water
intake, reduce soil lossess and
improve the tilth of the soil.
Vice President
Will Preside
At Rotary Meet
Refugio.—Eugene Davis, vice-
president of the Rotary dub of
Refugio, will preside at the first
meeting of the 1965-66 year of
the organization Monday, July
12. Due to the observance of
Monday, July 5, as a holiday,
there was no meeting of the
(Club.
President Tom Pearson is ab-
sent from the city on vacation
to his home in New Mexico.
Paul Schlabach is in charge of
the program for Monday’s meet-
ing.
Secretary E. G. Sparks re-
ported the club’s attendance
for the month of June as 89.51
per cent.
(Continued from Page 1)
ancient pick-up trucks fitted
out with wooden roofs and
benches. They often bear mot-
tos “God Never Sleeps”, “No
Condition is Permanent”, “Let
Me Try Again”, and “Amen”.
Believe me a ride on one is
an unforgettable experience
Let me quote from the June
11th “Time Magazine”:
“In all of West Africa there
is no more frightening sight
than a herd of wide-open man-
ny wagons, stuffed to the raft-
ers with merchants, house-
wives, babies, calabashes and
live chickens careening toward
the next town at full stam
pede
Frankly I never enjoyed my
trips on the mannies. But by
riding them, we were able to
establish a raport with the peo-
ple which would otherwise have
been impossible.
Life for the volunteer is not
hard, though it may be. In
fact, the happiest volunteers
are usually those with the most
difficult living conditions. The
object is not discomfort for dis-
comfort’s sake but rather a wil-
lingness to share the life of an-
other people; to accept sacri-
fice when sacrifice is necessary
and to show that we have not
become lost among automo-
biles, color TV, and tranquili-
zers; that material privileges
have not become the central
and indispensable ingredient in
an American’s life.
WAWA
We all experienced boredom,
loneliness and disappointment
At times I felt a sense of frus-
tration in dealing with ineffic-
iency day in and day out. No
doubt it came from the inevit-
able difference in cultural re
sponse to the same problem or
problems. The Birtish termed
it WaWa . . . West African Wins
Again. It may include going to
the bank with five minutes busi-
ness and having it take four to
five times longer, faulty tele-(
phones, seemingly endless waits
for supplies to do your job or
customs officials forgetting to
show up when trying to catch
an international flight.
In the end, I became a more
patient man.
BENEFIT FOR US
The final verdict on concrete
achievement is awaited. We
have succeeded in fulfilling
three objectives as defined in
the Peace Coi'ps Act.
1. To meet the needs for
trained man power. American
geologists and teachers have
impressed Africans with their
“can-do” attitude. Ghanaians
commented on how we worked.
By doing a job well we have
helped destroy the myth of the
inferority of American educa-
tion.
2. We certainly have had an
opportunity to learn about oth-
er societies.
3 To represent America in
the best sense. We were an ef-
fective counter to anti-Ameri-
can propoganda. Our efforts are
appreciated. Let me quote from
a November 1964 letter from a
Ghanaian friend who at the
time was studying overseas:
“Very soon your mission as
an apostle of the American gov-
ernment will be over. The suc-
cess of your and your fellow
American volunteers cannot be
measured and assessed until
after many years. It is too bad
you may not see the results of
your sacrifice; but in what-
ever way, I am sure that the
average Ghanaian appreciates
these sacrifices — some of
them demanding. In what ever
spirit you leave Ghana, we
shall always remember you
(Peace Corps) as a happy band
of warriors.”
PERSONAL SATISFACTION
I do not regret the past two
years. It was an experience I
will never forget. I had the
chance to be part of an orga-
nization that is winning good
will for America, to travel (Vic-
Points and
Pointers on Homemaking
A GOOD FIRST STEP to a
successful party is to make
a series of lists: guests you
want to invite, addresses
you have to check, favors
e$::- or decorations you have to
I • buy, the kind and amount
1. ‘ of food and beverages you’ll
^ \ need, a list of new party
*** games to try.
i \ •:
It’S a GOOD IDEA to check
on food supplies consistently,
not just at party time. A kit-
chen pad and pencils will re-
mind you to jot down items
with which you are well
stocked as well as those you
need. Become a comparison
shopper by taking notes on
advertised food specials, and
by comparing prices
local markets.
Keep the youngsters busy
while you’re preparing din-
ner by designating this as
homework time. Give them
a quiet, comfortable, well-
lighted area, enough writing
supplies and an APSCO Vacu
Base pencil sharpener which
is easy to operate, attaches
anywhere with a flip of a
finger, without screws. It
'detaches just as easily and
can be stored away after use.
K
toria Falls and the game parks
of East Africa being two high-
lights) and to taste another cul-
ture. Who is to say one culture
is better than another. It speaks
well of one which allows you
to walk the streets of the large
cities at anytime of the day or
night and not be afraid of being
set-upon by thugs.
I saw that people are pretty
much the same no matter
where you are. They are good,
bad, and indifferent. Some you
liked, others you disliked.
Ladies and gentlemen, I want
to thank you for supporting a
program that has enabled so
many of us to expand the hu-
man spirit.
Hospital
Report
Refugio. — Patients listed in
the Refugio County Hospital
Wednesday morning, July 7,
1965, as reported by the hospital
office are:
From Refugio:
Martha Skeen, James B. Gill,
Edna Turman, Marguerita
Hausman, Elton D. Coward,
Willie Doughty, Ella Mae
Smith, James Green, Wanda
Broussard, Bobby Fogle, Ed-
ward Tucker, Daniel E. Garza,
Jr., Mary Murphy, Patricia
Fuller, Lena Tucker, Mae
House, Joseph Muguerza, An-
tonio Valenzuela, Michael
O’Donnell, Beatrice Krause,
Narcissa Guerra, Sue C. Green-
wade, Julia De Leon.
From Woodsboro:
Leola Gilmore, Elvira Gomez
Rhoda Jones, Thomas McDon-
nel, Laura Ruth Finch, Myra L.
Payne Henry Schirmer, Robert
Rhodes, Mae Smith, Dorothy
Moya.
From Elsewhere:
Johnnie Barefield, Port La-
vaca; Donald Smith, Port La-
vaca; Lydia J. Bundren, Agua
Dulce; Estefana Gonzales, Ti-
voli; Isabel Rodriguez, Aust-
well;; Betty J. Whitmire, Port
Lavaca; Thomas Duncan, Ti-
voli; Alonzo Valenzuela, Aust-
well; Thomas Camacho, Jr.,
Austwell; Angelita Bernal,
Austwell; Mario Garcia, Aust-
well.
Births:
Mr. and Mrs. Bill C. Green-
wade of Refugio are the par-
ents of a boy bom Sunday, July
4, 1965.
People .
and Places
Mrs. Donald McDonald and
children, Don and Jon of Irving
are spending two weeks with
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.
L. Moss.
Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Jecker re-
turned last week from a trip to
Palo Alto, California where they
attended the wedding of their
son, Jarrell.
Mrs. Carter Snooks attended
the funeral of her cousin, Ar-
thur Shell, in San Antonio Tues-
day morning.
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Gilliam
and Mr. and Mrs. J. U. Gilliam ]
attended the Gilliam family re-
union in Granberry over the
July 4 holidays. The J. U. Gil-
liams were joined in Austin by
their daughter and son-in-law
the Arlie Hubbards.
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Eckel and
Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Turner
and children spent the week |
end at a river camp at Con
Can near Garner State Park.
Mrs. Jack Shurley of San An-
tonio arrived in Refugio Wed-
nesday to visit her son and
daughter-in-law Mr. and Mrs.
Roger Shurley. She plans to
stay, about a week.
“Born in the purple”, mean-
ing royal birth, is derived from
the fact that the room in the
Roman imperial palace where
the empress was confined was
lined with purple imperial por-|
phyry.
* TOO
EMBARRASSING!
How the Savings Bonds
you buy help our State grow
—a message from our Governor
Chances are you live a little better because of the U. S.
Savings Bonds program—because so many people in
our State buy Bonds and eventually redeem them to
buy things for which they have saved.
During the last 24 years, many billions of dollars
have flowed back into the economy of the State and
the Nation in this way.
These dollars have benefited our merchants, manu-
facturers and builders. And in so doing have created
jobs and improved earnings for countless workers—in
our cities and farming communities alike.
The people of our State and America today hold a
record total of over $48 billion in Series E and H Bonds
. . . money that will someday be spent in worthwhile
ways to help us grow further.
I urge every one of you to help your future and the
future of our State by investing regularly in U. S.
Savings Bonds.
John Connally
Goveimor of Texas
Koonce Reunion
in Refugio
Refugio.—The annual Koonce
Reunion was held July 4 and 5
in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
V. L. Koonce in Refugio.
Attending were Mr. and Mrs.
Temple Koonce of Hungerford;
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Koonce,
Tern, Phillip and J. Boone
Koonce of Wharton; Mr. and
Mrs. Boyd Dearman, Roy and
Derelene of Portland; Mrs. W.
J. Dearman, Mrs. Gladys Rob-
bins, and Mr. and Mrs. Hank
Markert of Goliad; Mr. and
Mrs. Waymon Koonce, Terry
and Rodney of Corpus Christi;
Miss Carol Head of Riveria,
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McDon-
ald, Don and Jon of Irving; Mr.
and Mrs. G. W. Moss, Mr. and
Mrs. J. L. Koonce, Mr. and
Mrs. R. L. Moss and Johnny
and Larry Koonce and Mr. and
Mrs. W. L. Koonce of Refugio.
Series E Bonds come in 8 different sizes
Modesty is praiseworthy in its
place, but not when it means
risking your life. Don’t let
undue modesty keep you from
a health checkup every year.
Today, 46 per cent of women
with breast cancer are being
saved. But with early diag-
nosis and prompt treatment,
this number could be almost
doubled!
An annual health checkup
Is your best protection
against cancer. Make it a
habit... for life!
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Buy U.S. Savings Bonds
STAR-SPANGLED SAVINGS PLAN
FOR ALL AMERICANS
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Refugio Timely Remarks (Refugio, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 42, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 8, 1965, newspaper, July 8, 1965; Refugio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth620504/m1/4/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dennis M. O’Connor Public Library.