Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 3, 1924 Page: 1 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mercedes Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.
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VOLUME XI.
MERCEDES, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1924
NUMBER 21
According to all reports and
rumors, the gambling houses and re-
tail liquor dispensing- houses of Mer-
cedes have been closed for the time
being, at least, on orders from the
sheriff’s department. It has taken
more than a score of killings on the
north side of the track to secure this
temporary observance of law and or-
der in Mercedes. One customs offi-
cer was killed trying to do his duty
and enforce the law, many Mexicans
have been killed and finally when
three have died as the result of one
fracas, orders come to close down.
* * *
The Tribune believes that if the
sheriff’s office had been occupied
during the past few years by one
who took the duties of the office
seriously, as his main occupation in
life, instead of a pastime, that the
reign of lawlessness which seems to
have this community and the entire
country in its grip, would never have
gained the foothold which it seems
to have. With the office of the sher-
iff run by deputies who are not re-
sponsible for the policies of the of-
fice, and who would hesitate to take
responsibility, we can expect nothing
else. Capt. Peterson, a candidate for
the office of sheriff, has declared
himself in fa\ or of the enforcement
of ALL laws, and the running out of
the county of the bootleggers and the
gamblers. He should be supported
Peterson Declares For
Law Enforcement; Would
Clean Out Cards and Liquor
“The law should be enforced for time ago, at which time many well
all. I do not believe that we should, known local persons were caught in
enforce one law which may work a
possible hardship on one class of
tuple and not enforce laws which
will perhaps interfere with another
class.’’ So stated Captain W. S.
Peterson, former ranger and now a
candidate for sheriff of Hidalgo |
County. Captain Peterson made this
declaration in commenting on the
manner in which open gambling and
liquor selling have been allowed to
flourish on cbe north side of the
track in Mercedes.
He stated that there was open
violation of the state and federal
laws regarding gambling and boot-
legging in every community in the
county, and that while it would be
impossible to clean out all of the law-
breakers, yet the open and flagrant
violations of the law which were mat-
ters of common knowledge all over
the county would not be allowed to
continue in the event he was elected
to the office of sheriff,
the active part which he had taken
as a ranger in raiding two notorious
Captain Peterson is well acquainted
What Hidalgo County needs is a iocal conditions in Mercedes,
the toils of the law. I would rather
have those people against me than
for me,” he stated.
In his opinion, it is up £o the
American people of the county to go
to the polls on the 26th.day of July
and vote their honest convictions. Li
event they do, there will be a gen-
eral change in the administrative of-
fices of the county, he says.
Captain Peterson is making a
county-wide canvass and endeavoring
to meet every voter in the county
before the primaries. Road condi-
tions are hindering him somewhat,
he states.
---------r—
Twenty Years’
Development
To the rest of the United
States it is Friday, July 4th,
the day on which we all cele-
brate the 148th anniversary of
the signing of the Declaration
of Independence, the birthday
of our nation.
To the people of the Lower
Rio Grande Valley the day has
that same significance, with the
added feature that July 4th,
1924 marks the 20th anniver-
sary of the running of the first
Gulf Coast Lines train to the
Rio Grande Valley from Hous-
ton, or any other place, for that
matter. The day may be said
to mark the 20th anniversary
of the real beginning of the
Lower Rio Grande Valley.
LABOR PIRATES ARE
INVADING LOCAL AREA
Three Truckloads of Mexican Labor-
ers Stopped from Going to Robs-
town Territory by Deputy
Sheriff Reyes
sheriff in the sheriff’s office, not a
sheriff in a banker’s office.
* * *
Not only should Cc-.pt. Peterson ! e
supported by the Americans of tbe
county for sheriff, but the whole
ticket as endorsed by the Hidalgo
County Taxpayers Association should
be supported to a man and to a
woman. The Association has made
mistakes and will continue to make
mistake, but it represents the first!
organized attempt made by men and
women brave enough to bare the
chance of displeasure from the pow-
ers that be, in an honest and sincere
effort to release Hidalgo County from
the thralldom of the Mexican voter
and tbe self seeking politician. Un-
der the leadership which has domi-
nated this county since its organiza-
tion lawlessness has reigned un-
and stated that he knew that he
was unpopular with a certain ele-
ment in tliis community because of
gambling houses in the city some
PLAN COMPREHENSIVE
CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN
City is Now Planning to Drain Re-
sacas.. Ladies and Chamber of
Commerce to Cooperate
A comprehensive clean-up cam-
paign for the city of Mercedes under
the auspices of the women’s clubs of
the c ty and the Mercedes Chamber
of Commerce is now being planned.
Among other accomplishments, those
thwarted piiblic inoiiey ha? been dis- j interested hope to be able to secure
ipated and embezzled, and who h-jUw draining of g» wriwi port*
been punished?
Financing Rio Grande Railway
Improvements Assured, Says
O’Brien; Debenture Bonds Issued
The exchange of second mortgage
bonds of the Rio Grande railway for
debenture bonds, which yas necessary
to refinance the railway has proceed-
ed rapidly the past week, and the
financing of the improvement con-
templated by the road and the build-
ing of terminal facilities at Point
Isabel is now assured, officials of the
road state. There are still a few of
the second mortgage bonds outstand-
ing in the Valley, and efforts are be-
ing made to locate them in order to
make the exchange as complete as
possible.
“The promptness wtih which the
South, in the Rio Grande railway,
the Valley and the Valley’s port, and
his recent statement that he would
devote the remainder of his life, if
necessary, to the improvement of
the Valley’s transportation facilities,
is taken as an indication that the
Rio Grande railway will not lack fi-
nancial support in establishing a
standard gauge line to Point Isabel
and building the terminal facilities
the port will demand.
Dredging work on the Valley’s
seaport is proceeding rapidly. The
hopper dredge, which will be used
o nthe outer channel, is practically
completed and will start operations
in a few days. The big dredge
which is working on the inner chan-
Three truckloads of Mexican labor-
ers nearly 60 in all, were stopped in
the northern part of the county this
week by Jacinto Reyes, deputy sher-
iff, and forced to return to their
Hidalgo County homes. The labor-
ers were in the custody of a white
man from Robstown, who was hailed
before the justice of the peace and
given a heavy fine for violation of
the' state labor laws.
Labor “pirates” are known to be
operating in the Valley in all sec-
tions, and several have been reported
as endeavoring to entice labor away
from the Mercedes section during the
past week. All local officers have
been warned and are on the lookout
for such gentry, and request that all
farmers give them instant notice the
minute they hear of- anyone trying
to take labor out of the country.
To endeavor to persuade laborers to
leave their present employment is in
violation of both .state and federal
labor laws, they point out.
While the need of labor in the
Valley at present is not acute, yet
but two or three weeks remain until
the cotton picking season will be in
full swing, at which time a shortage
of labor would be most disastrous.
SECOND GOLDEN ROLE
TRADES DAY MONDAY
Many Merchants are Participating In
Event. Free Auction in After
noon Will Be Feature of Day ..
Next Monday, July 7, will' see the
second Golden Rule Trades Day to be
held under the advertising depart-
ment of the Mercedes Chamber of
Commerce, and weather permitting,
the event promises to exceed all
previous trades days ever held in
Mercedes. The merchants of the city
have -been most enthusiastic in the
support whoch they have given the
eommitte, chairman Frank Moore
states, and the advertisements pub-
lished in this issue show a good
variety of seasonable merchandise
which is being offered at distinct
savings from the regular run of
prices.
The Community Auction Sale is
expected to help many dispose of
merchantable articles for which they
have no further use, and will be
held at 3 p. m. on the vacant lots
in back of the city hall. The auc-
tioneer will be furnished by the
merchants participating in the day
and no commission will be charged
on the sale of any article. No by-
bidding will be allowed, according to
the rules laid down by tbe committee.
--o--
Speakers Tell Rotary
Of Legion and Health
EDITOR FORBES
LEAVES NEWS ITEM
people of the Valley have complied nel, after completing the turning
with my request to make this ex-
change is very gratifying,” D. A.
O'Brien, president of the road, stat-
ed. ‘ Almost without exception the
Valley holders of the seeondl mort-
basin, is now well out toward the
Brazos Santiago pass, and is mak-
mg rapid progress. Work on the in-
ner channel and turning basin was | accompanied by Mrs. Forbes. In-
Tbe work of the Texas Public
Health Service was told to members
of the Mercedes Rotary Club last
Tuesday by Miss Vera Beard, a dis-
trict nurs^e of the service. Miss Nata-
lie Markwitz, county health nurse
and Mrs. M. H. Pennell were also
guests of the club
James Howze, commander of the
Mercedes Post of the American Le-
gion addressed tbe clubon the Legion
. „ and the work which it was trying to
lett Sunday afternoon for Houston, , . °
. ^ ’ do in the community and nation. R.
Gerald Forbes, for the past four
weeks managing editor of the Mer-
cedes News Item, resigned his po-
sition on Saturday of last week and
F Kern, delegate from the local Ro-
tary Club to the Toronto convention,
retarded to some extent the first ! ability to agree with the owners of
‘TV “e™T TV months, due to the extreme hardness i the News Item regarding matters ol ~L TlhoJ t7k ™ tt7nTceeTTT
gage bonds have sent their bonds m it was working j policy was given by Mr. Forbes as ga'6 “ ShMt talk on the proceeding
and though this has delayed the open-1 the reason f or his sudden resignation,
ing of the port temporarily, it indi- j His -successor has not been announc-
cates that the cost of maintaining eh.
the inner channel will be reduced to j Mr. Forbes was the third to occu-
the minimum. The contractors are py the editorial chair of the News
to this office Or to A. L. Brooks of
Harlingen to exchange them for de-
benture bonds. Our efforts to finance
the Rio Grande Railway and to have
water surrounding the city which are; it in readiness to serve the Valley
I kn°w^ to^e^mosquito breeders; It is; when the Point Isabel harbor-is op- con(Ment hat the c,reclgi of the.; Item since that was started in
Things had come to each a serious ; bought that the cty wUl cooperate, ened have been greatly ciannel wlll present no sera... .Mercedes about'one year ago. Rob-
pass that the county could not t »* «« '"“difficulties and. that the channel?! ert Cosby, the first editor, was sue
persuaded vo accept a gift from tbe | ir; Vl 01 la em^ 011 _T,,e 1,1 ! ’1 .r as a .lesu • will be completed annd the port op- : needed by Frank Moore, who resigned j
hoped. The opening of the Valleys seaport . ,. . , . .
1 J ened this fall. -p-u—-i n..
QLDTIMER RETURNS
TO RESUME POSITION
state of Texas of nearly a million j'C^Y» block by block. It is
and three quarters dollars because it | that by securing energetic workers in
feared that the money would not be each neighborhood that
expended judiciously on the purpose
for which it was given, much as ev-
erybody realized flood control was
needed for the future advancement of breed,
the county and of the Valley. And1
this gift of this money was not ac-
cepted until the expenditure of the
money was placed in other hands
than those duly authorized by law to
expend it. Why have county offi-
cials if we can not let them do the
things for which they are elected
And on the other hand, as long as
these things must be done, why not
elect men in whom we have confidence
the entire
city will soon be free from trash
and refuse in which mosquitoes and
other pests are ordinarily found to
MICKIE SAYS—
FlKIM' UP AM AD,
MR. BiXWESS 1AAM, J£SX VJRrtE.
MATOP.NLLN ABOUT 'GHAT VA
Gcrr T' SEU., UK£ N’ >«DX
TALVOU' '-to A GUSYOKAER. 'THaE |
HERE FAUCM VjRATiU’ BOUMOS
K\UDA PHOMV, V4HICH DOUT <SEU-]
MO CiOOOS
Horticultural Body
Picks Valley Farmer
Otticial Publication
The Valley Farmer and Citrus
at Point Isabel this autumn will place
the Rio Grande Railway in a strate-
gic position in the Valley, and these
who are in close touch with the situ-
ation are confident this road will I
soon become the connecting link be-1
tween Point Isbael, the Valley towns
and San Antonio. The interest taken
by W. T. Eldridge, owner of the
Sugarland railroad, one of the most
prominent railroad builders in the
WILL DISPLAY DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE AT NAT. BANK
An exact reproduction of the Dec-
laration of Independence, taken from
Prizes Awarded
In Elks' Flag Day
Prize Essay Contest
Another old time resident of Mer-
cedes returned last week in the per-
son of W. E. Tillery, who has re-
sumed his position in the freight de-
partment of the Gulf Coast Lines at
Mercedesafter a four years’ absence
in aKnsas City.
Among changes noted in the Val-
ley and the Mercedes community-dur-
ing his absence Mr. Tillery reports
that he is surprised at the great in-
Over fifty members of the Valley crease in citrus acreage during the
to be followed by Mr. Forbes.
I ------
Horticultural Body
Completes Organization
Horticultural Society were present at last few years,
the. meeting held at Mercedes Mon-
First prize of $25.00 in the Elks’ j day night, and twenty new members SPECIAL FILMS OF MERCEDES
Flag Day essay contest was award- j were added to the organization. The WILL BE SHOWN AT EMPIRE
ed by the committee in charge of j society has a membership of 1,000 j The special motion picture film of
the contest to Menton Murray of, for it's objective and a vigorous cam- Mercedes and community made under
Mercedes. Miriam Wade, also - of j Paig'n will be inaugurated to secure the direction of the Chamber of Com-
Mercedes, was given the second prize j' this number. The next meeting will1 merce has been received, according
of $10.00. Seventeen contestants sub-1 be held at Brownsville July J4, and ' to Secretary W. T. Burnett. Arrange-
Grower, a monthly farm and orchard ( an actual photograph, will be on dis-1 mitted essays on the “Origin of the i the officers are confident by that: rrients are being made to show the
journal published at San Benito, was piay Friday of this week on the doors American Flag.” time the membership will have an-1 film every night at the Empire Thea-
of the First National Bank of Mer- A]j essays’were turned over by the | creased to 200, and that practically; tre in connection with the regular
committee to J. F. Rector of Harlin- , every community in the Valley will program.
Tuesday night chosen as the official
organ of the Valley Horticultural So-
ciety by the board of directors
meeting at Harlingen. The vote of
the directors stood 5 to 1 in favor
of the Valley Farmer against an-
other farm journal recently started in
the Valley.
The Valley Farmer and Citrus
Grower Is the first farm magazine to
be published scuth of San Antonio or
Houston and is the only citrus journal
I published in the state of Texas.
f $
° O
GAMBLING ROUSES
CLOSED ON ORDERS
It is understood that all of the
local gambling houses have been
closed during the past week on or-
ders from the sheriff’s office at Edin-
burg. I,t is said that Sheriff Baker
addressed a .etter to all deputy
sheriffs in Mercedes that the houses
must be closed.
This action is thought to have been
taken following the killing of Tom
January ten days ago.
cedes according to S. H. Collier, cash-
ier. The signatures of the signers
are ,to be plainly read, he states.
STORES WILL CLOSE
OBSERVANCE JULY 4
Following a resolution passed by
the Board of Directors of the Merce-
des Chamber of Commerce and , a
proclamation by Mayor Haynes, it is
stated that all Mercedes stores will
be closed on Friday of this week in
observance of the Fourth of July.
The two Valley celebrations, one at
Harlingen and one at McAllen are
expected to draw many from Mer-
ctedes.
-o--
Utleys Return from North
Dr. and Mrs. R. E. Utley and fam-
ily have returned to their home in
La Feria after a vacation trip thru
several northern states. Francis Ut-
ley has remained in the north where
he will enter the, University of Wis-
consin in the fall.
gen and Miss Minnie Carpenter of be organized with a vice-president
San Benito, who acted as judges. All j in charge. . j Fractures Arm
names were withheld from the judges 1 By-laws were adopted, membership , Falling from a trapeze, R. H. Kern,
so that they did not know until the v°ting on each section. The by-laws jr., last Monday morning fractured
judgment had been rendered who the, stressed the fact that the organiza bis arm. At first it was thought the
winners were. Both essays will be
published in full in the next issue of
the Tribune.
--o-
tion is purely educational, and that arm bad been broken, but an X-Ray
its meetings should be confined as examination revealed only a severe
much as possible to discussion of ed-1 fracture,
ucational subjects in connection with
FIRST RALE COTTON
SENT FROM MISSION
the development of horticulture in
the Valley. The society will not in
any way be connected with any mar-
keting plan or system, and no mem-
ber will be permitted to use his mem-
_ j bership in the Society for advertis-
The season’s first bale of cotton ing purposes. The Valley society
went to Houston last week from will be affiliated with the State Hor-
Mission, grown by Juan Diaz, and ( ticultural Society, giving the orga-
ginned by the Border Gin Co. of that nization the benefit of the research
city. Auctioned on the floor of the! work and experience of the state or- j will be held at 8 o’clock, Wednes-
Houston Cotton Exchange by W. D. ganization. The by-laws also provide J day, July 9, at the Linger Longer Inn*
Cleveland & Co., to whom the bale that tbe vice-presidents, who cons,ti-
was consigned, it brought the hand- j tute the board of directors, shall act
of $1,405. ; as- a membership committee, and
With Harrel Drug Co.
Jose R. de Leon, a former resident
of McAllen, and a gi’aduate of the
Little Rock College of Pharmacy, is
now employed for a few weeks by
the Harrel Drug Co.
-o-
C. of C. Forum Meeting
The regular monthly meeting of
the Mercedes Chamber of Commerce
some sum ui .p±,tuu.
McAllen was endeavoring to get the j must pass upon all applications for
first bale in competition with Mission* | membership. The board of directors
but lacked 60 pounds of ginned cot- also have the power of expulsion
ton to bring the bale <up to the neces-
sary 400 pound weight.
when in their opinion the evidence j placed
is sufficient. i Gause.
Laying New Roofs
A new Johns-Manville roof is be-
ing placed on the office building of
the American Company by O. E. Van-
Berg. Asimilar roof was recently
on the residence of J. P.
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Holland, W. D. & Buell, Ralph L. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 11, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 3, 1924, newspaper, July 3, 1924; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1002680/m1/1/?q=%22~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.