Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications, compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, offering a look back at the history of the Rio Grande Valley.
Steve Hathcock is a local historian and a regular columnist for the Port Isabel South Padre Press. He has spent many years collecting and sharing the history of the Rio Grande Valley, as well as treasure hunting and formerly owning an Island-based bookstore.
Killer Mosquitos Terrorize the Valley
HARLINGEN—Officials have announced that two U-S Air Force planes will start spraying in the Brownsville area before dawn tomorrow in an effort to kill mosquitoes believed to be the carriers of a rare sleeping sickness. Each of the planes is capable of spraying 18,000 acres an hour. A special government task force says that at least 32 horses reported sick in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are believed to have Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis, known as VEE. This is more than twice the 14 sick horses reported yesterday. One man is hospitalized at Brownsville for treatment of VEE symptoms. The disease can be transmitted to human beings by mosquitoes that have bitten horses afflicted with the sickness.
(WBAP-TV (Television station : Fort Worth, Tex.) July 9, 1971, 12:00 p.m.)
A Collection of Local Humor The Nose Knows.
Boss: “I’m smoking a terrible lot of cigars these days.”
Stenographer: “I’ll say you are—if that’s one of them.”
A Dirty Knock.
Cynic—“What do you think of this column of humor you are now reading?”
Diplomat—“Well, I would say that anyone with fever blisters and cracked lips could read it without fear of pain.”
Yes Indeed.
Cross-worder: “Give me a ten letter word meaning a country without any women in it.”
Smart Guy: “That’s easy—STAGNATION.”
Uncle Pete’s Thought.
“Mebbe Chris Columbus’s critics who said the world was flat were right. We now know for a certainty that Germany and France are that way.”
In the Hospital.
Friend: “Did the doctors remove your appendix?”
Voice from Cot: “Man—they removed the whole table of contents.”
BLONDE BESS OPINES.
“Fellow at our boarding house circles the globe several times every day. It’s Mike—the goldfish.”
Financial Suggestion.
Hubby: “Dear, you’ll have to give up that idea of a new spring suit this month. Money at the bank is awfully low.”
Newlywed: “I know you are a good business man, honey bunch—but if I were you, I’d certainly put our account in a bank that had plenty of money.”
ED PURDY’S PHILOS.
“After seeing that new saleslady from the city down at Seth Thompson’s Department Store I’ll say he’s got a counter attraction.”
Beth: “I’m glad to know someone thinks so.”
Gladys: “Wonderful.”
Beth: “How is Fred, your sweetie, these days?”
A Specialist.
Father: “Sonny boy, this is the day of specialists. Learn to do one thing so well that you can do it better than anyone else in the world.”
Sonny: “Then I’m already a specialist.”
Father: “What can you do better than anyone else?”
Sonny: “Read my own writing.”
(San Benito Light (San Benito, Tex.) Thursday, February 26, 1925)