Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 20, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 27, 1923 Page: 1 of 12
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Criticism Becomes Noble
When it Seeks Not to An-
tagonize bnt to Foster a
Good Work.
YOLITKE X
ENGINEERS RELEASE
FLOOD CONTROL PLANS
Cost Placed Approximately $4,000,000.
Would Utilize Existing Improve-
ments and Drainage Channels
Following is a copy of the report
of the Committee on Plan for Flood
Control in the Lower Rio Grande Val-
ley which was presented to the Low-
er Rio Grande Valley Engineers at
a meeting in Mercedes on June 22,
1923, and adopted.
“Your committee appointed at the
meeting of June 19, 1923, to formu-
late a plarfl for flood protection m the
Lower Rio Grande Valley and to
make estimates of costs, begs to re-
port as follows:
The flood control work contem-
plated in the work of the U. S. Rec-
lamation Service are estimataed t6
cost approximately $12,000,000. It ap-
pears that the building of such ex-
pensive works can not be financed
at this time.
It is necessary to design such
works as can be financed now. To
meet this requirement we present a
plan that might be executed at an
expenditure approximating Four Mil-
lion ($4,000,000) Dollars and which
would afford adequate protection
against floods not larger than^ of
1922. he work now proposed might
be amplified, from time to time, as
the financing ability of the f Valley
incrc8/SGSe
This plan does not provide for the
safe handling of much more water
than overflowed the American bank
of the river in 1922, therefore its ef-
fectiveness depends upon maintaining
flood-ways through Mexican terri-
tory to carry at least as much water
as has passed that way in recent
years. It s o£ highest importance
that definite arrangements be had
with the Mexicans for the keeping
open of adequate waste-ways south
of the river.
The Plan
1. Keep open all important natural
waste-wavs in the river banks and
maintain' these openings approxi-
mately as they are now.
2. Utilize natural flood-ways thru
the back country to their full capa-
cities for the disposal of flood wat-
ers.
3. Construct levees along the cours-
es of the natural flood-ways to con-
fine the waters within reasonable
limits. The locations and heights of
these levees Being determined as far
as is practicable upon considerations
of least cost.
4. Clear flood-ways of obstructions
and make excavations therein at
points where the doing of such work
will result in reducing total cost of
(Continued on page 7.)
PRESBYTERIANS HOLD
PICNIC AT HARLINGEN
Valley Presbyterians gathered at
Harlingen yesterday in a Valley-
wide Presbyterian picnic, attendants
from all sections enjoying the after-
noon. Amusements began at 2 p. m.,
including a baseball game, sports of
all kinds, a swim, basket supper and
a parade.
A feature of the day’s program was
the illustrated talk given by Dr.
Skinner of the famous Tex-Mex In-
stitute of Kingsville, who spoke on
the proposed school for Mexican girls
which will be located in the Valley.
Other prominent speakers were also
present.
BILL BOOSTER SAYS
' XTKWOW ‘STOP! OOUY <SEViO
Vb? TUAT DOU.A* AVJAM \
VXS <$££« WORKAUG VAVTHFUL
E\J£RM DAM, PANW4& feUAS,
&V3MYUG FOR -THE
*\OS, FEEO\UG THE FAAMLN,
PANWAGc THE RRVVt. HUMWfG
GAS FOR THE CAR, PANVUGc
OUR. TEACHERS V VIE CAWT
GET ALOHCx V4VTHOUT THAT
OLO FAVTHFUL OOU.AR\
DOWT EEWiO XT AVJAN\ "
Criticism Becomes
Noble
When it Seeks Not
to An-
tagonize but to Foster a
Good Work.
_
MERCEDES. HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1923
NUMBER 20
WESLACO WINS!
FROM WESLACO TO HOUSTON TO HAVRE, FRANCE, WHERE IT WILL BE SOLD FOR THE BEN-
EFIT OF FRENCH WAR RELIEF, IS THE JOURNEY UPON WHICH T HE FIRST BALE OF THE 1923 COT-
TON CROP HAS STARTED.
PICTURE SHOWS SCENE IN THE HOUSTON COTTON EXCHANG E JUST BEFORE THE BALE WAS
AUCTIONED FOR $1,275.00
First Bale 1923 Cotton Shipped
by Growers of the West Tract
The annual Valley free for all, to
determine to Yvhich community and
to which grower shall go the honor
of having produced the first hale of
cotton for the year, ended its 1923
heat when the Weslaco Gin Co’s gin
shrilled its whistle at 1:20 p. m. Sat-
urday, June 23, telling the world that
the first hale of the 1923 crop had!
been ginned. The major portion oi |
to Kingsville, where it boarded a
special train for Houston, arriving
in that city shorty before midnight
and being rolled on to the floor of
the Houston Cotton Exchange just
as tbe clock was tolling midnight.
The cost of the special train, ap-
proximately $800, was borne by the
business men of Weslaco.
The bale- was ginned by the Wes-
tlie cotton making up this first bale ]aco Gin Co., weighed 434 pounds,
was growW by A. J. Thomas, livina i graded strict middling, and was con-
i>vo miles from Weslaco on the \\ es signed to W. D. Cleveland & Son of
Tract. Other growers having staple Houston. It sold at auction on the
in the bale were Hale Bros., J. P. I floor of the Houston Cotton Exchange
Triplett, H. Raymond Mills and .1. C. Monday morning for $1,275, the suc-
Wallace. ! cessful bidder being Anderson, Cley-
The bale of cotton was immediate- ton & Company,
ly placed in a touring car and sent j According to the Houston Chroni-
YOUNGBLOOD SELECTS
SIX TENTATIVE SITES
Picks Three Sites from Eacli County
For Experiment Station Location
Final Choice up to President
of A. & M.
Dr. B. Youngblood, head of the Ex-
periment Station department of Tex-
as A. & M^ College, left the Valley
last Wednesday with his party, after
having inspected all of the sites of-
fered by the various Valley commun-
ities for the location of the experi-
ment station for this section. Prior
to his departure Dr. Youngblood an-
nounced that the inspecting party
had eliminated all but six of the
proposed sites, three in Cameron
County and three in Hidalgo County.
AnnounceF ourth
of July Program
All plans have been completed by
the committee of the Council of
Women in charge of the Fourth of
July basket supper and picnic in the
city park for one of the most en
joyable community gatherings which |
residents of this section have ever j
attended. A good band will be in |
attendance throughout the evening j
and in addition an able corps of
speakers and entertainers has been
assembled from local talent.
The announced program follows;
5 to 8 p. m.—Band Concert.
8 p. m.—Vaudeville Program.
Quartette.
Ten Hinute Talk, “Where are the
Knitters?”—Fred Bennett.
Folk Dance.
“The Village Organ,”—Juniors
Just We Neighbors Club.
Ten Minute Talk, “The Patriot
1923.”—Judge L. T. Hoyt.
Living Pictures, “The Family
urn.”—Ladies of
Club.
Quartette.
-o
cle, the arrival of the bale in Hous-j These six sites will be considered by
ton was dramatic in the extreme, j the Board of Regents of A. & M. and
Word had been received that the j three eliminated. The final choice
special train would arrive in that j from the three remaining will be
City at 11:45, and all concerned were'made by the president of the college
anxious that delivery of the bale be
made to the cotton evchange before
midnight, in order that the official
record of delivery might read one
J day earlier. A. Cleveland & Son’s
truck was awaiting the train with
motor running, and the bale was
transferred from the train to the
truck before the train had come to
a standstill.
Houston’s interest was further
aroused by rumors which were cir-
lating, not without cause, that oth<--
bales were on their way in efforts
to beat out the Weslaco bale. It de-
veloped that Edinburg had ginned a
bale of dry land cotton just two
hours after the Weslaco bale had
passed through that city cn its auto-
mobile trip to Kingsville. Lyford al-
so turned out a bale Saturday, and
Harlingen had a gin all steamed up
ready to turn one out, but quit op
erations when word came that Wes-
Just We Neighbors | laco and Edinburg had already turned
j out bales.
i Keener interest has been
of
and party on a final trip of inspec-
tion to the Valley. It is expected
that the final choice will be an-
nounced within thirty days.
While Dr. Youngblood would make
no announcement before he left the
Valley to which sites had been re-
tained by him for further consider-
ation, it is known that he personally
favors a site centrally located, which
would be equally accessible to all
sections of the Valley. Based on
this, La Feria and Mercedes commun-
ities are confident that the ultimate
choice lies between the sites offered
in thes two localities.
RGAO WORK ON NEW
PROJECT^ TO START
AT BOTH ENOS COUNTY
I The State Highway Department
Popular Druggist
To Leave City
Announcement is made by W. F.
Powell that he and John Bennett
have . purchased the Weslaco Drug
Store from Tom Hester of Donna,
and that they will take possession
of their new business on the first
of July. Mr. and Mrs. Powell will
move to Weslaco, it is stated, after
a three year residence in Mercedes.
Mr. Bennett, who is a former Edin-
burg desident, brother of Fred Ben-
nett of this city, will also move to
Weslaco.
H. E. Hvistendahl will assume the
management of the Harrel Drug Co.’s
Mercedes store.
interest has been felt m, , , , , , ,
,, i, , i will recommend that work be started
l the Valley and other sections of the,
| cotton belt over the first bale this | simultaneously on the road projects
, year than ever before, and Weslaco | of Hidalgo County for which bids will
is receiving Valley wide congratula-
tions over its feat of putting the first
bale of a $15,000,000 Valley crop on
the market.
This year’s first bale is nearly two
weeks later than the one shipped last*}
year by Mack Mize of San Benito I ment will be welcome news to resi-
be received by the Commissioners’
Court of the County on July 11, ac-
cording to Division Engineer T. R.
Spence of the Department who was
in Mercedes yesterday. This state-
who expressed the first bale from
Harlingen on June 1. The bale was
sold on the floor of the Houston
Cotton Exchange for $1,200 on June
2nd.
In 1921 Ernest Matz of San Benito
shipped what has since proved to be
■the world’s record first bale, ginned
May 26. This bale brought $1,300
when sold at suction in the Houston
Cotton Exchange.
dents of east end of the county, some
of whom have expressed fears that
this end of the construction work
would be left until the last.
Mr. Spense spent the first part of
the week inspecting the progress of
the Cameron County work, and was
on his way to Pharr to go over the
final details of the Hidalgo County
letting with County Engineer P. S
Devine.
City Council Votes To
Call Election For Issuance
Municipal Light & Water Bonds
By a unanimous vote of the Mercedes City Council at their
regular meeting Monday night, June 25, a bond election for an
as yet undetermined amount of bonds, has been ordered for Sat-
urday, August 4, to determine whether or not the city of Mer-
cedes shall issue bonds for the purpose of constructing and oper-
ating a municipal light, water and power plant. All members of
the city council were present at this meeting with the exception
of Councilman Drysdale, who is out of the city on business. The
motion to this effect was made by Councilman Ben Brooks and
seconded by Councilman Saladino.
This action was taken by the coun-
cil over the protests of representa-
tives of the Morrison-McCall syndi-
cate, who were present at the meet-
ing and stated that they were doing
all in their power to immediately
better and improve the light and
water service of the city.
It developed that the Morrison-
McCall syndicate, present owners
of the local plant, were unaware of
any verbal agreement between the
city and the old management when
they purchased the properties. Ac-
cording to Mr. Carl Malott, general
manager for the Valley of the Mor-
rison McCall interests, the first in-
timation which they had had regard-
ing such extensive improvements as
it was claimed had been promised
came when he attended a meeting of
the City Council on April 18, at which
time he stated to the council that
while his company was unaware of
any promises alleged to have been
made by the old management, yet
they would certainly carry out such
promises if made.
Mr. Malott requested that Mayor
Haynes write him a letter outlining
the improvements which were alleged
to have been promised, that he might
take the matter up with his company
and begin making plans for the in-
stallation of such improvements.
This letter was not received by Mr.
Malott, he states, until May 31. Im-
mediately upon receipt of the letter
from the mayor, W. E. Anderson, city
engineer of San Benito, was employed
by^ the company to prepare plans for
the installation of a modern water
system which would meet with the
I demands of the State Fire Insurance
1 Commission as far as possible. Mr.
J Anderson was present Monday night
at the council meeting with, his plans
as prepared, but • was given no op-
portunity ,to present them to the coun-
cil.
(Continued on page 6.)
Trades Day Set
For July 24
The date for the Mercedes Trades
Day has been set by the Trades Day
Committee for Tuesday, July 24, fol-
lowing a conference held early in the
week. A full set of rules governing
the day has been drawn up by the
committee and will be submitted by
the secretary to those merchants
who desire to enter into the day.
Special features of the day include
a possible baseball game between
crackerjack good nines in the after-
noon; a two hour band concert; and
a free picture show in the afternoon
from 1:30 to 6:30. In addition as a
super attraction the committee has
in mind a scheme which has never
been attempted before in the Lower
Valley.
Practically all merchants in Merce-
des have expressed a desire to co-
operate in this initial, attempt, and
the committee feels that a success-
ful day is assured. The committee,
consisting of Sam Richardson, R. F.
Kern, J. Brown, Ralph Buell and
Martin Pugh request that any par-
ticipating in the day who have any
suggestions to make take them up
with any member of the committee.
--—o--
MERCEDES SCOUTS VISIT
McALLEN ENCAMPMENT AT LAKE
Several members of the Mercedes
Troop of Boy Scouts, accompanied
by Scoutmaster R. F Gribble, vis-
ited the encampment of McAllen
scouts which was held on Lake
Campacaus from Monday until Fri-
day of last week.
Fourteen of the McAllen troop
enjoyed the week’s outing, accom-
panied by Scoutmaster Foster and
Postmaster January of McAllen.
POLK APPOINTED TO
NEW DISTRICT COURT
State Senator Archie Parr and Sher-
iff A. Y. Baker Win Political
Fight Whch Has Attracted
State Wide Attention
Dispatches from Austin state that
Governor Neff has appointed L. J.
Polk of Pharr to the judgeship of the
93rd Judicial District, composing Hi-
dalgo County for civil cases. The ap-
pointment was first tendered to Judge
Hood Boone of Pharr, the present
judge of the 79,th Judicial District,
but Judge Boone declined the ap-
pointment on Thursday of last week.
Mr. Polk is at present in Alice where
he is acting as judge pro tern of
the Jim Wells session of the 79th
District Court. It is thought that
he will accept the appointment to the
new court.
In commenting upon the Hidalgo
District Court tangle, Tuesday’s San
Antonio Express stated as follows:
News from Austin that Governor
Neff has tendered District Judge
Hoocl Boone of Phar ther new
judgeship created by the act of tha
38th Legislature making a separata
district court wholly within the lim-
its of Hidalgo County brings to the
surface one of the hottest political
battles waged at Austin, with the
Chief Executive as umpire, that has
been known in many months. It all
revolves around State Senator Archie
Parr of Duval County, with that re-
futable political chieftan and all his
lieutenants backing Lucius J. Polk,
of Pharr for the place and all of
Parr’s political enemies . rallying
to the support of W. R. Perkins of
Alice.
Judge Boone’s present Strict in-
cludes Hidalgo, Starr, Duval, Brooka.
Jim Hogg and Jim Wells Counties.
The new district, as stated, includes
Hidalgo alone, but the Legislature, at
the instance of Parr, Sheriff A. !Y.
Baker of Hidalgo and others influen-
tial about Austin, gave a peculiar il-
lustration of how to get a new dis-
trict court while at the same time
time making nearly certain of the
judgeship, as well. They wanted Polk
from the start, but believed they
could defeat anybody except Judge
Hood Boone, who might be named by
(Continued on page 7.)
WILL INSTALL LOCAL
MASONIC OFFICERS AT
HARLINGEN CEREMONY
The laying of the cornerstone of
the $50,000 Baptist Hospital at Har-
lingen on Thursday, June 28, will be
the occasion for the assembling of
members of the Masonic Fraternity
from all lodges of the Valley. The
cornerstone will be layed at 2:30 in
the afternoon, and it is planned to
hold the installation services of the
newly elected officers of several of
the Valley lodges at 10 in the morn-
ing. The newly elected officers of
the Mercedes Lodge will be installed
at that time, including James Howze,
W. M.; E. E. Johnson, S. W.; Fred
Robertson, J. W.; T. J. Fikes, Sr.
Sec.; T. L. Jones, Treas.; Charles
Saladino, Tiler; G. C. Commons, S. D.
and James A. Anderson and M. H.
Giddle, Stewards.
Following the laying of the corner-
stone in the afternoon, a basket
picnic will be held by Valley Masons
and their families on the banks of
the Arroyo Colorado near Harlingen.
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Holland, W. D. & Buell, Ralph L. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 20, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 27, 1923, newspaper, June 27, 1923; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1003135/m1/1/: accessed June 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.