The Elgin Courier and Four County News (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 1939 Page: 1 of 46
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A
PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF AND READ BY THE PEOPLE OF BASTROP, TRAVIS, WILLIAMSON AND LEE COUNTIES
I
Salmagundi
THE ELGIN COURIER
By The Editor
0
FORTY-NINTH YEAR
ELGIN, BASTROP COUNTY, TEXAS, DECEMBER 14, 1939
NO. 37
Entertainments For Next Week
BAPTIST CHURCH DEC. 18,7:00 P. M. D E C E M B E R 20 COMPLETES STREET DECORATIONS
And while they were getting ac-
»
k
Tom Brooks, U. of T. student
day.
*
and Erwin
has returned to Austin
He was
with
could be performed, to remove his
injured kidney.
.Fourth Grade
—Fourth
Fifth Grade
.Fifth
Third
-With
M. G.
Second
Second
/
coming year
.First Grade
.First
Sixth Grade
4
J most truly said.
trip.
(
)
..
J .
,___
ELGIN BOYS SERIOUSLY HURT IN
HIGHWAY ACCIDENT NEAR ALVIN
BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS CANTATA
TO BE PRESENTED SUNDAY, DEC. 17
11:00 A.M. AT METHODIST CHURCH
MODERN NEW TILE STORE BLDG.
IS BEING ERECTED BY M. L.
RIVERS FOR GROCERY BUSINESS
CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE
OPERETTA ERECTED NEAR UNION DEPOT
public is invited to attend, and sele-
ct roses and shrubs for home grounds
‘LIFT UP YOUR VOICES’CHRISTMAS
PAGEANT TO BE PRESENTED AT
flowering shrubs, and roses—Elgin
is perfectly adapted for flowers and
“Lovely flowers are the smiles of
and several fractured ribs,
given three transfusions
C. W. Law, supt. city water de-
partment, advises that if the weather
permits on Friday, this week, fire
plugs will be flushed generally over
his
the
NOTICE TO CITY
WATER USERS
FINCH DUNCAN and Pat Burns
fished in one hole of water on the
river so much last summer trying to
catch an elusive 85 pound cat fish
that frequents that spot, that they
got personally acquainted with every
fish in the hole.
Chorus of Rabbits_______
Boys.
Chorus of Snowflakes-
Grade Girls.
Chorus of Brownies —
Boys.
Chorus of Sunbeams —
Grade Girls.
Chorus of Toy Soldiers
Grade.
Chorus of Sleighbells —
Grade Girls.
Chorus of Xmas Clowns
Grade Boys.
Chorus of Dolls ____________
Girls.
Chorus of Xmas Holly
Grade Boys.
Chorus of Goblins --------
Roemer returned home yesterday but
Mrs. Metcalfe and Mrs. Roemer are
still in Galveston.
The many friends of both these
^5
The Elgin Methodist Sunday School
will have its annual Christmas pro-
grom at the Church this coming Sun-
day night, Dec. 17th, at 7:00 o’clock.
The Christmas story in Bible verse
and otherwise will be brought out,
All departments of the Sunday School
will participate, the church choir, in
vestments, will render two numbers
and Carol singing by the entire con-
“O Come all ye Faithful
bringing of gifts.
Benediction.
Orchestra Selections.
-------------o------------
-------------0-------------
CLYDE BRINDLEY CRITICALLY
ILL IN DURHAM, N. C.
FOLLOWING OPERATION
-------------o-------------
ROAD IMPROVEMENT AT
BEAUKISS AND LAWRENCE
CHAPEL
M. G. COLE, NEW OWNER AND
MANAGER HUMBLE FILLING
STATION, TAKES CHARGE
i :
A
blood donors, before an operation
SANTA and TRADE DAY IN ELGIN ON DEC. 23
) • - %.; * 2 -n 3
Mr. Behrenger takes us to task
because he found a mistake in last
weeks Courier—a line inserted in the
wrong place. Behrenger was right
it happened that way sometimes the
lines are up-side-down and sometimes
other little mistakes appear .
At the regular morning worship
hour, 11:00 o’clock, the Methodist
Choir will present a beautiful Christ-
mas cantata, “The Music of Christ-
mas,” by Ira B. Wilson, under the
direction of Dr. Milton Sheppard, at
the Methodist Church.
There will be a number of chorus-
es of mixed voices and two soloists,
Mesdames W. E. Gattis and Edwin
O. Lundgren, will be featured. Mrs.
Dale Davis at the pipe organ console
will play the accompaniments.
The cantata will consist of eight
numbers.
The general public is cordially in-
vited to hear “The Music of Christ-
mas,” Sunday, Dec. 17th at 11:00
o’clock, at the Methodist Church.
The public’s safety department re-
ports that considerably more deaths
and accidents were caused by drink-
ing drivers than any other cause
during the past month.
condition was reported critical with
small hopes for recovery but latest
reports yesterday were that he is
holding his own.
Roemer received a double fracture
of the right arm, fractured right
all who did not secure one last year
will do so in the coming planting
season. Plan too for planting more
down in those woods by name and seph Metcalfe and Howard Roemer
knows where each one of them lives. J were enroute home from Texas City,
j 2
Sunday, about 12:30 p. m. as Jo-
Finch and Pat come back telling
about “hanging a big ’un” but he
always breaks the hook and gets a-
way, and we hear tell about how
many squirrels Tillie brings home but
we aint seen none of ’em yet.
quainted with the fish T. O. Purcell
wEs hunting squirrels down di Vyi
barger. Tillie knows every squirrel
age.
Read his advertisement in another
section of this paper and when in
need of a first class wash or grease
job try the Humble Filling Station
or drive in and let Mason fill your
tank with Humble gas for your next God’s goodness” as Wilburforce has
In last week’s Courier there were
35 colums of reading matter which
would make an ordinary size book
of over 50 pages. There were 4200
lines or 29,400 words. This in ad-
dition to 37 columns of advertise-
ments. All of which must be put
together one letter at a time—then
made up into columns and pages,
before the paper can be printed and
all of this is usually crowded into
three days time, because so many
people will wait until the last minute
to hand in news items or other things
they desire published, and that is
why we are continually urging them
to get their items in early so we won’t
get so many lines in the wrong place
or upside down.
><
“Lift Up Your Voices” a beauti-
ful Christmas pageant will be pres-
ented at the Baptist Church Monday
night, December 18th, at 7:00 o’-
clock. The general public is cordial-
ly invited to see this wonderful in-
terpretation through the medium of
music, song and readings.
A choir of mixed voices will sing
the processional. The Elgin Wom-
ens Chorus will contribute several
special numbers.
Mrs. Paul Lundgren will be soloist
and Misses Howard Louise George
and Vera Lee Carter, readers, for the
portrayal of the pagaent. Mary Ann
Lundgren will take the part of the
Herald Angel. Members of the An-
gel’s chorus will be Hattie Beth Sch-
iller, Geraldine Ridings, Patsy Burns,
Florence Campbell and Lillian Roe-
mer.
Claiborne Carter, Wayland Rid-
gregation has been planned. . , „
Miss Josephine Pettit, instructor I the city, to clear up the lines and
of public speaking of the Elgin High
School, has consented to give a
Chirstmas reading. This number a-
hostess, Mrs. Walker, one of
water. Flushing to start Thursday
6 p. m. a
and- manager of Humble Filling
Station on North First Street, open-
Work is progressing nicely on
large, modern new tile store build-
ing which will house the grocery and
general merchandise business of M.
L. Rivers. The building is to be lo-
cated at the rear of the Dr. Duff
building. It will be up-to-date in
every respect and adjacent to it on
the east facing the same street will
be a commodious iron warehouse,
with direct unloading facilities from
a M. K. T. Ry. switch into the build-
ing which will parallel the track,
This is caused from the fact that
the linotype machine makes each line
into a solid piece. When the first
proofs are read and an error is
found in a word, the whole line is
recast. Then the printer must hunt
up the bad line, take it out and put
the corrected line in its place. It
occasionally occurs in the rush of
work that he takes out the wrong
line or inserts the corrected line up-
side-down.
THE SEASON is at hand when
the men who think they cannot cele-
brate Christmas without whiskey
will tank up and infest our high-
ways killing hundreds of men, wo-
men and children who are trying to
peacefully and soberly enjoy the
holidays, and no citizen is safe on
the highways.
Overhead strings of bright lights
and decorated street intersection
light standards, together with vari-
colored lights and seasonal decora-
tions of individual business houses,
makes of Elgin’s uptown section a
very pretty scene after nightfall. A
delightful complement to these is a
lovely large Christmas tree, a ma-
jestic cedar, donated by Mr. W. P.
Culp, Sr., which has been beautified
with colored rope garlands and hun-
dreds of pretty lights and illuminat-
ed star reflectors.
Santa Claus has sent in a message
that he will arrive in Elgin Saturday,
Dec. 23rd and is_anticipating meeting
all his little friends here. A Christ-
mas party will be held at the tree on
that date when fruits will be distri-
buted by Santa and his assistants
to the children of our town and trade
I territory who are in attendance.
Remember the date kiddies and re-
mind you mother and dad to bring
you to town for the festivities. Be
here to greet Santa!
Read the ads in The Courier and
note the many beautiful gift ideas
stocked this year by the Elgin stores.
You’ll be surprised too at the very
conservative prices. Make out a
shopping list and come on in early
while there is a wide selection.
METHODIST CHURCH TO OB-
SERVE “WHITE CHRISTMAS”
PROGRAM SUNDAY NIGHT, DEC.
17, 7:00 O’CLOCK
TAYLOR, Dec. 8—WPA road
work was started again in Free. 4
Friday, according to W. C. Stern,
county commissioner, who is direct-
ing 90 men on the project. The proj-
ect will gravel the strip of highway
connecting Highway 79 and 102
east of Thrall and will include one
mile and a half of work.
The sanding of clay hills near
Beaukiss and Lawrence Chapel is
another important project at this
time and other road work includes
a general renovating of the farm-
to-market roads over the county.
Trade Day Program Saturday To
Add Variety To Entertainment.
Saturday, December 23rd. is re-
gular Trade Day for Elgin and will
be carried along in conjunction with
the ISanta Claus party. The merch-
ants shelves and display tables are
loaded to the limit with beautiful
gift selections as well as a wide se-
lection of staple goods, ready-to-
wear for women, men and children
—the conservative and useful gifts
Santa so often chooses for his Yule-
tide remembrances. Shop the beauti-
fully decorated windows and get an
inkling of the lovely things carried
by our stores this season. Shop in
Elgin.
In the afternoon the regular mon-
thly merchant’s feature will be ob-
served at City Park immediately
following Santa Claus’ party, and
there will be many more nice gifts
given away on this occasion than us-
ual. Be on hand—-you might receive
a nice Christmas present.
With Santa coming to town and
his big party at 2:00 p. m., with fruit
and candy for the kiddies and the
Trade Day activities, Saturday, Dec.
23 should be a red-letter day of en-.
tertainment in Elgin. Come in early
and spend the entire day in pre-
Christmas eve celebration—and be
sure to bring ALL the kiddies along
to enjoy the thrill of seeing Santa.
where they had been guests of Mr.
and Mrs. C. J. Walker, relatives of
young Roemer, they figured in a
highway accident at the intersection
of Highway 35 and 38, near Alvin,
when an automobile driven by L. W.
Ross, of Hastings, and the motor-
cycle on which they were riding
double collided.
Metcalfe was taken to Galveston
by Al Martin in a Martin Ambulance
and Roemer was taken in by O. W.
Walker, a friend of Texas City, and
both placed in St. Mary’s Infirmary,
that city. The former suffered a
ruptured kidney, a fractured foot
ings and Charles Lundgren will im-
personate Shepherds; the Three Kni-
ghts of the Orient will be: Curtis
Ray, Arbie Johnson and W. E. Ar-
buckle, Jr. Taking part in the child-
ren’s chorus will be: Elizabeth Whit-
ten, Helen Louise Allen, Bobby Jo
Johnson, Bessie Bell Davis, May
Dell Ray, Arthur Johnson, Kenneth
Allen and June Cottingham. The
first four mentioned in this group
will form a quartette singing a speci-
al arrangement of “Little Town Of
Bethlehem.”
Vivian McGee will be cast as the
Virgin Mary; and Edgar Ballard, Jr.,
as Joseph.
Wallace Lundgren will be electri-
cian and have charge of the unusual
lighting effects which will ad beauty
and brilliancy to the presentation.
Lottie Moon offering will be taken
up by Jack Hays Culp and Bernhart
Smith.
ankle and one fractured rib. He is
reported as getting along very nicely.
The driver of the auto was uninjured.
In receipt of first news of the ac-
cident Mrs. Metcalfe and Tom Brooks
Metcalfe, Mrs. Roemer, and Erwin
left for Galveston. Later in the day
Mr. Metcalfe wired his brother-in-
law, Dr. Tom Taylor in Houston,
who located his nephew and ascerta-
ined the graveness of his injuries
and notified Mr. Metcalfe who im-
mediately left here accompanied by
Pat Pfeiffer. They arrived at St.
Mary’s Infirmary as Joseph was be-
ing brought from the operating room
and remaind in Galveston until Tues-
The dealers themselves are largely
responsible. There are many of them
who are trying to operate legally
and observe all regulatory laws,
but there also are many—too many—
who ignore any regulation as long
as they can get by with it and they
are the ones who are bringing about
their own downfall, which will re-
sult in statewide or nationwide pro-
hibition unless the law violator and
drinking driver are curbed.
---
NOTICE, CORRESPONDENTS,
NEWS CONTRIBUTORS,
AND ADVERTISERS
All correspondents and other con-
tributors of news items are asked to
cooperate in getting out our big
Christmas Booster Supplement and
holiday issue of The Courier next
Thursday by sending all copy in by
Monday. And kiddies don’t forget
your letters to Santa Claus!
Advertisers will be solicited early
too and it will help so much if ad
copy is ready or planned when our
solicitor calls.
We wish to get this lovely large
Christmas edition out as early as
possible as a special treat for our sub-
scribers and will appreciate all favors
shown us to speed up publication.
--------------o--------------
ELGIN P. T. A. TO MEET AT
GRAMMAR SCHOOL DEC. 27
P. T. A. will meet at the Grammar
School next Wednesday, December
27th, at 3:00 p. m.
All patrons of the school and others
interested are invited to attend.
Boys.
Wongaloo _____________________ Curtis Ray.
Spirit of Xmas____Luella Abrahamson.
Santa’s Guard ______________Billy Barton.
ELMO CONDRON says that this
warm weather reminds him of 1929
when cotton was blooming on Dec-
ember 15, but only a few days later
■came a norther and snow and ice
•covered the ground all during the
holidays—one of the biggest snow
storms we had had in many years.
------ January 11, 1940, at the home of
(Mason) Cole, new owner Mrs. w. H. Carter. The general
lone insures an evening well spent.
At the conclusion of the program,
the assembly will sing “O Come All
Ye Faithful” during which the classes
and departments of the church will
present at the altar their White
Chirstmas gifts which will later be
assorted and sent out for Christmas
Cheer.
Mrs. Frank knaHi es
Mrs. Frank Hanke is chairman of
the decoration committee, which be
speaks for itself that the scene and
setting will be complete.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
The program outline is as follows:
Orchestra selections.
Prayer—Supt. C. W. Webb.
Choir—The Christmas Road.
Numbers by the following de-
partments :
Nursery.
Beginner.
Primary.
Intermediate—Christmas] Story
from Luke, interspersed with Carol
singing by the congregation.
Junior—Story of wise men from
Matthew.
Male Chorus—
Story—A Gift from the Magi—
Miss Josephine Pettit.
Quartette Selection.
Playlett—Junior Class.
Christmas Thoughts—Rev. J. W.
Rowland.
Offering for Methodist Orphan
Home at Waco.
Young People’s Dept, will officia-
te as collectors.
Some time ago I stated in this
column that the public would get
fed up on this thing some day and
clean out the whole business. That
time has come—last week steps were
taken leading to the cancellation of
the license of all roadside beer joints
and liquor stores, and a statewide
committee appointed to fight the
drinking driver menace.
with a driveway for access to the
loading door from the street.
Mr. Rivers expects -to be in is
new location by the last of January,
where he will have ample display
space for his large grocery stock and
more room in which to handle his
produce, turkeys, chickens, etc. The
side street location too, will afford
more parking space for his custom-
ers. The modern buildings will add
materially to the appearance of the
business district and be a monument
to the steady growth of our town.
The New Century Club will spon-
sor a Rose and Shrubbery Tea on
ed for business on December 1st.
He will sell Humble products and and gardens for the
makes a specialty of wash and grease ’ there.
jobs. He gives satisfied service and; The club is still stressing a Red
solicits a fair share of your patron- | Bud for every Elgin yard and hopes
The many Elgin friends of Clyde
Brindley, of Temple, nephew of Mes-
dames W. E. Wood, R. L. Carter and
Miss Nell Owens, of Elgin, will re-
gret to learn he is critically ill in the
hospital of Duke’s Medical College,
Durham, North Carolina, of which
college he is a student. His parents,
Dr. and Mrs. G. V. Brindley of Tem-
ple, are at his bedside.
Young Brindley underwent a Mas-
toid operation last Wednesday, fol-
lowing an attack of meningitis and is
now suffering from a streptococci
bloodstream infection.
An air mail message to Mrs. Wood
this morning advised no improvement
in his condition.
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TELL YOUR MERCHANT you
saw his Ad in The Courier—he will
appreciate it because he wants to
know if people are reading his Ad.
I
FRIDAY AFTERNOON—A. E.
Behrenger, Roger McCreery and Sam
Oden sitting on the bench in front
of Arbuckle’s barber shop enjoying
the warm sunshine and watching the
world go by.
A delightful Christmas Operetta
“In Quest of Santa Claus” will be
given by the Elementary school
pupils on Wednesday evening, Dec-
ember 20, 1939, in the Elgin High
School Auditorium, at 7:30 o’clock.
Admission will be 10 and 20 cents.
Buy your ticket early and avoid the
rush and crush of operetta night.
Following is the synopsis of this
clever Christmas entertainment and
the cast of characters who will por-
tray it. Costumes, colorful, lilting
choruses and the happy ending of
Jane’s quest for Santa Claus will
provide an outstanding evening of
amusement for all ages.
Reserve December 20 for the
Christmas Operetta.
SYNOPSIS
Jane, a little girl who is anxious
to find Santa Claus, starts off in
search of him. The rabbits come to
practice their Christmas hop, and
she asks them but they will not tell
her because she has been unkind.
The Snowflakes come, but cannot
help her—she hadn’t been friendly
at school. The Brownies haven’t
her name on their Christmas list.
Jane watches the Sunbeams frolic
and the Tin Soldiers march, but
they cannot help her. Upon meet-
ing the dolls on their way to Santa
Claus, Jane begs one of them to go
to her little sister. During this time
the spirit of Kindness, the Spirit of
Helpfulness, Goodness, and Unsel-
fishness have directed Jane each
warning her against Wongaloo, the
Spirit of Selfishness and Cruelty.
Jane loses her way and wanders
into the Wongaloo’s Cave. When
all are asleep, she is taken away by
the Spirit of Love.
They reach Santa Claus’ court in
safety. Santa Claus tells Jane that
he will take her home in his sleigh
which makes her very happy.
Characters
Jane________In search of Santa Claus.—
____Mary Lynn Webb.
Santa Claus________________Howard Scales.
Christmas Fairies____Sixth Grade Girls.
Kindness _________________1— Joan Rivers.
Helpfulness____________June Cottingham.
Goodwill ____________ Bessie Bell Davis.
Unselfishness ____Frankie Jo Branton.
Love ____________________Bobby Jo Johnson.
AWO E•WE& GOcUN’TM NEWSm
low with interest the reports from
their bedsides.
-----o----—
NEW CENTURY CLUB TO
SPONSOR ROSE—SHRUBBERY
TEA ON JANUARY 11
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Smith, J. O. The Elgin Courier and Four County News (Elgin, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 37, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 1939, newspaper, December 14, 1939; Elgin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1536276/m1/1/?rotate=270: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Elgin Public Library.