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Historic Matagorda County, Volume I, 544-546, written 1986 The Palacios Beacon is the oldest continuous business in Palacios. Through nearly eight decades, the Beacon, under its various owners, not only chronicled the growth of the fledgling city, but also played a vital role in helping shape that growth, calling on its readers to support their town through both good times and bad. The exact date the Palacios newspaper became the Beacon is unclear. In May, 1906, a newspaper, called the Palacios Times, was published and edited by E. B. Patrick and later owned by a family named Churchill. The Beacon came into its own in 1909 when D. L. Stump became editor and proprietor. Stump operated the Beacon as early as February 20, 1909, from the Emmons Building, situated on the corner of Fifth and Main Streets. [The Emmons building wasn't completed until May of 1910. See "Newspaper Has New Home" below.] The paper, printed with an old Washington handpress, appeared every Friday.
Stump and the Beacon played an important role in the early days of Palacios. Never reticent about the Beacon taking a stand, Stump appeared to have been a feisty, but dedicated, journalist. He wrote articles concerning the consumption of alcohol and its sale and argued in favor of a deep-water port, better roads, and a new water system. In 1911 the masthead of the Beacon depicted a large lighthouse rising from the center of the Texas coast, with the words "Palacios Beacon" radiating from the light beams on each side of the lighthouse. The background of the beams stretched from coast to coast over an outline of the United States, with the Atlantic and Pacific oceans on each side, Canada on top, and the Gulf of Mexico at the bottom.
In 1915 Stump relocated the Beacon in the Pybus Building on Main Street.
Stump sold the paper in 1917, and the new owner, T. L. Tucker, operated the paper for about one and one-half years. Tucker changed the masthead of the Beacon to the more traditional style, with the words "Palacios Beacon" printed in Gothic-style type on a plain background.
On June 1, 1919, Tucker sold the paper to Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Dismukes. J. W. Dismukes purchased a letterpress, which had previously been used to print Indianola's newspaper (until that town was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1880's) and newspapers in San Antonio. The press was brought to Palacios by boat. Over the years, the press also was used to print the Bay City Herald, Bay City News, Port Lavaca Wave, Pasadena Light, and the T-Arrow Daily for Camp Palacios. In June, 1920, Oscar C. Arnold, a friend of the Dismukes, redesigned the Beacon masthead. This time the words were in thick black letters, with the now-traditional lighthouse and beacon in the background, along with a coastline drawing showing a freighter and a sailboat.
For a very brief time in 1920, Robin Hood was in charge of the paper before the Dismukes resumed control. In 1926 a linotype was purchased to "set type." The Dismukes' son, 12-year-old Jesse, learned to operate the linotype and became one of the best typesetters in the South Texas area. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Dismukes became the publisher, and her children, Jesse, Hugh, and Mary, assumed larger roles with the paper. In 1936, when the building on Main Street was sold, the Beacon moved to the east side of the Koerber Building, which was also occupied by the Palacios Auto Company, in the 300 block of Main. A special 1939 historical edition of the Beacon contained not only a detailed account of the growth and history of Palacios, but also histories of Bay City and other areas of Matagorda County. In April, 1940, the Beacon moved to 450 Commerce. For 46 years the Beacon has continued to operate from that location.
When World War II began, the Beacon staff lost one of its members as Hugh joined the service. Mrs. Dismukes continued as editor and publisher, and Jesse became assistant editor. During the 1940's, the Beacon was filled with news of the war in Europe and the Pacific. Regular articles listed the local men who joined the armed services and kept residents informed of their status. Also dominating the pages of the paper were articles on the happenings at Camp Hulen. After the war ended, life returned to normal, and the Beacon staff reverted to the familiar family setting-Mother Dismukes and her children. In June 2, 1960, the Beacon masthead of the previous 40 years was changed. Joe Dollar, who worked in the Public Relations Department at the Point Comfort Alcoa plant, asked that he be allowed to design a new masthead. With the Dismukes approval, Dollar designed the present masthead. Hurricane Carla in September, 1961, failed to halt the weekly publication of the Beacon, although water three feet deep flooded the Beacon office on Commerce. The paper reported the tremendous damage the storm had inflicted on the town. For most of the 1960's, Mrs. Dismukes retained the title of publisher; Jesse served as editor and advertising manager; Hugh as business manager; and Mary was the society editor and bookkeeper. Mrs. Dismukes, who spent nearly a half-century publishing the Beacon and supporting Palacios, died in 1967. Jesse and Hugh became the owners of the family business on May 17. On June 1, 1973, the Dismukes sold the paper to David and Carlene Toney. A month earlier the paper had been switched to the offset method of printing, no longer requiring the faithful press that had served the Beacon through the years. Instead of the familiar noise from the pressroom in the rear of the Beacon office, customers now heard only quiet-the Beacon was being printed in Rosenberg. Following the sale, Mary remained as bookkeeper and editor; Jesse helped with the grocery ads, while Hugh chose to retire. Barbara Kana was employed for a short period as reporter. Over the years, less and less of the actual newspaper work was performed in Palacios. Later, when Mary was the only employee, the news and advertising were left at the Beacon office, bussed to West Columbia, compiled, laid-out, and typeset before being taken to the press in Rosenberg. In June, 1980, Nick West joined the staff as publisher. West, who had visited Palacios 25 years earlier as a preschool youngster, had been raised along the Texas coast. Prior to moving to Palacios, he had co-owned, with his father, a twice-weekly newspaper in East Texas. It was at that time that Mary Dismukes decided to leave the Beacon, ending the final association with the Dismukes family after more than 50 years. Within a year, West managed to return most of the day-to-day operations of the Beacon to Palacios. He hired Elaine Templeman as office manager and installed typesetting machines and other equipment in the newspaper office. Today (1986), all the chores of publishing a newspaper are being performed in Palacios. As an offset publication, the only exception is the printing, which is now being done at the Beacon's own former customer's office, the Port Lavaca Wave.
Nearly 80 years after its origin, the Palacios Beacon
continues to serve Palacios and the surrounding area. |
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Palacios, Tex., June 5.—The Palacios Beacon has recently moved into the building just completed by C. F. Emmons, on the corner of Main and Fifth Streets. This building is constructed of granite brick laid with black mortar, and its mission finish and deck awning make it one of the neatest business houses in Palacios. Work is progressing on the Ruthven office building, corner of Commerce and Fifth Streets. During the next week the building will be occupied. Contractor C. F. Emmons has about completed the three buildings for Duncan Ruthven and A. R. Hillyer on Commerce Street.
The Daily Express,
San Antonio, Texas, Monday, June 6, 1910 |
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During the past week-end the Beacon office was moved and is now located on Commerce Street in the building occupied by the Crescent Drug Store for several years, before Mr. Bowden moved into the Brandon building on Main Street last fall. For the first time in the history of the Beacon it is now housed in its own building, and it is needless to say we are quite proud of this achievement. In looking over our files we find that 25 years ago this week the Beacon, which was then owned and operated by D. L. Stump, was moved into the Pybus building on Main Street. It continued to operate in this place until the first of June 1937, when it was moved into the east side of the J. L. Koerber building on the same street. This move was necessitated by C. Luther purchasing the property and moving the building. Since that time it has been our desire to find a location and building that suited our needs, and we believe this has now been accomplished. It is no small job to move a plant of this sort, and it takes time to place all equipment and fixtures, however, most everything was ready to operate Monday morning and work was not delayed to any great extent. We extend a most cordial invitation to our patrons, readers and friends to come in and see us in our new home, and too if you have received a notice that your subscription is due, now would be a good time to have it renewed.
Palacios Beacon, April 11, 1940 |
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