Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 5, 1926 Page: 1 of 12
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Parker Pens and Pencils,
the World’s Standard
Now in Pastel Colors
KASEY’S DRUG STORE
The Family Store
L-
r
Get Your Fountain Drinks at
The Coolest Place in
Town
KASEY’S DRUG STORE
The Family Store
VOLUME xm.
MERCEDES, HIDALGO COUNTY,TEXAS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1926
NUMBER 26
This Week
Let’s be cheerful! Local bank de-
posits have almost reached the mil-
lion and a half mark, and for the
first time since the city of Mercedes
was founded, away back in 1907, we
have a bank with deposits over the
million dollar mark. In that year
the Hidalgo County State Bank is-
sued a statement showing resources
of $47,000. Today its resources
stand at $1,163,000. We may all re-
joice in the progress made, indicative
as it is of the growth of the commun-
ity. _
T-)
* * *
In what other section would such
growth have been possible. Merce-
des, a straggling hamlet 19 years ago
and today the center of one of the
richest agricultural regions in the
United States. Then, its banking fa-
cilities taken care of by a typically
small county bank, today two strong
banks taking care of the financial af-
fairs of the community, and with to-
tal deposits of a million and one half
dollars.
* * *
As local business men, we are
prone to relate that our local business
is being absorbed by other communi-'
ties in the Valley—but the fact re-
mains—when bank statements are
made, Mercedes continues to lead.
The local cotton crop is one-third
harvested—what will our deposits be
in two months?
* * *
Being mayor of a city, large or
small, certainly calls for diplomacy
at various times. Mayor Haynes and
the city council are now up against
a real proposition, brought about by
the fact that Corpus Christi will next
month celebrate the opening of the
deey water harbor. As a part of the
celebration, a bathing girl revue will
be held, and an entrant from Mea-
cedes is desired. If you have any
sugegstions as to the manner of
choosing the local entrant—let the
mayor have them—he needs help.
* * *
Farming is certainly a great life;
if it is not one thing, it is usually
two, and more likely three. A month
ago and the great worry was about
rain—if it continued there would be
no cotton crop to harvest. The rain
stopped—but the worry did not.
Now the. problem is—where to find
the labor to harvest the crop which
the rain spared. One thing is cer-
tain, farmers and business interests
both will do well to take time by the
forelock another season.
* * *
The local chamber of commerce, in
company with other organizations in
the Valley, has tried valiantly to se-
cure the labor needed. How fierce is
the competition may be realized from
the fact that the labor from one truck
was literally stolen when a slight
breakdown was suffered on the road
north of Edinburg. Two truckloads
headed for Mercedes left San An-
tonio Monday night. Probably at
work around Robstown today.
* * *
A community’s pulse certainly
beats in unison in times of crisis. For
more than a month business and fro-
fessional men of Valley cities have
thought more and talked more about
crops than they ordinarily would
think and talk in 12 months. Theo-
retically we all realize how depen-
dent we are upon the man who tills
the soil—practically we really do re-
alize that dependence when the re-
sults of his labor are threatened.
2,500 BALES GINNED Farmers Put Co-operation Up
AS GINS WORK DAY
AND HT HERE
COTTON IS BEING RUSHED TO
GINS AS EXTREME EFFORT IS
MADE TO HARVEST CROP—
GINS RUN DAY AND NIGHT.
Working day and night, Mercedes
gins are making every effort to keep
up with the steady supply of cotton
which is being brought to them at all
hours by farmers who are straining
every effort to harvest the rapidly
opening crop. Through tonight the
three Mercedes gins will have turned
out 2,500 bales, according to the re-
port of their managers.
The shortage of labor is effecting
the gins as well as the farmers, but
to date the local gins have been able
to meet practically every demand
which has been made upon them.
Cotton which is coming to the gins
shows a decidedly better grade than
that which was turned out the first
of the season, ginners report.
MUNICIPAL BAND TAX
VOTE TO BE CALLED
Petition Asking Levy of City Tax for
Support of Municipal Band Will
Be Circulated Soon, Says
Band Master
To Business Interests When
Answer Made to Donna C. of C.
A petition asking that an election
be called to authorize the levying of
a municipal band tax of 3 mills on
the $100 valuation for the support of
the Mercedes municipal band will be
circulated in the city within the next
30 days, according to H. E. Wells,
head of the local band, who spoke be-
fore the Mercedes Rotary Club on
Tuesday noon. Under the provisions
of the municipal band tax law passed
at the last session of the legislature,
cities are authorized to levy a tax not
exceeding three mills for the support
of a band, and 42 bands in the state
are now supported in that manner,
Mr. Wells stated.
The Mercedes municipal band was
organized some three months ago by
the former army bandmaster, and is
now recognized as one of the best, if
not the best, band in the Valley. The
band has played at various celebra-
tions throughout the Valley, and has
met with an excellent reception wher-
ever it has appeared. It is now sup-
ported by contributions from indi-
vidual business firms.
r~
Rooms Wanted
For Teachers
Notify Sup’t
With the opening of school
but one month away, the de-
mand for rooms for teachers is
already being felt, according to
Superintendent Ernest H. Po-
teet, who states that he has re-
ceived requests from three
teachers already. All persons
who have rooms which will be
available for teachers are re-
quested to notify Mr. Poteet,
giving the location and the
price which will be charged.
School will open on- Monday,
September 13th, and the teach-
ers will probably desire the
rooms before that time. The
annual teachers’ institute will
be held this year at Harlingen,
starting September 6th.
SON OF COUNTY
OFFICIAL DEAD
IN AUTO WRECK
W. L. Lipscomb, Jr., 14 year old
son of County Commissioner Lips-
comb of Edinburg was instantly
killed Tuesday morning at Alamo
when the light speedster he was
driving overturned. There were no
witnesses to the accident, but it is
thought that the young Lipscomb lost
control of the car on the slippery
pavement. When found he was ly-
ing crushed between the car and the
pavement. He was taken to McAllen
where the body was identified.
His parents were attending the
funeral of Gordon McKenzie in Edin-
burg when notified of the accident.
Replying to a circular letter sent
to their organization by the Donna
Booster Club, in which the co-oper-
ation of the farmers with the busi-
pess elements of Donna was request-
ed, the Donna Farmers Protective
Society pointed out that the objective
of co-operation could be easily ob-
tained provided the business men
\vould give their support to two main
bbjectives sought by the farmers.
The two objects closer to the hearts
of the farmers than any others, the
Protective Society stated in its reply,
are conservation of water supply and
honest elections. By a unanimous
vote the reply was adopted by the
Protective Society as follows:
“To the Members of the Donna
Boosters Club, Greeting:
“Realizing the importance of co-
operation between the town and of
the country in our efforts to solve
the problems confronting us as a
community, and believing that the
first requisite to a complete under-
standing is. a plain statement of what
we stand for;
“We, the Donna unit of the Hidal-
go County Farmers Protective Socie-
ty offer this open letter in reply to
ZEROZONE COMPANY
ORGANIZED IN CITY
Two Factory Representatives In
Mercedes Now — Tolson and
Thornton Head the New
Concern
the circular letter of the Donna
Boosters Club, dated July 9th, 1926.
“It seems always to be taken for
granted that the initiative for any
co-operative movement between
town and country must come from
some organization in the town—that
the farmers are indifferent to the ad-
vantages of co-operative efforts and
inconsiderate of community inter-
ests.
“Such is not the case. We submit
that the farmers of the Donna district
as a whole are public spirited citi-
zens,—that they are, and for years
past have been striving and sacrific-
ing to attain the conditions necessary
to make of this a permanently pros-
perous community. Our greatest need
is building, not boosters.
“The two main outstanding objec-
tives for which the farmers are prac-
tically a unit are:
“First: Federal aid in providing
storage for the flood waters of the
Rio Grande, and in the construction
of adequate irrigation and drainage
works. We need not ask your active
and hearty co-operation in our efforts
to secure this very necessary help
from the Federal Government.
“Second: That the provisions of the
Law be fairly and honestly carried
out in all elections held in the Don-
na district and precinct. We know
that if the business men of Donna
will openly and publicly give to the
farmers their earnest and united sup-
port in the matter that this objective
may be at once attained.
“There are other problems, but the
Negro Cotton
Pickers Show
Valley Speed
Negro labor imported from
the north to help the Valley
harvest the cotton crop which
is causing us all anxiety these
days, are “strutting their stuff.’’
The Brownsville Herald is re-
sponsible for the story which
relates that two of the dusky
hued cotton snatchers picked
1,600 pounds of cotton in one
day from a Stuart Place field.
The high stalks, denuded of
foliage, present a most enticing
appearance to a real cotton
picker. No leaves to bother the
eye or the hand and full or op-
ened bolls from the ground to
the top, the Valley cotton fields
are the cotton pickers’ paradise.
LABOR BEING STOLEN
WHICH WAS SECURED
BY MERCEDES C. OF C.
FOUR TRUCKLOADS DIRECTED
TO MERCEDES DIVERTED—LE-
GAL ACTION AGAINST AGENTS
WILL BE TAKEN
SWIMMING LESSONS
WILL BE GIVEN AT
GIRL RESERVE CAMP
CLASSES FOR BEGINNERS AND
ADVANCED CLASSES TO BE
GIVEN BY INSTRUCTORS — EX-
PERT LIFE SAVING INSTRUC-
TION OFFERED.
The Girl Reserve camp closes July
31 and individual and class instruc-
tion in beginning and advanced
swimming will be offered through
the month of August. Special classes
in junior and senior life saving will
be given.
Ima Mason and Aleena Milam,
MAKE RAPID PROGRESS ON
NEW STORE BUILDING
The store bulding being erected
for R. H. Kern on Texas Ave., next
to the Mercedes Baking Co. will be
completed within the next two
weeks, according to the contractor,
Jacob Fossler. The building will be
two stories, with apartments on the
second floor. Stone-tile is being used
in its construction, it being the first
building to be constructed with this
material since the local Stone-Tile
Company was organized by O. E. Van
Berg.
-o-
Will Teach School
Miss Cecil Scarborough, a gradu-
ate of Mercedes High School in June
of this year, has been elected to teach
in the Santa Margarita school near
Raymondville for the coming year.
Miss Scarborough attended the sum-
mer session of the South Texas State
Teachers College at Kingsville this
summer.
Organization of the Valley Zero-
zone Company, headed by Ray Tol-
son as president and C. G. Thornton
as vice-president and general mana-
ger, Avas announced the first of the
week. The concern will handle the
Zerozone electric refrigeration sys-
tem and refrigerators, and has open-
ed offices on Texas Ave. in the build-
ing recently vacated by the Variety
Store.
Two factory representatives are in
Mercedes this week assisting the com-
pany in making installations, the fac-
tory service manager who is here
having been with the concern since it
started doing business. Servicing of
the machines will be a feature of the
operation of the company, according
to Mr. Thornton.
Several of the machines have al-
ready been installed in Mercedes and
vicinity, including installations in the
homes of N. P. Barton, W. W. An-
derson, O. W. Stone, E. Keith Lyons,
John Polk, F. E. Hadden, B. H. Dun-
lap of La Feria, and others.
-o-
Harlingen Gets
New Daily Paper
Announcement of a daily paper to
begin publication at Harlingen the
latter part of this week has been
made in the junction city. The pub-
lication will be managed by Cal No-
ble, for the past two months con-
nected with the Mercedes News as ad-
vertising manager, with whom will be
associated J. M. Bird, publisher of the
Valley Morning Telegram of McAllen.
Simultaneously with the announce-
ment of the new paper, the Harlingen
Star began publication on Tuesday of
this week as a semi-weekly.
t both graduates of the College of In-
successful solution of these two will | ^ustrial Arts at Denton, Texas, mem-
place the country in a position of sta-
bility and security; will enable the
farmer to produce his crops at a cost
low enough to leave for him a margin
of profit, and bring the town and
country into friendly relations so that
they may work harmoniously togeth- follows:
er for the general good. j Beginners’ classes, 7
bers of the college life saving corps,
will be instructors. Miss Mason was
counsellor at the Girl Reserve Camp,
having had charge of swimming and
life saving.
The schedule for classes will be as
At least four truckloads of cotton
pickers directed to the Mercedes
Chamber of Commerce have been di-
verted somewhere between San An-
tonio and this city, according to Fred
Johnston, secretary of the Mercedes
Chamber of Commerce. Arrange-
ments were madle in Dallas and
Waco the latter part of last week for
260 hands, and of that number only
100 have reached their destination.
Two truckloads were in San Antonio
on Monday night of this week, where
advance money was wired the driv-
ers, but no word -has been received
from them since.
One truckload which broke down
north of Edinburg was secured by a
farmer from the Raymondville dis-
trict whose identity is known, and
another truckload is lost somewhere
between Waco and the Valley.
Drivers of all of the trucks had re-
ceived advance money from the
chamber of commerce, and all had
emergency licences issued by the de-
partment of labor, directing them to
deliver the labor to the local chamber
of commerce. Legal action against
all who have diverted the labor will
be taken.
The driver of the truckload which
arrived in Mercedes Wednesday stat-
ed that all kinds of inducements had
been offered to him to release his
laborers at points north of here. Ap-
proximately 100 laborers have come
in, and the chamber of commerce is
sending a man north tonight in an
effort to secure more.
00 a. m. and
“But on the other hand, if it is to
be the interests of the business men
of Donna that through the agency
■of corrupt practices and fraud Boss
rule be perpetuated in the communi-
ty then the interests of the town and
the interests of the country are in-
comparable, and co-operation is out
of the question.’’
and 7:30 a. m. and 5:30
FARMERS HAVE
TROUBLE; LABOR
BEING STOLEN
Unusual dififculty is being exper-
ienced by the farmers of the Mer-
cedes and all other Valley communi-
ties in keeping their labor, and re-
ports of stolen labor are prevalent.
Growers are endeavoring to harvest
a cotton crop in three or four weeks !
which is usually spread over a month I
and a half, and the demand for labor j
is increasing every day.
One Mercedes farmer reports
starting to pick his crop with 34
Mexican laborers and in two days
having his force reduced to ten. Oth-
ers report that their pickers have
been bribed to other fields over night.
Agents for farmers in the dry land
and the Robstown districts have also
been reported to be seeking labor in
the Valley.
5:00 p. m.
p. m.
Advanced classes, 7:00 a. m. and
5:00 p. m., and 7:30 a. m. and 5:30
p. m.
Life saving—senior, 6:00 a. m.
and 7:00 p. m.
Life saving—junior, 6:00 a. m. and
7:00 p. m.
The prices for class instruction
will be $2.50 for five lessons and
15 cents for general swims. Life
saving instruction will be free of
charge.
Special arrangements for individ-
ual instruction can be made. Phone
1626 F 12, or see instructors. Sign
for classes early.
-o-—-
Secnd Newspaper
For Mission Soon,
Election Aftermath
HIDALGO COUNTY BNK
HASREC0RDDEP0SITS
Passes Million! Dollar Mai*k for First
Time Since Founding in 1907—
Resources Have Increased
3,000 Per Cent
MR. AND MRS. DEL BUONO
ARE TRANSFERRED TO EL PASO
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Del Buono, who
have been connected with the local
office of the Western Union for a
number of years, have been trans-
ferred to the traffic department of
the company in the El Paso office.
Mr. Del Buono is now on his vaca-
tion and will report to El Paso on his
return and Mrs. Del Buono will join
her husband there as soon as the
new manager takes charge of the lo-
cal office.
SALADINO COMPANY PUTS IN
TEXAS AVENUE OFFICES
Offices of the Chas. Saladino Co.
will be installed on Texas Ave. in the
building recently vacated by the Var-
iety Store. The concern will handle
its gift package grapefruit business
from the new offices. The Valley
Zerozone Co. will also occupy the
i same building.
-o--
MOTHER OF B. A. ACKER
DIED AT JACKSONVILLE
Will Hold Bake Sale
The ladies of the Christian Church
will hold a bake sale on Saturday,
August 7, at 3 p. m. in the Kern-
Freeman Grcery Co. store.
B. A. Acker left on Monday night
of this week to attend the funeral of
his mother, Mrs. J. P. Acker, who
died at Jacksonville early in the day.
Mrs. Acker had been confined to her
bed for several months and her death
was not unexpected. She was buried
at Jacksonville where she had lived
all of her life.
As an aftermath of the campaign
of Sid Hardin of Mission for demo-
cratic nomination for congress from
the 15th district, comes the an-
nouncement that a second newspaper
for Mission will make its appearance
within a comparatively short time.
Hardin was backed by the Mission
precinct almost to a man, receiving
four out of every five votes cast in
the Mission precinct, being opposed
by John Shary, who controls the Mis-
sion Times, the irrigation company,
and one of the Mission banks.
The Mission Times was strong in
its support of Hardin until about
three weeks before the election, when
it abruptly switched its position and
proceeded to support John Garner,
Hardin’s opponent. From the time
of the switch in policy until the
close of the campaign, Hardin cen-
tered his attack on Shary.
A $10,000 corporation has been
formed and equipment ordered for a
newspaper and printing plant. Direc-
tors of the new publishing company
are O. C. Cannon, F. L. Flynn, Col. S.
M. Duffie, Chas. Volz, L. H. Smith,
Willard Ferguson and J. E. Hull.
---o-—
District Court Adjourns
The 93rd District Court of Hidalgo
County adjourned last week. Court
will re-open September 6th for a
term of nine weeks. J. E. Leslie is
the presiding judge.
For the first time since the city of
Mercedes was founded in 1907, de-
posits in a local banking institution
have passed the million dollar mark.
Deposits in the Hidalgo County State
Bank on Tuesday night of this week
were $1,016,000, the highest mark
attained since the bank was founded
coincident with the founding of Mer-
cedes.
In 1907 the total resources of the
bank were $47,000 and today they
stand at $1,163,000, an increase of
approximately three thousand per
cent since 1907.
Financial conditions in the Mer-
cedes community are good, bank of-
ficials state, and the bank deposits
may be taken as one of the best pos-
sible indications. Deposits in the 'two
local banks are right at $1,500,000,
which is the highest mark reached in
the history of the city.
-o--
Weslaco to Have
Legion Meeting
On Friday Night
For the benefit of Legionnaires and
ex-service men of the Weslaco com-
munity, the regular meeting of the
J. A. Garcia Post of th.e American
Legion will be held on Friday night
of this week in the. Weslaco commun-
ity House, according to notices
mailed members of the post by Her-
man Sugg, adjutant.
Renewed interest in the local le-
gion post is being displayed, and the
post is keeping its high standing
among the other posts of the state.
With 188 members, the J. A. Garcia
Post is 14th in Texas from a mem-
bership standpoint, being outranked
only by posts located in cities of
major size. The 15th district now
stands 5th in the state.
To Bring: Plane Here
B. L. Merkel and Barney Root,
local aviator, left Monday for San An-
tonio, expecting to return the latter
part of the week with a new Hisso
Standard aeroplane which will be in
passenger service in the Valley, fly-
ing out of Mercedes.
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Buell, Ralph L. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 5, 1926, newspaper, August 5, 1926; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1003107/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.