The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 14, 1958 Page: 1 of 10
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SINGLE COPY
PRICE
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SINGLE COPY
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VOLUME NO. XLVI — NO. 33
Mercedes, Texas, Thursday, August 14, 1958
PRICE 101 PER COPY
$3.00 Per Year In The Valley
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Plans Announced for 100-Unit Motel
Now & Then
By Ed J. Spin
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Editor Edwin Harvey warned
^you last' week that you would have
a substitute (I don’t like that word
since the breakfast cereal people
began adverising “Accept no sub-
stitute),” writing this column this
week.
Well, it seems as if his warn-
ing was all unnecessary. The sub-
stitute has been “under the wea-
ther” all week and all he could do
without using the Valley’s quota
of vitamins was to make two or
three trips daily between San Juan
and Mercedes and gather spot
news for Ed’s enterprising Enter-
prise. The result: All the bright
ideas for Now and Then Went over
the sideboards or the endgate.
Even if the substitute editor had
been feeling right up to snuff
* I doubt whether he could have de-
livered “The Spillway,” to Mer-
cedes readers. That’s over his own
column in the San Juan. Sentinel.
Moving a thing like The Spillway
down the highway is a collosal
undertaking that requires the best
of engineers.
Next week, you will have Ed
back in harness. \He is due to tell
the never-to-be-forgotten story of
to coerce him in accepting a full
page ad in the Enterprise, and
how he turned the tables de-
manding a double truck.
-o--—
Grammar School
Pupils Begin
Studies Aug. 29
LOSE ONE GAME PLAYOFF—Here are the New York Yankees who made a fine showing during
the first part of the season but lost to the Cleveland Indians in the finals. Front row, left to
right: John Ruelos, Ronnie McClendon, Raul Galvan, Bennie Crenshaw, Puentes. Middle row:
Tommie Yanez, Ernesto Uresti, Gilbert Anzaldua, Charlie Hinojosa. Back row: Jack Trussell,
manager; Jim Trussell, Bobbie Adams, Jimmie Swain, Mike Ewing, Mark Clifford, assistant
manager. _ _'
Grammar school pupil's in Mer-
cedes will report for classes at
their respective schools Friday,
Aug. 29, at 9 a.m., according to
local school officials.
Students should present book
cards and report cards at the time
of registration.
High school registration will be-
* gin on Monday Aug. 18, with sen-
iors reporting on Monday, Aug.
> 18; juniors on Tuesday, Aug. 19;
sophomores on Wednesday, Aug.
20, and freshmen on Thursday,
Aug. 21. Students are requested to
report for registration in order of
the first letter of their last name
as follows: A and B at 8 a.m.;
C through E at 9 a.m.; F through
G at 10 a,m.; H. through M at 11
a.m. N through S at 1 p.m. and
T through Z at 2 p.m.
Each student is asked to re-
port first to the principal’s office
to receive a statement of credits
completed.
Eighth grade Students will re-
gister on Monday and Tuesday,
~ August 18 and 19. Seventh grade
students will register on Tuesday
* and Wednesday, Aug. 19 and 20.
Eighth grade students are ask-
ed to report alphabetically as fol-
lows: A and B at 8 a.m. Monday;
C through E at 10 a.m. Monday;
F through G, 1 p.m. Monday; H
through M at 3 p.m. Monday; N
through S at 8 a.m. Tuesday and
T through Z, 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Seventh graders will report as
follows: A through B, at 8 a.m.
Monday; C through E at 3 p.m.
Tuesday; F through G at 8 a.m.
Wednesday; H through M at 10
a.m. Wednesday; N through S at
1 p.m. Wednesday and T through
Z at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Wetbacks Drop
500 in Year
Illegal crossings of Mexican cit-
izens into the United States has
dropped from 8,300 to 7,688 in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley during
the past year, according to figures
released this week by the Border
Patrol.
In 1953 330,000 wetbacks were
picked up, and in 1954, 291,000. The
number has been decreasing
steadily ever since the United
States and Mexico began “Opera-
tion Wetback” to clear this coun-
try of illegal Mexican aliens.
J A total of 52,000 braceros has
been contracted to work in Texas
and a few other states since Jan
1. Some 32,000 have been contract-
ed since June 8 for the Lower
Rio Grande Valley cotton harvest
alone
TIGER TICKETS
TO GO OK SALE
FRIDAY, AUG. IS
Reserved seat tickets for Mer-
cedes Tigers home football games
will go on sale a1 8 a.m. Friday,
Aug. 15.
The season tickets will be $6.25
and will entitle the holder to see
the Sept. 5 game with Rio Hondo;
the Sept. 26 game with Weslaco;
the Oct. 10 game with Donna; the
Get. 24 game with Los Fresnos,
and the Nov. 14 game with Ed-
couch-Elsa.
The tickets are available at the
high school central office. It is
open from 8 a.m.. until 5 p.m.
—-o--
15 Workers Hurt
in Road Collision
Fifteen workers were injured
about a mile north of San Juan
last Friday when a car and a
truck collided. Eleven of the lab
orers were taken to the San Juan
Hospital but later were released.
The four held in the hospital range
in age from 'seven to 17 years.
QUARTERBACK CHANGES
The Annual Quarterback Bar-B-
Que has been changed from Au-
gust 28th to September 2nd.
Suggestion lor Shrub Removal
On Illinois Bivd. Draws Fire
Of At Least One Property Owner
Mercedes city commissioners
okayed the budget of operations
for the city and for the water and
sewer departments at a regular
session of the commission held
Monday at the city hall.
The budget, a balanced one, al-
located $121,190 for the general
fund, and $120,557 for the water
and sewer department.
A public hearing had been held
Aug. 1 on the budget. Some ad-
justments had been made in the
budget as originally presented, be-
fore it was passed finally. The
changes included the restoration
of the development and library
funds, and reduction of estimated
expenses in the street department
and the health and garbage de-
partment.
The budget was based on a $1.-
60 tax rate. The rate, however,
was not passed upon or discussed
at the meeting.
Miss Opal Jo Davidson requested
information from the commission
on a suggestion for removal of
shrubs from an esplanade on Illi-
nois Blvd. The proposal, mention-
ed by Publisher Edwin Harvey of
the Mercedes Enterprise in his
“Now and Then” Column last
week advocated removal of the
shrubs as a traffic hazard.
THE WINNERS—Here are the champions of the American League—the Cleveland Indians. Front
row, left to right: Mike Ayala, Thomas Montgomery, Steve Harbour, Robert Scanlan, Manuel
de la Torre." Back row, “Doodle” Mitchell, coach; John Hensley, Samuel Montgomery, Ricky
Lea veil, Sherwood Lucas, Polo Flores, Bryan Schwarz and Bob Harbour, coach.
Miss Davidson questioned com-
missioners as to the status of the
proposal, and as to how much the
project, if undertaken, would cost
property owners involved. She in-
dicated property owners in the
area would be opposed to the re-
moval of the shrubs.
Miss Davidson told commission-
ers that the shrubbery in the es-
planade had been helpful in that
the reduced visability had made
the area no longer attractive as
a “racetrack.”
Mayor C. A. R i p 1 e y assured
Miss Davidson that the City of
Mercedes would not “arbitrarily
remove” the shrubbery and that
the city would do “what the people
on Illinois want done.” He also
promised to give property owners
in the area some notice if the mat-
ter comes up for action.
Most of the commissioners ap-
parently were in favor of leaving
the shrubbery, but in keeping it
under control for the best possible
visiability. Commissioner Salvador
M. Hinojosa asked about the ad-
visability of removing the esplan-
ade entirely, but no motion for
action was presented.
Commissioners also checked
over the monthly financial state-
ment of the city.
RAINBOW GIRLS
HOLD SLUMBER
PARTY
Last Friday night the Mercedes
Rainbow Girls had a dance and
slumber party. The dance was
held at the home of Lynn Barry.
Dancing and refreshments were
enjoyed around the carport. Later
on in the evening the girls trailed
on over to the Marchant’s home to
hold the slumber party. During
the next morning only a few girls
got some shut-eye Eating and
playing with the ouigee board kept
the girls’ attention most of the
night. Those present were: Char-
lotte and Valisue Barnes, Lynn
Barry, Pris Erie, Mary Alice
George, Linda Kay Jones, Eileen,
Erni and Liz Marchant. Tootie Ol-
son, a guest, Ann Wilson from Ker-
mit, Betsy Schaefer from Weslaco,
Karen Shannon from La Feria,
Gladys Rae Traylor,
Dedication Set
Date for dedication ceremonies
for the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture horticulture laboratory has
been set for Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m.
Known officially as the USDA
Fruit, Vegetable, Soil and Water
Laboratory, the installation is un-
der construction near the Texas
A. and M. Experiment Station be-
tween Weslaco and Mercedes.
TENNIS CHAMPIONS—Dub Lauder was the winner in the finals
in the Men’s Tennis tournament, and Dennis Clifford was the
runner up. The contests were played on the High School courts
in South Mercedes. The scores Were 6-3, 6-2 and 6-4. Pre-
viously Lauder defeated Kermit Natho, Jr., and Clifford bested
Robert Johnson.
$110,000 Will Put $1,500,000
Mid-Valley Hospital Over Top
$110,000 — that’s what is need-
ed to assure the million-and-a-half
dollar Mid-Valley Hospital. The
total raised in the area now stands
at $640,000.
“The next few weeks are crucial
ones in our hospital development
program,” reports Barry Trask,
general gifts chairman, now co-
ordinating activities aimed at com-
pleting the $750,000 area goal by
September.
Matching Federal funds of $750,-
000 were approved in June by the
State Health Department Board,
provided the people of the area
raised a like amount by the Sep-
tember meeting of the Board.
If the goal is not reached, the
area stands to lose these funds for
1958-59; and there is no assurance
that such funds Would be available
another year.
Intensive work is already under
way jn Donna, and Alwyn Collier,
co-chairman of the Donna area
with Maurice Bell, reports good
response among Donna area cit-
izens.
Other area activities will be con-
centrated in the last 10 days of
August. The Cooperation of all
Churches to join in “Mid-Valley
Hospital Church Day” is being
sought for Sunday, Aug. 31, the
fifth Sunday of the month.
Mailings which point out the
need for prompt action are plan-
ned to prospective donors in Mid-
Indians With 3 Wins Out of 4
Cop American League Honors
After a slow start at the begin- championship play can be credit-
ning of the season, the Cleveland
Indians came through with three
wjns in four games last week to
become American League cham-
pions of the Mercedes Little Lea-
gue.
Winning only four games dur-
ing the first half of play, the In-
dians came out with a tie for sec-
ond place under the New York
Yankees, who took first place hon-
ors. However, a considerably im-
proved Indian tribe came through
with only two losses in the second
half to finish on top of the League.
A one-game play-off with the
Yankees last Tuesday night saw
the Indians come out on the long
end of the Score for the league
championship. Credit for their
ed to the team as a whole rather
than individual stars. However; the
bulk of the pitching chores were
divided between Bryan Schwarz
and Sherwood Lucas, backed up
With outstanding defensive play
by Steve Harbour, Rickey Levelle,
and Polo Flores. Harbour, though
only 10-years old, was said to be
the top second- baseman in the en-
Lucas, playing his last year as
tire City League,
a Little Leaguer was one of the
most outstanding pitchers to have
performed during the existance of
Mercedes League. His perform-
ance as All-Star pitcher in the Mc-
Allen Tournament brought inquir-
ies from professional baseball
scouts.
ivity planned is the distribution of
Spanish - English materials
through stores, churches and or-
ganizations, urging the widest pos-
sible participation — no matter
how small the contribution may
be.
GAS TAX REFUNDS
NOW BEING MADE
Farmers should submit claims
for Federal gasoline tax refunds
on the full amount of gasoline used
for farming purposes, according to
County Agent Dutch Karcher. This
tax of three cents per gallon is en-
tirely separate from the state tax
for which local distributors fur-
nish exemption slips.
The main points to keep in mind
Karcher said, are as follows:
1. Refund claims must be only
for gasoline used in producing or
products.
2. Only the amount used between
July 1, 1957, and June 30, 1958,
should be included.
3. Use Form 2240, obtainable
from the county agent’s office for
requesting the refund — only one
claim per farm' operator.
4. Refund claims must be Sub-
mitted on or before Sept. 30, 1958.
internal Revenue Service, Austin.
24 Names Go
On Slate for
C. of C. Board
Names of 24 persons will be
placed in nomination for eight
directors posts for the Mercedes
Chamber of Commerce, at a re-
gular meeting of the chamber
scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14,
at 7:30 p.m. at the chamber of
fiee.
The eight directors will be for
two year terms.
The slate will be submitted by
the nominating committee of the
chamber.
If the slate is accepted by the
directors, then members of the
Mercedes Chamber of Commer-
ce will be polled by mail. The
eight men receiving the highest
number of votes will be named
to the posts.
Brig. Gen. Compton
Transferred to Omaha
Brig. Gen. Keith Compton, son
of Mrs. Karl Compton of Merce-
des, has been transferred to Oma-
ha, Neb., where he will be deputy
director of operations of the stra-
tegic air command base.. For the
past year, he and his family have
been in Africa.
Tegwin Ann the couples oldest
child born in Puerto Rico, attend-
ed a convent in Paris while her
parents were in Afrca. There are
two other girls and a boy also.
-o—-
Mercedes Woman
Attends Session
Mrs. Bill May of Mercedes will
be one of three delegates repre-
senting Hidalgo County at the an-
nual meeting of the Texas Home
Demonstration Association to be
held in Austin starting Wednesday
and continuing through Friday.
Other delegates from Hidalgo
County are Mrs. W. A. Henrich-
sen of Edinburg and Mrs. Tommy
Thompkins of Alamo.
40-Acre Tract
West of City
hosen as Site
Although local capital will be
obtained for the new 100-unit tou-
rist court facilities being planned
no local fund drive is being con-
templated, according to C. P M.el
ton, Mercedes dairyman who an-
nounced plans for the project this
week.
This will be an “invitation only”1
proposition, according to Melton.
The development will be on a
40-acre tract fronting U. S. High-
way 83 and Mile Three, between
Weslaco and Mercedes. The motel
will face the Experiment Station,
Melton said.
Included in the plans are the-
100-unit tourist court, a conven-
tion hall designed to handle 1,000'
persons, with patio accomodations
and snack bar.
Melton said Mrs. Margaret
Trott, owner of Flowerland Nur-
sery, will cooperate in the develop-
ment by enlarging her flowdr and
shrub production, M. M. Ishmael
of Flowerland will do the land-
scaping for the project.
The motel will be affiliated with
the Best Western Motel group, a
western chain, and as such, will
conform to the high standards of
the organization, according to
Melton..
Melton added that the details of
the project are in the process of
being worked out now,
and that definite announcements
will be forthcoming shortly. Con-
struction will begin in September-
and plans call for opening the mo-
tor hotel in February, be said.
-o-
Equalization
Board Hears !
Local Utilities J
i-i . . ' . ... • • ; - - ;
The board of education of the,
Mercedes Independent School
District, sitting as a board of equ-
alization Monday afternoon heard
Mercedes utilities protest the as-
sessed valuation placed . on their
properties. ,
Th session was the last of sev-
eral at which the board heard pro-
perty owners.
The trustees met Wednesday af-
ternoon at which time the tenta-
tive budget for $569,378 was adopt-
ed. This represens a decrease of
$10,000 as compared with the 1957-
59 budget.
Tax collections are expected to
be about the same as last year.
George P. Carnes, business man-
ager for the schools, said the tax
rate had been informally discuss-
ed by the trustees and would be
announced following the adoption
of the budget.
---o-.- "
5. Keep proper records for veri-
Valley communities. Another act- fying the refund claim submitted.
RHADY FOR EMERGENCY—The Civil Defense Field Emergency
Hospital, one of two units assigned to the Valley, has been
set up. The unit is equipped to handle 200 emergency cases.
It is surplus from the Armed Services. Pictured above are
Mayor C. A. Ripley, Dr. Marion R. Lawler and Charles Green-
wood (left to right).
Ginnings Pass
1957 Figure By
9870 Bales
Valley cotton ginnings climbed
steadily during the past week and
passed the 1958 total for this time
of the year.
Total ginnings this year stood
at 246,099 bales, according to the
weekly survey conducted by the
Valley Farm Bureau. County totals
for the season are as follows:
Cameron 102,599; Hidalgo 82,052;
Willacy 60,390; and Starr 1058.
Hidalgo lead last week in total
ginnings with 30,398 bales.1 Cam-
eron County ginned 29,469 bales;
Willacy 17,941, and Starr 286.
Last year at this time Cameron-
had ginned 87,728 bales; Hidalgo
97,155; Willacy 50,607, and Starr
1,739. The total for the Valley was
237,229.
-o---
Valley Temperature
Aug. 6
High
97
Low
73
Aug. 7
98
69
Aug. 8
97
73
Aug. 9
97
73
Aug. 10
95
75
Aug. U
97
77
Aug. 12
97
78
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 14, 1958, newspaper, August 14, 1958; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth724014/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.