The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 26, 1963 Page: 1 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.
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5>6 3RD SI.
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—Enterprise Staff Photo
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT for El Nacional, leading
Mexico City daily newspaper, visits The Mercedes Enter-
prise to see the modern offset printing methods used.
Left to right are the Publisher, J. Edwin Harvey, Luis
Oriate Moreno, the reporter, and Mrs. I. L. Tyack of
La Feria, who helped show Sr. Moreno around the Valley.
She lived in Mexico City several years. Sr. Moreno took
back a collection of photographs provided by The Enterprise
for publicizing the Valley and the swim meet just con-
cluded here. He was sent here along with the Mexico
City Country Club swim team to report on the meet and
the team's activities.
Now & Then
By EDWIN HAH VET
One of the most enjoy-
able events in Mercedes in
recent time was the Inter-
national Swimming meet and
the accompanying reception
for visiting sponsors.
This writer and the Mrs.
were privileged to attend a
reception in honor of the
delegation from Mexico City
at the Civic Center Satur-
day night.
Through the hard work
and planning of a few
local women, assisted by
some of the group from Cor-
pus Christi and the Upper
Valley, the event was con-
sidered a real success.
Spearheaded by Mrs. E. E.
M archant, a group of women
made the arrangements, took
care of the refreshment table
and prepared the food. Civic-
minded business and profes-
sional men helped finance
refreshments.
Then, they donned their
dubs and turned out to
welcome the visitors.
This is the first time in
many years Mercedes has
had the pleasure of play-
ing host to such a distin-
guished group from our
sister republic south of the
border. In fact, in the 10
years this writer has lived
in Mercedes, we know of
no event which brought more
Mercedes unless it might
be the Rio Grande Valley
Livestock Show which re-
cently has attracted Mexican
ranchers and cattlemen.
For such a small invest-
ment, Mercedes has created
a good impression which will
be carried back to the Mexi-
can Capital.
The swim meet was con-
sidered of such importance
that ElNacional, Mexico City
daily newspaper, assigned a
special correspondent to
travel with the swim delega-
tion and he remained here
to cover the entire meet.
He went back with high praise
for the hospitality of Mer-
cedes and the Valley. He
was loaded with photographs
and material on the meet
and this area provided at
his own request for review
by his editors.
Mercedes indeed is for-
tunate to have been host to
this meet, and for having
such foresighted planners
who arranged the reception,
* * * *
The Mercedes city com-
mission Monday night un-
animously passed a resolu-
(See NOW & THEN, page 5)
CORONATION
OF KC QUEEN
SET SUNDAY
District Judge Fidencia
Guerra of Edinburg will
crown the queen at the first
annual Knights of Columbus
Coronation Ball at the new
Armory at 8 p.m. Sunday.
The Ball will be a climax
to the recent Fiesta Patrias
celebration.
The queen, Julie Delgad-
illo, and her court will reign
at the big celebration. Music
will be furnished by Oscar
Guerra and his orchestra.
Tickets for the event are
available at Salinas Food
Store, Mercedes Drug,
Queen City Pharmacy, Roy’s
Sinclair, Bazar’s Phillips 66
and from any K. of C. mem-
ber.
Rotary Officer
To Visit Here
Dr. T. Lawrence White,
of Edinburg, governor of dis-
trict 593 of Rotary Inter-
national, world-wide ser-
vice organization, arrives
here Tuesday, Oct. 1 to visit
the local Rotary club, one
of the thirty-six clubs in his
district. In addition to ad-
dressing Mercedes Rotar-
ians at their meeting, he
will confer with Mr. Glenn
F. Jones, president of Ro-
tary Club of Mercedes, and
other club officers on Ro-
tary administrative matters
and service activities.
Dr. White is Dean, School
of Arts and Sciences, Pan
American College in Edin-
burg and is a member and
past president of the Rotary
Club of Edinburg. He was
elected a district governor
for 1963-64 at Rotary’s 54th
annual convention in St.
Louis, Missouri, last June.
He Is one of 272 district
governors responsible for
supervising the activities of
more than 11,5000 Rotary
clubs with a total member-
ship of 535,500 Rotarlans
in 129 countries around the
globe.
"The visit of the gov-
ernor,” the president of the
local club said, “is a time
for examining the effective-
ness of what we are doing
to achieve Rotary goals in
community Improvement, in
youth work, in raising the
standards of our businesses
and professions.*
H ____
Enterprise Staff Photo
CHAMPION SWIMMERS with the Mexico City Country
Club Team participating in the meet here last week-
end are included in this group. Left to right, front row,
are Ernesto Espinosa, Clemineina Sitges, Jose Joaquin
Santibanez, Maria Teresa Ramirez and the coach, Ruben
Coronado. Back row, Mario Santibanez, Vivian Ortiz,
Liliana Canabal, Lydia Ramirez, M. Santibanez, V. Ortfz
and M. Ramirez have won high awards at international
meets. M. Santibanez took first place in all six divisions
entered.
Tigers Begin 16AAA District Play
Against Mission Eagles Friday
The Mercedes Tigers
meet their first 1963 16
AAA competion Friday night
when they travel to Mission
to battle the Eagles.
Although the Eagles have
recorded two losses this
season, they rested last week
while watching the Tigers
lose to Brownsville. With
two losses and last Friday
open some eager Eagles are
likely to take the field Fri-
day night. Mission, rated
among the top in a nine-
team district, lost 18-14 to
Edcouch-Elsa, and took a
sound beating from the Don-
na Redskins in their season
opener. The Tigers have
played only one—a loss last
week to Brownsville 28-0,
Class AAAA title con-
tenders.
Brownsville scored mid-
way first quarter on a pass
from quarterback Eddie
Vaughn to Steve Mullen—al-
ready being tabbed for All-
State end honors. In the sec-
ond quarter, Art Galvan
plunged over from the 2 yard
line after a 45 yard punt
return. Mercedes held them
scoreless in the third period,
but midway through the
fourth the potent Eagles of-
fense—in the air and on the
ground—came through for
two more scores. Eddie Gon-
zalez carried 33 yards for
one and Scott Etchison scor-
ed from 18 yards out. David
Solis kicked two extra points,
and Vaughan passed to Gon-
zales for a two-pointer. Both
the Tiger defense and the of-
fense showed potential; Mer-
cedes’ aggressive defense
repeatedly stymied the Eagle
on slaught, but lack of ex-
perience spelled the differ-
ence on the crucial scoring
plays and the punt returns.
Offensively the Tigers
should improve each week.
Currently, converted half-
back Jesse Villarreal calls
the signals, as letterman
Darius Herold gets a post-
operative knee back in shape.
Diminutive J. R. Hinojosa
also saw action last week
at the quarterback slot.
Coach Hild reports no in-
juries at press time—James
Pemelton, Charlie Hinojosa,
and Steve Hager, who were
ill last week, are able to
go full-speed this week.
Hager was not able to play
last Friday.
The District 16AAA looks
like a hard-fought one right
down to the finish—no team,
even at this early date has
a perfect record.
DISTRICT 16AAA Standings
Pharr-San
W
L
T
Juan-Alamo
1
0
1
Falfurrias
Rio Grande
1
1
0
City
1
1
0
Weslaco
1
1
0
San Benito
0
1
1
Mercedes
0
1
0
Raymondville
0
1
0
Mission
0
2
0
Robstown
0
2
0
Kiwanians Plan
To Attend Meet
Several members of the
Mercedes Kiwanls Club have
registered to attend the
annual Texas-Oklahoma dis-
trict convention in Corpus
Christi this weekend.
Among those planning to
attend are President Edwin
Harvey; President - - elect
Roger Jones;vice-president
elect H. D. Wallace and
George Wheeler.
Wheeler, a district support
of churches committee
chairman, will have charge
of the convention's memorial
program Thursday night.
ELSA CRITIC
OF MERCEDES
GETS ANSWERS
The Elsa Housing Au-
thority has been approved for
50 units of low rent housing
using federal funds.
This is a higher number
of units on a population basis
than have been approved for
either their neighbor, Ed-
couch, or a larger city, Don-
na.
$10,000 already has been
approved for preliminary
plans for the project. After
plans are drawn, they are
to be sent to the Public
Housing Office In Fort Worth
and ultimately to Washing-
ton for approval.
The exact cost has not
been determined, but pre-
liminary estimates place the
project total at slightly over
half a million dollars.
This is the type of “fed-
eral handout” or “pork
lover” operation .com-
plained of by an Elsa busi-
ness man, A. M. Potter, in
a recent letter to The Mer-
cedes Enterprise.
He wrote that Mercedes
was “an outlaw town and
that the majority of the think-
ing people in the Valley are
indeed ashamed of your
greediness. I will certainly
tell winter tourists to stay
away from one of the Valley's
most disgraceful cities of
socialism.”
He further instructed The
Enterprise to remove its new
rack from his drug store,
apparently for the reasons
set out above.
If participating in cooper-
ative agreements with the
federal government is a dis-
grace, then there are lots
of disgraceful cities in the
Valley and elsewhere in
Texas. Public laws were en-
acted by elected represent-
atives of the people. Cities
were invited to participate
in any benefits provided by
these laws. Mercedes has
applied for housing for Ur-
ban Renewal, for a sewage
plant. Thus far, Elsa has
applied only for the 50 hous-
ing units and for one-half
of the cost of a police radio
under the National Defense
Act.
The specific act of which
Mr. Potter complained was
acceptance by Mercedes of
a $35,000 grant “for a Lit-
tle League Ball Park.”
Valley dailies led the pub-,
lie to believe just what was
(See ELSA CRITIC, page 5)
The Merce
nterprise
Volume XLVIII — No. 39
Mercedes, Texas. Thursday, September 26, 1963
State Record Set, Mercedes Third At Swim Meet
City Council
Votes On Items
Unanimously
The Mercedes city com-
mission breezed through a
short agenda Monday night
with a rare occurrence —
every item on the agenda
which was passed did so
unanimously.
The group voted to com-
ply with state law to ad-
just pay of firemen upward
$2 per month per year of
service, including back pay
for several years the in-
crease was not provided.
They also agreed to
increase the salary of the
assistant city secretary,
Mrs. Viola Rodriguez,
from $230 to $250 per month.
In other action they pass-
ed a resolution authorizing
the new city secretary,
Aaron Garcia, to sign city
checks. They also voted to
install a 15 mph speed sign
at the three entrances to the
Retama housing project.
In other action, they an-
nounced a special meeting
for 5 p.m. Thursday to con-
sider the Rio Grande Valley
Gas Co. request for a rate
hike. It was explained that
special auditors figures of
the firm’s records would
be available by that time.
Several cities already have
approved the rate hike.
The commission voted to
send Acting Police Chief Er-
nest Onderdonk to a 3-week
RGV Police Academy at
the A & M Experiment Station
from Oct. 14 through Nov.
8 with expenses paid.
City Acty. J. Q. Vollmer
told the commission the as-
signee for O’Shea McQueen
Furniture Co. had not paid
back taxes delinquent for five
years totaling $1,923.84 to
the city and $2,118.37 to the
school. He said everyone
concerned several months
ago had indicated the taxes
would be paid in due time,
but that John W. Bowe, at-
torney for the creditors and
assignee, had written re-
cently that they did not be-
lieve the city had a valid
claim, that the tax rolls
did not itemize the personal
property involved, and that
if the city wished to pursue
the claim, it would be nec-
essary to file suit in court.
The commission instructed
Mr. Vollmer to take what-
ever steps necessary to at-
tempt collection of the city’s
share. The school board is
expected to take similar
action since the school also
has a delimquent tax drive
on and Mr. Vollmer also
is their tax attorney.
The commission unan-
imously adopted a resolution
of appreciation for the Con-
federate Air Force and its
part in bringing national at-
tention to Mercedes and this
area.
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^Enterprise Staff Photo
OFF THEY GO into the water at the international swimming meet held here Saturday
and Sunday. The participants dived into the lanes for the competition almost simul-
taneously at the sound of the gun.
KMMH To Open
Third Wing
The third wing of Knapp
Memorial Methodist Hos-
pital will be opened in the
near future, directors voted
recently.
Steps are being taken to
open the wing. Job applicants
to staff the wing are being
interviewed now.
The wing will house med-
ical patients, with the second
wing being used for obste-
trics and convalescent pa-
tients. More beds will be
available for convalescent
care._
Peewees Win Opener
The Mercedes Pewees
crushed the Weslaco team
in a season opened at Wes-
laco last Saturday morning
22-0.
George Wheeler made one
touchdown and Walter Howe
made two to help run up
the score. Coach Moreno is
the head coach, assisted by
Coaches Estrada and Chase.
Others scoring were David
Howe and Tito Adfms.
Oct. 12, the team will meet
Mission here. *
CAF Won't Move
If Building
Offered Here
Confederate Air Force
leaders have not officially
considered the offer of Ed-
inburg to move to the aux-
iliary Moore Field landing
field near Edinburg.
One rnemoer said that the
idea came from an Edinburg
colonel. However, he also
said several others from
the Edinburg area point out
that to move to either end
of the Valley would defeat
the purpose—and probably
would result in losing a num-
ber of active flyers in the
organization due to distances
involved.
Mercedes is centerally lo-
cated and none has far to
travel to the present base
at Rebel Field.
Another item to be con-
sidered is a considerable in-
crease in operating overhead
if moved to an unused field
such as that proposed by
Edinburg. There are no pi-
lots, no accredited mech-
anic there and a full-time
staff would have to be em-
ployed to protect and main-
tain the planes. At Mercedes,
mechanics already on the
field for the Mercedes Dust-
ing Service are provided on
a cost basis for actual main-
tenance time required, a
considerable saving over a
full-time crew.
While no one would say
Idefinitely, it appears to hinge
on whether a permanent han-
gar can be financed and con-
structed at Rebel Field. If
it can, then the CAF will
| stay at Mercedes. If not,
they will be forced to con-
sider the offer to move to
a field where adequate build-
ings are available to protect
the aircraft.
The following resoultion
was passed by the. Merce-
des City Commission Mon-
day night:
WHEREAS, within the very
center of the Rio Grande
Valley of Texas (mile 2East
and Mile 8 North) akin to
the City of Mercedes, there
was born in the year 1957
a unique organization: The
Confederate Air Force, and,
WHEREAS, composed of
young men from all walks
of life, the Confederate Air
Force grew, flourished and
prospered mildly, uninflu-
enced by commercial de-
sires, and
WHEREAS, the developing
popularity of this unusual
and dedicated group attract-
ed the attention of large
gatherings of persons keen-
ly Interested in the subject
of aeronautics, and the en-
tertainment and education
attending the activities of
the members of the Con-
federate Air Force, and
WHEREAS, it is the in-
tention of the Confederate
(See CAF, page 5)
PUBLIC LIBRARY
PUNS MONEY
RAISING PROJECTS
The Mercedes Public
Library board members met
Monday at the Federated
Building to make plans to
raise money with which to
operate the library.
The annual Christmas Ba-
zar will be held Wednesday,
Dec. 4. The project will be
sponsored by various clubs,
organizations and individ-
uals. All proceeds will be
used to support the Merce-
des Public Library. The
Christmas Tree Lane has
ibeen held annually for sev-
eral years. The Bazar pro-
mises to be most intersting
and many new gift items wifi
be sold.
WEATHER REPORT
Sept.
18
RAIN
.13
The Quarterback Club
would like to thank all those
who helped with the barbeque
which was a success. The
next meeting will be Tuesday
night, Oct. 1, 8:00 p.m. at
El Sombrero. Films of the
Mission game will be shown
at that time. Members and
any interested persons may
attend. President Roger
Terry urges all to come
and bring a friend.
Chances Slim
For Early 13
Widening Work
Chances look slim for
widening U. S. 83 through
Mercedes and other Hidalgo
County towns with excess
funds left over from the ex-
pressway bond issue, ac-
cording to a report in The
Edinburg Review.
County Commissioners
were not enthusiastic about
the petitions received Tues-
day from Mayor John Gins-
bach of Alamo, They said
they had asked for about 200
signatures requesting a vote
at the Nov. 9 state election
on the 83 widening issue.
The petitions actually had
more than 1,000 names. But
County Judge Milton Rich-
ardson was the first to ques-
tion whether the state high-
way department would ap-
prove the proposed widening.
Ginsbach said Dist. Engineer
J. F. Snider had given' every
assurance the widening
would get state approval.
I Richardson said the com-
missioners better talk to
Snider before calling an e-
lection.
Com. Ramiro Guerra said
additional expenses would be
l involved in the widening. He
said the land and utility move
costs would exceed present
estimates.
Richardson said other
I factors were involved in the
decision to delay ordering
the election.
A new state record was
set and the Mercedes Aqua-
tic Club team took third
place in the big international
swim meet held at the Civic
Center pool last week end.
The Mercedes team came
in third in a field of seven
major teams, being topped
only by the University of
Corpus Christi Aquatic Club
in first place and the Mexico
City Country Club In second
place. Others in order are
the Harlingen City Swim
Club, West Palms Club
(McAllen), Brownsville
Swim Club and Alamo Swim
Club, San Antonio.
Jodie Bolin of UCCAC set
a new state record for Junior
Girls 50 Yards Breast with
35.9. Previous record was
held by a Houston girl at
36.2.
The Mexico team included
several AAU champion
swimmers, at least one of
whom is expected to attend
the Olympics in Tokyo, ac-
cording to Don Peterson,
director of the meet here.
The Mexico group in-
cluded a number of adult
leaders. Most of the con-
tingent came by private
plane, landing at Matamoros.
They arrived last Thursday
and left Tuesday. About five
automobiles brought the
others.
The meet attracted fans
from Mexico City and
according to license plates
on cars at the pool, they came
even from Oklahoma.
Plans already are being
made for a similar event
next year to be held in June
in Mexico City. An all-valley
team will be made up to com-
pete, Peterson said.
Mercedes has been award-
ed the South Texas Junior
Olympics for June 12-13,
1964, which will attract over
700 swimmers, according to
Civic Center Manager Bill
Savarino.
Results of the meet last
(See MEET continued on p.5)
Valley C. Of C.
Meet Set Here
Mercedes area members
of the Valley Chamber of
Commerce and other in-
terested leaders are invited
to attend a non-partisan
political action meeting at
3 p.m. Thursday (today) at
the El Sombrero.
The meetings are spon-
sored by the Valley Cham-
ber.
President Joe Davis of
dinburg. said no partisan
[politics will be discussed,
but that problems and leg-
islation affecting business-
men in the whole Valley will
be considered.
“In sheer self protection,
the businessman must learn
the political machinery
which creates the laws which
govern him,” he said.
C
Enterprise Staff Photo
CHEERLEADERS for Mercedes High led those attending the Quarterback Club Bar-
becue Thursday night in some yells. Left to right are Cindy Jones, Linda Anderson,
Cheryl Adams, Judl Olson, Nan Hix and Lillian Billings.
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 48, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 26, 1963, newspaper, September 26, 1963; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth760463/m1/1/?q=music: 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.