Ninety years ago, the news reported on December 13 was varied. A bit of the front page was state and national news, most was local.

Capt. John Churchill of the Salvation Army said that the kettles for street donations were ready to be placed on the streets. Santa Claus was on schedule to be on duty during the day to mark the beginning of the Christmas season.

The Gulf Production Company had obtained leases in the Bessie Heights field. One lease was from the Mansfield family in the Jacob Beaumont Survey. Gulf was leasing five and one-half acres for $550. Another lease in the same survey was for nine and one-half acres from O.M. Lord for $1216.97. A third lease in the survey was for two acres from Joseph Perges. Gulf was paying $200 for the third lease.

Jules Sanders had been elected to head the Orange Volunteer Fire Company. Sanders had been serving as assistant chief under Chief W.I. Adams. Adams declined to be reelected as chief.

Plans had been submitted to remodel the buildings located at Jackson and Border Streets. The buildings were occupied by the bottling works owned by E.W. Hillard. The bottling works had been operating in connection with the Star Ice Cream Factory. Hillard had recently sold the ice cream concern to the Dairy Products Company.

An increase was reported in the number of car owners calling in asking to have their auto headlights tested. Testing was necessary before the car owners could make an application to receive their 1930 auto license.

William Reid, General Manager of the Chamber of Commerce made a request to the Houston office of the national weather bureau to have the Houston office make a request to the Washington headquarters to send a thermometer and barometer to Orange. H.H. Campbell, the local government weather observer had reported he needed the new instruments to make observations of weather conditions.

The local parent-teacher association had started to raise funds to buy sweaters for the Orange Tigers football team. The fund had opened with $25 and had rapidly grown to $75. (It was not stated how much was needed for the sweaters)

An epidemic of intestinal troubles was reported in Orange. The “malady” was reported as being painful but not serious. It was thought that the intestinal troubles were incidental to recent slight attacks of influenza.

A city ordinance was in effect that prohibited “panhandling” in Orange. A recent column in the Leader said that Orange citizens should refuse to donate to “panhandlers.” 

“There are probably hundreds of dollars of misplaced charity given in Orange each year going to those who were ‘unworthy’. Citizens should donate to organizations like the Red Cross or Salvation Army through the Community Chest. The money would then be dispensed by trained agencies to those who are worthy,” said the writer.

Mrs. G.W. Rabon had undergone an operation for appendicitis in a Houston hospital. It was reported that she was “doing nicely.”

Sol M. White, former mayor of Orange spent a day in Orange on special business. White was now president and general manager of the Austin Implement Company.

Miss. Catherine Sims was confined to her Green Avenue home on “account of illness.”

Pate Bland of Wallis and granddaughter Miss, Lenora Bland of Galveston were in Orange as guests of relatives.

In the classified ads, a house and lot was listed for sale in the Brunner Addition, along with a house and lot in West Orange. The price was $700 for either.

Tommerwski located at Fifth and Park Streets had turkeys for sale. “We let you pick your own, but we do not exchange.”

“A black male hog with a white stripe around its body was last seen around the Berwick place on Cow Bayou. If seen, notify Reese Martin, at the end of 10th Street.”

Also, clean cotton rags were available at the Orange Leader office.

These old stories often make me think; I hope the sick folks got well, I wonder what the turkey guy meant by “we do not exchange”? I hope Mr. Martin found his hog, and I wonder why the Leader office was giving away “clean cotton rags?”

“And now you know.”