Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 31, 1917 Page: 1 of 16
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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icial Organ of the Unit x
Jirketing System, the f
('armers’ Sales and Pur- x
chasing Agency of the x
Rio Grande Valley X
aJ__:
fflfibtuw
Devoted to the Advance- x
ment of the Agricultural I
and Commercial Interests X
of the Rio Grande Valley f
Subscription Price, $1.50 X
VOLUME IV.
MERCEDES, HIDALGO COUNTY, THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1917
Number 15
ORE THAN TEN MILLION POUNDS VEGETABLES SHIPPED
HE WAR
INJUROPE
Ians Continue Their
Attacks
RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA
Are Fighting in a More Lively Way
In the Eastern Theater Than for
Months Past—Russia Faces Econ-
omic Crisis.
The battle front from Gorizia
southard toward the head of the
Gulf of Trieste remains the only the-
ater where for the moment hard fight
ing is in progress. Even here, how-
ever, the intensity which chaaracter-
ized the operations last week, is lack-
ing.
On the front in France, where
Field Marshal Haig’s forces are fac-
ing the Germans, the operations by
neither side have risen above minor
attacks for several days, consisting
mainly of maneuvers by small raid-
ing parties and artillery duels of a
moderate degree of strength. Wed-
nesday also passed without infantry
engagements between the French and
Germans, although their respective
guns took part in spirited artillery
duels to the south of St. Quentin and
(n the Champagne.
f—The.' Russians and Austrians in the
sastern theater are fighting in more
[lively fashion than has been the case
for months. This is particularly true
falicia, where several days ago the
^ians began an offensive. As yet
tetrograd war office has made no
[ent on the situation as it now
in this region, nor has the Aus-
official communication given any
'as to the extent of the hostilities
Fany intimation of the exact zone
iere the fighting is going on. The
[pected commencement of hostilities
the Russians and Roumanians in
Rumania has not yet materialized.
[Between Jamiano and the head of
le Gulf of Trieste the Italians again
|ve -cut into the Austrian lines and
fcupied positions west of the village
5f Medeazza, thereby bringing their
(right wing closer to Duino and the
Frailway line leading toward Trieste.
The Austrian war office reports the
repulse of Italian attacks near Jami-
ano, while a similar claim is made by
Rome for the Italians with regard to
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June 5th is registration day.
Dr. Charles B. Buck is registrar.
Registration office will be in
Menton Hardware store. All
persons 21-30 years inclusive
| MUST REGISTER.
Austrian attacks to the north of the
Julian front.
The weekly report of British vessels
sunk by submarines or mines shows
that eighteen vessels of over 1,600
tons—the same number as recorded
the previous week—went to the bot-
tom, but that only one vessel of less
than 1,600 tons met with disaster, a
decrease of eight over the records of
the previous week.
In addition to the unsettled political
situation in Russia, the latest phase
of which is the reiteration by the or-
gan of the soldiers’ and workmen’s
delegates of the policy of no indemni-
ties or territorial aggrandizement,
Russia is facing a serious economic
situation. The food minister has in-
formed the congress of officers’ dele-
gates that the wheat shipments still
are far from normal; that peasants
are suspicious of paper money and
that the iron supply is far short of the
requirements of the munition fac-
tories. Unless great sacrifices are
made by the people, he said, Russia is
on the eve of a catastrophe.
VOLUNTEER SYSTEM
BIG DRAINAGE CONTRACT
TO BENEFIT MERCEDES
American Rio Grande Land and
Irrigation Co. to Make Mercedes
Most Perfect Proposition in the
World; Work to Be Commenced
Within Thirty Days.
One of the most important and wel-
come announcements that could pos-
sibly be made to the citizens and land
owners on the Mercedes canal is that
an adequate and thorough system of
drainage will be immediately con-
structed, covering the Mercedes pro-
position.
The contract for the completion of
the major part of the work was award
ed last week. The contract provides
that the work must be commenced
within one month and fully completed
within ten months.
It involves the removal of more than
350,000 cubic yards of dirt and the
drainage ditches will be in places
more than twelve feet deep, assuring
not only the removal of all surface
water but eliminating all danger of
damage from the formation of a water
tablet near the surface of the soil.
The territory covered by the con-
tract includes all of the Palm Gardens
district and all lands north of the rail-
road to mile two east. It also in-
cludes the lands south of the railroad
and east of town.
The cost of this work will exceed
$50,000.
As soon as this contract is com-
pleted it is said that the work will
then be extended to cover the Heidel-
berg district by another contract.
The entire expense of the work is
being paid by the American Rio
Grande Land and Irrigation company.
This company now maintains an: ir-
rigation system which was last week
pronounced by Dr. Fortier, chief of
the irrigation department of the Uni-
ted States, department of agriculture,
as practically perfect, and which as-
sures the farmers all of the water
they want at any time they want it at
a rate of only one dollar per acre per
irrigation.
With the added advantage of an ade-
quate drainage system, the farms on
the Mercedes canal will be practically
certain to produce the maximum yields
under intelligent management and
crop failures will become unknown,
PROVEN A FAILURE SEES GREAT FUTURE
FOR MAGIC VALLEY
Despite Fact that Nation Is at War
Less Than 200,000 Have En-
listed Since April 1
Washington, D. C. — War depart-
ment officials are pointing to the daily
recruiting figures as proof anew that
the volunteer system again has broken
down in time of national emergency.
Monday’s regular army recruiting
brought in 2,237 men, making a total
of 87,515 since April 1. Illinois was
first with 300 and New York second
with 295.
Army officers declare that a great
drive for volunteers to fill the army
and national guard to the new war
strength will be necessary unless
there is to be serious delay in organ-
(Continued on page 5.)
Seven Points About Registration
1.—There is only one day for registration—June 5, 1917.
2— Every male resident of the United States who has reach-
ed his twenty-first birthday and has not reached his thirty-first
birthday must register on the day set—June 5, 1917. The only
exceptions are officers and enlisted men of the regular army,
the navy, the marine corps and the national guard and naval
militia while in the service of the United States, and officers’
reserve corps and enlisted men in the enlisted reserve corps
while in active service.
3— Registration is distinct from draft. No matter what
just claim you have for exemption, you must register.
4— Registration is a public duty. For those not responsive
to the sense of this duty the penalty of imprisonment not fine,
is provided in the draft act.
5— Those who through sickness shall be unable to register
should cause a representative to‘ apply to the county or city
clerk for a copy of the registration card. The clerk will give
instructions as to how this card should be filled out. The card
should then be mailed by the sick person or delivered by his
agent to the registrar of his voting precinct. The sick person
will enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return
to him of his registration certificate.
6— Any person who expects to be absent from his voting
precinct on registration day should apply as soon as practicable
for a registration card to the county clerk of the county where
he may be stopping, or if he is in a city of over 30,000, to the
city clerk. The clerk will record the answers on the card and
turn it over to the absentee. The absentee should mail this card
to the registrar of his home voting precinct so that it will reach
that official by registration day. A self-addressed stamped enve-
lope should be enclosed with the card to insure the return to
the absentee of a registration certificate.
7— Registration booths will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m
on registration day, Tuesday, June 5, 1915.
Chief or Irrigation Division of United
States Department of Agriculture
Makes Investigations of Conditions
Here.
A careful study of irrigation prob-
lems and the wealth of Texas crops
is being made by Dr. S. Fortier, chief
of irrigation division, office of public
roads and road engineering of the
United States department of agricul-
ture, who arrived at the Menger hotel
yesterday, after making a partial tour
of the state. He was accompanied by
W. L. Rockwell, senior irrigation of-
ficer, and representative of the United
States department of agriculture to
Texas.
Dr. Fortier and Mr. Rockwell have
visited and inspected the country in
the vicinity of Plainview, Haile coun-
ty, Houston, Mercedes, McAllen, Mis-
sion and Laredo. Both expressed
as particularly impressed with the con
ditions of the soil and the possibili-
ties of extensive food production.
From here Dr. Fortier will go to El
Paso, thence to Arizona and Califor-
nia and return to Washington.
He has not been in this part of the
country in several years, and spoke in
the highest terms of the attitude of
the people generally in this state re-
garding the war.
‘‘One does not. realizze how big Tex-
as is until he attempts to travel
through it,” said Dr. Fortier. “For
nearly two weeks I have been going
transferred to another branch of the
department of agriculture since I last
visited Texas, the nature of our work
has not undergone much change. We
have still to do with irrigation, drain-
age and other kindred hydraulic prob-
lems. The main reason for the trans-
fer of our division was to concentrate
all the engineering work of the de-
partment under one administrative
head. The new office under the leader-
ship of Director L. W. Page is charg-
ed with the supervision of the federal
aid road act, the investigation of pub-
lic roads in general, as well as irriga-
tion, drainage and rural engineering.
If I am not mistaken, the state of Tex-
as needs assistance on all these lines
and I believe the time is approaching
when our office can render greater aid
(Continued on page 5.)
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE
MAKES URGENT APPEAL
Calls Upon Texas Citizens To Do
Their Duty to the Government
on June 5.
MAKES GRANGES IN
THE ARMY UNITS
Division Will Now Consist of 16,000
Men Instead of 25,000, end Will
Have More Officers
The committee on military affairs
of the Texas council of defense issues
the following statement:
“The governor has issued a procla-
mation declaring June 5 a state holi-
day, to be observed as registration
day.
“We earnestly appeal to all good
citizens of Texas to respond to the
governor’s proclamation in letter and
in spirit. Let the business houses,
the banks, the courts, be closed, and
everyone devote that day to service as
a citizen of the nation.
“See that the requirements of regis-
tration are fully understood and com-
plied with by every man in Texas.
Remember that all who are twenty-
one years of age on that day and not
thirty-one on that day are subject to
registration Therq are no exceptions
outside the army. The negroes, the
Mexicans, the cripples, the blind, must
all register.
“And while these men are register-
ing for military service, emphasize
the fact that, the day is set apart for
another purpose, also. Every man,
woman and child who is able should
register for a part of the liberty loan,
and buy as many bonds as their finan-
cial circumstances will permit.
“Our government must have money
as well as men to win this war. The
people are the government; so the
money must come from the people.
While the young men are registering
for the army, let the rest of our peo
pie help by buying bonds.
“We are proud of our state. We are
proud of its history; we are proud of
its size; we are proud of its prosper-
ous cities; we are proud of its enor-
mous production of cotton; we are
proud of its vast cattle ranches; we
are proud of its material wealth in
every form that makes it indeed an
empire; but more than all we are
proud of the patriotism of its people.
“Then let us show the nation that
our pride in Texas is not an empty
boast. Let us resolve that at the sac-
rice of some pleasure, some conven-
ience, some comfort, we will subscribe
to the liberty loan. And when the sun
goes down on June 5 let the record
show now only the enrollment of ev-
ery man in Texas subject to registra-
tion, but that the Texas quota of the
liberty loan is subscribed and over-
subscribed.
“To insure the success of this move-
ment, we call on the people in every
community of the state to organize,
arrange a program for the day, ap-
point committees to make a thorough
canvass and prepare a roll of the
names of the subscribers to the liberty
loan for publication in your local pa-
per.
“See that both the registry for war
From Mercedes During
Present Season
VERY LARGE PROFITS
And Consequent Prosperity Have Re-
sulted to the Farmers, Many of
Whom Have Become Independent
From Receipts of One Crop.
Shipments of winter vegetables
from Mercedes during the season now
ending have exceeded more than 10,-
000,000 pounds, according to informa-
tion from the local freight and ex-
press agents.
260 refrigerator cars have been for-
warded by freight and 13 by express
while more than 140,000 packages of
miscellaneous vegetables have left the
station by local express.
Shipments of tomatoes, eggplant,
peppers, green corn and melons com-
menced during the past week and are
►now under full swing with the pros-
pect that many more cars will be
shipped out before the season closes
July 1.
Prices have been maintained at
high water mark during the entire sea
son and the truck growers have ex-
perienced the greatest prosperity in
the experience of the Valley. The
growers have been enabled to find
a ready markket with satisfactory
prices for every variety of vegetables,
which they have produced with the
exception of squash and that was high
at the beginning of the season.
and the registry for bonds is com-
plete. Let Lis have no slackers in
Texas. /
“ROBERT L. BALL, Chairman,
"GEORGE H. CARTER, Secretary.”
WAR TAX BILL IS
NOW IN THE SENATE
Important Points Are Agreed Upon-
House Bill Will Not Be Accepted
In Total
Washington, D. C.—Decisions on
nearly all important questions in re-
drafting the $1,800,000,000 war tax bill
had been reached late Wednesday.
Except for the liquor and stamp taxes
carried in the measure as it passed
the house, the committee has settled
th major principles of revision with
a view toward reducing the house to-
tal to around $1,500,000,000.
(Continued on Page 4.)
IS LLANO GRANDE CONSIDERED ?
RUMOR WOULD HAVE TRAINING CAMP
FOR 26,000 MEN LOCATED THERE
San Antonio, Texas.—According to
information made public by Brigadier
General James Parker, acting com-
mander of the Southern department,
sweeping changes in army organiza-
tions are in immediate effect.
Under the preyious plans an army j
from place to place in western Texas division has consisted of approximate-
from the Panhandle on the north to ly 25,000 men. The new order fixes ■
the Lower Rio Grande on the south, a division at two brigades, a total of
and when El Paso is reached I shall approximately 16,000 men. Each bri-
feei that I have seen only a small gade will be made up of four regi-
part of the state. ments, this applying to infantry only.
Notices Patriotism Infantry companies will have 200 men
“I have been still more impressed instead of 150. There will be one cap-
with the patriotic spirit shown by
your citizens. In this great crisis
the nation can place absolute reliance
on Texas and Texans.
“In all three of the prime essentials
—men, money and food—which are
needed to carry on the war, Texas
will provide its full quota. This was
the thought uppermost in my mind
as I talked with army officers and
privates along the border, interview-
ing business men and bankers in
cities and studied the wond(erful re-
sources of your arable and irrigable
lands.
“Although our division has been
tain, one first and two second lieu-
tenants. Formerly there were only
two lieutenants. A battalion will con-
sist of three infantry companies and
one machine gun company. As there
are three battalions in a regiment,
this will give three machine gun com-
panies to each regiment, where here-
tofore there has been but one. The
machine gun companies will have one
captain, two first lieutenants and one
second lieutenant, with 147 men and
fourteen machine guns. Under the
new plan an infantry regiment will
contain 2,631 men and sixty-seven of-
ficers.
There has been a persistent rumor
for several days past that Llano
Grande is being seriously considered
for one of the camp sites for the six
training camps to be established in
Texas.
These training camps will consist
of one division, or 26,000 soldiers,
each and the question of locating
them has been in the hands of a com-
mittee of army officers for the past
three weeks. It is known that the
committee has sent its recommenda-
tions to the war department and on
Tuesday El Paso and San Antonio
were designated as two of the sites
selected..
Added interest was given to the
rumor yesterday by a Washington
dispatch published in the Austin
American in which it was stated that
besides El Paso and San Antonio al-
ready named, three of the four re-
maining locations to be yet designat-
ed would be Waco, Dallas and Llano
Grande. The Galveston News of the
same date states that Dallas and Waco
had been recommended to the war de-
partment but intimates that only four
camps were to be located in Texas.
The News is evidently in error as to
the number of camps to be located for
an Associated Press dispatch today
says “Secretary of War Baker and
general staff officials had reached no
decision today on the selection of the
four additional army concentration
camps to be located in the Southern
department. The recommendation of
General Parker, acting department
commander, and the board of inspec-
tion officers is still on the desk of
Major General Bliss, acting chief of
staff.
The strong pressure being brought
to bear on Secretary Baker by the
champions of contesting cities and a
desire to close all options on the nec-
essary land, either by gift or rental,
is explained as a reason for the de-
lay.”
Army officers at Mercedes are not
inclined to believe that Llano Grande
is being considered as one of the sites,
their opinion being based principally
on the fact that the work of tearing
down the hospital and other buildings
there is being continued.
On the other hand Postmaster
Tuecker a few days ago received or-
ders from the postoffiqe department
at Washington to hold the equipment
of the lately discontinued office at
Llano Grande pending the probable
re-establishment of the branch at
that point.
m.
1
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Hoyt, L. T. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 31, 1917, newspaper, May 31, 1917; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1063205/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.