Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, November 28, 1919 Page: 1 of 10
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mercedes Area Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.
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Pasteurized Milk and
Cream
MERCEDES PRODUCE CO.
PHONE 91
Pasteurized Milk and
Cream
MERCEDES PRODUCE CO.
PHONE 91
VOLUME YI.
MERCEDES, HIDALGO COUNTY, TEXAS, FRIDAY, NOV. 28, 1919
This Week *5* FOR VALLEY
CABBAGE CROP PROMISED
NUMBER 41
City^SS.J FARMERS ENDORSE PLAN
Organization Means Service
A Cause for Thanksgiving
No Lack of “Pep” Here
Border as Health Producer
•'cultural interests in the Low
will takte a long step for-
(rre next Wednesday night
Urmers meet to perfect the
Jltion of a dairying associa-
tion. Co-operation, means more to
the dairymen and farmer than airy
other one thing. Co-operation, guar-
anteed through organization, is the
foundation for success. The small
farmer can not breed purebred
cows. He can not operate alone and
unaided. Properly organized he can
obtain all manner of aid. He can
raise registered stock. He can get
feed and supplies at reduced prices
and is in a position to obtain ex
pert advice.
The Mercedes section offers ev-
ery opportunity for successful dairy-
ing. Even without organization and
systematic efforts to develop the in-
dustry many have found it protitable
With a dairying organization nothing
can keep it from becoming one of
the most successful dairy sections in
the country.
<e> <e> ,<?>
Thanksgiving brought home to the
residents of the Lower Valley that
they have more to be thankful for
this year than the residents of any
other one section. A land of plenty,
growing and developing by leaps
and bounds, where want and poverty
are unknown and where climate and
soil combine to give every man an
opportunity to do a day’s work and
guarantee him a fair return, the
Valley is. in striking contrast with
the country at large.
Food shortages, cold waves, fuel
famines and industrial strife with
an unending stream of misery, un-
happiness and unrest in their wake,
abound in the "North and East. Un-
grateful indeed, therefore, was the
Valley resident who, basking in the
spring-like sunshine of Thursday and
mindful, of the bountiful crops here
and of the suffering elsewhere, fail-
ed to offer up a prayer of Thanks-
giving.
<$> <S> <»>
Indications Point to Unusually
Heavy Yield and Growers Expect
Good Prices to Prevail — First
Acreage Sale Reported — Many
Vegetables Being Shipped
Assurance that there will be an
ample supply of refrigerator cars
to move the cabbage crop of the
Lower Valley were made in Mercedes
this weekl by a representative of the
American Refrigerator Transit Com-
pany which for several years has
been supplying the transportation
facilities for the truck growers and
buyers of this section.
The statement by the company’s
representative that the company is
prepared to furnish an adequate
number of cars, was made with the
full understanding that the Lower
Valley is on the verge of what
promises to be a bumper cabbage
season. Not only is the acreage con-
siderably larger than usual, but it
was never in better condition. This
has led to some apprehension as to
the ability of the Refrigerator com-
pany to furnish cars and of the rail-
roads to move them.
Officials of the Federal Railroad
Administration, working in connec-
tion with the Bureau of Markets of
the Department of Agriculture made
a survey recently of the truck acre-
age in this section and said there
would be little if any trouble ex-
perienced unless the percentage of
shipments should be greatly in ex-
cess of the amount expected from
the estimated acreage.
Considerable early cabbage is be-
ing shipped from Mercedes and oth-
er Lower Valley points the trans-
planting is progressing at a rapid
the average price that may be ex-
pected for the season’ as a whole,
owing to the shortage of the north-
ern crop and because so little cab-
bage is in storage. Under usual
and favorable conditions ten tons
of cabbage of the. grade usually re-
quired for shipment to the north-
ern market may be grown to the
acre in the Lower Valley.
Bean shipments from Mercedes
and nearby points have increased
greatly during the past week. So
far there have been no carload ship-
ments but some are expected in a
few days as the crop is maturing
very rapidlyy. The average price
during the week has ranged from
$1.75 to $2.50 a bushel hamper. It
is believed a good price will prevail
for the remainder of the season as
the acreage is somewhat smaller
than last year and the Norfolk, Va„
seclion crop has been far below par
and has been closed out. The crop
there was the smallest and'the poor-
est in quality in years.
Eggplant continues in good de-
mand and heavy express shipments
have been made. The price is still
ranging around $1.
Many mixed hampers of vegetables
have been sent North during the
week, newcomers to the Valley and
tourists being anxious to show
friends and relatives in the North
what a wide range of garden truck
is available here at the Thanksgiving
season. These hampers which are
packed by farmers and some com-
Mercedes may have its white way
as a Christmas present. With the
electrict light cables installed May-
or L. T. Hoyt has been bending ev-
ery effort to speed the shipment of
the ornamental poles that are to be
erected along Texas avenue and the
principal business streets and Tues-
day received assurances from the
manufacturers in San Antonio that
they would be completed the latter
part of this week. Work, of instil-
ing the posts and making the con-
nections will be rushed so that the
business section may be illuminated
if possible by the time th,e holiday
buying season sets in.
Work of paving the downtown
streets is also being rushed and it
is expected that the contractors will
soon begin putting down the next
to the top layer of rock! This will
be rolled and packed and then tar-
viated. City officials have express-
ed their satisfaction with the work
so far, and declare that when com
pleted Mercedes, will be able to boast
of the best street paving of any town
ni the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Property owners have been askekd
by the contractors to help speed the
work byy not sweeping trash into the
gutters while the paving is under
way.
FOR DAIRYING INDUSTRY
Pledges for Purchase of Carload of
Registered Stock Made at En-
thusiastic Gathering — Dairying
Association to Be Formed at a
Meeting Here Wednesday
SELLS FRUIT
AS VALLEY AD
Z. A. BISHOP . BUYS GRAPE FRUIT
REMAINING ON KALBFLEISCH
ORCHARD AS PART OF CAM-
PAIGN TO SPREAD FAME OF
THIS SECTION AS A CITRUS
COUNTRY
A few weeks ago the Tribune car-
ried a mention of E. Carleman. It
Hold how, at 68 he was setting out
seven acres in garlic and bid fair
to become the uncrowned garlic
king of the country, for an acre
under favorable conditions and ex-
pert attention, yields an enormous
amount of garlic. Last week Mr.
Garleman appeared on the streets
with his automobile on which was a
sign announcing that it was for hire
“What’s the matter with the gar-
lic?” someone asked him. “Nothing,
doing fine,” replied Mr. Carleman.
“What then,” his friend insisted, “is
the idea of you acting as chauffeur
on a livery car?’
“Lots of people here nowadays'”
Mr. Carleman said. “They’re all
anxious to see the country and rent
cars are scarce. Mine’s not work-
ing and I can drive ’em around while
I’m waiting on the garlic.” Then he
tooted his horn and drove off to
pick up a load of tourists.
Every now and then you meet
; some walking information bureau,
only usually they are sitting in a
pool room or on the street curb,
who confides in you that the climate
here while ideal and all of that
“sorta gets you” after a short time.
“Takes all the pep out of you,” they
explain. Still Mr. Carleman, who
will probably cash in more this year
off his seven acres of garlic than
these complainers will makte in a
dozen years is driving a rent car,
despite his 68 years, just because he
sees a chance to turn an honest dol-
lar—and because he does not like
to loaf. Its “lack of pep” like that
that is making the Valley the most
rapidly growing section in the coun-
try.
What is believed to be the highest
price ever paid for grape fruit in
. . ,, , | - . - — ----- ------ — this country was recorded Wednes-
last* several^eeks* has^put"the^seed prtee°rule S about fvery ’ vfge- ^ Wh6n Dr‘ A' H' Kalbflei6ch
beds in splendid condition and many table that is found in the northern
farmers are selling plants, their beds | markets in late spring or summer
having produced more than enough! Lettuce is in good condition thru-
for their own needs,.
The weekly truck crop news bulle-
tin issued by the Bureau of Crop
Estimates this week declares the
contemplated acreage probablyy will
be planted. Previous bulletins have
placed the estimated acreage at 13,-
300 for the Lower Valley. The bulle-
tin adds that the bulk of the trans-
planting will be completed within
four weeks and that the peak of
shipments will be reached March 15
to Apri 15.
One of the first purchases of cab-
bage acreage isi reported from San
Benito. W. E. Thomas of that -place
has contracted to sell all the cab-
bage grown on his 100 acre tract for
$37,50 a ton. Growers who have
early beds are receiving consider-
able in evcess of this figure and
$37.50 is regarded by some as below
out the Lower Valley and the gov-
ernment truck crop bulletin esti-
mates the acreage in this section at
810. Last season 220 acres were
harvested. Shipments are expected
to begin the last of January and
reach the peak * in February.
The bulletin this week intimates
an increasing interest in this sec-
tion in onions. It reports that grow-
ers are buying sets in Mercedes,
the far famed Evergreen farm a
short ‘distance from Mercedes sold
all the fruit remaining on his trees
to F. Z. Bishop of San Antonio. The
figures were not made public but it
is known that the price was an
attractive one for Dr. Kalbfleisch
has repeatedly refused tempting of-
fers from those desirous of- “cor-
nering” the delicious fruit grown in
his orchard.
The price,. however, was not the
Stiff fcSK-VSSHfc <?« rKitat,on for Mr- Bish°p
about four weeks. The bulletin also j plans' to use the grape fruit in an
saysy the following spinach acreage | unique advertising campaign to
is being planted: Mercedes 25, San
Benito 50; Harlingen 20. It is be-
lieved here, , however, that the local
acreage will be much greater as
many growers have demonstrated
year after year that spinach is a
dependable and profitable crop.
NEW LAW TO SAFEGUARD
MERCEDES MEAT SUPPLY
Ordinance Provides Only Meat In-
spected by Government May
Be Sold Here
<§> <$>
Some people are natural cold wa-
tr throwers. Either they cannot
lelp it or somehow manage to de-
re some enjoyment out of the hab-
ritV>f trying to take the joy- out of
lif*. ' Enter in the same column
witBs tfie one who tells you that the
climate is not invigorating the chap
who whispers to you that you’d bet-
i ter not stay too long because its
)ot healthy. And if you run across
iy of them and think the case is
hopeless ask them to ex-
jiajin this, which appears recently
i j the San Antonio Evening News:
f According to Col. F. A. ' Winter,
[department surgeon at Fort Sam
IHouston, the death and sick rate
lamong the 50,000-odd men in the
ISouthern department is lower than
like same rate for any other bodyof
Imen of the same size with which he
|has ever been in contact.
_ ‘‘Col. Winter says the troops sta-
tioned along the border are the
wealthiest people he lias ever known,
jrhe hospitals there are practically
^mpty and the sick rate is almost
-bo. This border group of the
mthern Department leads the rest
being high ranking soldiers in
le health army, but the whole de-
lartment stands near the* front in the
rrmy (and civilian circles for the
fame number of persons) in health
disease-resisting powers..”
After December 8th it will be ille-
gal to sell or expose for sale in
Mercedes any meat except that kill-
ed in a modern, sanitary slaughter
house and which has been passed
upon by a United States inspector.
An ordinance to this effect, effective
ten days after publication, was pass-
ed at the special council meeting
held last Tuesday. Mayor L. T.
Hoyt and members of the council
regard the measure as one of utmost
importance as a further safeguard
to the health of the city.
While Brownsville and other Val-
ley cities have similar ordinances it
was necessary for those to erect
and to maintain a city slaughter
house. Fortunately for Mercedes no
such action is necessaryy in order
to obtain a sanitary meat supply. D.
A. Blackwell & Company which has
the contract for supplying the army
with all the fresh meat used in the
various border camps maintains a
modern slaughter house here which
is under government inspection. The
city has made arrangement with Mr.
Blackwell for the use of his plant
and agreement has been made re-
garding the charges!.
Butchers may kill their own stock
there under federal inspection, for
$1.50. The charge for calves is to
be
stock slaughtered and dressed for
them an additional charge of $1 a
head is to be made. Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays have been
agreed upon as the dates on which
the slaughter house will be open to
dealers and others. On the other
three days of each week the plant
is busy filling orders for the army.
The ordinance will do away with
all unsanitary slaughtering methods
and insure the patrons of local
butcher shops a supply of meat that
has been killed under sanitary con-
ditions and which has met with the
approval of a federal expert. The
measure, it is pointed out by city
officials, gives the people of Merce-
des the same protection as regards
its meat supply as the United States
gives its soldiers. The ordinance
also provides how the meat is to be
handled in shops and provides pen-
alties for any violations.
-—o-—-
Howze to Erect Home
Here for His Parents
James Howze, assistant cashier of
the Hidalgo County banl* awarded a
contract this week for the erection
of a' six room residence which is' to
be built on the lot he recently pur-
chased at the corner of Fourth street
and Georgia avenue. The contract
wwas let to W. D. Uecker and work
will be commenced immediately.
When Mr. Howze arrived here sev-
eral months ago upon being dis-
charged from the Navy and in
which he held the rank of ensign, __ ____
to visit his sister, Mrs. Frank Daw-1 farm this year and the trees
son, he became so impressed with j still heavily loaded. None has been
Mercedes and the Lower Valley that j sold to commission houses or deal-
lie not only decided to make this his era, the orders having nearly all
nome, but began writing his parents, I come from persons from northern
spread the fame of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley as a citrus fruit sec-
tion and Dr. Kalbfleisch wished to
co-operate. Mr. Bishop operates
large markets in San Antonio and
Dallas and some of the fruit will be
offered in them with suitable an-
nouncements designed to attract
more than passing attention to their
superiority over fruit grown in oth-
er sections of the country.
This will be but one of the fea-
tures in the proposed campaign of
Mr. Bishop to nationally advertise
the Valley’s grape fruit. Mr. Bishop
is widely known througout Texas
and many northern states and is
playing a prominent part in the de-
velopment of the Lower Valley. He
has been the means of attracting
large numbers of North Texans to
the Valley and when here Wednes-
day announced that next week he
would bring a party of oil operators,
ranchmen and others to Mercedes
whose total wealth would amount to
more that 200 millions,
He has arranged to show them
the Evergreen farm in an effort to
impress upon them that the success
achieved by Dr. Kalbfleisch can be
duplicated in this region by anyone
willing to devote the same thought,
time and attention to the citrus de-
velopment that he has given his
trees. Dr. Kalbfleisch only recent-
ly refused an offer of $40,000 for his
50 acre farm and of which only sev-
en and a half acres are in citrus
trees.
Several hundred boxes of fruit has
been shipped from the Evergreen
are
A score or more representative
farmers of this section have placed
their stamp of approval on the plan
for making Mercedes the center of
a new and flourishing dairying com-
munity. At a meeting held Tuesday
night at the Community House the
campaign for the importation of reg-
istered cows into this part of the
Valley in large numbers was en-
dorsed, pledges were made for the
purchase of an initial carload of
pure bred stock and arrangements
completed for a general farmers
meeting here in December 3 at which
a dairying association will be form-
ed.
The enthusiasm shown at the
Tuesday night meeting and the plans
outlined for forming an association
are regarded by those who have been
interesting themselves in the dairy-
ing campaign as conclusive proof
that dairy farming will shortly be-
come one of the most extensive farm
industries in this part of the Valley.
It is thought that before the meet-
ing next week additional pledges to
buy registered stock will guarantee
a shipment of at least two carloads
into Mercedes. Many farmers who
are interested in dairying were
unable to be present but several sent
word that they could be counted upon
to support the movement and that
they were making arrangements to
obtain registered stock.
The meeting Tuesday night fol-
lowed a preliminary gathering Mon-
day morning and both resulted from
the announcement in last week’s is-
Mercedes Tribune of the plans for
promoting the dairying interests in
and near Mercedes. E. J. Pennell,
general manager of the Mercedes
Produce Company, told the farmers
of the erection here by his company
of a new and modern creamery, of
arrangements he had completed for
the disposal of an unlimited supply
of milk and dairy products and of
the option he had taken, subject to
their approval, on a carload of reg-
istered Jerseys at eBaumont.
Announcement was also made that
the banks of Mercedes stood ready
to help finance the purchase of the
stock and farmers were guaranteed
a market for the milk produced at
the average price prevailing in the
leading Texas markets.
Many farmers expressed their be-
lief that dairying could be more suc-
cessfully and profitably conducted
in the Lower Valley than in any
other section of the country and said
that with a steady market assured,
dairying offered almost unlimited
opportunities for additional profits
and extensions. Some of those pres-
ent had had dairying experience in
the North and declared that if it
could be made to pay in those states
where stable feeding was necessary
half the year that it should prove
doubly so in the Lower Valley where
the farmer can take advantage of
year around pasturage and escape
the overhead expense weather proof
barns. Emphasis was laid upon the
fact also that the farmer runs no
risk here from tuberculosis as tu-
bercular cattle in this region are
practically unknown,
The many benefits to be derived
from co-operation and organization
were dwelt upon and it was pointed
out that when the organization is
formed members will be able to
purchase what feed they may re-
quire and supplies at cost.
An effort is being made to induce
every farmer in the Mercedes com-
munity to attend the meeting here
on the third. Mr. Pennell has ar-
ranged with Dr. H. H. Harrington,
agriculturalist for the Gulf Coast
Lines and former president of the
Texas A. and M. College and a na-
tional authority on farming and
live stock, to be present and make
the principal address. Dr. Harring-
ton has helped organize numerous
farm societies and his advice and
suggestions on the organization here
are expected to prove of much ben-
efit. He has frequently pointed out
the possibilities in the Lower Valley
for dairying and is a leading advo-
cate of the registered stock only
idea as a means for successful dairy-
ing. He is an interest!
and even farmers who
terested in dairyiyng ai
be present and are certai
who have heard him t
remarks interesting and
E. J. Bristol of La F
five years has been engi
ing in this section an<
here daily with a laf
milk from a herd of mor
Jerseys, is one of the if
siastic advocates for the
make Mercedes the center of
dairying industry. Mr. Bristol
maintained a high grade herd and
is planning to soon conduct individu-
al tests of his cows in order to
cull the least productive ones.
His success in dairying is proving a.
stimulas to many recent arrivals in
the La Feria section to embark in
dairying.
maker
iri-
to
B. R. Hall who has had wide ex-
perience in farming and land selling
and who recently came to Mercedes
to manage the 120 acre farm bought
by his sister, Miss Mamie Siler, has
been advocating the Lower Valley
as a dairying country for years. As
a representative of the Stewart Land
Company Mr. Hall impressed those
who purchased through him with the
unusual advantages offered here for
dairying. Now he has decided to
follow his own advice. Although the
farm is not ready for operation, Mr.
Hall took one of the carload and is
planning to go into dairying on an
extensive scale next year. Mr. Hall
was active in the development of
the Falfurriasi section, now noted
for its fine dairy products. “Cows
have made many farmers in that
section rich,’ he told farmers here
Wednesday, “and the country around
here is even better suited for dairy-
ing.”
NEW GARAGE AND FILLING
STATION TO BE ERECTED
Crawford and Mac Yean to
Modern Auto Establishment
in Mercedes
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Howge of Paint
Rock, Texas, about the Valley’s cli-
mate and other advantages.
As a result of these letters Mr.
Howze recently received a wire from
«i arm if kis father that he was ready to
l1, dea,er? wairt the] move here as soon as he couid find
a residence. The home is expected
to be completed about Jan. 1.
-o--
BUILDING NEW RESIDENTS
O. C. Keplinger of Carlinville, 111.,
and M. R. Gibson of Terrell, Texas,
have arrived here to take over the
management of a 155 acre farm on
the West tract for Dr. Boscher of
Terrell. Irvin Boscher, the latter’s
son is also here superintending the
construction of a residence that is
being erected on his 30 acre tract
near Llano Grande.
states who have visited the farm and
seen the trees. For years the Ev-
ergreen farm has had standing or-
ders from those who have received
the grape fruit in previous years.
All of these have been filled but
after Monday the farm will be unablp
to supply any further demand as the
remainder of the crop will be taken
over by Mr. Bishop.
One tree in the Kalbfleisch orchard
this year has yielded eight boxes
of grape fruit. Although higher
prices could easily have been ob-
tained, Dr. Kalbfleisch has main-
tained a price of $5 a box as in
former yearsi This one tree there-
fore, has produced fruit that has
sold for $40, while many others in
the orchard have produced from four
to seven boxes.
I concern but was here this week com-
Open pieting arrangements for erection of
the building.
“Our plans are to give Mercedes
the most attractive and up to date
garage, filling station and repair
shop in the entire Valley, ’ he said.
“Plans for the building we are to
occupy were made after a careful
inspection of all the latest models
in the country and we intend to ren-
der a service on a par with the
garage.”
The firm will maintain night and
day service and will carry a complete
line of accessories and tires.
Mercedes is to have a new and
modern garage, filling station and
automobile repair shop. The firm
of Crawford and MacVean was form-
ed here this week and immediately
signed a lease with B. H. Brooks on
a brick* building to be erected by him
on the southeast corner of Second
street and Ohio Avenue. Work on
the building is to commence immedi-
ately. It is to be 40x150 Ofeet and
will be so arranged that in addition
to the machine shop, sales room and
gas tanks will have storage space
for 30 cars.
The building will cost in the neigh-
borhood of $5,000 'and one of the, of the Mercedes high sehoorpresided
features is to be a “drive-in” gas-1 Thursday morning over the session
of the principals’ and superintend-
Miss Buck Honored at
State School Meeting
Miss Nannie Mer Buck, principal
oline station with visible pumping
equipment. Another modern fea-
ture will be a rest room for women.
The firm of Crawford and Mac-
Vean is composed of 'A. G. Crawfosd
of Little Rock, Ark., Frank. W. Craw-
ford, his son, and C. B. MacVean,
All are well known in Mercedes
and to automobile owners of the
Lower Valley. Prior to the war they
were connected with a local auto-
mobile concern but sold -out their
interests and entered the service. A.
G. Crawford later located in Little
Rock. He will not take an active
part in the management of the new
ents’ session of the annual meeting
of the Texas School Teachers’s Asso-
ciation at Houston. /
Miss Buck received a wire Wednes-
day from President Shelby of the
association, saying she had been se-
lected to preside over the principals
and superintendents meetings. Sev-
eral hundred teachers attended the
convention. In addition to Miss
Buck, Mercedes was represented by
Miss Claudia Mercer and Miss Afton
Smith. Miss Buck was accompanied
to Houston by her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. C. A. Buck.
V'
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Rector, J. F., Jr. Mercedes Tribune (Mercedes, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, November 28, 1919, newspaper, November 28, 1919; Mercedes, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth844743/m1/1/?rotate=90: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Library.