The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 4, 1955 Page: 1 of 12
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Mercedes Public Library
Box 551
Mercedes, Texas
PAY YOUR DUES
IN THE
QUARTERBACK
CLUB NOW
ISfi BBf
QUARTERBACK
CLUB TICKET
SALES BOOST
THE TIGER TEAM
10c
COPY
QUEEN CITY OF THE VALLEY
MERCEDES, TEXAS
FINEST WATER IN THE VALLEY
VOLUME XLIII — NO. 31
Now & Then
By EDWIN HARVEY
Seems the old saw about
“Home’s best” must have a little
bit of the truth in it, judging
from returning vacationers. Our
former neighbors, the C. O.
Dales, took off for faraway places
early in the sumfher and. an-
nounced plans for a three or four
months (at least that long) ab-
sence from these parts. We can’t
say for sure just how long they
were gone, but they’re back and
admit that it’s mighty good to be
home. Same thing is true of the
Tony Riperts and Sam Somnitzes
who have been North into Cana-
da and Minnesota, but are now
back in the Valley.
* * *
Seeing is believing and T. W.
McQueen (Mac to most of the
residents of Mercedes) has be-
come a believer.
Most people cut their wis-
dom teeth around the age of
20, but someone got mixed up
where the Mercedes resident is
concerned. Recently, at the age
of 73 years young, Mac has got
a new Wisdom tooth—or at
least, he did have one, until
• his visit-to the dentist's office
to get it removed. His original
■ .teeth were pulled around 18
years ago.
Mac says he has always
heard that when a person be-
gins to cut a third set of teeth,
it indicates the approach of a
second childhood. "Ask the En-
terprise readers if any of them
have cut teeth after their 70th
birthady," he asked the editor
this week. "I'd like to know if
the old saying is true."
(Editor's note: If anyone can
advise Mac about the matter,
he can usualy Be found on his
motorbike most days near
Queen City Pharmacy down-
town.)
❖ ❖ ❖
Our neighboring’ newspaper to
the West, The Weslaco News, an-
nounced in the Monday, Aug. 1
edition, that it was discontinu-
ing its semi-weekly schedule and
returning to a once-a-week pub-
lication to be mailed Thursday
mornings.
“We were wrong on two counts
. . . We believed the potential
for local advertising Would sup-
port a semi-weekly . . , We start-
ed a house to house survey and
much to our surprise found 10
out of every 13 preferred mail
deliver over carrier delivery . . .
It also noted the newsstand
price was being raised back to
10c.
First semi-weekly issue ap-
peared last Jan. 31—just over
five months ago.
* * He
There still are plenty of mem-
(Continued on Page 5)
THURSDAY. AUGUST 4, 1955
TWELVE PAGES — TWO SECTIONS
$3.00 PER YEAR
mm
„ —Enterprise Staff Photo
LAST WEST BOUND TRAIN offering passenger, mail and ex-
press service to Mercedes and upper Valley cities leaves Mer-
cedes Wednesday for Mission. The crew spent the day in Miss-
ion, as had been their custom for many years, and returned to
Harlingen on the night run which came through Mercedes short-
ly before 8 p. m. This marks the close of an era—some 50 years
of passenger train service come to an end with that 8 p. m. train.
Mercedes Nearer New Armory
As State Building Tie-up Freed
The Texas Armory Board has
ueen given ihe go-anead signal
from Washington to proceed with
its building program in Texas,
according to Gen. H. Miller
Ainsworth, chairman.
m a letter to col. H. G. Stein,
Chamber of Commerce manager,
Gen. Ainsworth pointed out that
the board had received authori-
zatm to proceei and that now
it was a matter of seeking how
far they can make their funds
go.
Tng building program had
been held up for several months
because of a jurisdiction dispute
concerning a labor-union law.
While in Mercedes some time
ago, Gen; Ainsworth expressed
personal approval of a proposed
site lor a new armory building
to be ‘constructed adjacent to
the Stock Show Grounds. He said
that i.iey hoped within a few
months alter resumption of the
building program to schedule
Mercedes lor a new armory if
funds held out.
In his recent letter, he said
he would take the Mercedes re-
quest before the next Armory'"
Board meeting in Austin.
He earlier had recommended
that Mercedes obtain title to the
tract of land involved and pres-
ent it to the Board. Then, if con-
struction of a new armory is ap-
proved, there should be little de-
lay.
John W. Bowe, president of the
BULLETIN
The second Salk Vaccine will
be given on Wednesday, Aug-
ust 10, 1-4:30 p. m. to students
who received the first shot last
spying, but did not take the
second shot given July 26.
The shots will be given at
the Welfare Clinic on 10th
street, according to announce-
ment from Miss Barbara Gass-
away of the Hidalgo County
Health Unit.
Mercedes Chamber of Commerce,
and officials of the Livestock
Show are working out details oi
the land title clearance and
transfer.
The new armory could be used
for community gathering as well
as for reserve unr and National
Guard unit meerm6s and drills.
•-o—--
Heart Story Has
A Happy Ending
A Kansas City, Kansas, family
visited in Mercedes last April in
the home of the father’s cousin.
On the surface, it might have
been just a family visit—but it
was more.
The Kansas visitors were Mr.
and. Mrs. Richard Coleman and
they were accompanied by their
daughter, Betty Lou, aged nine.
Their Mercedes hosts were Mr.
and Mrs. Victor Brown and son.
Mr. Coleman and Mrs. Brown
are cousins. The parents knew
that their daughter faced a ser-
ious heart operation, one from
which the outcome was uncer-
tain.
Three weeks ago the surgery
was performed and word from
the happy parents is that little
Betty Lou was out of bed in less
than two weeks and is now
think in terms of going back
to school in the fall. During the
heart surgery, performed while
the patient’s body temperature
was frozen down to 81 degrees,
a hole in the heart was plugged
and a valve rerouted.
So it looks like a visit made
last spring could be repeated
another year—under far happier
circumstances.
After Half Century, Mercedes
Loses Passenger Train Service
After nearly a half century,
Mercedes and other Valley towns
found themselves without pas-
senger trains Thursday.
Wednesday, the train left Har-
lingen for its round trip to Miss-
ion for the last time. Shortly be-
fore 8 a. m., the West Bound
stopped in Mercedes to unload
mail, express and passengers
and to take on waiting cargo.
The train and crew proceeded
on to Mission, spent the day say-
ing goodbye to friends where
they had spent the day between
each morning and afternoon run
for years, and started the return
trip to Harlingen.
Just 12 hours later, the West
Bound pulled into the Missouri
Pacific Station at Mercedes.
There was little business—little
mail, little express, few passen-
gers—on that final run. And as
the familiar horn of the Diesel
locomotive gave its signal, the
train pulled out and headed for
Harlingen. With no ceremony,
Mercedes said goodbye to its last
passenger train and the train j ||
and its crew broke up for the4 ft
last time upon arrival in Harlin-
gen.
Passenger train service was I
discontinued because they were J
losing money, Missouri Pacific i |
officials said. A public hearing
was held several weeks ago in
Harlingen. Then the matter was
taken under advisement by the
Texas Railroad Commission. It
was exactly one week after word
was published that the Railroad
commission had granted their re-
quest that the company let the
trains make their last runs.
H. E. Miller, Mercedes agent,
said that so far as he knew,
there will be no change in sta-
tion operation or personnel.
Complete ticket sales to any
point still will be given, and pas-
sengers desiring to leave from
or return to Mercedes may do so
without additional charge on
Missouri Pacific busses.
Express will be shipped via
Missouri Pacific freight trucks
for connection with trains at
Harlingen.
Postmaster Ben Tucker re-
ceived notice that mail connect-
ing with the same trains as that
handled by the discontinued
trains will be transported over
star (motor-highway) route by
contract carrier.
First run was made Thursday
(today) morning and the sched-
ule is about the same as that
when the trains operated. There
is one change—the west bound
continues on to Rio Grande City
while the former train service
ended at Mission.
Farm Mystery
Winners
Winners in last week's Mys-
tery Farm contest in Group I
were Andrew Downing and
Paul Cayce. Fred R. Jones
made a correct identification
in Group II.
First place winners receive
a 6-months subscription to
The Enterprise; second place
winners may claim two passes
to the Wes-Mer Theatre by
calling for them at the office
of The Enterprise.
Don't forget to call when
you get your pacer. Early call-
ers may have been wrong.
For a complete story on last
week's farm, turn inside to the
advertisement sponsored by
The Hidalgo County Bank and
Trust Co.
$5I0J00 Building Program Planned
For Mercedes School System
“■ill
NEW
MYSTERY FARM NO.
II
Jaycees Plan
Friday Meeting
Eligible young businessmen
(aged 21 to 35) and their wives
are invited to attend a meeting
of the Jaycees Friday night at 8
p. m. at the El Sombrero.
George Gaines, state vice-pres-
ident of the organization, will be
the guest speaker.
Members of the Corpus Christi
Jaycees will be present and will
bring an orchestra and a girls
trio to provide entertainment
and music for dancing.
Committee in charge of ar-
rangements include Bill Ken-
nedy, Morris Sisk and Shelley
Collier, Jr.
Purpose of the meeting is to
revitalize the local organization.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL PLANT recently completed for
Mercedes has ben put into action. These photos, made by Util-
ities Supervisor H. L. German, show major steps in the treat-
ment of raw sewage. German personally supervised the $20,000
improvement project, saving the city thousands of dollars over
the cost of hiring outside engineers. Total value of the plant
now is estimated at 130,000. The above scene shows the screen-
ing grit chamber where the sewage enters the plant. In back-
ground are.the air lift lines which lift solids out of primary
units. The bottom of the treatment tank is scraped continuously
to keep the solids from settling.
Members of the Mercedes
Board of Education in a special
meeting tentatively approved a
$500,000 building program to be
financed by a bond issue.
Tne board at the same time
ordered preparation of petitions
which are being presented to the
voters this week and next call-
ing for a special bond issue
election. Trie petitions are to be
j returned to the next regular
(board meeting Aug. 10 when a
budget hearing has been sched-
uled.
The tentative building pro-
gram calls for construction of a
new South Grammar school on a
new location completely separ-
ate from the present junior and
senior high school campus. The
latter would be expanded to in-
clude the space formerly occu-
pied by the grammar school.
Approximately 10 new class-
rooms are scheduled for North
Grammar School and five for
West.
It also is planned to enlarge
the present; gymnasium, improve
the athletic field and construct a
suitable field house.
“We had two courses—to build
a new senior high school or a
new South Grammar School,”
said Board President Joe Win-
ston. “Since the junior and sen-
ior high schools have so many
things in common—faculty, ath-
letic department, library and
others—we decided it would be
more feasible and more econom-
ical to move the grade school
and keep the high schools to-
gether.”
Site being considered for the
llllllllliilill
WmMm
THESE ARE PRE-AERATION CHAMBERS and
aeration tanks where sewage receives aeration,
changing to areabic bacteria.
THIS INTERIOR SCENE shows the drive unit
and valves in final clarifier.
Baseball Schedule
eii
If you can identify t his one, tell The Enterprise about it and you may
f n*10t-) Mercedes area farm is published each week. Identifica-
KNOW YOUR FARMS?
win a prize. An aerial ^_________________ _________________
tion will be found the following week under sponsorship of the Hidalgo County Bank & Trust Co.
on an inside page. First and second place prizes of a six-months subscription to The Enterprise
and two passes to the Wes-Mer Drive-In are awarded in each of three divisions: Mercedes city
residents, Mercedes rural routes, and surrounding communities. The farm owner will receive
a beautiful mounted aerial photograph like the one here free by identifying his farm. Its
never too late to call in. Early callers may ha ve been wrong. Call in as soon as you get your
paper. Employees of the Enterprise, Hidalgo County Bank and of the Post Office are not eligible
for the contest.
LITTLE LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 4
Red Sox vs. Tigers
Cards vs. Cubs
Friday, August 5
Braves vs. Dodgers
White Sox vs. Yankees
Saturday, August 6
Tigers vs. Red Sox
Cubs vs. Cards
Wednesday, August 10
Cards vs. Braves
Red Sox vs. White Sox
Thursday, August 11
Indians vs. Tigers
Giants vs. Cubs
STANDINGS
National League
Team—
W L
Pet.
Braves .......
.....10 3
.770
Dodgers ......
. .. 8^ 4
.666
Giants .......
..... 9 5
.643
Cards ........
.....4 10
.286
Cubs .........
..... 3 10
.231
American League
Team—
W L
Pet.
Red Sox .....
.....11 2
.847
Tigers .......
..... 9 4
.693
Indians ......
..... 6 8
.428
Yankees .....
.....4 8
.333
White Sox ...
..... 4 10
.286
BLOWERS# switch gear and discharge manifold
take the air to the carborundum tubes in aera-
tion chambers.
PART OF CONTROL LAB is shown in this
scene. Engineers run continuous tests to make
sure each stage of the process meets specifica-
tions.
Quarterback Club
To Hold Barbecue
Mercedes Quarterback Club for
1955 met Tuesday evening at the
City Hall with an approximate
attendance of forty.
Plans are going full steam
ahead for the barbecue on Aug-
ust 18 with most businessmen
selling tickets to same at $5 (ad-
mits two).
Quarterback Club members
point out that town support
makes a big difference in foot-
ball team morale and urge
townspeople to make plans to
attend the fund-raising barbecue
Thursday evening, August 18.
-o-
FATHER DIES IN LUFKIN
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Ed Brown
were called to Lufkin, Tex., this
week by the death of her father,
Albert Johnson.
Over 10,000 Bales
Of Cotton Ginned
For Area Farmers
Farmers in the general Mer-
cedes area ginned over 10,000
bales of cotton during the past
week, a check of gins showed.
Exact ginnings were 10,138
for a grand total this season of
32,719.
Highest total was reported by
the Elsa Co-Op with 6,550 bales
for the season.
Others were:
Edcouch Gin Co......... 5,600
Progreso Gin ..............4,506
Mercedes Co-Op ...........4,365
Ross Gin ................3,717
Frisby & Bell ..........3,364
Santa Maria ..............2,558
Pealor Gin ................2,066
McArthur’s To Attend
Pharmacy Meeting
Mr. and Mrs. T. F. McArthur,
of the Queen City Pharmacy,
Mercedes, have registered in ad-
vance to attend the 7t6h Annual
Convention and Drug Buyers
Market of the Texas Pharmaceu-
tical Association at the Hotel
Texas, Fort Worth, August 14-17,
inclusive.
Joining more than 2,000 other
retail pharmacists from nearly
every city in Texas, they will
hear a host of p1 eminent leaders
in the drug industry, at the re-
tail, wholesale, and manufactur-
ing levels, discuss vital profess-
ional and merchandising prob-
lems facing the retail pharma-
I
cists in Texas today.
[ new South Grammar school is
the north part of the Shaw place,
'south of town, beginning at the
west canal banks on the east
and extending to Missouri on the
west and to the Floodway on the
South. The board is investiga-
ting the possibility of purchas-
ing the land.
The election is expected to be
called soon after the. budget
hearing meeting so that the
building program can be begun.
Buyers already have been com-
mited for the bonds if they are
voted.
Although only $500,000 will be
needed for the current program,
•the board decided it best to ask
for a $750,000 bond issue. Then
when need for further expansion
arises and the tax monies can
support additional bonds, they
may be raised without the ex-
pense of another election.
Federated Clubs
Wants Rummage
For Saturday
A plea for rummage—wearable
clothing of most any kind, child-
ren’s and adults—went out this
week in the name of the Feder-
ated Clubs, Inc., Mercedes group
which operates the Federated
Club Building.
At a meeting of the group
Friday night, attended by repre-
sentatives of most of the mem-
ber clubs, it was voted to spon-
sor the rumage sale as a means
of raising money to tide the club
group over until a more perma-
nent means of financial support
could be found.
Shelley Collier, president, pre-
sided at the meeting when a pro-
posed budegt for the Federated
Clubs, Inc., was read and ex-
plained. Dub Lauder, vice-presi-
dent, and Morris Sisk, treasurer,
pointed out that the proposed
budget could not be met from
the dues of the member clubs
and that if all outstanding bills
of the group were paid, the or-
ganization would now be ap-
proximately $30 overdrawn.
Mrs. W. H. Drawe heads the
rummage sale to be held this
Saturday in North Mercedes,
near the Hidalgo Street and Tex-
as intersection.
It was pointed out that every-
one in Mercedes has an interest
in the club building and its con-
tinuing to function.
Residents are urged to take
their iummage to the Federated
Building this week, or if they
do not have transportation, call
L05-2371, and the rummage will
be picked up.
New Owner Arrives
To Take Charge
Of Laundromat
Harold Erie, a retired army
major, has purchased the Mur-
doch Laundromat, it was an-
nounced this week.
Maj. Erie has been in the army
since World War I until his re-
cent retirement. He served 8
years at Fort Brown and resolved
then to move to the Valley when
he retired, he said. He originally
is from Pennsylvania.
He and Mrs. Erie and their 11-
year-old daughter .presently are
living in Harlingen, but plan to
establish a home in Mercedes
when suitable quarters are
found.
Sale of the Laundromat was
made by Ralph Murdoch, who
has owned and operated it for
the past six years. Mr. Murdoch
said he and Mrs. Murdoch will
take a vacation trip but plan to
continue to make their home in
Mercedes.
KIWANIS TO SEE SLIDES
Miss Lou Anne Langford and
Miss Jane Hollon, who recently
returned from a trip to Hawaii,
will show color slides of their
trip at the Kiwanis luncheon
meeting Thursday, according to
program chairman Ferg Wood.
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Harvey, J. Edwin. The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 31, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 4, 1955, newspaper, August 4, 1955; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1062988/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.