The Matagorda County Tribune. (Bay City, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 5, Ed. 1 Friday, February 4, 1916 Page: 1 of 8
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TO OUR COUNTY, OUR WHOLE COUNTY AND EVERY SECTION OF OUR COUNTY.
VOLUME 71—NUMBER 5.
BAY CITY, TEXAS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1916.
FIVE CENTS THE COPY
OISCUSS FARM PROBLEMS
George Harrison, Who Preceded John i
Austin, Who
Preceded
of Study Was Held
chinery for Products.
Done.
Yesterday.
Joyful Demonstration.
last
to
here.
general,
: either contract for them at a stipu- people
It is planned at the next meeting
In Solicit-
title ' the information possible on the sub- From Friday’s Daily.
discussion of the
the
FINE TREAT OF OYSTERS.
-o-
-o-
BAY CITY COULD
SUPPORT A CANNERY
r
Asked
to
Be
Clemville Man Is Surprised to See So
Keep Up Work.
Much Stuff Coming from
Colorado.
of
the
SAVE GIN SWEEPINGS.
-o-
-o-
LOSES LONG FOUGHT TAX SUIT.
ing Explosives Now.
o
-o
WILL OCCUPY NEW QUARTERS.
court and the re-
run
*
(Continued on Page 8.)
I
I
Cotton Oil Mill at El Campo Ready to
Advance Seed and Install Ma-
Doors Opened for Business Tuesday
Morning Heralded by Loud and
Men Who Get Their Living From tha
Soil Addressed by Expert Au-
thority on Truck Growing.
suit JUST FILED BRINGS TO PEANUT'S GOOD POINTS JS
LIGHT J BIT Of HISTORY CHOP DESCRIBED TO FARMERS
Allens,
Built the First Town of Houston.
WHARTON NATIONAL
BANK HAS REOPENED
TALKED CONVINCINGLY ON
MARKETING PROBLEMS
was
and a neat
County
i truck
1
foregoing,
that
fiber
of
“Markham
A.
Tom
E.
president,
The direc-
him some time, already owned
here.
I
------o—o------
SKATING RINK MOVED.
■
|||
department.
The court refused application for
writ of error from the judgment
------o—o------
RIGHT OF STATE TO
REGULATE FISHING IN
GULF PASSES UPHELD.
has al-
125 bales
Owing to
weeks
Sam J. Baker, who was present at
the meeting, said he cut two tons of
hay from a planting of one pound of
Soudan grass seed.
Commenting briefly on the efforts
now being made to finance the Bay-
City Truck Growers Association, Dr.
of
$30,000;
5 as ,
. He said he
believed the peanut industry for more
road with
ditches,•
manager moie acceptable and more convenient '
■
in this enterprise among the business
men of Bay City, he encountered the
passive opposition of many doubting
Thomases who displayed a lack of
confidence in this country as a truck
growing country. This preconceived
notion, it seems, will have to be eradi-
cated before men of means will take
hold of the proposition. In refutation
of this mistaken notion, J. W. Fondren,
I who was raised in this county, says
I this land will grow anything if intel-
ligently farmed but the land requires
drainage.
It having been decided to devote
the greater part of the afternoon to
the discussion of citrus fruits, Sam H.
Dixon of Houston was invited to ad-
dress the gathering and he readily
complied, making a general talk that
revealed an intimate knowledge of the
subject. In fact Sam Dixon is per-
haps a higher authority on this sub-
ject than any man in Texas. He has
made a thorough study of the question
not only in this State but in other
citrus-producing States and not only
in this nation but in foreign countries,
his investigations including first-hand
researches in Southern France and
Spain. Mr. Dixon, who has just re-
cently returned from California, en-
lightened the audience by explaining
the cultural methods employed in the
successful growth of citrus fruits in
that State and the protective measures
adapted to safeguard the crops against
“Ley Del Toro” Odd Law.
More curious than the
perhaps, is the “ley del toro”
bobs up in one of the early transfers.
The owner wished to relinquish right
to a piece of land, so, with certain
ceremonies, he renounced all right to
it under this “ley del taro,” which is
translated from the Spanish as “the
law of the bull.”
It comes from the subtle idea of
■“turning the land back to the cattle.”
Then the new settler could take it up.
John Austin in July 1824, was given
a square of land. Each side was 7080
0F varas long. A vara is 33 inches. —
Chronicle.
----: O—O —-
I ENDORSE WORK OF
PROFESSOR PERSONS
The Hopkins skating rink has been
moved to the LeTulle building on
Seventh Street, formerly occupied by
the Sisk Grocery Co. This building,
being one of the largest in the city,
gives the rink all the room required.
■ „ -------o o-----------
Patronize Tribune advertisers.
TO OUR PRIDE IN ITS PAST AND OUR HOPE FOR ITS FUTURE, ADD VIGOROUS WORK IN THE LIVING PRESENT.
’IMPROVEMENTS ARE CORPS OF FIELD WORKERS
STEADY AT MARKHAM '
As soon as the work now going on
at the LeTulle building, formerly oc-
cupied by the Dixie Theatre, is com-
pleted one part of the building will
be occupied by P. G. Secrest, the same
being fitted up especially for his bus-
iness.
The building will be made into two
store rooms, but we haven’t learned
who is to occupy the other one.
I
[ the evening.
I considered “an
j to five acres of corn for feed,
that it is one of the easiest <
grow, and perhaps the least liable to more, but
be ruined by bad weather conditions, all be on
pea- turned out for pasturage. J
——’ “We have also made ’
on the headway in farm improvements. C 1
- --------—l new and camfort- '
been built.
with good
and splendid drainage
-> competent en-
specifications.
own
drainage
which, of course, make these farms
A
I
|J
!
■
■ < " ' -' I
■
grasses,
seed bed and should receive thorough
cultivation. Mr. Persons recommend-
ed that the farmers of the Bay City
■ section join in a club to buy a quan-
tity of the seed and place their orders
with the Palacios Hardware Co., at
Palacios, as this firm is preparing to
make up a lump order for 100 pounds.
The cost is 50 cents per pound.
I Other persons present spoke on the
i subject of Soudan grass, Mr. Milner,
! a farmer near Bay City, telling of his
■ experience with this grass. He said
he cut 4 or 5 tons to the acre, having
i made three cuttings and getting more
j than a ton to each cutting, besides he
; grazed his livestock on it consider-
! ably. Even after the last severe cold
j spell the outcroppings of the grazed
area were still green-and fresh, show-
The Supreme Court has refused an
application for a writ of error in the
tax suit brought by the State against
Col. J. F. Holt.
Col. Holt several years ago claim-
ing that certain taxes levied were Il-
legal and unconstitutional refused to
pay them. The State brought suit
and won. Col. Holt appealed from
court to court with the same result
and finally took it to the Supreme
| Court, which has just refused the ap-
j plication.
, vvouki rurnisn seea ror planting at tor those living on them.”
: cost, allowing the farmer to pay for In speaking of things in
a ; same in the fall, and further that Mr. Anderson remarked that the whole
Town of Harrison, Too.
And more than this, there was
village here.
We have received a handsome treat j
important to the country than any the hands of our good friend, W. |
one would believe.
El Campo, Texas, January 26.—The
get-together meeting of the farmers ®aid Mr.
and merchants last evening at the “Our farms
- ---
Farming Under Fine Headway and Profitable Session of Farmers’ School
Much Building Being
H. D. Brown said he ing.”
“We
When a suit was filed in a Houston
court yesterday naming as defendants
John Austin, A. C. Allen, James S.
Holman and a number of other pion-
eers, dead a half century or more,
an interesting chapter la early Hous-
ton history was revealed. Records of
the transfers of the land in question
So back to July 20, 1824.
On that day Jahn Austin was given
title lo “two sitios” of land. Several1
years later the Allens and others who '
subdivided Houston and were its real ;
founders, first began to figure in the ■
transactions. Those who think of the '
Allens as being the first to settle in I
Houston will have to revise their
reckonings.
Far the papers on file at the court
house show that when John Austin ar- ■
rived, in 1824, something like 10 years
ahead of the Allens, he found that
George Harrison, who had preceded
land
To The Tribune:
Clemville, Texas, January 31.—I
read in The Tribune your article con-
_J that hundred-acre truck
farm far Bay City. This is good as I
far as it goes. While reading this ar-
ticle I cast my eyes at the canned
goods in the shelves of a store here.
It was a surprise to me to see so
much canned goods from the moun-
tain State of Colorado, a State that
has no claim to be called an agricul-
tural State. All kinds of vegetablesI
canned and put up in attractive la-
bels which also help to advertise the
State. A canning establishment it
seems to me would be a good thing
in connection with the truck farm to
take care of the surplus crops. At
the end of a season it is well known
much of the crap is lost or unsold.
Bay City could well support a cream-
ery, which is profitable if well con-
ducted. Colorado has made a success
of creameries as well as canning es-
tablishments. Our Southern people
seem to want big things. Diversified
industry is the slogan to try. It
means prosperity for a section where
it is carried out. R. J.
I
is coming right along,”,
M. Anderson yesterday.
tuiu mercnants last evening at the "Our farms are fn better shape now ' farmer’s and stockman’s short
c u rooms was one of the most in- than they have ever been at this time of of study was held yesterday
terestmg ever held. Discussion of the year. The ground is practically Public school building A ver,
tne peanut question occupied most of all turned and in good shape for plant- number of farmers was pre
i The Collegeport Industrial League
j at its regular meeting Friday last
passed resolutions endorsing county
demonstration work which Prof. Per-
sons, an efficient, loyal and helpful
agent, is doing and urging the County
Court to continue the work under his
direction.
A committee was appointed to call
on the court and express the desire
of the Collegeport farmers. The sec-
retary was also ordered to communi-
cate with all county commercial and
truck organizations on the subject.
: Collegeport people believe that pros-
perity must come through agricultu-
ral development and that it is poor
business to do anything which will
retard such development. The men
who are elected should understand and
be in accord with movements which I
are progressive.
The cost of a liberal salary .for the
man in charge of this important work
is infinitesimal when spread over aI
county which we brag of being
“Heart of the Mid-Coast.”
------o—o------
cola and some took toddy.
The reporter of the Spectator stood
around for 35 minutes, in which time
deposits to the amount of $18,000
were made and withdrawals amount-
ing to $84 took place.
The first person to ask for her
money was an old black mammy from
the bottom, who when she found she
could get the actual money upon ap-
plication, left it on deposit and went
out murmuring that she just wanted
to know for “sho” that she could get
it if she wanted it.
The bank opened its
$242,789.88 of actual
vaults, which with
Promises have been made good.
What some said was not possible has
been accomplished. The Wharton
National Bank’s doors were thrown
open for business at 9 o’clock Tues-
day morning, and business is being
done at the old stand.
The opening of the bank was at-
tended with quite a demonstration of
good feeling which found vent in the
firing of anvils, the discharge of the
high sheriff’s six-shooter a«d the
ringing of the burglar alarm for an
hour. Everybody shook hands with
everybody else, and some took coco- ;
■ ture that has been much
Every man in Matagorda f
who is personally interested in
growing and its one concomitant
problem, that of profitable marketing,
should have heard Col. Sam. H,
Dixon’s speech at the K. of P. hall
in this city last Saturday afternoon,
This speech was the concluding fea-
ture of the Farmers’ Short Cours©
conducted by a field corps of agricul-
tural experts last Friday and Satur-
day, and the attendance at the last
session of the course was far better
than at any previous meeting and was
fairly representative of the group
concerned in that branch of agricui-
neglected
In other words, the audience
! was composed almost exclusively of
men who dig their livelihood from
the soil, and the object of this meet-
ing was to learn from expert sources
how to make that livelihood more
remunerative.
In a speech of two hours duration,
Col. Dixon, who is the head of the
marketing bureau of the State depart-
ment of agriculture, discussed truck
growing and the marketing of
the products from every pos-
i sible angle of the subject, covering
the ground completely. In fact it
was one of the most comprehensive
and illuminating speeches ever made
on the subject, and coming from so
expert a source it found favor and
lodgment in the minds of his intense-
ly interested listeners.
Emphasizing the supreme import”
ance of organization (of the co-opera-
tive and not the “dress parade” kind)
Col. Dixon told those farmers wjm
are just on the threshold of emha k"<
ing in common ’al truck growing that
if they hoped to accomplish anything
and make c-t sucecss of their undertak-
ing they would have to resolve oa
sticking together in a solid fratern.nl
phalanx, having a common purpose in
view and a community and mutuality
of interest that would enable them
to overcome every obstacle. Like th©
bold spirits composing the revolution-
ary party in the American colonies in
1775, it was absolutely necessary to
subscribe ta the sentiment enun-
ciated by one of the signers of th®
Declaration of Independence, and
that sentiment was, “We must either
hang together or hang separately,” a
literal contingency that confronted
our forefathers who strove success-
fully to throw off the yoke of op-
pression imposed by King George and
his ministers. If the truck growers
of Matagorda County would succeed,
declared the speaker, they must or-
ganize and hang together, a valuable
lesson all of them should learn at
this time. I |
Out of the fund of his rich exper-
ience, Col. Dixon discussed soil pre-
paration and cultivation as it relates
to the growing of fruits and vege-
tables, explaining in detail those
things necessary to be done and ad-
monishing his listeners against those
things that should be left undone.
From a scientific standpoint, he dis-
cussed soils, moisture, insect pests
and remedies, the range of the dis-
cussion being very wide and all-em-
bracing.
On the subject of marketing he
gave his audience the benefit of very
wholesome advice which if remem-
bered and heeded will redound to
their advantage when once the Bay
City Truck Growers Assoication
reaches the operative stage.
Col. Dixon’s speech made a pro-
found impression and is well cal-
culated to prove of inestimable value
to our people at this time.
doors with '
money in its
loans and dis-
other ap-
, made a
total of $368,541.23; and liabilities as
follows: Deposits and outstanding
drafts payable an demand, $38,667.89;
time certificates of deposit, $296,-
873.37; capital, $30,000; surplus,
$3,000.
The men who will officer the bank
are A. A. Mullins, president;
Brooks, first vice president;
Hawes, Sr., second vice
and R. J. Wright, cashier,
torate contains the names of the fol-
lowing, in addition to the three first-
named genetiemen: Donald Duncan,
M. S. Floyd, T. Gordan, G. A. Har-
rison, R. B. Huston, Geo. H. Ndrth-
ington, Sr., J. A. Robertson, and H.
J. Schley.—Wharton Spectator.
Wierd Rites Over Deal.
In those days when a settler took
up land strange rites were necessary.
A description of the title-giving, on
record, shows that Don Estevan took 1
Jahn Austin by the hand and led him. I
over the land. Then, “without ob-
jection from anyone,” to quote the
old papers, they together “shouted I
loudly, pulled grasses, threw stones,' Commissioners W ill
planted stakes and performed other j
necessary ceremonies.”
Yet all this was not without its rea- i
son in those days. The government'
expected anyone going out to ac-
quire wild land to raise all this com-
motion for a purpose. It was to cap.
the attention of anyone who might
be in the neighborhood. If commo-
tion was raised anyone claiming the
land would then appear and make
known his rights in the matter.
Out on the prairie, far from haunts
of men, “shouting, pulling grasses and
throwing stones” was the only method
known of attracting the notice of any-
one in the neighborhood. It was far
more likely to get results than posting
a notice when no one was near to
read.
If it should be a wet season the p__
nut can be saved better tlian any other
crop, and that it will grow <
poorest of land and enrich the soil.” our place sixteen
Among the others who discussed able tenant houses have
the subject were E., C. Bragdan, J. C. We have every farm laid off
Smith, L. O. Lundy, W. A. Hiddleson, graded roads r ’
R- Zuber, Perry Anthus, G. AV, Cas- all done according to
ady. gineering skill and
It was suggested by E. H. Koch that Each farm has its
if the farmers would agree to grow accompanying
a sufficient number of acres the cot-
i ton oil mill of which he is i
i would furnish seed for planting at for those living
Supreme Court Sustains Fish, Game
and Oyster Commissioner in
Nueces County Case.
The right of the fish, game and
oyster commissioner to close up cer-
Cotton Waste Lint Valuable in Mak-'tain passes connecting bodies of salt
water along the coast with one another
or with the open warters of the Gulf,
San Marcos, Texas, January 29.—So'to fishing and oyster gathering, was
valuable has fiber become in the sustained by the Supreme Court yes-
manufacture of explosives that terday in the case of C. W. Gibson
sweepings from the lint rooms of gins vs. W. S. Sterrett, formerly commis-
and oil mills are carefully saved and sioner of the fish, game and oyster
utilized now.
The San Marcos oil mill
ready save more than 125 bales of a
such sweepings. Owing to starting of the lower couri, thereby affirming
the season several weeks late the the action of the
local oil mil] will continue its run straining order cf the former com-
wel through February. mission er.
It was called the “town j they would install machinery to take country seems to be enjoying a great-
of Harrison,” after George Harrison, 1 care of a11 the peanuts grown, and er degree of prosperity and that the
who preceded John Austin, who pre- | either contract for them at a stipu- people are in much better spirits.
®eded the Allens. Harrison was close ! lated price or purchase them at the ________0__0________
to the junction of Buffalo Bayou and ; market price. NATIONAL JEWISH RELIEF DAY.!
Yet here’s an- i is planned at the next meeting _______ ’!
ito have an agricultural expert make Methodist Minister Assists
ing.
White Oak Bayou.
•ather surprise: _ ______
All this section at that time was ' a talk on the subject of peanut grow-
ruled over by a baron—the Baron of; in&> that the farmers may have all
Bastrop! The baron got his 1
•through “The Supreme Goevrnment of . ject. During the discussion of the The National Jewish Relief Day
Mexico.” When John Austin was qualities of the peanut product the observed here yesterday
* given his “two sitios of land” in what fact was mentioned that the peanut sum was collected for the sufferers
v'er^ valuable for cooking, and of foreign countries.
ment was represented in the traXl C iS . plann?d to , haVe,. a .2^^ VerSion from the u
action by “old Steve Austin.”
To the official papers whi^1-
G. Thornhill, of Matagorda, in the!
I way of some of those “contaminated” i
oysters. I
They are (ar were) the finest and i
best flavored we have ever tasted I
and substantiated, in every particular,
the claim that Mr. Thornhill has made
, for them, which is to say that there
■ are none grown anywhere any better. '
; Mr. Thornhill, in a note to us, has !. .
,, . , ; mg that this variety of grass was not
this to say: | , ,, „
i ,, , j m t or in-1/? i appreciably feazed bv the freeze.
Matagorda, Texas, January 26. 1916. J
I ° T On!-/,,. -reroo r> +
Carey Smith, Bay City, Texas.
! These “contaminated” oyster escap-
ed the investigating committee while
on its tour studying oyster beds, by !
hiding in the wire grass. Better not
eat them—give them to some of your !
enemies. These oyesters, not over 18 .
to 20 months old, I think very fine IH- R- t01d the “d.ence that m earning
considering age and other drawbacks jhis »T°nal effortS t0 arodse,intOTe8t
that saddled on them by the powers-
that-be.
We have an abundance of this stock
to supply nearly all Texas, and they
are now growing as fast as you ever
saw cabbage plants grow.
The people of Matagorda are turn-
ing to fish and oysters largely fob
their meat diet and they are not over-
contaminated since our doctor says
if they do not begin to call him in
more often he will have to hunt other
i pastures new. W. G. T.
With R. w. Persons, the county
demonstration agent, presiding, a
farmer’s and stockman’s short school
r at the
A very small
---- was present at
the forenoon session which commenc-
ed at 11 o’clock, but during that hour
the interesting phases of the truck
growing industry were discussed in
man-
acre of peanuts equal “We will have,” he continued,
and ‘about the same acreage in rice this
crops to year that we had last, perhaps some
our this year’s crop will' an intelligent if not exhaustive
new ground, the old being ' ner.
i A diversity of subjects pertaining
considerable ' to farm problems such as confront the
-------- On 1 grower in this part of the State en-
gaged the attention of those persons
present at the afternoon session. This
session lasted three hours and every
moment of the time was occupied in
a profitable discussion of the truck
industry, the citrus industry and kin-
dred subjects. The first speaker of
the afternoon was Mr. Persons, who
told of the work of the field workers
at other points in the county the pre-
ceding four days of this week, reveal-
'■ing a lively interest in the school of
instructed as it was conducted at those
points. During the course of his re-
marks, Mr. Persons exhibited a bunch
of South African grass that is being
introduced and successfully grown in
; South Texas but nat in this immediate
I section. He asserted that this variety I coun^s of $81,460,24 and c
of field grass is highly adapted to I Proved assets of $44,291.14,
Matagorda County soil, that it will.....~
grow anywhere for that matter, and
that it possesses the additional ad-
vantage of being able to smother out
bermuda, Johnson and other noxious
grasses. The grass requires a good
. A noticeable di-
a “peanut version from the usual system per-'
• lunch” at the next regular meeting. hapSj was in the fact that Rev. J. F.!
made | F. J. Hardey, who presided, urged that Carter, the local Methodist minister, i
the thing legal he sign^-' pis name every one wll° could possibly plant assisted Simon Lewis, one of
<!Don Estevan F Aus*-11’ Empressario,' even a small acreage, investigate the Jews, in the solicitng of funds.
Sixth O«*ver of tne House of the ’ possibilities of the peanut and ar- , --------0—0--------
Chamber of Deputies of Texas, Com ; range to plant as large an acreage as, pTiwi? rrwArr ov avcnii?i>~
missioner of the Supreme Government' could be taken care of. He said he ----
of Mexico.”
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Smith, Carey. The Matagorda County Tribune. (Bay City, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 5, Ed. 1 Friday, February 4, 1916, newspaper, February 4, 1916; Bay City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1291571/m1/1/: accessed June 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Matagorda County Museum & Bay City Public Library.