Elgin Courier and Four County News (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 25, 1958 Page: 1 of 10
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EuGIn COURIER
«
NEWS
AND FOUR COUNTY
100 PER COPY
ELGIN, BASTROP COUNTY, TEXAS, SEPTEMBER 25, 1958
0
<1
Elgin Drowns Georgetown in
ies for an
and remain in business. We are not seeking
Fisher is Named A S C
Chairman for Elgin
want is proper and intelligent use of the
usinessmen so that it can pay its own way.
SAM CARTWRIGHT
DIES IN SLEEP
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
CLINIC A SUCCESS
Third Straight Shutout
of coaching the Wildcats are
VOLUME 68 - NUMBER 28
d-----:
Delegates to the convention
will be Cecil Fisher, Elgin,
Community A; Herbert Fuchs,
Paige, Community B; Gilbert
Raemsch, Alum Creek, Com-
munity C; Anton Goertz, Red
Rock, Community D; Robert
Holder, Cedar Creek, Commun-
ity E; William T. Higgins, Bas-
trop. Community F.__________
yards in 13
James Lyda is a man with a
mission . . the serving of crow
to certain skeptics. Of course,
Lyda has never had to prove
himself in Elgin, for everyone
knows and respects the big guy.
But there were some out-of-
towners who couldn’t see past
Smithville. Gentlemen, the table
is feady!
The Elgin Wildcats played
themselves right into the big-
time Friday night as they com-
pletely crushed Georgetown
14-0. For the young Cats, it
was the third shut-out of the
season and keeps their goal
line uncrossed. Elgin opened
with a 66-0 win over Smithville
and followed it with a 24-0
whipping of Round Rock. But
Georgetown was the big one . .
one of the toughest teams the
, Wildcats will face all season.
It wasprobably the wettest
game Elginites have ever wit-
nessed. Elgin totaled up 6 4/2
inches of rain last Friday. And
it was just such unusual con-
ditions that showed the class
The only alternative is to discontinue publishing the Courier
and thereby save ourselves a minimum of $75.00 a week.
Inso far as our business is concerned, the revenue from sources
outside Elgin has been increasing steadily --we're doing well.
If the Courier is worth preserving and continuing for the
benefit of its readers we believe that these same readers
will make their wishes known to the businessmen of Elgin.
We have always urged the loyalty of our readers to local bus-
inessmen who have merchandise and services to offer through
our columns. Our only alternative, insofar as the others are
concerned, is to suggest that readers spend their money with
these advertisers or with firms outside Elgin who will give
them values and service that show appreciation for their
patronage.
We are not too surprised or bewildered by the failure of
some local firms to advertise to our readers. The fact is,
their prices are higher than those charged for identical
items in neighboring towns and their service inferior. We
feel that our readers are entitled to prices on any type of
merchandise or service that are at least equal to prices
charged in either Taylor or Austin. Frequently this is not
the case and we have had local merchants explain this with
a weak excuse -- “they sell more than we do” The truth
is, local merchants, with rare exceptions, are fully able to
meet the prices of Austin and Taylor merchants. They just
lack the initiative, the will to get off their broad bottoms and
promote the patronage of people in this area. Seems much
easier to sit down and moan about business leaving town and
finding some way to blame others for people doing the common
sense thing -- getting the best and most for their money.
We cannot dwell upon this subject without pointing out the
lethargy of our local bank. We are privileged to call on news-
papermen in five southwestern statesand we are in a position
to know what position local banks occupy in the progress
and economy of many, many communities. In the vast majority
of small towns, the bank is the leader of civic progress. It
is the local institution that fosters progress and growth, that
encourages business promotion, improvements and community
progress. It is the local business that sets an example for
its clients by being a regular and leading advertiser. The
most we can say for our local bank is that it is owned by highly
respectable people. We hav a rather keen personal liking
for its president and we have enjoyed sitting and chatting
with him on occasion. We cannot help but wish, with all our
heart and in all sincerity, that he were a young and vital man
ablaze with ambition for his bank and his community instead
of holding fast to the status quo. The lack of leadership in
Elgin could spell the end of this community as a worthwhile
community. We certainly recognize that our local brickyards,
our OKly real source of payroll, would have long since gone
out of business if they produced brick in the same style and
by the same means they used thirty years ago. Seems a shame
they cannot infuse some life into the community by giving our
lo<; banking picture a transfusion.
average of 9 yar i ' r carry.
In the second q uL i was
again Henze break #iway. The
drive started on Wgin’s 39.
(Continued on Page 5)
newspapers have passed out of existence in the past year
over the country । Mounting costs of operation have forced
this and few have peen able to develop their printing business
to offset the losse ----i-i-t—-•-------------->-•—
sympathy. All W
Courier by local
• An Editorial?
Does Elgin Want a Newspaper?
Along with this question it is necessary to also consider
whether or not Elgin deserves to have a newspaper. The
facts involving cost and support make it clear that Elgin
business establishments, as a whole, do not care and do not
deserve to have a newspaper.
Quoting a very prominent newspaperman, “A really good
newspaper, honestly edited, is published for just one individual,
and that is the reader. Real newspapers are no recipients of
donations or contributions. We are not creatures of political
philanthropy or insidious gifts. We resent subsidies in the form
of advertising patronage or any other form. We seek no quarter
d and we give no quarter in the struggle for economic existence.
The newspaper itself does not produce the results of advertising,
it is the tool that may be used by the advertiser”.
We wholeheartedly support these views. We publish the Elgin
Courier to serve its readers and to them we owe our primary
obligation. For the record, more people buy and read the
Elgin Courier today than have during the past six or seven
years under four previous owners, according to our subscrip-
a tions files. We accept this as an indication that we have not
“ failed too badly with respect to serving our subscribers. Our
files hold scores of complementary letters commenting on
the quality and appearance of the Courier. Our publisher
friends tell us that we are putting out one of the best printed
Q and cleanest looking weekly papers in the state.
Now how does this all add up in terms of recognition and or
appreciation on the part of the business men of this community.
We have just reviewed our financial records for the past two
d years and we discover these interesting facts.
i The cost of producing the average 12 page newspaper, which
Sam Cartwright, 64, lifelong
resident of Elgin died quietly
in his sleep early Wednesday
morning at his home on East
Brenham. His death was dis-
covered about 6:00 a.m. when
Mrs. Cartwright went to
awaken him. He had been in
impaired health for some time
but continued to supervise his
farming interests.
At time of going to press
funeral plans were pending.
Surviving him are his wife;
one son E. E. Cartwright, and
five grandchildren, Elgin; one
sister, Mrs. Mary James of
Bay City; three brothers, E.D.
Cartwright, Bastrop; ‘ Euen
Cartwright, of California and
Sid Cartwright, Elgin.
The Community Development
Clinic conducted in Elgin
Tuesday by TP & L , sponsored
by Elgin Chamber of Commerce
was well attended and created
much interest among both men
and women of the city.
Four workshops were held by
Stan Shively manager of Com-
munity Development of TP &L
The first at the Kiwanis Club
noon meeting; at the New Cen-
tury Club at 2:00 p.m. when the
ladies of the club and Legion
Aux. presented their sug-
gestions; at 4:00 p.m. PTA,
Band Booster and Elgin Youth
Ass’n members and the School
Faculty met at the Elementary
School.. The final workshop
was a general meeting attended
by Amer. Legion, C of C and
Vol. Fire Dept, members and
a group of other interested
citizens.
The suggestions and recom-
mendations will be reviewed
and considered as to their value
to the development of Elgin by
experts in Dallas and the
findings reported back within
three weeks to a month.
is the absolute minimum size required to carry the news or
editorial matter involved in covering the news of this area,
costs us in excess of $290.00 per week to produce. This cost
is based on the labor and materials involved in the production
of the Courier alone and does not include the balance of time
devoted to other forms of printing which carry the load. Over
a period of 108 weeks, or two years and one month, local
advertising revenue in the Elgin Courier, including classified
ads, has averaged less than $150.00 per week.
In this same period of time we have invested more than thirty
thousand dollars in new equipment and plant improvements and
provided employment for Elgin people in the total amount of
$32,400.00 or.$300.00 a week.
This clearly places us in the position of publishing a weekly
newspaper for the benefit of readers at a weekly cost to us
of about $75.00 to $100.00 after allowing for subscription and
other income from outside sources.
A total of 1,047 ballots for
the election of Bastrop County
community committee men were
received in the ASC office in
Bastrop and counted September
11, by a tabulation board.
In order of votes received,
chairman, vice - chairman,
member, first and second al-
ternates were elected.
From community A (Elgin)
Cecil Fisher, Richard Neidig,
Sr., Martin Kastner, Dimmitt
White and A. Y. Field; com-
munity B (Paige) Herbert
A. Fuchs, Alton O. Patschke,
Earl E. Kunkel, Martin G.
Mosebach, and M. J. Adkins;
community C (Smithville) V.H.
Barina, Gilbert Raemsch, Cla-
rence L. Gilbert, Lloyd L.
Burns, and Joe Sulak; commun-
ity D (Rockne, Red Rock, Ro-
sanky, String Prairie) Anton
Goertz, Ernest Lee, Frank
Seidel, Jr., Alex Frerich, John
J. Beck; community E (Cedar
Creek, Elroy , Pope Bend)
Robert Holder, T. C. Watts,
Zac Hanna, JohnR. Alexander,
Earl P. Smith; community F
(Bastrop) William T. Higgins,
Earl Denman, M. A. Prokop,
W. B. Townsend and H. C.
Wilkins.
The chairman of each com-
munity committee will serve
as a delegate to the county con-
vention to be held at the
courthouse in Bastrop at 2 p.m.
September 25, when a county
committee will be elected.
All newly elected committee-
men will take office October 1
to serve for one-year term.
Total votes in A community 21+
Total votes in B community 127
Total votes in C community 240
Total votes in D community 181
Total votes in E community 125
Total votes in F community 164
getting. Knowing the Eagles
would be laying for Harry
Krenek, Lyda had the big boy
running as a decoy most of the
night. It was most obvious on
Elgin’s first touchdown.
That first score came off a
break when Georgetown’s quar-
terback Stanley fumbled a snap-
back on his own 29. In that
scoring series Krenek carried
only once. But he was consis-
tently drawing Eagle defenders
away from the play. On the 10,
Eddie Davis faked to Krenek
to the right with Gene Henze
moving to the left. Krenek took
a beating but Henze skipped in
with the score almost un-
touched.
With the def nse stacked on
Krenek, Henze had himself a
field day as he c- llected 117
WE ARE NOT WILLING TO CARRY THIS BURDEN ANY
LONGER - AND HERE IS WHY - There is little g‛
f devoting the time and energy required to publish av---,
newspaper, particularly when your labors are rewarded by a
weekly deficit -- a donation to a majority of the local business
men whose foresight and progressiveness is not sufficient to
utilize their local newspaper to the extent that it can pay its
own way. We have asked for their business repeatedly, pro-
vided the advantages of advertising services and counsel on a
par with metropolitan newspapers for their free use. We have
coaxed, pleaded, admonished and warned -- without begging--
and without results. The handfull of faithful regular advertisers
stand as eloquent testimony that the Courier is and has been
a good investment for live, progressive businessmen. To them
we are extremely grateful for their faith in the people who
read the Courier and their desire to obtain their patronage. We
are conscious of many improvements which could be made to
provide an even better newspaper. We are conscious’ of the
fact that many weeks we are obliged to omit many news items
simply because we have already extended the limit of the size
newspaper which the advertising will support. We are forced
to recognize that further improvement or continuation of the
newspaper is totally dependent upon the advertising patronage
or, its use by business establishments to further the growth
of their business and this community. We are constantly aware
that it is the duty of the newspaper to report the weddings,
births, deaths, illnesses, engagements, doings of clubs and
churches and the affairs of the community including the
functions of oun city, county and school authorities and the
activities of our school children, We want to keep on doing this
job and we are willing to keep on even if we just break even
in the operation./However, we cannot continue to publish the
Courier on the bais of assuming a loss each week that we do.
For your information, more than three hundred, small town
We ar not in any name calling mood or simply criticizing
others to cover our woes. We believe that every fair minded
person will readily appreciate our position and fully agree
that it is not our duty to underwrite the local merchants whose
faith in you as readers is so small as to not consider it worth
their while to solicit your business in competition with Taylor
and Austin merchants. In a nut shell, we would be better
off financially if we just folded up the Courier this week and
charged off our losses. We could then make some money in
the printing business without having to pour it back into put-
ting out a newspaper. Think it over -- readers and
businessmen -- the final decision will be yours. We will
keep faith with our present subscribers and carry out our
obligations to them as our readers or refund their money.
Whether Elgin will continue to have a local newspaper to
record the hundreds of items of news that readers are
obviously so interested in having each week will be determined
by those businessmen who can and should be promoting their
business and this community through its columns each week.
We repeat--we are not about to beg for patronage. We
simply ask that local firms with merchandise and services
to dffer make proper ? use of the columns of the Courier to
let our readers know what they have and how much it costs.
By cultivating the use of local stores with a pointed effort to
prove to our readers that they can match the prices and ser-
vices of others. If they cannot do this--they just plain do not
deserve your business. Once again we pay tribute to those
faithful few who have utilized the Courier to prove they can
compete and the results they have obtained stands as proof
that the same opportunity is open to all.
We urge your comments -- as readers or as local
businessmen. What happens in the next sixty days will decide
the future of the Courier -- it will be your decision.
/
O
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Bredlow, Robert L. & Finch, Lena. Elgin Courier and Four County News (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 25, 1958, newspaper, September 25, 1958; Elgin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1562364/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Elgin Public Library.