The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 38, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, September 12, 1941 Page: 3 of 8
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The Enterprise, Mercedes, Friday, September 12, 1941
EARLY MERCEDES HISTORY
❖
The following history of Mer-
cedes in the early days was com-
posed by Mr. G. K. Riess, Missou-
ri Pacific agent and pioneer of
this city. It was also reproduced
on the Mercedes programs on
Valley radio stations; the past
week.
By G. K. RIESS
In the year 1905 a group of St.
Louis capitalists became interestsed
in the potential value of the Delta
of the Lower Rio Grande.
Accordingly they founded a cor-
poration known as the' American
Land and Irrigation Co. The first
officers were T. W. Carter, Presi-
dent; Chester B. Davis, Engineer.
The latter was succeeded by W. F.
Shaw in 1908. The objective of the
corporation was to construct a huge
storage type of canal to irrigate
the rich fertile lands north of the
River, pumping the water from the
Rio Grande. A settling basin of sev-
eral hundred acres was established
at the River front together with a
large pumping plant capable of
enormous output.
The storage type of canal was
adopted and pushed1 northward into
the interior of the wilderness of
mesquite and ebony.
In 1907 the American Company
completed the erection of an office
building and a beautiful hotel
which was surrounded by shrub-
bery, palms and; native trees. A
block of land was set apart for park
purposes. Beautification programs
began with the first efforts at com-
munity life. TJie new. town in the
upper Valley thus earned the title
of City Beautiful, later changed to
Queen City. Those who now view
the Valley from cars rolling along
paved highways can hardly visual-
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TAKES OFF UGLY FAT j_
Right in sour kitchen, use this simple, tested
KEMON JUICE RECIPE to make your own.
reducing supplement! Some lose 10 lbs. a-
directed. ''Take TJS&
UCklj —i’—J---- - lintniM
MONEY BACK IF NOT SATISFIED. Free de-
livery — orders 511ed promptly. Jut phone.
- ALSTON’S DRUG STORE
ize the contrast between town and
country side because at that time
there was little to be seen except
ctaetus, mesquite, ebony and thorny
brush of all kinds.
The new town was named Merce-
des in honor of Mrs. Diaz, wife of
the President of Mexico. The hotel
was built without heating facilities!
in the enthuiasm of the pioneer
days;. It had a large dining room
frequently used for dancing and
other entertainment. Of course the
Hotel became the social center of
life in the upper Valley with its un-
broken panarama of mesquite and
dirt roads. Large two-wheeled; ,ox
carts were seen on the streets. It
was the custom of newly arrived
brides to ride down Texas Ave. in
an ox cart properly escorted by citi-
zens.
In 1908 the town was incorpora-
ted. In 1909 came the great flood
which surrounded the town on all
sides. So great was that flood that
the U. S. mail from Mercedes was
taken to Harlingen, by skiff over
the all-water route.
Settlers began to arrive but very
few brought cows or poultry. Freslh1
eggs and butter came from Kansas
City which was at that time three
days distant. T. H. Poag establish-
ed a dairy about 1910.
Mr. S. H. Emerson, a retired
seedman from Massachusetts es-
tablished an overhead sprinkling
system on his farm.
Capt. Fitch in 1909 planted the
Valley’s first citrus orchard just
east of town. The trees! were froz-
en down in the disastrous ice blast
of 1911. Dr. Kalbfleish purchased
the property in 1911, pruned the
trees and nursed them back to life
and production. His reward was
great for he siold fruit at five and
ten dollars per case for several
years thereafter.
The new settlers found no diffi-
culty in production. Virgin soils
yielded enormous tonnage. Sales
gs now were made under severe
handicaps. The Adventists were the
first to erect a church building in
Mercedes and generously permitted
hll other religious groups to wor-
ship therein. This building is now
owned by the Methodists.
The soldiers came in 1913, Troop
C of the 12th Cavalry was billeted
at Mercedes. Walter Collier of Mer-
cedes was among the first arrivals
along with T. E. Stevens, now of
Edinburg and many others who re-
gained. Then in 1914 Game the
border troubles.
In 1915 Valley residents did not
go along the River Road on pleas-
ure jaunts. gtate troops were
brought to the border. First four
companies of Texas Militia. They
occupied the site where the Merce-
des High School is located. The
3rd, and 6th, U. S. Cavalry follow-
ed and occupied space east of the
Canal and, High School. The North
Dakotas occupied the 5-acre block
immediately south of the High
School. The Artillery was stationed
along the River front with all of
Minnesota, Nebraska and. Indiana
state troops bivouacing at Llano
Grande for many months. Mercedes
continued to grow along with oth-
er towns of the Valley taking her
difficulties in stride.
May we all feel justified in the
hope that out of difficulties of pio-
neer days a greater strength will
come to Valley Grande with paved
roads, splendid highways, flood pro-
tection as accomplished facts; drain-
age problems en route to solution,
Oil developments around the cor-
ner—does it not look like brighter
tjays are ahead?
My topic is the past not the fut-
ure and there are severial very
earnest young men who are here
to follow me.
In this brief and sketchy outline
I have endeavored to give you a
picture of pioneer life.
Hog Diseases
Diseoveed By
Veterinarian
Cholera, necrotic enteritis, para-
sites and mineral deficiencies have
so far been encountered by Dr.
'George C. Rich, assistant state vet-
erinarian of the Livestock Sanitary
Commission, who has been in the
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Forty years ago an oil gusher roared in
on a low hill south of Beaumont to open a
new industrial era for Texas.
That discovery at Spindletop started our
modern Texas petroleum industry and
made Texas the nation’s leading oil state.
In the forty years since Spindletop blew
in, nearly 200,000 wells have been drilled
throughout Texas. Over 500 separate fields
are now producing in all parts of the State.
Today Texas supplies over one-third of the
Nation’s oil and has over half of its petro-
leum reserves.
Our industry, by refining almost all of
this oil in Texas, has created our largest
manufacturing enterprise. By furnishing
cheap fuel it has laid the foundation for
many other Texas industries.
From a handful of Texans forty years
ago, this industry has grown until now,
directly or indirectly, it supports almost
one million of our people. Its expenditures
reach into every section of the State and
benefit every Texan.
The discovery of America’s
first gusher oil field at Spindle-
top has turned out to foe one
of the most important events in
the history of our state.
Today all of Texas salutes
Spindletop!
& 'k
On October 9, 10 and 11, during
its annual convention at Beaumont,
the Texas-Mid-Continent Oil & Gas
Association will dedicate a monu-
ment to Spindletop.
Inscribed in ageless Texas gran-
ite will be the story of oil.
This is more than a monument
to petroleum. It is a tribute to Texas
enterprise and initiative which in
forty years have built a great indus-
try in our State — an industry in
which you and every other Texan
share.
This advertisement'paid for by various
units of the industry and sponsored by
I
TEXAS MID-CONTINENT OIL & GAS ASSOCIATION
Valley since September 1 making
a study of the hog diseases in this
area.
Doctor Rich has, been stationed
in the Valley for an indefinite
time by Dr. T. O. Booth, state vet-
erinarian, who recently made a per-
sonal inspection of the hog disease
situation in this section. Dr. Rich
will live at Edinburg and make his.
headquarters in County Agent J. A.
Oswalt’s, office in the courthouse
annex. All farmers having sick
hogs are invited to see, telephone
or write him there or if closer to
Mercedes, they may contact the
Mercedes Chamber of Commerce of-
fice who will transmit this informa-
tion to Dr. Rich.
In the post mortems, performed
in the Mercedes area Friday after-
noon, Dr. Rich found that necrotic
enteritis and parasites together
with mineral deficiencies were the
cause of the sickness of the animals
in that herd. Two postmortems in
the Mission area and one perform-
ed on a herd south of Alamo dis-
closed cholera and parasites as
the cause of the sickness.
Doctor Rich will continue his
study of the hog diseases which
have ravaged Valley farms during
the past few months with such dis-
astrous results. Some of the farm-
ers have lost as many as 50 to 150
hogs. In spite of vaccinations and
other treatments the hog losses
have continued, until Valley farm-
ers were wondering whether a new
disease has invaded this area. State
veterinarians, who were called in
on short inspection trips, were un-
able to diagnose the situation and
decided to send in Dr. Rich for a
thorough study of the disease situ-
ation.
There may not be any new kind
of disease, but a combination of old
and known diseases which have
been infesting Valley hogs. Dr.
Rich said, but he is not ready to
make a definite statement until he
completes the investigation.
Nutritional or mineral deficienc-
ies have been found in each ciase in
which post mortems have been per-
formed. These deficiences make an
animal more susceptible to any dis-
ease due to lack of resistance. Par-
asites, the large round worms and
stomach worms and hook worms,
can be eliminated by medicines
which have proven effective. Ne-
crotic enteritis, an ulcerous condi-
tion of the intestines, can be cured
by the feeding of lye according to
prescribed amounts—one poundi
of lye diluted in 50 gallons of
"raw
^odern Magic-
£]ke SLEIGHT OF-HAND ARTIST WHoVawS'
A WOMAN INTWO1’ HAS A GOOD TRICK, BUT HE’S
FOOLING YOU.We’AE NOT FOOL!NO YOU ABOUT
HAVING CUT RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES
ABOUT IN HALF DURING THE PAST 10-15 YEARS.
Electricity now Gives you about twice as
MUCH FOR YOUR MONEY AS ST DID IO-15 YEARS
AGO. FOR LITTLE OR NO MORE than YOU USED
TO pay FOR LIGHTS ALONE YOU NOW GET
BETTER LIGHTING PLUS THE ADVANTAGES
OF MODERN APPLIANCES
/.<
Wa
'DIMES WORTH OF;
ELECTRICITY Will
Shave you every
DAY FORTHE NEXT
FOUR YEARS AND /
TWO MONTHS
CThe American people
SPEKID OVER TWICE AS
MUCH EACH YEAR. FOR.
TOBACCO AS THEY SPEND
FOR. HOUSEHOLD
ELECTRIC SERVICE
J
T
Wsmm.
SPhE low COST OF ELECTRIC SERVICE DID’NT JUST
‘HAPPEN”.IT IS BECAUSE BUSINESS MEN HAVE BEEN
RUNNING THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES IN THE
AMERICAN WAY OF BUSINESS OPERATION .
YBOUT 80,000.000AMERICAN
“ MEN , WOMEN AND CHILDREN OWN
THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES • BECAUSE
AMERICAN SAVINGS ARE PAID TO
INSURANCE C0MPAN i E S AND BANKS AND
ARE REINVESTED IN BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.
EVERY FAMILY WITH A LIFE INSURANCE
POLICY OR A BANK ACCOUNT IS PART
OWNEROF SOME ELECTRIC COMPANY.
£Q?*The Sign of ^ Service
^ ELECTRICITY '-' IS CHEAP!
IS CHEAP!
cotton of 500 pounds each will have
been used in the cotton mattress
water and grain soaked in this sol- j and comfort programs when the
ution over night is the way in j second program is completed, the
which this remedy is fed hogs. US DA announces. This represents
Doctor Rich stresses the necessi-
ty for better sanitation, Wiaterholesi
are a common medium for the
spreading of infectious diseases,
like necrotic enteritis, from one hog
to the entire herd. He has also ob-
served; that many hog pens in this
territory are built along drainage
ditches through which infectious or
contagious diseases can be spread
to several farms. Watering places
should be cleaned every day, he
advises. Since mudholes cannot be
cleaned he advises the construction
of concrete watering places which
can be kept sanitary. “The small
increased cost of providing sanitary
conditions would certainly he A
profitable investment in view of
the heavy losses encountered under
present hog prices and in view of
present conditions,” he believes.
— • —
Texas Farm And
Home Notes
the raw cotton for stuffing and the
amount used in manufacture of
ticking and comfort-covering fab-
rics.
United States Department of
Agriculture experiments show that
at 24 weeks of age, feed cost for
small-type turkeys is about the
same ,as for the larger type at 28
weeks.
To prevent coccidiosisi two and
one half percent of 325 mesh un-
conditioned sulphur, or flowers of
sulphur, should be included, in tho
mash from the time chicks are
three to four weeks old and con-
tinued; until pullets are placed in
laying houses, at five or six months
of age.
He that respects himself is safe
from others;
He wears a coat of mail that none
can pierce.
—Longfellow,
THE WILSON DRUG STORE
Elsa, Texas
DRU GS—MEDICINES—PERFUMERY
Photographic Supplies and Rubber Goods
Flickers or “yellow hammers”
are large destroyers of ants. Cock-
oos or “rain crows” feed largely on
grasshoppers and caterpillars.
Egg production during the first 6
months of this year was about
four percent larger than in the cor-
responding period last year.
Records made at cotton-insect |
laboratories of the U. S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture indicate that
more boll weevils emerged from
hibernation last spring th;an during
any recent year.
Soil erosion has cut the useful
life of more than 20 percent of the
water supply reservoirs of the Unit-
ed States to less than 50 years, says
H. H. Bennett, chief of the Soil
Conservation Service. Another 25
percent will be lost in 50 to 100
years.
A new process for making cotton
and other fabric mildew-resistant
has been developed in the Bureau
of Home Economics. A public ser-
vice patent issued to the research
worker who developed the treat-
ment will make the process avail-
able to anyone without royalty
payment.
Approximately 566,000 bales of]
f WE SOLICIT YOUR TRADE BECAUSE £
Our Goods are Fresh. Our Stock is Complete. Our X
Drugs are Pure. We Give You What You Ask For. X
4 We Appreciate Your Business 4
4 L. I. WILSON, Owner V
4 «
M. P. (Bud) LACKLAND
Box 5 - - - - Edcouch, Texas
REAL ESTATE OIL PROPERTY
RENTALS
NOTARY IN OFFICE
Edcouch Real Estate Service Since 1926
)
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Netz, Paul C. The Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 38, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, September 12, 1941, newspaper, September 12, 1941; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1106022/m1/3/: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.