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From Various Newspapers
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The
weather continues dry and hot and everything is needing rain.
D.
Baxter has completed his barn that he has been working on for sometime.
We
have seen several families pass through our vicinity this week on their
return from the bay.
We
are glad to hear that Miss Mollie Wheeler, who was quite ill at her home
last week, is able to be up and about again.
Watermellons
are about gone, but good old peaches are here to fill their place. W. H. Spoore robbed a bee gum last week and got forty-two pounds of sealed honey and left enough for the bees to live on the rest of the year. Evergreen.
Bay City Breeze, August 15, 1895 |
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Owing
to heavy rain fall last week the ground is soaked with water and the
farmers are all looking forward to a big crop for 1896.
T.
J. Poole took his mother to El Campo one day, last week, where she took
the train for her home in Kansas City.
Some
thieves have been on the creek stealing hogs from B. W. Kuykendall and W.
H. Gaines, Constable Beeks was put on their track at once and succeeded in
capturing them and carried them to El Campo and put them away for safe
keeping.
J.
W. Keller and T. J. Poole, of Trespalacios, boarded the schooner Empress
last Wednesday for Port Lavaca, they will return Friday with a load of
freight.
Z.
T. Partain, of Demings Bridge, left for Beeville last Monday on a visit
and business trip combined. T. J. Wilkinson, who came down from Commancha county last fall and made a crop on the T. J. Poole place this year took his family to El Campo last Tuesday where they took the train for their old home. Mr. Wilkerson returned to Trespalacios to straighten up business which will take him about a week and then he will join his family at their old home in Commancha. The writer does not like to part from him, but as he must go, we share our luck with him, although it may not be much.
Bay City Breeze, December 10, 1895 |
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H. W. Law, of Galveston, who has been visiting his cousin, T. J. Poole, for the past two or three weeks, left for Houston Thursday. Miss Annie Vaught, our school teacher, has been on the sick list the past week. The weather is still wet and sloppy, and everybody is yelling for dry weather. "Evergreen" don't think the farmer has any kick coming on there not being a season in the ground, for the entire country is one vast lake. Born to J. B. LeCompte and wife, a fine baby girl. Mrs. J. E. Pierce of Deming's bridge, left for the north last week where she will spend the winter. Crit Wheeler has accepted a position with H. E. Moore, the merchant at the Bridge. B. L. Bronogh left last Sunday for Edna, where he will spend a few days with home folks. J. F. Keller returned from Houston last week, and says he saw more in three days than he thought the whole world had in it. How is your health? Every boy on the west side has a bad cold. Success to the Breeze. Evergreen
Bay City Breeze, January 23, 1896 |
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Again rain prevails and stops our etiquette farmers, but as the Lord said, everything is for the best, we expect the rain was sent to give the laborers rest. Last Sunday about 9 o'clock a norther came up and things began to look pretty squally for teh young vegetables, but now Monday night has come and everything looks as though the dainty fruit is all O. K. for another week. B. L. Williams, of Beeville, came down last Monday to spend a few days with his brothers, Tom and W. D. Williams, of Ashby. Mrs. Jno. Moore, of Stockdale, came Sunday on a visit to her grand children, F. M. Moore and wife. Dr. Ed. Lunn and wife, of LaGrange, came down last Wednesday on a visit to friends and relatives at Deming's Bridge and Trespalacios. We are all glad to see the Doctor for he is one of the old time boys of this vicinity. F. Cornelius, of Deming's Bridge, spent first part of the week in El Campo on business.
Bay City Breeze, March 19, 1896 |
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Our farmers are flying this week, for them and they anticipate a very large harvest this fall. Evergreen hopes their anticipations will not be in vain. Well Mr. Editor, Evergreen was not on hand last week owing to the quietness of this community there was not anything to be on hand for and we are sorry to say that this week has not bettered our condition much. The Schooner Empress returned from Corpus Christi forepart of week with Capt. Keller, C. W. Miller, J. P. Keller, J. W. Keller, and M. T. LeCompte on board, she also had on a load of freight for T. J. Poole, our king merchant of Trespalacios. We are sorry to note that Miss Ida Harris, of Carancahua, is on the sick list this week. T. J. Poole is in receipt of four turnips that weighs 34 lbs. These turnips were raised on the farm of A. J. Dorsey of Cahes creek.
Bay City Breeze, March 19, 1896 |
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The last
cold snap kinder swiveled Evergreen's leaves, but the present warm
weather is bringing him out again all O. K.
J.
P. Pierce, of Johnson's timber, made a flying business trip to El Campo
later part of last week.
D.
Baxter paid his old Matagorda county friends a brief visit last week.
M.
C. Park of this place received the welcome intelligence that his mother
who has been quite low with pneumonia at her home at Stockdale, is
recovering.
J.
E. Lothrige, the alcalda of the Shropshire & Stafford ranch,
accompanied by Walter Ables, of Columbus, came in to our vicinity fore
part of last week and will spend a few days with us.
Road
supervisors called out the road hands this week and did some much needed
work. Good.
The
writer fully endorses the proposition for a road tax law that was
offered in the last issue of the BREEZE.
Romeo
promises us an entertainment soon. Let it come.
Bay City Breeze, February 11,
1897 |
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Well Mr. Editor, I went over to the post office the other day and heard the people wondering what had become of Evergreen, one supposed the last drouth had killed him, others thought he had been lynched, others said he had stopped writing for the BREEZE to keep out of a scrap with “Pansa.” You need never fear for Evergreen, like most other men he is very much afraid of a red headed woman. Natt Holman, of LaGrange, who has been spending the past four months in this city, left for his home last Thursday. During Natt’s stay in this community he gained many friends, though a comparative stranger we regret to see him leave, but our best wishes go with him. H. Yeamans was numbered among the sick last week. Mrs. G. A. Duffy, of Demings bridge, accompanied by her father, F. Cornelius, was a pleasant guest in our city last week. Evergreen prefers to keep on good terms with everybody and with the girls especially, but if Pansa don’t stop taking the advantage of his absence and entruding upon his good nature there is going to be one of the goldarnest scraps you ever read of. The Trespalacios gin has ginned up to date, 105 bales. Mrs. E. W. Baxter, of Matagorda, who has been spending the summer with her son, David Baxter, left for her home Sunday. Trespalacios is to have another nice residence in a few days which is to be erected by E. E. Dawdy just east of the iron bridge across Trespalacios. Mr. Dawdy will make us a neighbor that can well be appreciated by all who know him.
Bay City Breeze, September 25, 1897 |
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W. E. Bell of Coulterville was in our city last week circulating among his many friends. T. J. Poole and family returned Sunday from a two weeks visit to relatives in LaGrange. They also attended the flower and vegetable show at Houston. M. C. Park, formerly of Ashby, came in Saturday from Stockdale. Mr. Park and Willie Keller will in the near future strike batch on the R. F. Ward place on Cash's Creek. Mrs. Annie Good, of Cash's Creek, is visiting at Mrs. David Baxter this week. The late freeze put the finishing touch on the top crop of cotton. A. W. LeCompte of Bay Side was in the city Tuesday wearing his usual smile. Prospectors continue to roll in and a goodly number of them are locating. Once upon a time there was a little bridge, one part iron and other part plank, constructed across the Tres Palacios. When writer makes mention of teh necessary of same being painted they tell him paint it his self. This we are not able to do, but Honorable Commissioners we submit it to you. You will either have to paint it to keep the rust from eating it down or build it a new. Evergreen
Bay City Breeze, December 18, 1897 |
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After a long absence I am constrained to try and write again and give the Breeze readers the news from Trespalacios, although I don't suppose they really care, but I don't propose to let our little city get too far in the rear. Mr. T. J. Houland has disposed of his place on Cash's Creek and will leave Monday for Ft. Bend in which county he will make his future home. Mr. Houland came into our little community about a year ago and since that time has made many friends here who regret to see him leave. The continual rains practically put a stop to hay making for the present. In this part of the county the cotton worm is laying waste the cotton crop. There is no poison to be had, therefore, the pest is having its own way with nothing to bother it. Monday night, last, an ice cream supper was given at the residence of Mr. T. J. Poole's. A large number of guests were present and all expressed themselves as having had a good time. We know that those parties who wrecked the benches enjoyed the party very much but we would just like to inform them that it will be a cold day in August when they enjoy another one on a special invitation. Miss Mary Grant of Galveston is the guest of the family of Mr. Joe Pybus. Miss Grant has been quite ill for several weeks and has come into our community for the benefit of her health. We hope she may speedily recover. Tom Poole is slightly on the sick list this week. T. J. Poole's gin has been undergoing repairs this week. Mr. Poole said that he would be ready to start ginning in about a week or ten days if nothing prevented; that he had ordered such new repairs as were needed and as soon as it arrives everything will be in readiness. M. V. Ellis of Caldwell county came in last week on a visit to his son-in-law, Mr. W. L. Walters. Mr. Ellis will spend a few days in our fair county. Evergreen
Bay City Breeze, August 20, 1898 |
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Well Mr. Editor I went over to the post office the other day and heard the people wondering what had become of Evergreen, one supposed the late drouth had killed him, others thought he had been lynched, others said he had stopped writing for the Breeze to keep out of a scrap with "Panza." You need never fear for Evergreen, like most other men he is very much afraid of a red headed woman. Natt Holman, of La Grange, who has been spending the past four months in this city, left for his home last Thursday. During Natt's stay in this community he gained many friends, though a comparative stranger we regret to see him leave but our best wished go with him. H. Yeamans was numbered among the sick last week. Mrs. G. A. Duffy, of Deming's Bridge, accompanied by her father, F. Cornelius, was a pleasant guest in our city last week. Evergreen prefers to keep on good terms with everybody and with the girls especially, but if Pansa don't stop taking the advantage of his absence and entruding upon his good nature there is going to be one of the goldarnest scraps you ever read of. The Trespalacios gin has ginned up to date, 105 bales. Mrs. E. W. Baxter, of Matagorda, who has been spending the summer with her son, David Baxter, left for her home Sunday. Trespalacios is to have another nice residence in a few days which is to be erected by E. E. Dawdy just east of the iron bridge across Trespalacios. Mr. Dawdy will make us a neighbor that can well be appreciated by all who knew him.
Bay City Breeze, October 29, 1898 |
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Farmers are planting corn. Joe and Ernest Nicholson went to Hawley Monday. G. B. Culver, tax assessor, was in our neighborhood Wednesday. J. S. Phillips and son John went to Cash's Creek Wednesday. W. D. Williams and family visited at Hawley Sunday and Monday. Several loads of cotton passed through enroute to Hawley this week. D. Dunbar, of Ashby, was in our neighborhood Tuesday on business. J. R. Garnett was in town Wednesday, shaking hands with acquaintances. The dance at E. E. Dawdy's Friday night was poorly attended, owing ot the cold weather. Mrs. J. R. Rowls and daughter Miss Sallie of Hawley, passed through here enroute to the Colorado Wednesday.
Matagorda County Tribune, February 24,
1900 |
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Hay makers are busy. W. D. Williams hauled cotton to the gin Saturday. Chas. Gyles of Ashby was here on business Sunday evening. Jimmie Willard of Fayette county is visiting relatives here this week. David Baxter went to Cash's creek Monday to cut hay for B. A Yeamans. J. B. Lecompte and wife of Cash's Creek were patronizing the new store Saturday. David Baxter and family visited relatives on the Carancahua one day last week. E. E. Dawdy and family returned home Monday night after a weeks' stay in Houston. Bud Williams of Giddings is visiting his brothers, T. J. and W. D. Williams, this week. Ben Wheeler left for his home in Matagorda Wednesday, after being water bound on this side.
Matagorda County Tribune, October 19, 1900 |
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T. J. Poole, Jr., put up several tons of hay last week. Willie and Esther Evans will attend the public school at Ashby this winter. E. E. Dawdy and family and Miss Maud Melbourne went pecaning on the Colorado last week. Miss Jessie Lea Logan returned to her home at Carancahua Sunday, after visiting relatives here for the past three weeks. John and Ben Wheeler came over from Matagorda Saturday, bringing the Dunbar cattle from there to winter at Palacios on the wire grass. D. A. Wheeler returned Sunday from Rock Island and other points where he had been assisting W. E. McSparran and sons to round up the T. D. Fisher stock. Rain began falling here Monday (last night) and this morning the creek is on a six-foot rise and still rising. The earth is covered with water and it still continues to rain. Tres Palacios public school closed Friday, after a session of two and a half months. Miss Edna Posey, the teacher, left Saturday to take charge of the school at Markham.
Matagorda County Tribune, October 28, 1904 |
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(By Novus Homa)
The colored people had a big barbecue and dance over at Wilson's creek bridge last Saturday. A big time was reported.
S. R. Smith has decided to enter the field as general auctioneer again. He has had extended experience in that line.
The rain we were looking for last week arrived this week, plenty and then some. It will help pastures and put ground in shape for gardening.
Arthur Smith started in the car from Collegeport last Saturday at 4 p.m. and got home at 3 a.m. If any one can beat that speed, let's hear from them.
A move is on foot to secure a daily rural route on No, 1 out of Blessing. It is only three times a week now, and some of the dailies have stale news when it gets around.
Some people not far from here have concluded that making and selling rot gut hootch don't pay, since Sheriff Carr came down and caught them at it, and took them up to the "Hotel de Carr," to think it over.
We noticed a statement in a paper the other day that a blow fish can inflate itself to twice its natural size. Shucks, that's nothing, we know some human suckers, that if the wind were taken out of them, it would require a microscope to see what remains.
Mr. and Mrs. M. N. Johnson have returned from quite an extended auto trip to the Panhandle, where they visited their son, Paul, and family and Mrs. Johnson's brother. They went with Mr. Elmo Johnson and his wife, of Galveston. Mr. Johnson reports that the crops in that country are practically a failure. No wheat and no corn. Some farmers have put in milo and other later crops hoping for late rains to make them, but to take the country over, the crops and pastures have burned up. This leads us to say there are lots of worse places than Matagorda County. Every place you go has its drawbacks and they may be much greater than where you are. An increase in passenger rates, freight rates, Pullman rates and Pullman surcharge, granted by the United States Labor Board for the public to pay, and to off-set this is a 34 per cent cut in wages of the employees is made. Has the $10,000 salary of the members of the Labor Board ever been cut? Listen to the echo. How much has been cut off the railroad presidents' salaries, amounting to a total of $52 per hour for a four hour day, or an average of more then $78,000 each per year. Forty-eight railroad officials and attorneys draw an annual salary of over $33,000 each, but we will make a speech if we keep on so we desist. We really would like to see every fellow who blames the railroad men for striking, hold up their hands.
If the County Commissioner's Court could only hear the cussing and profanity used every day at the bridge across the river east of Blessing, we are sure they would seek some means of putting a few dollars repair on it, for it is a positive disgrace to the county. Farmers can hardly get on to it with loads and when they do get on, it's like jumping off a cliff to get off. If they get over it without breaking horses legs, or losing cattle and calves thro' the holes and cracks they count it a streak of luck. Many have to lead their teams across, and single rides, get off and pilot their horses and mules over to keep them from getting crippled. The patience the farmers display in such matters, shows that they are a long suffering kind of critter.
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(By Novus Homa)
Ducks and geese are ripening up very fast, they say.
George Bowers threshed his rice this week. A fair yield is reported.
These cool nights and mornings feel quite comfortable, thank you, after a sizzling hot day.
Mr. Alderman believes he has a sure nuff oil or gas well on his farm. He says gas comes in a constant flow of bubbles in a spring on the place.
It was quite a race among the owners of cattle in these parts to get to the dipping tank first on dipping day. A lot of cattle were rounded up Sunday evening.
A farmer in this neighborhood has killed three rattlesnakes and a copperhead in a very short time lately. No one suspects him of having a still in the cellar either.
Robt. Tery and S. R. Smith were finishing up the circulation of the petition for daily mail service on route 1 out of Blessing, this week and we are hoping for daily mail service before long.
A crowd at Riverside Park Pavilion last Thursday night left a hatchet on the ground. The owner of the pavilion says he will more than glad to return the tomahawk to the owner if he will call for it.
We are wondering from recent developments, if there is not some kind of a sell out or a hold up, or something of that color in the suspension of operations on Taylor No., in face of the apparently splendid showing for oil.
Some very pertinent questions were propounded in last weeks Beacon, that ought to be answered by some one.
The Palacios Beacon, September 15, 1922
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(By Novus Homa)
Nearly everybody went to the Kimmel sale Wednesday because they couldn't get into their fields to work.
We would like to whisper to "Jupiter Epuribus," that we have all the rain we want for a good spell.
Neighbor S. J. Hill at Dunbar is toting a mighty sore finger around. He is not sure whether it is a felon or not.
A. L. Dyer commenced cutting his rice between here and town last Thursday. George Bowers is doing the cutting for him.
A real nice baby came to the home [of] J. L. McKissick at Ashby week ago Wednesday. J. L. insisted it said "good morning dad" soon as it saw him.
Think of it, ten inches of snow and mercury down to 12 above zero in Wyoming last week. It makes my teeth rattle to think of it.
Lots has been said about the Tappers. Why not let them rest and send a few squirts at the "What-is-its," standing around the street corners with a monocle in their eye, sucking the end of a cane, and whose only understandable vocabulary is, "Oh, aw, yes, ah beg yo pahdon."
With more than a million dollars loss to the employers of the railroad, and many more millions to the roads and public, on account of the strike, more strongly confirms our already strong conviction that the government should own and control all the means of transportation and communication.
In wandering around over the Simpsonville country last week, we ran across our neighbors, J. O. Carpenter and wife. We happened in at their house just in time to get a mighty nice feed of fine biscuits, eggs, coffee and a big glass of fresh buttermilk, and other good things. Mrs. Carpenter knows just what a hungry guy needs and how to put it up.
Last Thursday we stopped a few minutes at the home of G. W. Anderson in the Dunbar neighborhood. We would like to have every doubting Thomas in the country see his orange and kumkuat trees, nearly loaded to the ground. They sure do show up fine. This great blow they are putting up about the "Wonderful Valley," is all right, no kick comin', but we have the climate, soil and necessary environments here in this country to raise citrus fruits, if we had the same "get up and get there" spirit. Why not cultivate some of that energy?
The Palacios Beacon, September 22, 1922
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(By Novus Homa)
Everybody is dippy today, even the cattle and mules are heading that way.
A. B. Smith motored up from Collegeport Sunday night and back Monday morning.
Our old neighbor, H. L. Burns and wife from Collegeport, spent Sunday afternoon with us.
Mrs. A. E. Schulte and two little girls spent a pleasant afternoon last Thursday with Mrs. S. R. Smith at Riverside Park.
The types didn't make much sense out of our item last week about "Flappers," cause they made it read Tappers. Ugh!
We rode into town last week with a neighbor, Jesse M. Gardner. He was taking a fine crop of young cockerel frys to town.
Wonder what sort of evolution takes the place in transferring "Taters" to make them cost $1.60 per bushel more in the towns out this way than Houston.
There was a big crowd in Blessing Saturday and all the merchants seemed to be having a good trade; even Rowe Guynes was trying to shave two fellows at one time.
J. A. Laslie and daughter will teach in the Ashby schools again the coming school year. The Laslies are natural school teachers, love the work and have been at it for many years, and the Ashby people are to be congratulated on securing them again another year.
We were looking last week for a certain colored man, and met two colored women, one of whom we were sure was the man's wife. We asked them if he belonged to either of them, one of them grinned and said: "well sah, guess if anyone has a grip on him, ah has."
Frank Cobb, of Blessing, couldn't get past the Persimmon orchard at Riverside Park last Saturday, but had to stop and fill his face with the big yellow, luscious beauties, and take home a supply for the wife and kiddies. Ripe persimmons with sugar and cream, "don't need no coaxin' to get 'em down."
When we went to Blessing last Saturday, J. L. Jordan came up to us and pulled up our pant leg to see if we had on socks. He explained that if we wore socks, it would be evident we are not a Ku Klux. He says none of them wear "'em" and that, "no socks" is the pass to gain admission in every regular and well governed lodge of K. K. K.
The press reports that bakery workers in New York City went together and established co-operative bakeries, and produced and sold bread at cost, to combat the bakery profiteers. In a suit against the co-operatives, a New York court held, "that the co-operative plan of selling bread at no cost would drive all competitors out of business and that this would be illegal because in restraint of trade," This shows how badly some of our courts need judges with more than a thimble of brains.
The Palacios Beacon, September 29, 1922
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W. A. Sanford is threshing
his late rice. A. L. Dyer is just finishing cutting his rice.
There is some talk that Dr.
McLellan, formerly of Palacios, may locate in Blessing. O. A. Ellis has moved with
his family to Blessing and will stay in town during the winter. Mr. Curtis of Curtis & Sisson Co., Palacios, motored up to Riverside Park Sunday afternoon.
The weather of the last ten
days has been good enough for anybody, thank you. Now quit your
grouching. Arcade and Haywood Ellis
went down to Kingsville Monday expecting to go to work for the
Brownsville road. F. N. Dyer, of Blessing, came home from Waco this week sick, some reports day he is suffering from dengue fever.
We have been so busy the last week, we haven't had time to gather items. We are busy making garden and haven't been away from home much.
We noticed Frank Sutton, the
Mattress Man, formerly of Blessing, but now of Bay City, straying
around the [town] of Blessing last Saturday unguarded. They used to
call Frank and your correspondent Mutt and Jeff, when we walked down
the street together. The wonder of the civilized
world, is the position France has taken in the last menace to the
peace of Europe. Mustapha Kemal is more relentless and blood thirsty
than Kaiser Bill ever thought of being and France has practically
arrayed herself on his side. "Oh consistency thou art a jewel,"
possessed by few men or nations. The Palacios Beacon, October 6, 1922
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In our excitement last week figuring over whether it was a turtle or a flatboat we saw in the river, we forgot to mail out items, then we lived in suspense until Saturday for fear our carelessness would cause the Beacon to suspend publication. But, gee, when we got the paper Saturday, it didn't look as tho we had even been missed.
"Oh wa'd the powers the giftie gie us. W. M. Trousdale, of Ashby, went to El Campo Saturday by the auto route. This cool norther is certainly a relief from that heat we have had several weeks just preceding it. The Fitzgerald sale last week at Palacios was fairly well attended and things sold well generally. As we drove past Taylor No. 1 last week it looked lonesome and forlorn, as though it was afraid to call its soul its own. Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Burns, of Collegeport, were callers at Riverside Park and the home of M. M. Johnson last Sunday. F. N. Dyer is around the store again. He sure looks like he had been badly handled. We hope to see him fully recover. Earl Hill, of Citrus Grove, was over Saturday, getting repairs for the threshing machine, that is doing his threshing. Charles Bowen and wife stopped at Riverside Park a short time Sunday; on their way from Francitas to their home at Collegeport. If any town around us has a more efficient and accommodating post office force than Blessing, we, would like to see it hold up its hand. A. L. Dyer, sauntered around and dropped in on us a short time Thursday afternoon, to talk about his rice crops and a little politics on the side. One of our neighbors has a sign up, offering 25 cents each for a few dead hawks. A hawk is much like an Indian, never good until he is dead. Uneasy lies the head that desires to wear the Senatorial Crown in Texas. It looks like Andy Gump stand pretty nearly as good a show as either George or Earl. From the looks of the shocks of rice in the field, A. L. Dyer is going to have the best show up of rice raised around these parts. He had 50 acres in this year and will double the acreage for 1923. We received an egg and baby chick catalogue this week, addressed to Rev. _____, that did floor us. Evidently that duck never watched us try to handle a stubborn mule, or drive a hog out, at the same hole he came in. Last Saturday we met A. W. Smith with two books under his arm; he looked for all the world like a Bible, and other religious book colporteur, and when we asked him about it, he declared we didn't know a Bible from Sears and Roebuck's catalogue. G. E. Lovering has rented his "Sunny Slope" farm for next year and was hunting a house to move into this week. Mr. Lovering says he is not going away. That sounds all right, for the more people we can have in a neighborhood like the Loverings the more desirable the neighborhood is. Russia has mobilized an army of 1,600,000 soldiers on the western front, while America is sending millions and millions of dollars of food stuff to the starving population of the God forsaken, anarchy ruled land. Such a travesty on common sense would be a real burlesque, if it were not so tragic and pathetic. H. H. Von Kessel, Prof. Lewis and their ladies picked us up in Blessing last Saturday and drove us out home in their big limousine. It did our soul good to see Von Kessel eat big ripe persimmons when he got hold of them. Modesty deters us from saying how many he ate before crying "enuff." We notice the Bankers Association in New York last week, a sentiment in favor of cancelling a part of the $11,000,000 due the United States for foreign war debt. Those fellows across the pond had a big war dance, asked Uncle Sam to lend them his fiddle, he did it, now let them pay for the fiddle and the music.
Palacios Beacon, October 20, 1922 |
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M. M. Johnson dropped in for
few minutes chat Monday. Account of the dip not arriving on time, dipping day on Route 1 was postponed for two weeks.
Rain and still more rain makes the roads bad, stops threshing and hauling rice and ties things up generally.
A. L. Dyer had a large stack
of his rice straw thrown into his pasture by the stacker when he
threshed his rice, for the cattle to get at through the winter. Gene Hawes is sure growing a
fine crop of whiskers. When he shears them, we didn't ask him what
he intends to do with the wool, but we wouldn't be surprised to hear
him bragging soon what a fine new wool mattress he has. D. N. Day had a stroke of
paralysis last week on the right side of his body. Dr. Wagner was
called and helped him some. He was subsequently taken to the home of
his daughter near Midfield. We hope he may fully recover. D. W. Hill of Edna was
driving from Edna to Matagorda last Sunday, and at the bridge over
the river his Overland began to balk and sputter and refused to "go
over." He had to leave it at Riverside Park and return to Edna by
train. There are times when a steady mule is more sure to get you
there. Improvements and rumors of
improvements are flying fast around these parts. The old Dame says
that 90 or more families are going to move in and around Elmaton
soon; that the fine land around there will be cut up into 50 and 100
acre tracts, buildings erected, and a family put on each tract. That
a good hotel is to be erected and three stores opened. Let 'em come.
We don't know a locality in the country better than the Elmaton
country better than the Elmaton country, land as rich as the Nile
valley if properly drained and handled. The Palacios Beacon, October 27, 1922
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"It never rains, but pours"
has been well demonstrated this week, for it sure poured Monday
morning. Section foreman Harris of
the B. & M., we learn, will soon be transferred to The decisions of the Courts
of Texas on the Mayfield case is much like the Irish section
foreman's report of a derailed train, who telegraphed to the
roadmaster: "Hooligin:--Mulligan's off a'gin, on a'gin, gone a'gin.
Flannigan." That sure was a merry,
rollicking crowd of youngsters, from 4 to 74 years old, that
participated in the Hallowe'en Carnival at the City Garage in
Blessing last Saturday night. The invitation to "Kome and Kavort"
was accepted by nearly everybody, and if those who were there didn't
have a good time, it was their own fault. Postmaster Selkirk took a
drive over Route 1 with our efficient carrier, Bob, last Monday.
This prompts us to say, that we believe there will be no doubt of
securing daily service over this route if those signed for it will
put up mail boxes, and we hope everyone on the route who has not
already a box up will put one up. Let everyone of us do our part to
get daily service. We notice Billie Hart, the
Texas prognosticator (catch that word) is out in a real
rip-snorting, cantankerous weather report for November. Bill only
gives us 12 decent days in November; the balance in rain, hail,
snow, sleet and blizzards. But Bill does not treat us half so meazly
as De Voe, for he only gives us 6 days out of the 30 that he will
dare let our nose hang out from under the cover. The Palacios Beacon, November 3, 1922
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A. L. Dyer is getting 100 acres of land ready for rice next year.
D. N. Daly has sufficiently recovered from his recent illness to be around again.
Gene Hawes has rented his small farm to a man and family from Oklahoma and will go up to his former home in Kansas for a visit.
The great ballot battle is on today, and by Thursday night we suppose Texas will know whether George or Earl wears the crown.
A strong smell of sulphur permeated the air in this vicinity a night of two days ago, and we began to think hades had broken thro the crust, but upon investigation we found it was several team drivers trying to get across the bridge at the river. Their cuss words caused the fumes of sulphur and the lurid flames in the air.
Apples in parts of Missouri and Arkansas goes begging at 25 to 50 cents per bushel, and a day or two ago we paid 10 cents for four little dinky ones, that made just about six bites, and still the howl goes up to the farmers to "raise more stuff and we will see to the markets." This kind of business will continue, too, just so long as the farmer and laboring people permit so many 2x4 gimlet hole politicians to be sent to the legislatures and Congress.
The Palacios Beacon, November 10, 1922
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Mrs. A. J. Beard has been on the sick list for several days.
The stock dipping day here has been changed from Monday to Saturday.
Still the wet spell don't let up. A big rain Sunday night put all the roads on the bum again.
Brother Jesse Campbell asks: "What do you think of Texas politics?..........So do we." We just arise to the remark, Brother Campbell, "Them's our sentiments, too."
The name of Turkey in Europe and Asia should be changed to "Cormorant." It's a shame to have our most valuable fowl disgraced by a country so low in the scale of humanity and decency.
The dry vote in California surely must have given the antis an aching void under the belt, for the vote out Volsteaded Volstead. That is the only way to take the kinks out of this light wine and beer foolishness.
We saw an advertisement, "Send 50 cents and we will learn you how to write without pen, ink or paper." We sent the 50 and got the receipt: "Write on a shingle with a pencil, you fool." Suckers ain't never borned--they just grow.
We approached a fellow yesterday and poked him in the ribs and asked him, "Well, what do you know today?" hoping to get a nice bunch of locals, but he only gave us a pitying stare, and murmured as he walked away, "Getting crazier every day, by heck. We'll soon be taxed to keep him in some insane asylum."
Say, Mr. Editor, if our items must be confined to "Mrs. Sara Parker visited Mrs. Jennie Jenkins, and, Old Samuel Sorreltop stepped on a rusty nail and contracted lock a serious case of lockjaw" we will just have to throw up our hands and say, here's our job, cause we just can't get 'round to find out things this kind of weather.
Some miserable wretch or wretches without the love of God or the fear of the law in their heart, stole twelve nice fat turkeys from A. J. Beard's flock last Sunday. Mr. Beard telephoned all the towns around here to get names of all persons offering turkeys for sale, if the buyer was not well acquainted with the seller. Here's hoping the thief may be run in.
The democratic newspapers are exacting oodles of comfort from the last election, and the republican papers have their roosters on the front page crowing over the victory, while the people look on with a sly wink of tother eye and murmur: "Have a good time while having is good, for it will only be a few years until we bury the whole passel of youse, for didn't we lick you both with Andy Gump, our man who wears no man's collar.
Here's our "Whoop, whoop, hurrah! for Taylor No. 1! May she commence to spout oil a mile high, and blow the derrick into kingdom come, and deluge the whole coast country with the golden stuff, and make billions on top of billions of dollars for us all; then we can jump in and pay the National debt, and--and"--just then wife gave us a vicious jab and hollered, "Wake up! what kind of dream are you having anyhow?" We're awake and hoping, not whooping now.
The Palacios Beacon November 17, 1922
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Mrs. John Heber was taken to a hospital at Beaumont last week for medical treatment. A. E. Herreth and family have moved to Collegeport where they will farm rice next year. A. J. Beard shipped a lot of turkeys to Houston the first of the week at 32 cents per pound. W. A. Sanford has rented a tract of land near Collegeport, and has been moving over there the past week preparatory to ricing next year. "The Mistress Senatoress from Georgia" we presume is the way Vice-president Coolidge put it last Tuesday. Sure the world do move. Newberry, the rotten canker that disgraced a seat in the U S. Senate, has heard the people speak and has resigned. Now, if Mayfield will do the same thing two rank spots in our body politic will begin to heal over. If any democrat or republican can extract any special comfort out of the recent election he has more optimism in his bean than is needed. If the two old party hulks will put two and two together, and really conclude it makes four instead of six, they can read in the election returns the mutterings of a very discontented people. A notice signed "Ku Klux Klan" was mailed from Palacios to a resident of this community a few days ago, advising him to skeedaddle for other parts. We hear he skedaddled. Like Andy Gump, we try to be 100 per cent for the common people, all American, and live with the woman we married nearly 50 years ago, so we hope we are safe. Texas stands 34th in the literacy test in the 48 states of the Union. Surely not a very creditable showing for a State that boasts of such a splendid school system. We have a well defined idea that our whole school system, not only in Texas but elsewhere, is entirely too superficial; too much stuffing and craming, too many flowers and ornaments, to the serious detriment of real preparation for the sterner duties of life. Several cattle have mysteriously died on the Mobly farm near the river in the last week. They get weak, poor and wobbly, and finally die. The real cause is not known, but a strong superstition is that they ate some corn which had been stored in a barrel, and that the corn was thought to have been affected with calcium arsenate, that was used in poisoning worms. If this is true, a new danger to stock comes from the use of the poison, and should be more carefully guarded.
Palacios Beacon, November 24, 1922 |
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(By Sam R. Smith)
A. B. Smith helped Mr. Beard dig his sweet potatoes Tuesday.
Earl Hill of the Simpsonville country was over in these parts Tuesday.
We are told that dipping day will come only once a month now for a while.
D. W. Hill, of Edna, came down to Riverside Park last Saturday and returned home Sunday afternoon.
We notice Tobe Bowers, ex-commissioner of this county, now living in Edna, meandering around this community last Tuesday.
A. L. Dyer butchered a porker last Saturday and sent us a nice mess of real pork sassa'ge. Sure did go good with our pancakes next morning for breakfast.
A flock of airplanes sailed majestically over our house last Sunday headed in the direction of Galveston. "They didn't drop no bombs" on us, so we guess they were not hostile Mexicans or Turks.
B. F. Murphy had the misfortune to lose a fine cow at the dipping tank last Saturday, in some unaccountable way her back was broken when she plunged into the tank. It took the combined effort of several of his neighbors to get her out. Ben killed her and saved the hide.
There was a road scraper out on the road between the river and Blessing last Tuesday. The fellow, who was handling it went one round trip from Blessing out and back. A coarse comb and a pair of Mexican jacks would have done as much good, but we will guarantee that if the papers of the county would publish the commissioners proceedings at their next meeting, the people would read, "Bill for road dragging east of Blessing, one day, $25.00, read and allowed." It's this kind of work that is gutting the County Treasury.
If any one doubts that war is the result of money greed, all they have to do is to read the paper accounts of the near east squabble. England, France, Italy, Germany and Russia are today, ready to sacrifice untold thousands of human lives in their insane insatiate and intollerable greed to control the rich old lands of Mesopotamia. All past wars in our opinion have been the rich man's war, and all future wars will be the same. When it comes to having a war let the people vote on it, and compel all who vote for it to be the first to have to go, then see how much anxiety some will show to get to the front.
We are wondering if the black land people of this part of the country realize the immense possibilities of this part of the coast country as an orange producing country. The Satsuma orange can, we believe be made the most profit paying crop that can be raised in this country. We have the climate, we have the soil and can get the trees and we believe all our people lack is the sand to tackle the job. Many are skeptical but there are lots of examples all 'round us. If Jack Keefe can raise them so can Andy Gump. We know of some instances near us, that just a few trees are proving the most profitable in investment on the farm.
We listened with disgust to a fellow standing on the streets of Blessing last week shooting off his mouth, as that was the larger part of his anatomy. He claimed to have lived in Matagorda county once, and said he owned some land in the county now, but the land in this county was not worth fifteen cents an acre, and he hoped the road bonds would carry so he would be able to give his land away and save paying taxes. He claimed that the state he is now living in has fine roads, churches, schools, farm houses and prosperous farmers, but he failed to tell those who heard his chin work, that he is in Matagorda county now trying to get something to do to keep his family from the soup counter. He said he had quit telling people in the north he is from Texas, and now tells them he is from Arkansas. Such display of gall and gizzard makes people real tired.
The Palacios Beacon, December 1, 1922
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(By Sam R. Smith)
Farmers are like the busy bee now, improving each shining hour, getting ground ready for the spring crop.
Gene Hawes has forsaken his bachelor's retreat and gone to Kansas for an indefinite stay with his parents.
J. W. Brown, who used to live in this county, but now in North Texas, is here looking after his farm south of Blessing.
Bob Terry, route one mail carrier, is taking a few days lay-off attending Grand Lodge of Mason's at Waco. Grady Walker is supplying his place.
A medicine show held forth in Blessing last week. They announced a bear and a coon fight and like the chinaman said, "Sometimes da coon licka da bear, and sometimes da bear he licka da coon."
To a man up a tree, it looks like the French Government would better have kept their "Tiger" Clemeneau, caged up at home; hjs rebuffs and bluffs to America have not had a very mollifying effect on the people here.
Threshing rice has been resumed around here since the weather permits. C. A. Lucas finished his crop over on the Caranchua, and John Dickert is running a machine every day now over this side of Simpsonville.
Brother Jesse E. Campbell will pardon us, we know, if we take the liberty to paraphrase his "Good Roads" poem to read:
Good roads, my brother, are mighty fine Satisfying, convenient and nice, If cattle, and hogs and crops were in line, To justify paying the price. But we'd better flop in mud a spell, For a big bond issue is real! ------ Well, we can't afford it yet.
America must adopt the slogan, "Millions for suffering humanity and civilization, but not a cent for war." The starving countries of Europe, are calling to America to feed them, while they are bankrupting the whole European continent raising funds to kill each other. Guess it wouldn't do for us to be the President and Congress of the United States, combined for about six months, for a lot of this clap trap about cancellation of the European war debt due to America, from those half civilized savages over there would suddenly bang up against a stone wall.
The Gulf Items in the Bay City Tribune last week says that the roads are so bad and rough via the Tres Palacios route to Blessing, that Thurston Smith finds it too bumpy for comfort with his aeroplane. It must have been Thurston sending out the S. O. S. one night last week when he got to the east end of the Tres Palacios bridge, and fearing his aeroplane would fall through the holes or become disabled trying to get over the ends of the bridge, sent out the grand hailing sign of distress. We flew to his relief, but before we got there he had "riz and flown" back.
The Palacios Beacon, December 8, 1922
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R. R. Rowe is running a hay gang putting up hay every day the weather permits. Ray Burn got as far as Riverside Park last Tuesday on his way from Blessing to Collegeport and ran out of gas. We gave him a quart, and the last we saw of him his old Lizzie was sputtering on the road to his home. Mr. Bryan, the citrus canker inspector of Palacios, was in these parts Tuesday looking after the "Pink canker worms" on the citrus fruits. He told us that the trees in this community were in good condition and free from infection, tho he found a few spots where the trifoliata hedges were infected. He was finding the owners to have them destroyed. (The hedges, not the owners.) The papers report an eight year old boy in Alabama who had advanced in school sufficiently to entitle him to enter high school, but was prevented from doing to on account of his age. Bah! and Piffle! What rotten red tape in some of our school regulations. We suppose all this bright kid can do in the next 4 or 5 years will be to put in his time learning the all important high school yell:
"Ichabod, Ichabod, where's your Pa? Indications now point to the planting of the largest acreage of cotton in these parts that probably was ever planted, for next year. We never had one minute's patience with the cry to plant less cotton to control the price. Our motto would be: "Farmers, get together, organize and swat the middlemen and low produce price bears!" Millions of people starving for our products and millions of dollars worth rotting on account of prices and high freight rates. Like the preacher said: "Don't need to argifyie' to stabblish de fact dat de sines of de times prove dat hell am not very much furder down de lane."
Palacios Beacon, December 15, 1922 |
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(By Sam R. Smith)
A pipe dream--We took a trip
from Brownsville to Houston a short time ago, the beauty of the
country was beyond compare, on all sides as far as we could see the
whole country was covered with beautiful citrus fruit orchards and
fine homes, surrounded with the most luxuriant vegetation, and
opening roses, myrtle, oleanders, jasmines and magnolias. The very
air was laden and permeated with perfume of the flowers. Very few
large cotton and rice plantations are to be found within fifty miles
of the coast. Farmers are content with small and beautiful farms, a
few fine dairy cows, registered hogs, some chickens and turkeys.
They are really prosperous, have money in the bank, and are able and
willing, and are now putting in the finest road system in the Union.
"So mote it be." The Palacios Beacon, December 22, 1922
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Quite a heavy rain fell in spots in these parts Tuesday. A. W. Smith was drawn on the Grand Jury for the present term of court, but was let off and came home Tuesday. Wm. Ortes has moved his family to town to have advantage of school. He will farm in the Wilson Creek locality another year. A Mr. King and family, of San Antonio, was here this week looking over this part of the citrus fruit belt with a view to buying a farm. H. L. Burns and wife were over from Collegeport Sunday, calling on their former neighbor, M. M. Johnson, and wife and other friends. We saw S. J. Hill and wife from Dunbar in Blessing Tuesday. They got caught in the rain and the cold snap, without plenty of fur coats and wrappings. H. L. Burns will have a public sale of all his goods and belongings at Collegeport, Saturday, the 6th inst. They are going to drive through to Los Angeles, California. We have a peach tree in our yard covered in bloom, and young peaches as large as marbles. We are afraid they will get caught out some cold night and get their bare toes nipped. Mayor Holcomb, of Houston, was re-nominated after the nastiest fight we ever saw put up against any man. We don't know either Holcombe or Jones, but really are glad to see the blatant mouth of Jones and his crowd receive a decided slap, for a sensible man who will put up such a campaign as he put up ought to be politically buried so deep that he could never hear Gabriel's trumpet calling him to better things. The body of Mrs. B. B. White was brought from Houston Tuesday, where she had been taken to a hospital for treatment and died there. She leaves a husband and several grown children to mourn her departure. As man measures time, her life was full, rounded out, and replete with deeds of love, kindness and charity, but as God reckons progress, she has just begun to reap the reward of a beautiful life and character. The relatives have the tenderest sympathy of their friends and neighbors.
Palacios Beacon, January 5, 1923 |
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(By Sam R. Smith)
We were temporarily on the shelf last week, hence didn't get any items in.
If notoriety is what the people of Texas and Louisiana are looking for, they sure are getting it in great big blood red globs.
From what we hear happened to one of our neighbors cars in Palacios, we conclude it would be safer to go in a wheelbarrow when any one wants to visit that town at night.
Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Burns and family, of Collegeport, started on an overland trip to California. Mr. Burns has a good job there, under the direction of O. W. Rule, who used to live here.
A Mr. Clark from Nebraska was in these parts this week calling on Ben Murphy and your correspondent. He was well acquainted with many of the old neighbors in Nebraska, with whom Ben and ourselves used to affiliate. Mr. Clark is on his way to the Brownsville country, he was so much taken with this country he thinks of bringing his family down here from Nebraska to live.
The Farmers Canal Company unloaded a part of a barge of shell at the landing on Riverside Park last Saturday, taking the balance up the river to the pumping plant. The barge brought up about 45 tons. The company will use it in making concrete flumes on the canal. This reminds us, why we could not the placid Tres Palacios be made a medium to take farm products to Palacios, and thence to Houston and Galveston, via the Intercoastal Canal? Is the Palacios Chamber of Commerce open to suggestions?
A sister of J. A. Beard and a cousin and little niece from Fort Bend county, are visiting in the Beard home. The whole crowd came over to Riverside Park Monday evening and challenged us for a coon hunt. We are not the kind that takes a dare. We donned our hunting garb, grabbed a lantern, and with our wife and son hiked for the woods. Yes, of course, we had two houns, not ours tho, Bro. Campbell, and it sure was a merry crowd that hit the woods down on the river. After making the welkin ring until ten or eleven o'clock, and managing to get all the houn pups in the neighborhood howling and scaring all the possums and coons in the woods to death (nearly) we went home. If anyone wants to know how many coons we bagged, just "ast" some one else, cause we "ain't goin' to tell no stories out of school." Besides if we got more than the law allows us to kill in one day, the Ku Klux are liable to wait on us, to know why.
The Palacios Beacon, January 19, 1923
Trespalacios Toe Prints (By Sam R. Smith)
This cold snap has set the hogs to squealing in this community, cause butchering is the order of the day.
Touch Billie Mayfield's Ego and up he pops with "don't pay no attention to no other damned man but ME." All else than Billie are fools.
If reports are true, some of the gasoline filling stations in this county have been giving seventeen quarts of gasoline for five gallons. Only other way of getting rich quick by letting "Jones pay the freight."
The legislature is starting off fine. The papers report the probable expurgation of the Jim Ferguson record. No doubt many of them will think their full duty to the state is done after this set is passed, and move to adjourn. Probably no greater service could be rendered the state than to adjourn.
Is looks as though France is just as greedy today to control the European situation as the Kaiser was in 1914. In 1914 the Germans had their heel on the neck of the poor devils in France, now the French have their heel on the neck of the poor devils in Germany. A simple case of dog eat dog.
The verdict in the Herrin, Ill., mine murder case, looks like our courts are fast becoming impotent to cope with the awful crimes that are being committed in the crime wave that seems to be sweeping over the country. No doubt that the mine owners put murderous guards over those mines and their murderous acts incited the miners to murder, hence a reign of murder and bloodshed followed.
Glaring headlines in Tuesday's papers announce that forty-two million dollars will be pulled out of the national treasury and refunded to tax payers. No doubt poor devils like secretary of the Treasury, Mellen, J. Pierpont Morgan and John D. and a few other national payers like them get a comeback. Just couldn't see where on earth to spend forty-two million dollars in any other way. Here's another coon skin, Bro. Campbell, that neither you or I will ever get a cent of that refund.
The Palacios Beacon, January 19, 1923
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This cold snap has set the hogs to squealing in this community, cause butchering is the order of the day. Touch Billie Mayfield's Ego, and up he pops with "don't pay no attention to no other damned man but ME." All else than Billie are fools. If reports are true, some of the gasoline filling stations in this county have been giving seventeen quarts of gasoline for five gallons. Only another way of getting rich quick by letting "Jones pay the freight." The legislature is starting off fine. The papers report the probable expurgation of the Jim Ferguson record. No doubt many of them will think their full duty to the state is done after this act is passed, and move to adjourn. Probably no greater service could be rendered the state than to adjourn. It looks as though France is just as greedy today to control the European situation as the Kaiser was in 1914. In 1914 the Germans had their heel on the neck of the poor devils in France, now the French have their heel on the neck of the poor devils in Germany. A simple case of dog eat dog. The verdict in the Herrin, Ill., mine murder case, looks like our courts are fast becoming impotent to cope with the awful crimes that are being committed in the crime wave that seems to be sweeping over the country. No doubt that the mine owners put murderous guards over those mines and their murderous acts incited the miners to murder, hence a reign of murder and bloodshed followed. Glaring headlines in Tuesday's papers announce that forty-two million dollars will be pulled out of the national treasury and refunded to income tax payers. No doubt poor devils like Secretary of the Treasury, Mellen, J. Pierpont Morgan and John D. and a few other national payers like them will get a comeback. Just couldn't see where on earth to spend forty-two million dollars any other way. Here's another coon skin, Bro. Campbell, that neither you or I will ever get a cent of that refund.
Palacios Beacon, January 26, 1923 |
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(By Sam R. Smith)
A. B. Smith went to Houston last Sunday for an indefinite stay.
Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Johnson were pleasant callers at Riverside Park Tuesday.
We learn that Mrs. Will Ortes, will have to be taken to some tubercular sanitarium for treatment.
There is quite a movement among the farmers in this commuity to put out orange trees this spring. Mr. Logan, M. M. Johnson, A. J. Beard and others are now putting out the roots to graft on, and getting ready for the spring work.
If reports are true quite a number in and around Blessing got pretty badly stung on Southern Motors Stock when that Company went "where the woodvine t[h]?riveth." One fellow we were talking with admitted that a sucker was born every second.
The sister of A. J. Beard, who has been visiting him the last few weeks, received word from her home in Fort Bend county that a little niece had been stricken with some kind of malady and calling her home. The little one was taken to Houston for treatment.
A big airplane landed in the field east of Blessing last Sunday. We watched it go up. We were cool as a cucumber, but our old hoss got mightily exercised over it, and whirled around and broke a shaft out of the buggy. We didn't think anything could get the old skate excited.
We heard a few days ago that a large tract of land south of the S. P. railroad east of Midfield had been leased and that oil prospecting would soon be begun by the Humphrey Interests. Every day, slow but sure its coming nearer and nearer; but while we are waiting for oil let's hump up the orange industry, for we believe it will be here sooner than the oil, as there is not so much chance to play horse with the people.
The Palacios Beacon, February 2, 1923
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The unspeakable Turk seems to be in pretty good speaking order, for he has the whole world guessing what he is going to say next.
P. F. Campbell, the genial mayor of Palacios, and Mr. Crawford, the fig preserving man, were in these parts last Saturday looking up the fig and citrus fruit prospects.
The rain, sleet and cold wave played havoc in this community Sunday night. All the early peaches and some lemon trees that had bloomed and were setting on fruit look like they had been raided by the Ku Klux. Reports came in from various parts, of great loss of stock, one man on the Caranchua lost 20 head of cattle and others lost a good many. The roads are all in bad shape.
After we have been dead over three thousand years we don't want some ding busted relic hunter to unearth our old carcass, and exhibit it around over the country to rake in sheckles enough to keep them out of the pour house, like they are doing with the mummy of old Pharaoh Tutankhamen in Egypt. No sir. When we've been planted we want to stay right there until Gabriel says St. Peter would like to meet us.
There seems to be quite a movement on foot to endeavor to hold our legislators down to a sane effort at tax reduction. Petitions and memorials are going in thick and fast from all parts of the state. But, shucks, what good will they do? 150 representatives and 31 senators out on a junket for days at a time when they ought to be in Austin, or better, at home, will pay lots of attention to petitions to reduce expenses. One hundred and eighty one members of the state legislature out on a junketing trip drawing $5.00 per diem only costs the state about nine hundred dollars per day. When the petitions go in, they probably will get together and lustily sing "Cheer, cheer, the gangs all here, what the h-l do we care." Twenty-three of the 31 senators are lawyers, one lone farmer, and the house of representatives of 150 is probably about proportionately distributed. Let us throw in a query right here for the old clod hoppers of this country to ruminate over. How much relief from high taxation, abominable and oppressing laws do you expect to extract from such an aggregation? Nil. Six hundred and sixty-two? bills have been introduced up to last Monday and still spewing them out by the bucketful.
The Palacios Beacon, February 9, 1923
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(By Sam R. Smith)
Believing that the State is not suffering more affliction by the session of the legislature now in motion at Austin, and that sixty days will not be punishment enough, both houses are preparing to adjourn March 10th, go home at the State's expense, then have Governor Neff call a special session later on, and ask all their State's wise guys to return to Austin at the State's expense, to be in the shade and tell their benighted (?) constituents about the great gobs of wisdom that oozed from their beans up at the State Capital, in behalf of the suffering tax payers of the State. Up to last Monday only 804? bills had been introduced. Most of them to tax tomcats for howling on the roof at night, and to levy a tribute on the poor devil who keeps a bull pup to protect his chicken coop from prowlers after dark. A slogan of "A Legislature every ten years" would immensely pay, if carried to a logical conclusion.
Everybody, nearly, is scouring the country for fig cuttings and stock on which to graft citrus fruit. Ten years from now this whole coast country will be the most successful citrus fruit and fig producing country in America. We have better land, as good climate, and as favorable conditions right here as they have in the so-called "Magic Valley," and folks, listen to this: our lands are not inflated four to six times what they are worth. We often wonder if the people of these parts are dead in the shell, gone into a Rip Van Winkle sleep, or what really does ail them; for these train loads of "homeseekers" should be "stopping off in transit" as they pass thro this country. You can't pull yourself into your shell and expect people to hunt you out. People go where they A D V E R T I S E. Catch that word?
The Palacios Beacon,
February 16, 1923 |
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Most all the farmers up this way are vaccinating as a precaution against black leg. The consensus of opinion seems to be that the liquid virus is better than the pills, they claim it is more effective and lasts longer. Here's our bow to Mrs. Brown and Taylor No. 1. May they live long and prosper. We really hope Taylor No. 1 will be squirting oil long before the "Mother pool" at Francitas begins to furnish enough to oil the "bald domes" around Francitas. We rode from Bay City down to Blessing Monday on the train with Mr. Green, the Nursery man of Palacios. We found he came from the old stamping ground in the north with which we are quite familiar. Mr. Green has our idea exactly of this country, its advantages, disadvantages and future possibilities, when people begin to realize what can be done here with intelligent effort. We met C. F Ifland, of Palacios, Monday and he incidentally remarked that the "Toe Prints" had an odor like we hadn't washed our feet for some time, or hadn't changed our socks. Gee, we aint got no socks to wear," and as for washing our feet they are so blamed big we can get over but one semi-annually with soap and water. We intend to build a dipping tank and disinfect them four times a year, after. ---------------
I dreamed a dream the other night, Moral: Don't eat a whole mince pie before going to bed.
Palacios Beacon, March 9, 1923 |
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This weather sure gets our billy. It makes our old rheumatic (not pneumtic) joints creak and that makes us groan, but after we have been dead as long as old Tut, it won't make no difference to us Two or three weeks ago we made a profound bow to Mrs. Brown and Taylor No. 1, but since then we can't get a "cheep" from there. By heck, if something don't happen down there pretty soon we are going to pull that bow down and hang it up somewhere around Francitas. Bro. Jesse C. take notice. The man or woman who can't get interested in a cute little baby in the floor trying to get its big toe in its mouth, a wee little chicken just out of the shell, a little duck just beginning to waddle, a little pup whirling around after its own tail, or a little kitten wound up in a ball of yarn, doesn't have much of anything but sour vinegar in their makeup. The last thing the late lamented legislature did was to increase County Commissioners' salaries. "What a great and glo-ri-ous feeling" it must be to be a member of the state legislature. The following dialogue took place just before they adjourned, paraphrasing the old Presbyterian Saw, Pat said, "You can and you will." Legislation--"We can't and we won't we'll be d-d if we do." Pat. "You'll be d-d if you don't. Gasolene went up 2 cents per gallon, and when the poor devil that drives a fliver protested, John D.'s hired man said to him, "why you pore deluded boob, watcha kickin' 'bout, didn't the last legislatcher autherize us to stick two cents a gallon more on ya, g'long and shet yer flitrap, gess I know wat John tells me to do, ya don't think pore ol John's goin to stan this raise do ya." One day last week when we got our daily we stood out by the barn and happened to open it at a place where a report of the amount of business done in the country by check, draft, etc., was compared with that done by real money, gold and silver. It said that four hundred billion dollars of business is done with only four billion of real money. Ninety nine percent done on frat money. Just then we heard a loud "he, he, haw, haw," and looking back over our shoulder, saw our old dun mule with his head open clear to his ears. He had caught the real humor of paying ninety nine dollars with only one dollar to pay it with. Dear readers, this is not humor, its tragedy, frightful, devastating pauperizing tragedy and it is only a question of time when the common people of the world will be worse than slaves, under the curse of the "gold standard." It's coming fast and furiously and we have never been a calamity howler either, but always tried to believe that, "Every day in every way we are getting better and better. Uncle Josh says:--The man wot can't smile makes a feller feel like he had et a green persimmon ever time you meet 'im. They aint no such thing as luck lest you git twixt the plow handles and let the plow down deep nuff to catch hit by the har and pull hit up.
Palacios Beacon, March 23, 1923 |
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The last ten days have been mighty fine weather for work on the farms, but we hear it all around, "a real good shower just now would help crops." The Chronicle one day last week reported that 60 head of dairy cows were destroyed for tuberculosis near Houston. The paper said, "Before the cows were killed two professors and ten students from A. & M. college looked at them." Poor old bovines. One look from a crowd of that kind would naturally prove fatal to most anything. Our good neighbors, A. J. Beard and wife, don't do things by halves. Listen to this: They now have over 400 chicks, and 100 turkeys hatched, 515 eggs hatching. They are trying to have 200 to 300 chicks hatched every month. 'Tis reported that Mr. Beard puts the eggs in one end of the incubator and Mrs. Beard sits at the other end with a basket and catches the chicks as they come out. The laboring men of this country are getting entirely too prosperous. Why, it is reported that some of them have even been able to buy a new pair of overalls, and we read the other day where one laboring man's family actually had PIE for dinner. This state affairs has reached the ears of such big-bellied steel magnates and buyers of labor as Gary of the "steal" trust, and they are out now for open ports to the paupers, beggars and mendicants of Europe. Of course, we find some newspapers like the Brooklyn Eagle, the Knickerbocker Press and Buffalo News with dog chains attached to collars around their necks, or rings in their noses and led around by anti-Americans, howling with Gary. We would like to see all such ducks, Gary and his gang included, sent to Soviet Russia and compelled to stay there. They are the undesirable citizens of this country. Every American with a peanut shell full of brains knows that the prosperity of this country depends upon well paid labor, and it will be a sorry day for us all when restrictions on immigration are loosened up, as Gary demands. Better a thousand times tighten them more.
Palacios Beacon, May 11, 1923 |
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A. B. Smith drove down from Houston Sunday afternoon to visit homefolks, returning Sunday night. Mrs. E. R. Korn and two daughters, daughter and grandchildren of your correspondent, came down with him for a two week's visit. The colored people had a big barbecue and blowout on the 19th just across the river from the Baxter farm. Plenty to eat, plenty of red lemonade, ice cream, etc. Roping contests and horse racing were among the sports. A large crowd of both the white and colored people had a real good time. We were scared stiff when the sheriff drove up to our place last week with a summons to appear before the grand jury. We didn't nothing we hadn't been doing to cite us before the grand jury. We know we didn't have no lil ole still on our farm, and wasn't living with no other woman the preacher said we couldn't live with, and hadn't stole none of our neighbor's chickens or turkeys, nor kissed no other man's wife (leastwise we wouldn't be telling to grand jury about it if we did), but when we came to find out it was another Smith he was after, our gizzard stopped going pitapat. Houston sure understands how to swat bond issues when they come up. For all the time up to nearly the date of the election, one reading the Chronicle would swear that paper was in full accord with the bonds, and after the election they came out and yelled, "Whoope! See what me agd Mariar did with our little tommyhock!" One issue they are lauding Harding to the skies and you'd swear they were rantankerous ring tailed republicans, then the next issue they will be a most consummate long-eared democratic ass. Consistency is a jewel, but the Chronicle don't own any jewels to speak of. The late lamented and much regretted Texas gab fest--the legislate--has at last adjourned. Lord accept our grateful thanks for the relief. There is much talk that Uncle Pat will call the aggregation back. Please don't do it, Pat, let us have the rest of the hot summer to lie in the shade and forget, so far as we can, the torments of the past. If you won't do it Pat, we'll try and get some arrangements made whereby you can kiss Maggie again.
Palacios Beacon, June 22, 1923 |
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Two or three car loads of Palaciosites spent the afternoon at Riverside Park Pavilion last Monday. It is perfectly safe to assert that they gathered in a good crop of mosquito bites and red chiggers, whether they got any fish or not. In the advertisement of "Palacios-by-the-Sea," in last week's Beacon, the cut at the head of the column was up-side down, making the bathers stand on their heads. Turn it straight, Bro. Dismukes, turn it straight. You'll get so doggoned many old bald head pikers into Palacios to watch the bathing process you won't be able to house 'em. A neighbor said to us the other day, "S. R. I have some of the finest watermelons you ever saw." Well, gee, we'd like to know how he expects us to judge until he brings two or three around. Our watermelon capacity is absolutely limitless, and for a fellow to tell us he has such nice ones, creates a really aching void that nothing but a good Tom Watson will fill. From indications now, the squabble to fill the vacancy in the commissioner's office in this district promises to be real "interestin' and excitin," next Saturday. While we expect to vote we ain't tearin' our shirt or gettin excited about it. We used to do that when we were younger and "didn't have no sense." Nine cases out of ten the fellow elected won't know you the next day. The expert from New York, secured by Mayor Holcomb to pass on the paving and street car valuations, gets only the pittance of $150 per day. We suppose Holcomb thought that a foreigner is preferable to an American, and since New York seceded from the Union, he figures that an expert from that foreign country would have nothing in common with an American city like Houston, and would give the overtaxed people of that city all that was coming to them, and when he didn't get out of the street car company and paving contractors, to pay the foreign expert's salary, he'd have bonds issued to make it up. Oscar, really has a great head on his shoulders and makes a fine mayor for the Chronicle and Press families.
Palacios Beacon, August 3, 1923 |
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Rice threshing begun over east of us. We are told one grower threshed and marketed 1000 sacks at $4.65 per sack last week. We met R. H. Von Kessel, the real estate rustler of Francitas, in Blessing Friday. He is the same old jolly, good natured fellow, always seeing the funny side of things. We really hope that the rumor mentioned in last week's Beacon of the probably resumption of operations on Taylor No. 1 will materialize into REAL operation. But people are so used to being played for suckers in the oil game, it takes more than "the grain of mustard seed" faith to get 'em in line again. Even then, some will stand and watch the oil spout out and declare, "There ain't no such durned thing as oil in the ground in this country!" While in Blessing the latter part of last week, we saw farmers on the street, selling their cotton. We were informed they got 21, 22 and 23 cents for it. We only wish we could howl in clarion tones loud enough that every farmer in the cotton growing states might hear us, and hearing, heed the admonition, Don't do it! DON'T DO IT! DON'T DO IT !!! Hold your cotton for 35 cents or more. You will get it. Don't get scared. With the world supply millions of bales short, it's self-inflicted robbery to sell it for less than 30 to 35 cents. Hitch your cotton hoss to 35 cents and make him stay hitched; he'll pull it out. Quite an excitement was worked up near Riverside Park last Friday. Ben and Sam Hebert and their wives were fishing from a boat just below Riverside Park pavilion. Ben was rowing the boat while Sam stood in the other end with a 22 rifle, to shoot at buffalo when they saw them in the water. By some unknown reason the gun went off in Sam's hands, the bullet striking Ben in the breast. Encountering a rib it was deflected, and passed under the flesh and skin out of the body. Mr. Schulte put him in a car and hurried to Blessing, after telephoning Dr. Wagner to meet them there. After an examination it was discovered to be only a flesh wound, which will soon heal, but there sure was a scared lot of colored people until they found out the nature of the wound. With the body of President Harding laid to rest, the world turns anxious and enquiring eyes toward Washington and President Coolidge, wondering as to his purposes and policies. If he will pursue the middle of the road policy, not listening to the crank stand-patters or the crazy reactionary element, he will be a safe leader. Of course the democrats will howl at all he does, because they are out and want pie, and the insurgent republican "want-to-be-higher-ups" will howl because they want their big bellies jammed up to the pie count FIRST. The lives of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Wilson and Harding have been silent and awful reminders to the American people of the bigness of the presidential job, and ought to make us all more tolerant in our criticism of their acts and endeavors to guide the great ship of state clear of breakers, when so many of us fault finders wouldn't be competent to fill the office of dog catcher with credit to ourselves and humane impulses for the dogs.
Palacios Beacon, August 17, 1923 |
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The pesky skeeter's on the wing, Rice harvesters from Collegeport were up in these parts Monday hunting hands. They were offering $1.50 per day for a 14 to 16 hour day. We don't know how many they hired, if any. Last week we advised a minimum price of 30 cents for cotton. This week our minimum slogan is, 35 cents for cotton. Hold on, boys; don't sell yet. Forty-cent cotton is in sight. Just cut down to war time feed a little while; it will pay you. C. W. White, of Blessing, went up to his old home in Kansas a few weeks ago, and last Saturday returned to Blessing, bringing with him an old-time sweetheart. They were married after arriving in Blessing and settled down to housekeeping in the elegant home Mr. White has in Blessing. We are sure made happy the fore part of the week when our good neighbors, A. J. Beard and wife, drove into the yard with 3 or 4 juicy watermelons in the wagon and told us to get out our knife and go to carving. Wife and I sat and ate melon, and everyone once in a while, with her mouth full and a struggle to keep the melon from falling out, she would gurgle to us, "Good, ain't they Dad?" Then in a mighty effort to keep the juice in and shoot the seed out, we'd murmur, "Shore, maw." A sister and several other relatives of our neighbor, Ben Murphy, drove from Nebraska down to visit Ben and family. They report a very serious drought through Southern Kansas, Oklahoma and Northern Texas. So much so, that cotton and other crops are a practical failure. They came from our old stamping ground in Nebraska, and report that farmers have been having a series of good crops up that way. We are always glad to hear that the farmers prosper, for when they fail, it's slim picking for the do-nothings. Last week the Chronicle reported one poor nearly bankrupt gasoline operator putting up a howl that the whole blooming gang was going on the rocks. He said the gas cost 10 cents, and some were selling at 11 and couldn't pay expenses. Listen! if the gas costs 10 cents, how much do those operators make selling it at 20, 22 and 27 cents, the price we pay nearly all the time? We notice a call has been made for a State and Government investigation of the gasoline situation. Now, long before you read these lines, gasoline will go up--UP! For just as soon as investigation begins gas and oil folks know it's safe to go up. Watch and see. We started to Bay City last Monday and four miles west of Markham ran into mud, slush, pools of water and, to cap the shock, the timer on our car went bum. We coaxed and petted it, and still it wouldn't go. Then a fellow from El Campo came along and suggested that a few swear words might help, but we concluded that neither cusses or prayers would do any good, so we commenced to work at it again, and whistled while at work, and gave some dingus or other an extra turn, when--off it went. We turned around and came back home. We are willing to give anyone a chromo who will tell us what we touched that made'r go, and if we ever get in the same fix we will know what thing-a-ma-jig to touch off.
Palacios Beacon, August 24, 1923 |
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We certainly would be thankful to Mr. Epluribus Flucius if he would descend on our garden spot and soak it up so we could get it plowed. Farmers are picking and ginning cotton fast as they can this fine cotton picking weather. Now if they will just hang on to it for 30 to 35 cents, they will get it. Hang on, boys! Our neighbor, W. G. Alderman, expects to move to Missouri soon. There are some people we wouldn't miss a bit, but we hate to see such good neighbors as Will moving away. But, shucks, he will come back. J. S. Logan is sporting a brand new Lizzie, and for several days after he commenced to drive it, everybody on the road who saw him coming climbed the fence or took to the woods and skinned up a tree. But he is doing better now, thank you. Carrying mail by airplane New York to San Francisco in 26 hours is an almost unbelievable feat, but it's an accomplished fact. It will only be a few years until regular passenger service will be established all over the good old U. S. A. Viewing the future by the past, no one can say anything is impossible, with a free American Yankee at the helm. How much it stands us all in hand to frown upon every effort to create division, strife, hatred, and kindred evils among us, to give place to the development of the greatest and most glorious country on earth, and keep our country as she is now--the "Guiding Star" of the world.
Palacios Beacon, August 31, 1923 |
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About two weeks ago we complained that we were needing some showers mighty badly, but gee, we didn't expect it to come down from above, trek up from beneath, come sidewise, crosswise and from all points, like it has been doing since Sept. 1st. We've got enough, oh, Jupiter, we've got enough. In Francitas Saturday we had the pleasure of meeting and grasping the hand of our smiling and genial friend, Jesse Campbell. We tried to sell him a small cupboard for a shed for his two mules, but he declined, saying it was too big, he was afraid he couldn't find them in the morning when he went to feed them. We came up from Francitas last Saturday with a young fellow in a car. Before we started he asked us if we cared how fast we went. We told him we didn't care, if he just hit the highest place in Francitas and the highest in Blessing, and "by heck," that's all he did. A flock of crows that started east the same time we did came flying over Blessing an hour after we arrived. You can believe this or not, as you like, there's no compulsion about it. When we were just a kid going to school, we slipped a little owl into our teacher's desk and let the top down. We knew the first thing she would do after school "took up" would be to open her desk and get her Bible to read a chapter, and that when she did so, the owl would fly out at her. She did, and the owl did. Besides, she screamed and screamed also, and after a committee of investigation brought in its report, we had to sit kinda on the edge for several days. We just mention this now, so that when we get to be president posterity will know that we were just about the same kind of a kid all other kids were, and that we were not especially "borned," cut out, set apart and dedicated for the presidency. Statistics from the division of Animal Industry, Agricultural department at Washington, show that the marketable meat from a good steer, averages 60 pounds more than from a common or scrub steer. In other words, a good steer weighing 1000 pounds will bring its owner $28.90 more than a common, or scrub steer, weighing 1000 pounds. Besides the good steer will mature and fatten quicker on the same amt. of feed it takes to mature and fatten the scrub or common steer. These figures are taken from market prices July 14, 1923, and show how important from a money standpoint GOOD stock is. These figures hold good with regard to all kind of stock, and poultry, and emphasizes the importance of getting and keeping the BEST grades obtainable, and pure breeds if possible.
Palacios Beacon, September 21, 1923 |
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Did you ever notice that at the very time you need a blamed old car the most, is the very time something goes wrong with it, and you either have to fall back on the old mule or walk. S'fact. A little forbearance, tolerance and common sense, justice and equity on both sides in Oklahoma would have saved both sides in Oklahoma would have saved the good state the world disgrace and contempt in which she is now held. Hot headed fools makes lots of trouble. There ought to be a law, that a fellow could carry a stick of "Damanite' on the road with him, and when he meets an infernal road hog who persists in holding the whole road regardless of the rights of others on the road, he could put just enough of the stuff under him to jar him to the other side and learn him that there are others in the world beside his own hogship. Aint it true? We were trying to figure out all the way from Francitas last Tuesday, what made the A. T. Koch sale such a fine success, and just happened to remember that our old friend, Jesse Campbell clerked it, and in the joy of our heart we exclaimed "that do fix it." Mr. Von Kessel, the regularly advertised clerk, was called to Edna on important business, and was unable to be there. Mr. Von Kessel is sure one of the most efficient clerks we ever saw handle a sale. On the train the other day a fellow came in and sat down in the seat beside us, squared himself face about, pulled the tail of his mill to the wind, opened the fans, started the breeze, and his pump began to work. He was formerly of Omaha, Nebraska, now temporarily located at Houston, Texas, and had been in the land selling game 20 years, was then going to Brownsville and from there into the valley; had lots of land in the Valley, was going to get more; land down there would pay 20 per cent on an investment of $500 for the raw mesquite brush; no man with money to invest should fail to take advantage of the wonderful? bargains down there; had lived in Omaha ten years and knew that hundreds up there would just fall over themselves to bury a wad of $300 per if they only know of the immense possibilities of the Great Valley. For a long time the only thing we could say was "yah yah ish dot so." Finally a lull in the breeze came over him and we dodged in to the gap. We had lived in Nebraska thirty years; knew Omaha and Lincoln like a book; had been in the land business nearly forty years; had sold land nearly all over the United States; that we had good clean, clear land in Matagorda county, at $25 to $100 per acre, and all it needed was a little money, two good mules and elbow grease to make it blossom and produce equal to any $600 land in the Valley or anywhere else; we had the climate, the health, the good clean citizenship and if his $600 would pay 20 per cent on the investment ours would pay 120 to 400 per cent on its purchase price, and that--but gee, he was suddenly seized with that unconquerable desire that controls inveterate smokers and he made a bee line for the smoking car, and when we got off the train he was lying with his head in the seat and his feet hanging out of the window, dreaming about Matagorda Land.
Palacios Beacon, October 5, 1923 |
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Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Beard spent a pleasant afternoon Sunday with your correspondent and his frou. We sure appreciate the nice sweet potatoes Mrs. Frances Ortes sent over for us to sample. Five of them weighed six pounds and tasted mighty good. Thank you, neighbor. S. J. Hill from the Dunbar neighborhood drove up the fore part of the week to get a load of wood and had only been in the timber a few minutes when he came back with 15 cents worth of wood on the wagon. He said he broke his ax handle and was glad of it. We offered to lend him our ax, but he said he wasn't looking for a wood cutting job anyhow, and as hot as it was we didn't blame him. The row in Washington between the Comptroller General McCarl and Secretary Denby bids fair to demonstrate to the country what thimble headed incompetents are sometimes, thru a political pull elevated to places of trust and responsibility. We knew this fellow McCarl from a little boy to the present. After he went thro high school he began to part his name and his hair in the middle, and was known in Southwestern Nebraska as J. Raymond McCarl. Thro the influence of his father-in-law he was appointed secretary to G. W. Norris, present senior senator from Nebraska, and was schooled in the Norris style of politics. While he had been admitted to the bar he didn't prove to be even a good Jack-leg-lawyer and couldn't make a living in the practice and Norris finally unloaded him into the comptolller's office an office he is competent to handle as an uneducated Boer is to fill the presidency of Harvard College. His appointment shows political pull, just as she am. Isn't President Collidge's head about level when he says to this noisy "farm bloc" in congress: "Point out to me some tangible, workable, sensible plan for the relief of the farmer, and I'll call an extra session of Congress and do my best to put it thro." We honestly believe that if a genuine measure of relief one that would really relieve the farm situation and help the farmer and producer, were introduced in congress, most of this so-called farm-bloc would be lined up against it. We have personally known and associated with some of the members of that crowd and was fully acquainted with their great and all consuming desire to benefit the farmer--in a pig's eye. The farmer and producer are never going to be benefitted very much until they are placed on the same borrowing basis banks and big money corporations are on, and the moment a bill of that kind was introduced, every republican, democrat, pop and hottentot in congress would be lined up against it. Isn't it true?
Palacios Beacon, October 12, 1923 |
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Mrs. Albert Herreth, of Collegeport, came up for a visit with her brothers, Alex, and Victor Schutte the later part of last week. Did anybody notice how wonderfully brave our own Pat was before the convention of Governors last week? Gee, it's wonderful what courage, patriotism and rantankerous ring-tailed grit some fellows can display fifteen hundred or two thousand miles away from home and get scared to death if they meet a bootlegger close up. Last week we failed to connect with our column in the Beacon, and we lived in mortal fear that the paper would suspend publication, but on Saturday, "Scat My," if our copy wasn't pushed out of the postoffice window right under our nose when we called for our mail, which leads us to remark that none of us are such doggone pumpkins but that the world could wag along without us. We notice some of the papers are getting down to brass tacks on our school question, and are insisting on our educational system being brought down to a common and understandable basis, and simplified to the needs, conditions and abilities of our children. In other words, to place it on a basis that when our children get thro, they can read, write and figure intelligently in the common English language. We are getting plumb daffy on this evolututing business. Here comes old Chimpanzeroux and declares he's our grandad. Then we go along and meet old Dad Dustanmud, and he cocks up his left eye and declares we are "sure his grandson." Now, just a day or two ago, some blamed old fossil pops up and swears that our grandad was a woman named Pithccanthropusorctus. Oh gosh! and oh gosh! Whar did we com from, and whar am we gwine to? Gov. John M. Parker's threat to bolt the convention of Governors called to plan ways and means to more efficiently and effectively enforce the Eighteenth (prohibition) amendment, if the recommendation were signed by a single governor of any state, leads us to break out in a paraphrase of the old song:
Come back, John, don't stay long, Governor Jack Walton is probably just beginning to realize that even if all he has stated to the public concerning lawlessness in some of the cities of Oklahoma is true, that there are lots of other good citizens in Oklahoma besides Jack. A man can hardly run a whole state with such a high hand and keep within the law; and while we are ready to give praise to any man who endeavors to see that crimes and criminals are brought to justice, we do not believe that he should resort to unlawful means to accomplish his purpose, for two wrongs never make one right. The Ashby community and surrounding vicinity were called upon to mourn in common sympathy last week when the death of Grandpa J. H. Nicholson was announced. While his death was not expected, nevertheless it caused a deep sorrow over the while community, for he was one of the old residents here, a thoroughly beloved, good, Christian man, whose good words of encouragement were always cherished by those with whom he came in contact. He was 77 years old and leaves an aged wife, five sons and one daughter and a number of grandchildren to mourn his loss. All the five sons and daughter were present at the funeral. His daughter, Mrs. Robertson, had been taking care of him in his last sickness. A large concourse of neighbors and friends attended the funeral. The remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at Ashby. As man counts time, his years were full and running over and were replete with good deeds and acts of loving kindness; but as God measures space, he has just begun the life of everlasting joy and bliss, the heritage of all who love God and keep His commandments. To all the kind and loving friends who assisted in the last sickness, death and burial of the good husband, father and grandfather, the family requests the Beacon to extend their profound thanks.
Palacios Beacon, October 26, 1923 |
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D. N. Day was brought home from the Bay City hospital last Friday, apparently much improved in health. We understand Floyd Williams has bought the fine 200-acre tract of land just east of town from O. W. Rule, now of Los Angeles, Calif. The roads were so bad Friday that the rural carrier over Route One from Blessing had to double back over the route from the lower bridge to Blessing. The long stretch of low bottom west of the lower bridge was so bad he couldn't get the car thro. Last week we struck up a trade with Clarence Nicholson's little boy, to give him a bag of persimmons for his pup. When the kiddie got the permissions, he told us to get the rope and tie the pup and we could keep him TWO DAYS. Don't tell us that kiddie won't get through all right. Jim Dyer, who has been in the City Garage at Blessing for quite a while has opened a place of his own and is now located in the building next the postoffice, where he will conduct a Ford accessory shop and will also put in a filling station. No young man around Blessing is more deserving of patronage than Jimmy, for he's a square shooter. Last Saturday C. E. Duller was wearing a smile as broad as a meat as, all 'cause Mrs. Duller had returned from an extended visit with their son, who is attending Rice Institute, and their daughter, a trained nurse in Houston. Charlie says this thing of having to chop all the wood, split kindling, get up in the morning and build the fire, then flip his own pancakes and attend the store all himself don't set well with him. The story goes that one day a colored man stepped up to the window at the B. & M. depot and asked Agent Shepp the time of day. Mr. Shepp told him to look at the clock and see. He looked up and said, "Say boss, dat ar clock haint got only one han'." A great big smile rippled over the face of our genial agent as he replied, "Well, times are so hard I couldn't pay two hands, so I had to lay one off." The colored man turned away and walked across the waiting room and remarked to a companion, "Dese sho am hahd times." The batch of bills for the Marshall sale at Francitas came out with "Col." prefixed to our name as auctioneer. Now, we want to be mild and forgiving in our disposition, and give every one a chance to reform, but if Bro. Von Kessel ever perpetuates that kind of a gag on us again we are going to Francitas with a Gatling gun and there will be one of the best and most efficient land men in South Texas crippled. We always thought an auctioneer who prefixed "Col." to his name had several screws loose and he had lost something out of his upper story. We are content to be plain "Sam" and don't seek to have "greatness" thrust upon us, so we "Kut the Kurnel Komedy." That the "Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb" was fully exemplified last Saturday when, in company with Postmaster Selkirk, we boarded the train to attend the Marshall sale at Francitas. The auto roads were almost impassable, and how we were going to get back home without staying until Sunday afternoon was giving us food for thought. A young man at Francitas offered to bring us up for $4.00, single passenger, but we just lacked $3.65 of having the said $4.00. In the worry of the occasion Mr. Selkirk ran across Mr. Frame of Palacios, at the sale, who said we could ride to Blessing with him and welcome. We didn't wait a minute to grab the hook. This brought Mr. Selkirk to his home but dropped us in the mud four miles from home. Mr. S. said if we didn't get a way to get home to go with him to his home and stay over night--and the silver lining in the clouds began to shine thru. While we were negotiating with a colored neighbor to ride with him as far as he went our neighbors, John Williams and A. J. Beard, drove up to the sidewalk with a load of hogs they were taking home, and Mr. Williams suggested there would be room for another pig, if we wanted to go home. With a real "grunt" of satisfaction we climbed on the wagon. All this kindness of friends and neighbors goes far to relieve the sting of the thorn as we pluck the sweet scented roses along our pathway; and we desire to say to Mr. Frame of Palacios that if he ever gets up our way we will open the door and let him drive right through the hose--if by do doing he can get around a bad place in his journey.
Palacios Beacon, December 14, 1923 |
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Candidates to the right of us, The weather for the last two weeks or more is a sample of what we ordered, and our farmers have made good use of it and have lots of their farm work caught up. The school election in Blessing last Saturday brought out about 50 votes to fill the board of trustees for the coming year. This school district contains over 100 voters. We want to stand up in meeting right now and remark, that when any town, school district, community or county gets so sect ridden that people will stay away from the polls to give the sect rope to hang itself, that locality is in a bad row of stumps. "It shore am."
When we see them walking down the lane, It makes all the difference in the world whose ox is gored. When a republican on the senate committee asked the brother of Walsh to come before the committee, Walsh commenced to paw the air and yell, "It's incompetent, immaterial, irrelevant. You are only trying to discredit me." He forgets that his diving down into the lowest pits to bring out jail birds and questionable characters of both sexes, in his endeavor to besmirch the good name of dead men has already discredited him before the good citizenship of the good country that permits such things to be done.
Palacios Beacon, April 10, 1924 |
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Copyright 2006 -
Present by Carol Sue Gibbs |
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| Created Jan. 11, 2006 |
Updated Jun. 16, 2014 |