Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-01-24
OIL TOWN GROWS.
Mexia, Texas, Gained 27,oco inhabIt'
ants In Few Months.


Overnight tented city arose. From
an apparently sleepy little town OF
only 5000 population in October, 1921
where old settlers farmed for llv-
ing and eked out bare existence from
their lands; where they rode COW horses
TO town" and hitched them to hitch
ing most and where even the town hall
bell had not tolled for years because OF
the cobwebs and birds nests-to bus
tling city of 10000 people, and all IN
few months this is the recent record OF
Mexia, an old time Texas town, which
is feeling the effects, Of one OF the nu-
merous oil developments in the SOUTH
west.
The population now consists OF an
assortment of oil field followers and
thousands OF men and women seeking
employment, leaving an old oil field tor
the new, coming on trains from all
narts of the United States, or in wag-
ons. trucks or "horseback," some
bringing their assortment Of househoio
goods and camping outfits and finding
from ten to a hundred men for every
iob. and no place available for spend
ing the night.
Consequently bece use Of the exhoro-
liant prices charged for a ROOM IL one
were lucky enough to secure one, nun
dreds of men, favored by the l9ng-con-
tinued mild winter are sleeping on the
grass alongside railroad tracks, PUBIC
parking places and, in fact, anywhere
they could. Overnight a bed in ten'
marked, "a place to flop" scared IRON
so cents a night to SO. A night In a
crude plank structure where one olon
know his bed-fellow or the hundreds
of others in the single room, cost 20
Prices charged the few who were lucky
enough to get in one of the few private
dwellings vary, but all were higf
enough to satisfy the most fastid!ous
millionaire. But men are glad to get
bed at any price and many eou!d MOI
find shelter except that provided pS
nature.
Rail traffic jumped hundreds OF pei
cent There are two trunk lines, the
Houston & Texas Central and the
Trinity and Brazos Valley leading
through there and passenger traffic Is
very heavy while freight trains are ire
ouently seen running three abreast, Sc
heavy is the demand for oil machinery
One road is said 10 have spent $6OO'oVO
in enlarging it's facilities.
The water situationi is not altogether
what could be desired. The water was
procured from a spring short dis
lance from the town, and although
good water it was nearsy as high In
price as gasoline. Some oil man now
ever. came along and drilled an oil well
right side by side with the spring
"tapping" the water supply so badly
that lately it has been entirely stopped
Water wagons have been requisitioned
and although they are busy al day and
night hauling water to homes, restau-
rants and improved "bunking' houses
they are not sufficient to cover the
field.
Consequently the town has been de-
clared very unsanitary" by citizens in
heated arguments at the meetings OF
the city council, which Is making every
effort to remedy the situation. Mayor
Riddle informed the irate citizens that
this could not be done overnight"
Getting a bath there is quite an ex-
perience, if indeed, not a task. The old
saying "If you want to do something
big-wash an elephant" eitainly has
found parallel in Mexico. This luxury
may be found, outside the woodland
creeks, only in a downtown barber
shop. The bath house is stall in a
wooden -foored, planked-in enclosure.
Just plain pine planks are slippery, but
the proprietors Of the house have found
that it is not necessary to maintain
first aid kits because the board floors
are warped enough to allow the bather
a foot-hold Cleanliness, after all, is
next to godliness," but bath in Mexia
next to impossible.
But as for oil. There are a solid SIX
miles of new derricks, drillers' outfits,
tents wooden buildings and people
where once there was the open prairie.
A survey Of all local lumber men shows
that buildings completed or contracted
for since October l, totals between $3,-
100000 and $5,OOO,OOO. ..
Gambling and drinking halls filed
with dancing girls are open every night
and one may buy openly red" and
corn" whisky at so cents a drink.
There is no effort at closing them. The
Winter Garden is the most flourishing
of these. Here it is said fortunes have
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