The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 139, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 6, 1920 Page: 4 of 48
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4A
FIRST SAN ANTONIANS ARE
RETIRED UNDER FIRE AND
POLICE PENSION SYSTEM
“Buck” Gravis Bonafacio Diaz Ed L. Sarran and Ed
A. Schmidt End More Than Twenty Years of
Active Duty in the Service of the City
Two policemen C. K. ("Buck”)
Gravis and Bonafacio Diaz and two
firemen Ed L. Sarran and E. A.
Schmidt the first San Antonians to
be pensioned under the state pension
act effective January 1 last were re-
tired from the fire and police depart-
ments last Tuesday. They enjoy the
benefits of the Pension Fund Associa-
tion and also of the Police and Fire
Relief Associations of which they were
members.
Voder the state law there was created
la eitiea and towns bav.nt a popula-
tion of 20000 or more the Police Fire-
mens' and Fire Alarm Operators' Pen-
sion Associations. The purpose of the
organizations is to care for members
who may become ill or injured dur-
ing the discharge of their duties and
to pension them at the expiration of
20 years’ service on half pay. The min-
imum compensation is fixed at a
month.
Hm Fund of *14000.
Bach city's association is separate
and distinct. Since it was founded
the San Antomo association has created
a fund of approximately SI4.UW. ihe
revenue is obtained by taxing the mem-
ben 1 per cent of their salary from
rewards given for good police or fire
service and from the sale of junked
property of the fire department and of
unclaimed property held in the police
department. Contributions from citizens
and the sale of tickets to an annual
ball given by the firemen and police
also help to swell the fund.
The four men placed on the retired
list by the board of trustees have seen
active service for more than a score of
^Few Bar Antonians know Chariee K.
Gravis. Fewer still are unacquainted
■with "Uncle Buck” Gravis.
“Vncle Buck' became a San Antonio
policeman during the days of Mayor
Elmendorf. Politics has a peculiar way
of shaking up tbe police department
about every two years. It's one of tbe
reasons why the peace officer is al-
ways clamoring for civil service. But
despite this "off and on” policy in tbe
department. "Uncle Buck’ managed to
see more than a score of years in actual
service.
When he reported off duty for the
last time he was one of the officers in
Brackenridge Park.
"Buck" Third Word Hs Learned.
"Uncle Buck’’ is a native of tbe re-
public of Texas —and few of these
pioneers are to be seen on the streets
today. Dwpite his 75 years be stands
straight as an Indian. His easy man-
ner of horse riding and he declaree
he can still ride with the best of them
always attracted notice. He acquired
his horsemanship while serving in the
33rd Cavalry of tbe Confederate Army.
He was born in Austin in 1844. He
spent bis boyhood where Corpus Christi
stands today. Fifty-three years ago he
married Miss Bettie Rabb whose death
occurred just one month after they had;
celebrated their golden wedding anni- 1
versary here three years ago. Prior to
coming to San Antonio ho was en-
gaged in tbe stock business in Duval I
County.
"How did yon gat the name of
^uck?” the old officer was asked.
He laughed.
"You know Pvs had that nickname
every since I was a baby. When my
father and mother moved from Austin
to the coast I was a tiny little fel-
low. I had never spoken but two words
and they were ‘papa’ and ‘mamma.’ An
old negro was driving our ox team. One
of the oxen was named ‘Buck’ and tbe
other was named 'Brandy?
"That old negro kept yelling Huck’
and 'Brandy' so much that the first
word I ever spoke outside of ‘papa’
and ‘mamma.’ was ‘Buck? Bo they
called me that."
Never Had Beriooa AerMewA
Ed A. Schmidt is regarded as see
of the luckiest firemen who ever wore I
a city uniform. He never had a serious j
accident He was a driver and en- i
gineer and fireman and declared be 1
drove a steamer to more alarms than
any other man in the service.
“Schmidt" Chief Goetz said “war a
fireman whose habits were as regular '
as the rising and setting of the sun. He
was steady always on the job and
thoroughly honest. He led a quiet life
in the service and whenever an alarm
sounded in his district his steamer was
always one of the first to respond
when the cry for ‘water 1 eame."
Bonafacio Dias was one of tbe
pioneer peace officers not only of San
Antonio but of Southwest Texas. He
■was still in service when the pension
trustees felt that he was entitled to
al! tbe board might provide for him
Though hie life has been one of many
thrills this veteran who resembles the
late Buffalo Bill declines to talk for
publication.
“Let somebody else do the talking”
Diaz said.
He was asked who in the police de
partment might give a bit of informa-
tion about him.
“Most of the men in the police de-
partment today could not do that” be
WAaf Causes Wrinkles ?
What’s the Remedy?
Stop to consider what produce* wrinkle*
•nd sa<glneM of akin. Premature aging
mal-nutrltion etc. cause tbe fiesh to
shrink lose !u youthful plumpi.bw and
flrmn*-M The skin then is too large for
the flesh underneath; doesn't fit tightly
and anugly as It used to—it wr'nklee or
It must be plain that to tighten the
akin make It fit the face perfectly In
every place wllj effectually remove the
hateful wrinkles end Laggings. Thia Is
enalß and harmlessly accomplished by
dissolving an ounce of pure powdered ax-
•lite in a half pint of witch haxel and
Using the solution as a face wash. The
Ingredients you can g*t at any drug gtore.
•f course The results are surprising The
akin Immediately tighter.® up becoming
firm and fresh as in youth Every wrin-
kle and sag are affected at once.
E*URALGIA
Tbe powerful. t>«a>ir.g warn th <4
it Hunte Lightning oil give* instant
*1 A and positive relief from Ckrobolng
•' j > nerve raising gains of When ma
—- —A 4 L Uani Neuragia. Bandar be. etc. at
wfi J our drugg.»ta Kx and 'Or a bottle
/T HU NT’S
MCIHTMIMC Oil
SUNDAY.
chuckled "for when I was in my prime
as an officer they were boys."
And that was all he would say.
Famous as a Scout.
But it was learned that Bonafacio
Diaz was every inch an officer in tbe
early days. When but a stripling he
served as a ranger under Captain Mc-
Neill on the border. It was no place
for a timid man or one who feared
to die and Diaz held down tbe job for
twelve years and only quit when things
grew tame.
As a scout or trailer it is said Diaz
had few equals. He was the man de-
pended upon when serving in the cus-
tom house service to tun down smug-
glers who had crossed the Rio Grande
and to all accounts made their es-
cape. But Diaz trailed by day and
by night seemingly possessed of that
sense that enables a bloodhound to fol-
low a convict. In tbe early days be
was known as "Bring 'Em Back"
Diaz.
In his day when ha rode into San
Antonio tbe pound man's jab was as
big as tbe policeman's job. Hundreds
of cattle were rounded up daily then
and it was nothing to see from four
to five hundred bead in tbe city's pens
then located on Presa Street just
south of the river. All excellent horse-
man he joined the poundmen. There
were eight of them on each side of the
river and Diaz's assignment caused
him to run cattle through what is now
Alamo Plaza in a direct line to tbe
pens.
He became associated with the police
department when Mayor French was in
office. His work was largely that of a
mounted officer and when not serving
as such was a patrolman on tbe West
Side when this quarter of the city was
"wild” and danegrous.
A severe fracture of the hip received
in an accident some three years ago in-
capacitated Diaz from duty for nearly
two years. Since that time he had
been on one of tbe park police shifts.
Begins Service With Accident.
Ed L. Sarran joined tbe San An-
tonio fire department just a quarter of
a century ago serving continuously with
tbe exception of one year. This period
he spent in a hospital convalescing
from injuries received "in line ot
duty.” The same injuries recently com-
pelled him to "report off duty.”
Five of his sons have served Uncle
Sam as fighters. J. G. Sarran assist-
ant fire chief and drill master in the
training school ia one of the elder Sar-
ran's boys and saw service with the
navy from 1908 to 1912. David Sar-
ran another son died in 1918 just one
month after he was cited for bravery in
action by Secretary of tbe Navy Dan-
iels.
Ed L. Harran's Introduction to the
fire department was exciting but the
remainder of a thrilling life in the ser-
vice failed to shake his cool-headed
temperament He had hardly entered
the service. In 1894 when he was
knocked uncouscioua for nearly 24
hours. Il was while he was exercisiug
a pair of spirited horses. He was
thrown from the animal he was riding
during a runaway.
His most serious injury occurred
when a steamer overturned pinuiug
him beneath it. One of his legs was
crushed. Despite tbe fact that he was
struck on the bead by one of the horses
which continued to kick while down he
survived.
For ten years he drove the engine
from No. 4 station and for several years
he was driver of tbe chemical wagon.
He also drove the first three-horse
hitch to steamer put in service in San
Antonio.
Bee County Pioneer Dies.
Beeville. Tex. June s.—Mrs. Clara
Hynes Smith a native of Bee County
and pioneer resident of Southwest Texas
died at her home in Rockport Tues-
day morning. The funeral was held
Thursday morning in Refugio from the
Catholic Church where High Requiem
Mass was celebrated. Mrs. Smith was
a daughter of Judge Johu Hynes and
Mary Hynes among the early settlers
of this section. The children all of
whom survive their mother are Mrs.
George Barnard Rockport; John and
James twins now residing at Santa
Rita N. M.; Will and Sam. twins the
former of Rockport and the latter of
Beeville: Miss Grace Smith and Hynes
Smith of Hurley N. M. She is also
survival by one brother and one sister.
Will Hynes of Santa Rita N. M. and
Mrs. D. M. Picton of Rockport.
Yoakum Tex. June 5.—A number of
business men of thia city will attend a
meeting of the organization pertaining
to tbe establishing of a San Antonio &
Aransas Pass Bureau of Marketing to
be held in Cuero Friday. Efforts will
be made to have a bureau established in
thia city through which tbe farmers in
the Yoakum trade territory will be en-
couraged to produce more truck and
other products than corn and cotton.
With the establishment of such a bu-
reau the revenue received for the farm
product! will be greatly increased.
Corpus Christi June s.—Advertise-
ments for bids for the construction of
a temporary causeway across Nueces
Bay to join this city with the trade
territory north of here are appearing in
tbe local papers. Readvertiavment for
bids became necessary when Judge Slu-
der of San Antonio held the commercial
association without power to enter into
a construction contract. The associa-
tion had been the successful bidder for
the project when bids were opened sev-
eral weeks ago.
No Women On School Board.
San Angelo Tex. June 5.—A request
by a delegation of San Angelo women
that two women be appointed to fill two
of four vacancies on the board of edu-
cation made by the expiration of term*
on June 2 was turned dowu Friday
morning by the city commission. L. L.
Farr. C. W. Hobbs. J. Y. Rust ar.'. Dr.
W. P. Menzies were reappointed for two
years each.
Priest Is Found Dead.
Waco Tex. June s.—Rev. J. J.
Klein 53 assistant to Father P. A.
Heckman pastor of the Church of the
Assumption here was found dead this
morning at the parochial residence. He
leaves a mother and sisters at North
Vernon. Ind. He has a brother at
Plantersville Texas and a sister at
Lufkin.
HERE IS OUR ATTITUDE
There is always a calm after a storm. Much has
been written and more said and still more done in
this great old U. S. A. during the past few weeks.
We were among the first to join in what we
chose to call a National Episode of price reductions.
Now we emerge from this with profound thanks and
everlasting gratitude to our friends and customers
in that their response to our actions was indeed far
beyond our most sanguine expectations.
The days of reconstruction are upon us we hail
with hearty co-operative spirit the decision of the
Federal Fair Price Commission at the recent hearing
where the Leading Clothie-s of our state in an all-day
session agreed on the average percentage of profit
necessary to successfully operate a business. We
Want Trade Bureau.
Ask Cauaeway Bids.
FOMBY CLOTHING COMPANY
GAMBLING MUST STOP
Mexican Governor Orders All Halls
Closed at Onre.
Brownsville. Tex. June Gov. E.
Portes Gil of tbe state of lamaulipa;
Mexico has mailed a circular to all of-
Helals south of the Rio Grande and to
newspapers on the American side call-
ing attention to the laws against gam-
bling in that state. He has ordered all
gambling halls closed. The order hits
the "joints” of Matamoros and Nuevo
Laredo the hardest those places being
frequented bv American tourists.
All g.icibling houses in Matamoros
have been closed. Saloons were also
closed but it is said that this action is
only temporary while the edict against
✓ambling is permanent.
TO STANDARDIZE ROAD
Railway From Brownsville to Point Isa-
bel to Be Rebuilt.
Brownsville. Tex.. June a—A group
of bankers and business men met in con-
ference here this week for the purpose
of laying plans for the financing of the
standardization of the Rio Grande Rail-
road between here and Point Isabel. The !
road must be standardized before the
deep water harbor will be built by the
government. .
It is expected that this road will
eventually become a part of the San An-
tonio A Rio Grande Valley railroad proj-
ect. However those who attend the
meeting felt the financing of this road
should go forward without delay.
RAILWAY GETS BILL
Would Force Gulf Coast Une to Pay-
for Tomatoes.
San Benito. Tex. June 5.—A bill for
two cars of overripe tomatoes was pre-
sented to the officials of the Gulf Coast
Lines here this week by the State
Bonded Warehouse. The warehouse of-
ficials have also asked Spears * Mont-
gomery attorneys to advise if damages
it. the sum of $50000 could be collected
from the railroad as loss sustained the
nast week by growers as a result of al
legcd failure to furnish iced cars.
Comfort Schools Close.
Comfort Tex. June s—The Comfort
school closed June 3 after a week of
written examinations in tbe various
classes and grades. Because of tbe fact
that tbe faculty of the school has been
short one member for tbe past two
months the teachers have been too
busy with their classes to have time to
prepare a program of exercisea for the
closing of the term and consequently
there was no commencement.
Donates Park to Beeville.
Beeville Tex. June s.—Mrs. John W.
Flournoy has deeded to the city for park
purposes a block of valuable city prop
erty extending ”00 feet on Washing
ton and St. Mary's Streets and 395 feet
on Hutchinson Street and 425 feet on
Huntington Street. As a result of the
gift Washington Street will be extended
two blocks north. The city commission
plans to beautify the park and equip
it as a play ground for children.
Cisterns Ordered Destroyed.
Corpus Christi June s.—More than
thirty underground cisterns the sole
water supply of Corpus Christi In pio-
neer days have been destroyed by city
sanitary officers following the inaugura-
tion of a clean up campaign.
The House of Satisfaction
509-511 EAST HOUSTON STREET
The Home of Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes
THE SAN ANTONIO LIGHT.
Have You Tried
XXX Pearl?
The almost universal question in San Antonio now is—-
“ Have you tried XXX Pearl?”
If you haven’t then don’t let another day pass without
putting a bottle or a glass of this delightful cooling
beverage with the old-time flavor of hops and malt
to your lips and then oh joy you are going to join the
ranks of the boosters for this beverage that has them
all beat.
It’s refreshing sparkling cooling everything that
you’ve wanted in a drink and then some.
Respectfully yours
Drop around to your favorite place of refresh-
ment today—ask for XXX Pearl in bottles or
on draught and then pass the good word along.
Have a case sent home so you
can treat the family and friends.
Telephone Crockett 3723.
Alamo Industries
Beverage Department
pledged ourselves to abide by this decision which
necessitates some little ad justments here and there
all of which is being done as speedily as possible and
to the one end —that we declare our store 100%
American in that we shall uphold the wishes of the
government even though we are buying merchan-
dise on a rising market we are obliged to sell our
present holdings in many cases less than replace-
ment value; however taking the broad mercantile
view the quick turnovers will take care of all this
and leave us a fair margin of profit.
Again we thank you for your liberal patronage
in the past and we hope to be always found worthy
of your continued patronage while we shall endeavor
to supply you with the best Nationally known mer-
chandise at our command.
JUNE S 1920.
The name gives it fame
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Diehl, Charles S. & Beach, Harrison L. The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 40, No. 139, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 6, 1920, newspaper, June 6, 1920; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1616961/m1/4/: accessed July 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .