Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1948 Page: 1 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 16 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
, /
'M
if
■>
)
i
f v
I, /1
For a Greater, Better Palacios Country—Agriculture. Industry, Commerce, Living
SUBSCRIPTION $2.00 PER YEAR
PALACIOS, MATAGORDA COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 1948
VOLUME XLI NUDBER 5
LOCAL BRICK PUNT DOUBLES CAPACITT
i | * ft s n !». a * p a a s a a a s * s b f
a * a a saaa* • •••'•
Jack Maddox Elected President C. Of C.
DR. L. A. WILCOX,
H. C. CAMPBELL
ELECTED V.-PRES.
Improved Telephone
System Is Discussed
By Members Present
The first project brought before
the directors of the chamber of
commerce at the regular meeting
Tuesday night by their newly elect-
ed president; Jack Maddox, was the
possibility of obtaining an inproved
telephone system.
Dr. L. A. Wilcox and H. C. Camp-
bell were elected vice-presidents. c
The organization went on record
in expressing their appreciation for
the service rendered by the out-
going president, D. M. Green, and
he, in turn, thanked the directors,
and the citizenry as a whole, for the
cooperation he had received during
the two terms he held office.
R. B. (Bob) Trull and R. P. New-
som were appointed on a committee
to investigate the possibility of ob-
taining an improve telephone sys-
tem for Palacios. Both the dial
and common battery system were
discussed by the directors present,
report, from Dr_ Wilcox on the
outh Center was given. Qther
letters pertaining to the youth
rnter were brought before the di-
ctors.
.Mayor Glenn Claybourn £ave a
»'port of the committee’s visit to
Ch\ago in regards to an industry
for Palacios, and he in turn was
given a vote of thanks for the work
the committee had accomplished.
Directors present were Guy John-
son, H. C. Campbell, R. B. Trull,
R. P. Newsom, D. M. Green, T. S.
Brandon, L. E. Gist, Glenn Clay-
bourn, Dr. L. A. Wilcox, C. G. Mad-
dox, and Jack Maddox. Eli Mayfield
was present as a member.
NEW CHEVROLET
ON DISPLAY HERE
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
The new 1948 Chevrolet will be
on display at the Bay Chevrolet
Company on Friday and Saturday
of this week is the announcement
made by C. Luther.
The 11 models in three serioB all
feature a re - designed radiator
grille, pleasing new color harmon-
ies in interior upholstery, and en
gine changes providing a more rigid
crankshaft and more durable bear-
ings.
A minimum of time was lost in
conversion for the new models, thus
enabling the largest builder of
motor cars in the world to produce
u maximum number of automobiles
for the'motoring public, which is
so greatly in need of new vehicles
ji,T
Gene Autry To Be
Starred At Houston
Fat Stock Show
Gene Autry, famous star of radio
and screen, again will be the fea-
ture attraction of the 1948 Hous-
ton Fat Stock Show and Livestock
Exposition, W. Albert Lee, acting
president of the show, announces.
Autry, who is one of Houston’s
favorite cowboy personalities, only
recently confirmed his ability to be
in Houston during the sixteenth an-
nual show, which will run from
January 31 through February 15.
Mr. Lee, who has been with Autry
at several of the actor’s recent
personal appearances over the coun-
try, said that the popular singing
cowboy was “packing them in more
than ever.”
Autry and his Melody Ranch
Boys will appear at all 22 perform-
ances of the Gene Autry World
Championship Rodeo. Perform-
ances will be held every night be-
tween January 31 and February 15,
except on Saturdays and Sundays
when both a matinee and night per-
formance will be staged.
Appealing with Autry’s rodeo
will be the top talent of the rodeo
world who will complete for more
than $30,000 in cash prizes and
entry fees.
304 Offshore Oil
Wells Plan For
Next Five Years
In the next five years time, 304
oil and gas wells will have to be
drilled offshore along the Gulf
Coast of Texas, under the terms
of leases on 378,000 acres of sub-
merged land issued by the state
school board.
The offshore areas border Bra-
zoria, Chambers, Galveston and
Matagorda counties.
Humble Oil and Refining Com-
pany acquired more offshore leases
than any other firm, and thus
committed itself to drill 92 wells,
acres. Humble paid into the school
fund $1,569,337.68.
The Mike Benedum interests got
88 leases, and therefore must drill
88 wells. Total acreage, is 113,280
acres, for which the state school
fund received $1,383,467. The
Benedum interests leases run as
far as 23 miles offshore.
Superior Oil Company and Salt
Dome Oil Corporation, bidding to-
gether, got 65,280 acres, the third
largest holder of offshore leases.
The biggest customer in dollars
and cents was Stanolind Oil and
Gas Company, paying $50.77 an
acre for 56,000 acres, a total of
DISASTROUS FIRE
IS AVOIDED MON.
AT HIGH SCHOOL
Alarm At Prictice
Time Enables Local
Dept. To Set Record
' Monday night was regular prac-
tice meeting for the Palacios Vol-
unteer Fire Department, but'they
got it about 5 minutes earlier than
planned when an alarm came from
the Senior High School building.
A basket ball game was to be
played in the gym, while a meeting
of the Band Mothers was also
scheduled and the early arrival of
those in charge no doubt prevented
it from being a disastrous fire.
The blaze discovered by Misses
Jo Ann Fox and Carolyn Bates, who
were preparing their table in the
front hall so as to be ready to sell
tickets for the ball game. They gave
the alarm and called for some one
to bring the fire extinguishers, and
it was not long until the blaze was
under control. When the girls
noticed the fire it was in the ceiling
and it is thought a defective vent
from a gas stove could have caused
the fire which might have been a
most disastrous one had it not been
that the building was being used
that evening.
HOOKED RUG
DEMONSTRATION
TUESDAY NIGHT
Mrs. Alma S. Hale, County
Home Demonstration agent, an-
nounces a hooked rug school will
be held next Tuesday, February 3,
at the Service Center in Bay City
beginning at 10 o’clock in the morn
ing. Miss Frances Punchard, Dem
onstration Agent of Harris Coun
ty, will be in charge of the school
and will have with her some of her
best rug mukers, who will have on
exhibit some of the rugs which were
given awards last year.
Home Demonstration women or
any others interested in making
hooked rugs are most cordially
invited. Each one attending is ask-
ed to bring u covered dish for the
noon luncheon.
T. E. SLONE IMPROVES
The many friends of the Tom
Slone family arc happy to learn
that the condition of T. E. Slone
has greatly improved since being
in Herman Hospital at Houston
where he was taken some days ago
for treatment. All hope him a
speedy recovery so as he may soon
be able to come home.
Cpl. William Mosley left Tues-
day morning to report for duty at
Denver, Colo.
$2,843,377.60.
The major part of the offshore
drilling will be conducted by the
above four companies. Between
them, they must drill 272 of the
304 wells. If the first wells are
failures, it is likely that many of
the leases will be abandoned.
Saturday Is Last
Day To Pay Poll
Taxes And Others
Arthur Holloway, county tax col-
lector - assessor, warned property
owners that their poll tax WAS
NOT included in their proptry tax
payments. Some taxpayers, Mr.
Holloway said, sometimes think the
poll tax is included in the property
rolls—but it isn't!
Deadline for payment of the poll
tax is Saturday, January 31. Also
this is the deadline for payment of
state and county taxes, Mr. Hollo-
way pointed out, without penalty.
The ex-serviceman does not get
a free poll tax anymore. This law
expired December 31, 1947.
Persons reaching the age of 21
between January 1, 1947, and De-
cember 31, 1947, should apply to
the county tax collector-assessor’s
office at the courthouse for an ex-
emption certificate entitling a free
vote this year.
Persons over 60 before January
1, 1947, do not need an exemption
certificate to vote in Matagorda
County.
New car license plates are due to
go no sale during the first week in
February, it was learned.
Subscribe to the Beacon.
MARCH OF DIMES
DRIVE COMMITTEE
SEEKING QUOTA
Dance Scheduled
At Pavilion Tonight
Aids Paralysis Fund
The annual Mnrch of Dimes
seems to be going off very slowly
from reports all over the state,
but Palacios with Guy Clayburn
as local chairman will endeavor to
boost the quota with a dance on
the pavilion tonight. Music will be
furnished by The Legionaires, and
you are invited to dance that oth-
ers may walk.
The following is from the Service
Report by Elaine Whitelaw for the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis.
The 1947 March of Dimes was the
most successful in our1 history. The
50 per cent which came to Na-
tional Headquarters was first used
to replenish the committed research
reserves from which we had bor-
rowed for epidemic aid. When the
books were balanced it was found
that the sum put aside to reinforce
every Chapter in an emergency was
insufficient and so, in our most suc-
cessful year, it was necessary that
we come before our Chapters to re-
quest a voluntary contribution of
a percentage of the uncommitted
surplus in local treasuries. Thus
we hope to rebuild the reserve for
Chapters to the $6,000,000 mark
the need for which experience has
so forcefully demonstrated.
On the threshold of the second
decade the need for funds exceeds
the requirements of the earlier
years. While the bottleneck in beds
for acute care has been substan-
tially broken, many population
areas are not yet adequately served
nor properly staffed. Hardly a
state in the union has sufficient
facilities for convalescent care.
The costs of 1946 alone may rise
to as high as $30,000,000 because
the cost of care today is averaging
$2,000 per patient as against $1,200
computed but a few years ago. At
the same time the obligation to the
potential patient persists and, most
important of all, there remains the
realization of the goal which
NO SNOW HERE,
YET . . . BUT ITS
REALLY CHILLY
A new mass of cold air swept
into south Texas and the Gulf
Coast Tuesday causing tempera-
tures to drop to the lowest of the
winter.
The cold air, preceded by cold
rain, followed a week-end norther
which blanketed the entire state.
Snow was reported in several sec-
tions of south Texas, but little or
none fell in Palacios. Vegetation
has been hit hard, many frozen
water pipes were reported and live-
stock is beginning to show the
effects of the prolonged cold spell.
Rising temperatures are expected
today, Thursday, and the weather
back to normal by the end of the
week.
Husak Motors To
Make Preparation
For New Location
To make way for the new, is
the reason Joe Husak gives for
the closing of his garage on the
north side of the highway on Feb-
ruary 1. He will move his part* sod
other supplies to his other location
across the street to 801 Mai)i and
will supply his trade with all form-
er services under the one establish-
ment. He had previously carried
on business in the two locations.
Mr. Husak purchased the garage
he is closing up in 1939 and is only
closing it to the general public.
His plans call for dismantling parts
of the old building to use in his
new building, which he hopes to
complete in the next few months.
Until this time he will utilize the
building only for his own trucks.
Mr. Husak plans on the comple-
tion of his new building in the next
three or four months and will have
a large display room for his De
Soto and Plymouth autos.
through research will effectively
eliminate the threat pi infantile
paralysis to mankind.
Have you read the Want Ads in
the Beacon lately?
LIFE OF OYSTER FROM THE EGG TO MATURITY RELATED BY MARINE BIOLOGIST
At The Bay View
PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL
Mrs. L. H. Jackson, Mrs. A. L.
Matteson, Mrs. Robert Rice, Mrs.
J. P. McDonald, Mrs. E. W. Gard-
ner, Mrs. W. L. Hill, C. J. Henson,
C. J. Johnson, Thomas S. Richards,
Baby Catherine Randon, Joe Vas-
quez.
PATIENTS DISCHARGED
J. W. Sartwell (Houston), Mrs.
A. E. Gandy and Baby Boy, Mrs.
Phillip Manning, Mrs. W. E. Hall,
l Nettie C. Lewis, Frank Schuelke,
A -s. J. B. Kidd, Floyd Kidd, I. M.
s . Me, J. W. Bolling.
By J. L. BAUGHMAN
Although millions of people have
eaten oysters very few know any-
thing about them except that they
are good to eat.
Yet the story of the growth from
the tiny egg, too small to be seen
with the naked eye, into the ma-
ture animal which graces our din-
ner table, ic an interesting story
of natures wonderful handiwork.
Let us first examine the shell,
this is composed of two parts or
valves, the upper valve being flat
and the lower one more or less
deeply concave, forming a cup
shape bed in which the oyster
lies. Thjese valves are joined to-
gether at the end with an elastic
ligament which has the tendency
to loosen them and which does so
unless they are kept closed by the
big mussel which most of us call the
eye. Each valve or shell is com-
posed of three layers, an outer one
almost like horn, or at least resem-
bling it; a middle one which is made
up of carbonated wine; and an in-
ner layer of mother-of-pearl which
is smooth, hard and very often, ir-
ridescent. Although the outside ol
the shell is rough, mis-shapen, and
ugly, if we examine it closely we
will find that the shells fit together
so closely and so accurately that
when they are closed not a drop
of water will leak through. When
we consider that man would have
to use a rubber gasket or some-
thing of the same kind to do the
same work, it becomes even more
wonderful.
The portion of the oyster that
protrudes between the shells at
times, is known as the mantle and
its principal duty is to secret or
build a shell. The edge of this
mantle builds the outer and middle
layer of the shells and the mother-
of-pearl is built by the entire organ.
Underneath the mantle between it
and the shell, lies the lips and the
gills. These last serve a double pur-
pose. They act in the same manner
as the fish’s gills so that the oyster
can breath and more than that,
they help to procure its food. Each
gill leaf is covered by myriads of
microscopic hairs which vibrate
vigorously in such a way that a
continous stream of water is drawn
to them when the valves are open.
This water passes through tubes in
the body of the oyster and is ex-
pelled again as the water passes
through the gill. However, these
hairs separate from it all the tiny
microscopic plants and animals that
it may contain, passing it forward
towards the mouth. All the way a
very wonderful mechanism sorts
out the food from waste material
like sand grains. The food is then
passed into the mouth while this
waste, after a suitable amount of
it is collected is forced out of the
shell by a rapid closure which
causes a current of water to eject
it.
All these actions contribute to
one thing the survival and growth
of the oyster so that it may live
and reproduce its species. In some
species of oysters each oyster is
either a male or female and remains
so throughout life while others are
hermaphroditic functioning either
as male or female during the same
season although both never at once.
When we say that oysters are
milky this is merely another way
of saying they are ready to spawn
and this spawn are cast forth into
the sea in such a tremendous num-
ber that it has been estimated that
if all the eggs were to live and
grow that the fifth descendents
from a single female would make
more than eight worlds as large
as our own, even if each female
spawned only once. When its spawn
is cast forth into the water and fer-
tilized it very quickly begins to
change and divide into two unequal
parts, the small half again divid-
ing into two and so on, until the
single original egg has changed in-
to a globular mass of much smaller
cells. After a few hours, tiny hairs
develop at one end of this mass
and by means of their vibration
the embyro, as it is now called,
begins to swim feebly about. Al-
though, so poor are its powers that
it is carried hither and thither by
any wandering current or wave.
After a day or two in this condi-
tion shells begin to form on each
side and grow rapidly until they
cover the body. However the larvae
as it is now known is still able to
swim and continues to do so until
it develops a heavier shell and a
foot, by which the lbrvae can crawl
about. This foot cin be extended
for a distance approximately equal
to the width of theUhell (which is
still microscopic in size) and it is
covered with tiny lairs, strongest
at the tip. By atta, ling the tip of
the foot to some 1 sject and then
suddenly contracting the larvae can
crawl considerable distance and ex-
tracts itself from other debris
which might for the time being
imperil its existence. At this time
the oystet is about l/90th of an
inch wide and has reached that
stage in its existence where it must
find some place to make its per-
manent home. Consequently, it be-
gins to search about for a clean
suiface where it may attach its
shell and take up its life as an
adult. Should no such surface pre-
sent itself in two or three days of
this time the larvae must perish.
However, if it is fortunate enough
to encounter a stone, shell, or stick,
it immediately cements its deeper
left shell to this object and there
it remains for the rest of its life.
The swimming organ and foot, for
which it now has no further use,
quickly degenerates and are absorb-
ed into the body for food.
The size of this newly attached
oyster, which is known as spat, is
about l/75th of an inch in length
and the left shell is larger than
the right. Immediately after the at-
tachment of the spat, the shell
grows rapidly and is in close con-
tact with the object to which it is
cemented but after about twelve
months the edge of the shell the
farthest away from the end begins
to grow upward and away from khe
surface and now the depth of the
oyster increases rapidly.
The length of the time that
elapses during the fertilization
of the egg and the atachment of
the spat is from 10 days to 2 weeks.
After the spat has become attach-
V
ed, if it has no hard luck, it takes
some three to five years for oysters
on the Atlantic coast to reach a
good marketable size. However,
under the most favorable condi-
tions found at Louisiana and Tex-
as oysters will obtain marketable
maturity in as little as two years
and I have seen spat of the year
that had grown almost three inches
in eight months.
The life history of the species
given above is that of our Ameri-
can oyster and differs materially
from that of the English oyster
which is hermaphroditic and which
retains its spawn within its shell
where they pass about half their
larval life. During this time the
developed shells in the mass ap-
pear to resemble extremely minute
grains of sand at first a little in
color but later on changing to a
dark gray.
From this habit of the English
oyster comes the old saying that
the oyster should not be eaten
during the months of May, June,
July, and August, those months in
other words, which do not contain
the letter R. The English oysters
spawn during these months and
the larger percentage of them dur-
ing this time will be found to con-
t a i n these partially developed
young.
These being enclosed in shells,
would feel like fine grit in the
mouth and therefore would not be
especially good eating. On the con-
trary our American oyster may be
eaten during anytime of the year
although, while in the milk or just
afterwards it is not especially good.
PAY YOUR POLL TAX BY
JANUARY 31.
Band Mothers Reach
Goal As Majorette
Sponsors Are Assured
About 10 members of the Band
Mothers Club braved the weather**
and came out to attend the meeting
January 26th, 1948.
Mr. House presided in the ab-
sence of the president and after the
opening preliminaries reported that
we have reached our first goal, the
sponsoring of our Majorettes to
school next summer. All six of our
girls now have sponsors.
Petersen’s Cafe joined with the
American Legion, 7-Up Bottling
Company, V.F.W., Fishermen’s A
sociation, and the Alapha Club,. T1
necessary sponsors have arisen,
the call and our thanks goes j'
to them for helping out in
worthy cause.
With this assurance to ■•lilly |
our girls should certainly n
test in the forthcoming year .
they step out on the field with|
Campo in our first district gan.
of the new, grid season in the
higher bracket.
Next it was reported that 30 of
our new uniforms were complete
and the balance should be rear a
this week to enable our band/
make a credible showing in Hou<
Saturday at the opening parar’ >
the Houston Fat Stock Show v‘ J
they will have No. 10 positio; I '
However, it was also ra I
that we are still about two hi I
a,nd fifty dollars in debt to fin,1
paying for the uniforms.
It was further suggested th(
another food sale was necessary I
help finish raising this balanJ
Plans were started to hold one I
February 21st. This time we hrf
our band will be able to make th'
home town debut with a pa>-
and concert to show our own'
what we have accomplished'
model our new uniforms/
Our thanks also toJJii-,
dricks, who has exerted he
the limits of human/endur;
a fine job of tail/ring or
folks in something they :i
proud of as long/as they
as a Palacios ,Tligh
member.
HALF MILLION
MONTHLY SEEN
BY APRIL FIRST
14 Men Employed
By Local Concern;
Half Million Sold
. ... • ’ •*[ •
An announcement this week of
much interest to Palacios , is that
the local brfck plant, owned by the
Gulf Coast Clay Products Corpora-
tion, will more than double their
capacity in the next few'weeks.
The local plant now has two kilns
in operation with a capacity of 300,-
000 brick and with the construction
now under way and to be completed ...
by February 1 will enable them to
produce 700,000 per turn-over.
Further plans call for a plant
enabling them a capacity of 1,000,-
000 bricks. The completidff of this
addition will be by April 1; *.
The plant is now .in continuous
production and has 16; mep .employ-
ed. This is quite an asset to the
town. " 4
Officials state that a half million
bricks have already been sold from
the plant, listing among the jobs
they have furnished bricks are the
new clinic and church' in Bay City,
Sgcn to a chuich-no Printing’-
arid a~mimber of lumber yards in
near-by towns. ;
The local plant has now begun an
extensive advertising campaign in
neighboring newspapers offering
their brick for sale at reasonable
prices, and in this advertising is
also bringing Palacios a little pub-
licity—which, naturally, is good.
\
4
i
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Dismukes, Mrs. J. W. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1948, newspaper, January 29, 1948; Palacios, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth726109/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.