The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 25, 2007 Page: 2 of 12
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e Mere
terporis
Pages from the Past
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, VOLUME NO. XLIV — NO, 28
Mercedes, Texas, Thursday, July 9, 1959
$3.00 Per Year In The Valley
NOW W Thiel
By EDWIN HARVEY
AMANI****
You sometimes wonder ,. .
George Peacock, a Farm Bur-
: eau insurance man, was being a
good church man sand attended
Tuesday morning’s revival servi-
ces at the First Baptist Church. In-
, cidentally, o he was the only lay
male member of the congregation.
After the service, he found that
his car had beenstolen. He report-
ed the theft and the car was locat-
ed late the same -afternoon. It had
been returned, to the same park-
ing place'at the Church, but with
t * a slightly dented fender.
% ***
„ Mercedes residents apparently
(continued on page 7)
BAPTIST MISSION
NEAR COMPLETION
Work on the South Side Baptist
Mission, located at 12th and Wash-
ington, is nearing completion,
according to officials of First
Baptist Church, sponsoring church.
The mission pulpit committee is
working on securing a permanent
pastor for the church and a com-
plete program, including Sunday
School, Church services, Train-
ing Union and Wednesday evening
prayer meeting, is planned for the
congregation.
Paul Schrank is contractor on the
$20, 000 structure.
GRASS FIRE CALL
Mercedes firemen were called
out to extinguish a grass fire on
the railroad tracks just west of
Vermont at 2:30 p. m. Wednesday.
, 2Q2ULAI1QN
Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas
(Comprised of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy Counties)
County 1940
Cameron * 83,208
Hidalgo 5 106,059
Starr 15,312
Willecy, 013,230
TOTALS 215,803
Cameron County Cities:
Brownsville . 22,083
Harlingen ‘ -13,306
La Feria . 1,653
Loa Fresnos ' • 550
Port Isabel 1,440
Rio Hondo 804
San Benito 9,501
Santa Rosa P • 224
Hidalgo County Cities:
1950
124,834
159, 994
13, 898
20,891
319,817*
1956
159,300
194,500
15,100
26,800
395,700
1959
170,000
204,100
15,300
22,900
418, 300
36,176
23,202
48,200
30,100
0000
15,200
46,100c
38,000ee
3,706c.
1,150c.
4,600eee
1,128eee
16,600c
400...
FIRST BALE of cotton for Mercedes area was grown by Max
Medrano on his farm northwest of Mercedes. The bale was
ginned at the Mercedes Co-Op Gin last Thursday. Weighing
Hearing On Proposed City Budge
For Next Year Planned Monday a
Official publichearing on a pro-
posed budget for the city’s next
fiscalyear will be held at 9 a. m.
Monday at the City Hall.
The total amount is expected to
be $154, 920. This figure would
include $15, 000 for allocation to
the Chamber of Commerce as
urged a good turnout at the of-
ficial budget hearing Monday.
It will be after this meeting that
the commission will formally
adopt a budget and set the tax
rate for the next fiscal yeas
starting Sept. 1.
Alamo
Donna
Ed couch
Edinburg
Elsa
McAllen
Mercedes
Mission
Pharr
San Juan
,944
3,029
7,161
2,925
12,340
3,175
20,005
10,065
10, 756
8,500
16,032
25,600
13,000
Weslaco 5.883
Starr County Cities:
Rio Grander 3,431
City
Roma ’ 1,414
Willacy ^bounty Cities:
Lyford . 891
Raymondville 4,050
,487
5,000
1,575
1,470
9,135
14,400
%
11,700
• U. S. Census Bureau
*• Sales Management \
see Figure Used by City
ecee Figure not available at time of publication.
3,029eee
9,0000
3,500eee
17,800c.
4,110***
32,000
13,200
13, 900ee
11,000c.
4,100c.
16,300c
5,800
2,200
11,900
Compiled and distributed by the Lower Hlo Grande Valley Chamber
of Commerce, Weslaco, Texas.
6559 - 200
STATISTICAL DATA, RIO GRANDE VALLEY or TEXAS
(Four-County Area and Totals)
Effective. Per
• • ■* Buying Household
County Pop. Households — Income Income
Cameron * 470,000
Hidalgo ~ 204,100
Starr 15,300
Willacy 22,900"
RGV Area 412,300
41,500
47,000
3,100
5,406
97,000
$192,386,000 $4,636
197,499,000 4,202
12,494,000 4,030
24,119,000 4,466
$426,498,000 $4,397
••••Groae
Cash
■ Farm Income
$ 40,073,650
88,657,720
5,445,500
27,798,900
$161, 975,770
RANKING OF AREA
(Four-County Basis, Population)
Population, U. S...........57th U. 8. Metropolitan Market
Population, Texas..........5th Texas Metropolitan Area
Farm Income Rank, Texas .....Hidalgo 3rd - Cameron 4th
Farm Income, United States . . . . . Hidalgo 25th - Cameron 30th
COTTON SALES
MAY BE AIDED
BY NEW RULING
A new plan has been developed
to, facilitate the handling of cot-
ton loans for farm rental operators,
it was explained this week.
One regulation requires that be-
fore the grower may sell his cot-
ten to the Commodity Credit
Corp., he must send the necessary
papers to the landlord for signa-
ture. Only 15 days is allowed
from date of application, and in
some cases this will work a hard-
ship since some owners live in the
north and east and may be travel-
ing.
However, this year the CCC has
provided an alternate plan. The
farm operator may obtain Form
CCC Cotton-77, which is a power
of attorney, and send it to the
landlord for signature. Once this
is received, then all the season’s
CCC or other cotton papers may
be signed by anyone holding this
power of attorney and sending the
papers to the absentee landlord
each time will not be required,
it was pointed out.
The lessee himself may be given
the power of attorney, or some
other disinterested person may be
designated. Anyone in the Valley
with power of attorney for the
absentee owner would facilitate
handling of all CCC papers since
there would be no mailing to
out-of-Valley persons involved.
Local Man Listed
As Officer Of New
Bank Proposed
A Mercedes man is listed as an
incorporator of a proposed new
bank for Weslaco.
W. H. Drawe is shown on the
application for charter of a new
Mid-Valley State Bank as a di-
rector and second Vice- president.
Application for charter has been
filed with the State Banking
Commission in Austin by Smith,
McIlheran £ Jenkines of Weslaco.
Garland Fl Smith is listed as
chairman of the board with Virgil
C. Thompson as president, C. C.
Stokes as first vice- president.
Directors proposed are Smith,
Thompson, Drawe, W. M. Jenk-
ines, C. C. Stokes, M. P. Lack-
land, H. Louis Hansen, Eleno
Garza, Dr. George M. Lancaster
and Lorne S. Hamme.
A capital structure of $275, 000
is listed, including capital stock
of $165, 000, surplus of $60, 000
and reserve of $50, 000.
Lauderdale Buys
Building On Ohio
H. D. Lauderdale has purchased
the building owned by Ralph
Murdoch at Sixth and Ohio, it was
revealed this week.
The building formerly housed a
La undromat.
Mr. Lauderdale said he planned
to remodel the building into office
quarters for the law firm of Lauder-
dale & Bowe.
Plans are being drawn now and
work will proceed when completed.
— Harman Photo
1,500 pounds, it produced a finished 480-1b. bale. Left to right
are Bill Basinger, gin manager; Curtis L. Driver, gin superin-
tendent, and Max Medrano.
Federal Cotton Controls Called
"Ridiculous" By Rotary Speaker
J. B. Brady,, vice president and
cotton expert of First National
Bank of Harlingen, termed the
federal government cotton pro-
gram as "ridiculous" Tuesday
when addressing the Mercedes
Rotary Club at El Sombrero.
The outlook for the Valley
crop, however, is the best in
nearly a decade, Mr. Brady
said. In his comprehensive dis-
cussion of cotton conditions in the
Rio Grande Valley and the cur-
rent outlook, Brady told the
Rotarians that all should work
toward a release of cotton from
federal control.
Despite confusion in the govern-
ment cotton program, there are
prospects for good prices to farm-
ers who produce cotton, Brady
said.
Brady predicted a yield of
475, 000 bales this year from the
Valley's allotted 480, 000 acres of
cotton. He said the average yield
might be even better than the
bale to the acre high in 1958.
The Harlingen banker scored the
federal government program under
which some relaxation of controls
led to a system that could ruin
some segments of the industry and
involves selling cotton to foreign
governments in exchange for
United States money provided to
them.
Brady suggested "there must be
a better solution to the nation's
cotton problem" than the present
program with its mountains of
paper work and high cost of ad-
ministration.
"It took 25 years to build up the
system of red tape so the rever-
sion to a free cotton economy,
must be gradual, " Brady said. He
also urged Valley farmers to
standardize their product. He said
there has been some deviation
from uniformity in product in re-
cent years.
Brady said Rio Grande Valley
Cotton industry involves an ex-
penditure of $8 to $9 million a
year for seed and at $170 per
bale some $68 million paid to
producers.
This money, he said "pays off
notes at the bank" and is spent at
automobile agencies, appliance
and clothing stores. It attracts
some 60, 000 to 100, 000 'cotton
pickers to the Valley. It represents
100 gins, seven compresses, and
four oil mills.
AUTOMOTIVE AND UTILITIES
•Passenger
County — Cars Trucks
»«0aa
••Elec-
tricity seTelephones
Cameron 35,904
Hidalgo 33,748
Starr _ . 2,530
Willacy * 4,093
RGV Area, 76,255
9,716
11,405
1,755
2,892
25,768
45,105
See Valley Totals Below
82,756
64,344
• Total Automotive • . . . .
•• Total Gas Connections
•• Total Electric Connections
•• Total Telephones
••• Bank Deposits
••• Savings & Loan
. . 102,023
*42,900-7
64,344 4
$160,871,475.74
$ 35,082,765.86
Commodity
Total Re-
tail Sales
RETAIL SAj^S
(Add 000 to all Retail Sales Figures)
# M
Cameron Hidalgo Starr 2
127,053
Starr
Willacy
Food
Eat-Drink*
Apparel
Furn-House-Rad.
Automotive
Gas Stations
Lbr.Bldg.Hdwre.
Drugs
35,080
4. 7,875
Mdbe.- - 17,472
9,804
4,895
20,366
9,395
9,908
3,272
117,133
29,525
5,841
13,336
5,582
5,967
20,802
8,434
11,774
4,101
7,660
2,039
406
1,479
115
203
997
709
1,206
13,890
3,742
495
1,218
.722
988
J,180
396
Total
265,736
70,386
14,617
33,505
15,812
11,655
43,870
19,526
25,068
8,037
NOTE: All figures unless specifically credited elsewhere are quoted
from 6ale& Management Survey of Buying Power, Published May 10, 1959,
and reflecting 1958 figures and estimates. Population and other ran-
kings are compiled from Sales Management figures for county areas by
adding county totals.
• Figures received from County Tax Collectors Offices
• • Figures received from all Valley Utility Companies
• •• Figures received direct from Banks and Savings & Lean Companies
(As of April 30, 1959)
• ••• Figures received from County Agents -- Thin figure dees not In-
clude Sell Bank Payments or Government subsidies 1
Distributed by the Lower Rio Grande Valley Chamber of Commerce 6859200
Methodists To Open
Bible School Monday
A. Bible School for children ages
4 through 12 will be held at the
First Methodist Church here begin-
ning, Monday, July 13, and con-
cluding with a program at the
church the evening of Thursday
July 23.
Mrs. Sam L Johnston is general
superintendent of the school, to
be held daily, Monday through
Thursday of each week, from
9-11 a. m.
Her staff has been announced as
follows:
Kindergarten: Mrs. C. B. Ray,
superintendent. He Ipers: Mrs.
R. C. Jones, Mrs. B. H. Bailey,
Mrs. Donald Fletcher, Miss Mary
Alice George, Miss Pam Knapp,
Miss Ann Natho, Miss Elaine Peter-
son.
Primary: Mrs. L C. Powers and
Miss Aurda Ann George, co-super-
intendents. Workers: Mrs. George
Irby, Mrs. Finis Morris, Miss Ina
Lee Bray.
Juniors: Mrs. E. E. Marchant,
superintendent. ’Workers: Mrs.
Carroll Hahn, Mrs. Kermit Natho,
Mrs. H. H. Somnitz, Miss Sara
Johnston.
Registration and classes will be-
gin this Monday at 9 a, m. , Mrs.'
Johnston said.
Methodist Board
Names Knapp Head
Gilson Knapp has been named
chairman of the Official Board of
First Methodist Church, O. M.
Joyce is vice chairman and W. C.
Ross, III, is secretary.
The group meets the first Tues-
day of each month.
provided by city charter. Such a
budget would require a tax rate of
$1. 95 to bring in enough revenue,
it has been pointed out.
In fact, these figures were dis-
cussed before a group of nearly
100 citizens at a public meeting
and dinner May 22 by Mayor C. A.
Ripley.
At that time, after needs of the
city and chamber were explained,
the group, by straw vote, almost
unanimously approved the pro-
posed budget. ,
The chamber proposal, discussed
by President W. B. Lauder, Jr.,
would entirely eliminate the cur-
rent dues system.
The present tax. rate is $1. 60.
At the meeting, Mayor Ripley
described each city department,
its problems and needs. He point-
ed out that this year for the first
time the city has to begin paying
on the newest street paving bonds.
The city commissioners have
Biologist Return
For Restocking
Two Lakes Here
Biologists of the State Game,
Fish and Oyster Commission Fri-
day will complete restocking of
Llano Grande and Carter's Lakes.
Most undesirable fish such as
gar, carp and shad were killed
several weeks ago when rotenone
was applied to the lakes.
Two weeks ago, the biologists
started initial restocking of the
lakes with 40, 500 channel cat-
fish and black bass.
The fish were brought from the
state hatchery pond at Olmito ac-
cording to AlFlury of Mathis, pro-
ject leader.
In Llano Grande, 20, 000 channel
cat and 10, 500 black bass were
added. Some 10, 000 channel cat
were placed in Carter's Lake north-
west of Mercedes.
On the final round Friday, the
biologists plan to add 6, 000 black
bass to Carter's and place other
fish from the hatchery pond at
Olmito in Llano Grande.
Tests show that not all the rough
fish were killed in the recent
drive. Before the kill, a test
brought up over 20 fish per net
while this is down now to less than
5 fish per net.
The lakes must have been so
polluted the rotonene oxidized
and was not 100 per cent ef-
fective, Flury said.
During the check net operations
they found two female alligator
gar in Carter, Lake, one weighing
100 pounds and the other 96., In
Llano Grande the largest fish found
were male alligator gar weighing
about 15 pounds each.
LITTLE LEAGUE
GAMES CONTINUE S
Mercedes Little League games
continue at Little League Park in
North Mercedes with 6 games be-
ing played the past week. i
On Wednesday, July 2: Dodgers
12, Red Sox 10, Yankees 8,
White Sox.2. • "
Thursday, July 2: Cubs 15, Card -
inals 5. Yankees 12; Red Sox 9
Friday,. July 3: Dodgers 4: Card-
inals 2. Cubs 6; White Soredi
Games scheduled for this week
include: . : 0
Thursday, July 9: Cubs vs.-Dome
gers; White Sox vs. Cardinals.
Friday, July 10, Cubs vs. Ked
Sox; Dodgers vs. Yankees. 1
Saturday, July 22s Austin was
Victoria; Corpus Christi vs. San
Antonio. 1
On Wednesday evening,the
Cardinals played the Yankees and
the White Sox met the Red Sox.
Little League members’ mothers,
who this year are in charge of the
concession stand at the games,
have asked for volunteers to help
with the stand at the games, par-
ticularly on Saturday evenings.
Anyone interested in helping
should contact Mrs. Joe Crenshaw
or Mrs. Donald Anderson. Profits
from the stand aid materially in
helping maintain the Little League
program, it was pointed out A
Valley Temperatures
ED CARs
[BUCKS
Latest statistics on the Rio Grande Valley have been com-
piled a nd released by the Valley Chamber of Commerce, They
compare- population, sales, family income and other factors
for 1940,1950,- 1955 and 1958. Both population and buying
power are up. :
July 1
July 2
July 3
uly 7
high
91
94
95
93
low
76
75'
93
93
71
DECENT MAJOR IMPROVEMENT to the highway scene through let Company, corner of Highway and Missouri. The business
Mercedes was the building of a new home for Central Chevro- was formerly located at the corner of Highway and Vermont.
Mercedes Enine
Take Honors
In Horse Show
A Mercedes entry took first place
and others placed second in the
Eighth Annual Los Fresnos Lions
Club Charity Horse Show last week
end, according to official releases.
Louie McCutcheon took a first
place trophy and ribbon with his
Diablo Duke in the XII class Ouar-
ter horse division. :
He also took a second place rib-
bon with his Angel's Idol in the I
class Quarter horse division. 2
Bob Harbour took a second place
ribbon in Class Three of the show
with his Royal Line and a third
place ribbon with My RustyJoe
in the XI Quarter horse- class
Dick Harman placed second with
a ribbon with his Heaker’s Browr
Fly in the 7th class and also secont
with a ribbon in the XIX class
Quarter horse. . :
Bob Harbour also placed thir
and won a ribbon with his My
Rusty Joe in the II class. : -
The show attracted entries from
over the SouthWest in the mon
than 40 classes. . r
---— • 9
MAN DIES TUESDAY •
FROM TRUCK CRASH
An accident involving a picku
truck and a dump truck at the in
tersection of FM 1925 and FM 89
near La Blanca on Monday too
the life of Pablo Zapata, Edinburg
Zapata was one of three men rid
ing in the pickup truck who wer
injured in the crash.
Zapata; * who was hospitalize
following the accident, die
Tuesday about 1:15 p. m. Fernan
do Garza, 65, also of Edinburg
is in the Grandview hospital am
officials report his condition a
critical. .
I The third man in the pickup wa
Cornelio Garza, son of Fernand
Garza, Who was held for observa-
tion but released on Tuesday.'
: Driver of the dump truck was
listed as Celestino Buentello,
Mission.______________
Greer Accepts Post
In McAllen Schools
A. G. Greer, former superintend
dent of Mercedes schools, has ac-AL
cepted a position in the McAllen *
schools, it was learned this week.
Mr. Greer resigned as superinten-
dent of the Mercedes system at
mid-term last year after having
served for one semester.. He ac-
cepted a teaching job in the Lub-
bock schools.
Itwas understood he already has .
moved back to the Valley and will 1
be assistant high school principal
at McAllen. He was in the Mc-'
Allen system before coming to
Mercedes. .
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The Mercedes Enterprise (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 95, No. 30, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 25, 2007, newspaper, July 25, 2007; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1655675/m1/2/: accessed June 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.