davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
Capitalizing ON
tourist trade

There are 10 churches and many
civic and social organizations which
work tirelessly to make the city a
better place to live in, home to
be proud Of
During late years FL Centre has
begun to capitalize on tourist trade
which fellows the southern route
in a tour across the United States
Modern hotels auto camps and
restaurants have replaced the build
ings which partially served those
purposes thirty years ago.
Because Of its rapid deVelopment
and its central location in the val
ley El Centro has been made the
headquarters for the Pacific Grey
hound bus service and is an i'm
Portant junction on the Southern
Pacific lines
In the days of the box car depot
Ell Centres assessed valuation might
have been spoken of in minus
figure but today the assessed val
uation of FL Centre is $11.146, $50.
The tax on real estate is $183 per
500. The total bonded Indebtedness
is only slightly more than 100000
Ell Centro'S greatest industrial
activity, because the city is located
in the center of the worlds great
est agricultural area, is in fruits
and vegetables. Twenty-Five sheds
are located in Ell Centre at an in
Vestment of more than half a mill
ion dollars. Shipping produce was
estimated at million dollars last
year.
Second only to produce in the
valley, and the steps being made
in the industry now indicate that
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

1SIoWIl OF tne city SKyrOcKeCing TO
lhi9h population figures, there have
|ceen specific incidents which have
|added materially in ats growth.
The first cane in 1907 when the
pity was still struggling along with
P box car depc5 and two or three
prick buildings which housed a post
|pfiice, general store and a newly
|erected opera house.
1t was the county seat election.
(ti Centro won.
A share of people in other towns
immediately moved their belong
| |ngs to Ell Centro to set UP busi-
|nesseS. And because Ell Centre was
he county seat, it drew a large
percentage of the valleys new
|comers in later years.
The second aid, the approval of
|ihe Boulder Dam and the ALL
american canal, was equally i'm
|1ortant to the other cities of the
yalley.
The approval of the Boulder Dam
project and the All-American canal
Iirew some settlers to the valley but
he most important result was the
assurance of permanency of I'M
|perial Valley.
Merchants became certain the
Falley would remain a flourishing
Pity, and Immediately began long
|erm plans of improvement. Resi-
|tents took new interest in their
homeS and dairymen and agricul-
Iurists looked forward to bright
Future in their industry.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
City headquarters
for agriculture

With the growth OF the city 1t
becomes apparent that Ell Centre
has become the headquarters for
the Imperial Valley agricultural
industries, marketing more than
100000 of farm products each
year.
Statistics show that 85 percent
of the lettuce brokers, 10 percent
Of the growers, 70 percent of the
cantaloupe buyers and 81 percent
Of the melon shippers operate from
Ell Centre.
And Ell Centro is the headquar-
ters for the following valley-wide
institutions:
Hulse Tractor and Equipment
Company. Automobile Club of Sou
thern California, Valley Auto Sup
ply, Western Auto Supply, Roy H.
Womack, Edgar Bros, Rogers and
Tison, Cramer Baking, Bank of
America, Security First National
Bank, Whiting Mead, Coca Cola
Bottling Works.
California Pine Box Distributors,
Imperial Valley Hardware, Pacific
Greyhound Lines, Golden State
Creameries, Western Dairy Prod
ucts, Imperial Valley Credit AS
sociation. Hancock Oil Company,
Valens Oil Company, Pioneer Truck
and Transfer, Imperial Valley
Grapefruit Growers, Natural Gas
Company.
Haas, Baruch and Company, I'm
pcrial Ice and Development, Met
rop9litan Life Insurance Co, VAL
ley Steam Laundry, Nev-Cal Elec-
trio Company, Sunland Dairy, Rich
field Oil Co., Standard Oil Com
pany, Signal Oil Company, Shell
OIL Company, Texas Oil Company,
Southern California Telephone Co
Arrowhead Water Company, Tripe
A Water Co., Imperial Irrigation
District, Goodrich Tire and Rubber
Co., FireStone Tire and Rubber
Co., Western States Grocery.
Imperial Valley Concrete Com
pany, California State Highway De-
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
Women play
active part

Women CT Ell Centro have re-
ceived little commendation for their
work in the building of the city.
The women took over the Ten
Thousand club in the early days
and made an excellent success Of
what had been a failure.
The club was organized by men
cf the city to boost the population
TO 10000 but as years went by
the men lost interest and gave up.
1t was then that the ladies took
hand and reorganized the club.
They took an active part in lead
ing the way in the social and cul-
tural life of the valley. The popu-
lation hit 10000, passed it.
New homes are being built, and
following the theme of perman-
ency, the homes are air cooled,
insulated against heat and cold.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

nave CDurcn. FL CentfanS sang
hymns for the first time in the
little desert settlement early in 1906
IN the dining room of the old Frank
lin hotel. first wooden building in
own, at the northeast corner of
Fifth and Broadway.
Presbyterians First
! Prcsbyterians established the first
|hurch in Ell Centro, Jan. 81, 1906,
With a membership of II. Charter
members of the pioneer church in
yluded Mr.. and Mrs. j. c. Blackin-
/ on. Alice Blackinton, Mr.. and Mrs.
George E. Reid, Mr.. and Mrs. Geo.
f. Irwin, Mr.. and Mrs. w. E. Will
Iie. Margaret M Vanderpol, and
Fannie Waldrop. The first minister
|yas the Rev. Mr.. A. H. Croco. They
edicated their first church build
Ing Nov. 10, 1907, with the Rev. Mr..
|5eorge Butterfield of Los Angeles
preaching the dedicatory sermon.
The wooden structure at Fourth
Ind Olive streets was destroyed by
\ tornado a few years later. The
present church is situated at Sixth
|n1 Orange streets
The Christian Church
First services for the Christian
|hurdH were held in the Franklin
IL by the Rev, Mr., j.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
From Box Car
Depot TO City
Of Thousands

place in the road in 1908, only there wasn't road, to
thriving, progressive city of 10000 inhabitants in 1898
Is, IN brief the history of El Cenro county seat of I'M
peral Valley.
The growth Of Eel Centre in thirty short years, steady,
haural growth achieved without the aid Of single arti
cal boom indicates that the city will continue to grow
Eand prosper years pass.
While there have been artificial boOms TO send the
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

Boulder Dam and the l-Americ9u
canal were mapped.
Sc while Eel Centre may have
received The breaks in its rapid
growth, it can point to the maxim
so true in athletic competition. A
winning team makes its own breaks.
Boulder Dam is completed and
the All-Amcrican Canal is three
fourths complete. Ell Centro has
PASSED the preparatory stages for
its rapid growth due to the settle
ment of the Colorado river problem,
and is now ready for a constructive
advance to the front among south
western cities.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

r. Cheney Co., Globe Grain and
Milling Co, Borderland Express,
Pacific Freight Lines, Tovrea Pack
ing Company.
Great Atlantic and Pacific, u.
S. Weather Bureau, San Diego and
Arizona Railway, SafeWay Stores,
Imperial Valley Building and Loan
Association, Scheniman Paper Co, /,
Desert Citrus, Pacific Fruit EX-
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

Today the home owner builds fer
the future
Not only are the people of Ell
Centro building homes for future
years but they are anxious to i'm
prove schools, libraries, publ!c
Dmidngs.
Schools have been improved in
The aity during recent years and at
the present time there are two high
schools. two junior colleges and
fivc grammar schools in I'll Cen
tr0. A new public library buildins
ha. arpD efqrfp1
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

grow up in Ell Centre in locations
that hadn't even been dreamed of
as a part of the city.
Soon after the elimination of the
Colorado River problem it was evil
dent that Ell Centre residents had
outgroWn the era when valleyites
built homes out of the flimsiest
material because they knew not
how long they would be here.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

press, Radio KXO, Pioneer Title
Insurance and Trust Company, U.
S. immigration Service, Goodyear
Tire and Rubber Company.
When EI Centros first board of
trustees took office. shortly after
Ell Centre was Incorporated on April
16, 1908, even their visionary minds
failed to perceive the outstanding
residential district which would
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

partment, Federal Transient Ser
vice. Auto Gear and Supply Co,
Federal-State Inspection Service,
Edgar Bros. Implement Dealers,
State Board of Equalization, Al G..
Smith Company, National Cash
Register Company, Singer Sewing
Machine Company, Boy Scouts of
America, Edgar Brothers Hardware
Stores, Motor Freight Terminal, c.
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24
Hotel Dining Room Served as First
Place of Worship in New
Community

Devout pioneers lost no time in introducing church
Eervccs into the life of the community, Ell Centro 80
EcarS ago.
They hastily established temporary dwellings in tents
nd then scanned the community for suitable place to
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

long record OF service to the people of Ell Centric.
Goodyear tires have been the favOrites of our customers
during the entire time have been in business at Sixth
and Broadway Needless to say, patrons have obtain
ed highly satisfactory service from their Goodyears thru
The years or business could not have grown as il has
When it's time 10 retire put on SAFE Goodyears
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

FIRST STATION = BUILT 1919
AT Sixth d Broadway = Ccrtro
The above building built a cost of $500 and was
The jrS building used by MCNCcCcs at the location
lcir present huac modern station occupies
service station has been operated by The owners
oV"i such lon@ period of time
Ins service station modern and complete any
other operating ~ years in Imperial Valley
Imperial Valley press., 1938-04-24

has DCc0 started
Evening star., 1938-04-21

partner, Marso Bander: Sunday Night
1rv Levick Of the Heigh Ho. cele-
brating (but not tabulating) q BIRTH
day At the Mayhower Lounge:
The Minister Of the Dominican Re-
public, 6enor Don Andre Pastoriza,
with three Of his fellow countrymen: :
Senator Richard B. Russell, jr., w.
Averill Hartman, 10 Davidson, the
sculptor At the Carlton: Kitty
Fuqua seems to have returned for
New York, for she certainly was at the
Shar-Zad Room, and another eve there
was Peggy Tyner Dugsdale, and still
another eve the place was so full even
Manager Frank Swadley couldn't get
to that favorite corner table of his
=. At the Shoreham blue room
Maj. Gen. and Mrs Julian L. Schley,
(See AFTER DARK, Page B-10)
Evening star., 1938-04-21
A. F. G. E. UNIT HOLDS
MEMBERSHIP RALLY

Approximately 300 members Of Dis
trict Lodge, No. 81, American Fedora
ton Of Government Employees, held a
membership rally last night at Pythian
Temple, 1912 Ninth street NV.
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen, one
OF the speakers, was presented with q
gold card Of honorary membership in
the lodge.
John c. Locher, president of Gen.
tral Labor Union, spoke on the union
Evening star., 1938-04-21

movement and praised the benefits Of
organized labor. John A. Marshall,
director Of the District Unemployment
Compensation Board and treasurer Of
the lodge, introduced the speakers.
The rally closed with minstrel show
and other entertainment.
Evening star., 1938-04-21

1t may be just about time
for the doldrums to start to descend.
but they're not here yet. At least
they're not evident in some of the
entertainment afforded by the mid
night bistros about town. At the Rus
sian Troika, for instance, there is the
tops comedy skit of the season at this
or any other haunt in the village
that 8-minute take-off of the opera.
Evening star., 1938-04-21

"Othello" 1t is stupendous: 1t Is CO.
lossal; 1t is magnificent Such tender
ness; such pathos; such demfoolish-
ment. And if you should see a stray
citizen under a Troika table it probably
isn't what you think at all, for
"Othello," as performed here by
Mischa Markoff and those cronies OF
his. is Of the sort of stuff that rolls
you right out Of the chair with
laughter.
Evening star., 1938-04-21
After Dark
Smart People, Smart Things, Smart Places
By the Spectator.
l IL THAT to-do. what-ho and
\ yipdi-yoodle YOU certainly must

A IL THAT to-do. what-ho and
~ yipdi-yoodle you certainly must
~ have noticed around the north
\ west corner Of Fourteenth and
the Avenue Tuesday night was not
meeting of the clans or war dance
of cigar store Indians 1t was just
Harry Somerville, the Wizards man.
ager, tossing a party for the press
and some other friends to herald the
opening of the new Blue Grotto, which
is where there used to be the coffee
shop. where now Mr. Somerville hopes
you will drop in for quickie between
the acts or stay around for a while
after the show. Where also you may
at the moment hear piano played
as it is played by Evelyn Tyner, which
is about as we'll as you'll hear a piano
played in any of the towns rendezvous;
may hear songs sung by Talbot Has
lett, which Is about as we'll as you will
hear songs sung in any Of the towns
rendezvous.
- And all the fuss you might have
noticed about the corner of Connec-
ticut and @ Saturday night was moth
ing more than just another Saturday
night 1t the Heigh-Ho, with people
practically hanging from the rafters
and with all the furniture in the build
ing brought into the club when the
chairs ran out . That Is all. with
the exception Of Pete Macias' four
poster bed and his piano bench =.
And another night there was great
craning Of necks among the citizens
gathered at the ringside, for into
Heigh-Ho there marched Miss Kitty
Carlisle of the Nationals Three
Waltzes," who is worth craning neck
to see; and with her Michael Bartlett
who sings the male lead in the same
operetta >. Then still another night
Evening star., 1938-04-21

Another item not to be
passed up is the interlude provided
when the Kings testers step from
the Shar-Zad band stand to come
out in the middle of the Shar-Zad
dance floor and make merry. Their
by radio announcers is a honey; and
Evening star., 1938-04-21

there was the girl who had to be
forcibly restrained from building a
bonfire in the middle of the ash tray,
because she suddenly remembered how
much fun she had had when she was
Campfire Girl.
Evening star., 1938-04-21

20 Is that ditty about all the Sultan's
wives, which goes on and on and
on until the lads can't remember any
more verses. And 50 are q lot Of
other things they do, all Of which
pleases the Cartons Frank Swadley
no end, he having been trying many
moons to get the Kings testers to
town.
Also to be noted wherever
you make notes Of after-dark enter
tainment Is the announcement from
the shoreham. For once more the
Shoreham defies the calendar and
greets summertime with an ice carni-
val Not right now, but some day
like q Monday named May 2, will
you find the dance floor Of the blue
room buried under . slab Of synthetic
ice and at certain appointed hours
each evening thereafter will you fnd
raft Of experts on ice skates doing
spectacular things on ice skates.
Who Was Where At the
Wardman Park Metronome room
Roland T. Carr. the young banker who
wins prizes for public speaking, likes
the Paul Kain music, likes to dance
to 1t in the southeast corner Of the
dance floor; Representative Frank
Havenner also seems TO like the Kahn
rhythms, having come back for more
At the Madrillon: Senator Rush
Holt: another night Frank Libuse
of the Capitols stage show, with his
Evening star., 1938-01-30

ing to outlast me, in most things. I'm
going to offer him an illusion, first, and
when the illusion has worn off, I'll
give him love to the end of time. You
see, I'm reasonable about it; but |
hate being reasonable. l hate to have
every action planned and schemed
like a moving picture that's why
I'm saying goodby."
A greater cold than that of winter
entered the heart of Jimmy Kerns.
He felt that he had lost; that all poor
men had lost forever.
Damn reason, then," said Terry
"You can't say goodby. You're going
to marry mer'
"And live on what?" she asked.
''On what l make" he answered =
I'VE can't live on that" she said.
Then we'llstarve on it, said Terry.
WED have to live in two furnished
rooms," she said.
why not?" he asked.
YOU'RE crazyr' said the girl. "Your.
friends would hoot at your
Damn my friends,,'' said Terry.
I'm not marrying them. Stop being
reasonable and just tell me you'll
marry met!
"When?" she asked.
''Now" said Terry, j..
Darling" said the girl, Its such
habit for me to do what you wishr'
Jimmy Kerns, through the whirling
mist of his excitement, drew up at the
Broadway address and took in his
hand the fifty-cent piece which paid
the fare and gave him ten-cent tip.
1t meant nothing to him that Terry
was rolling up bit of typewriter
paper. For the tongue and the heart
and the hands of Jimmy now were
blindly eager to grapple with Molly
and destiny.
Is it all right?" Terry asked.
II think it's rather good" said the
girl, judicially. But what's the matter
with that driver?"
For Jimmy Kerns had shot his car
away from the curb and darted it into
the throng of the traffic like hurled
javelin. His mudguards clashed like
the shields of heroes against truck
on one side and an ambulance on the
other as he rode past a red light and
plunged wildly on his way.
He acts like fellow who has his
mind made up for something" said
Terry, and walked with the girl into
the entrance of the Pacific and At
lantic Broadcasting Company, fitting
the script of their scene into an inner
pocket.
L. EaA
Evening star., 1938-01-30

sudden demand for taxis, stalled even
along Park Avenue, tied itself into in
extricable knots along the sidestreets,
and now and then moaned far and near
with hopeless voices. 1t was time
when the driver needed to pick his
openings like a fencer, but Jimmy
Kerns, after that first sentence from
the girl, forgot the greasy streets, for
got how his hands stuck to the wheel
and how his collar stuck to his neck
He kept only a tenth part of his brain
for the work in hand and concentrated
his soul and the rest of his brain as an
audience for the rear seat.
The vision of his own Molly came
entrancingly close to him, with that
one line Of worry incised each year
more permanently between her eyes.
1t was true that she had waited pa
tiently but now her patience seemed to
be drawing to a close and the years
had slipped away from her like an un-
happy spell last Saturday night when
she was with Garry Doolan at the
dance. Garry Doolan, in the cab of a
ten-wheel truck, made forty dollars
a week.
The picture of Molly still dwelt in
his minds eye as he recalled the girl
who now rode in the cab. She was not
a patch on Molly, for she was thin,
with big. shadowy eyes: the man was
full-necked and there was good bit
more of him, now, than his clothes had
been cut for.
He was saying: Il know. It's been
that way since the Bible days. It's the
man who has to wait and like it; it's
the girl who can afford to get tired. All
the old stories are rot There's no more
forever stuff in the world. Love but
one and love forever - that's rot"
"Why do you say that?" asked the
girl.
Because it's true" said he. His
voice swelled. 1t was good voice. 1t
had the resonance of song in it. though
muted and controlled for speech.
There's no mofe of the real love.
When a girl looks at man. she has
one eye on Reno. She signs Declara-
ton of Independence. not a marriage
certificate or family Bible; and once
a week after she's married she touches
off the fireworks for another Fourth
Evening star., 1938-01-30

NCE Jimmy Kerns made
seven pounds and half
which is taxi slang for
~ thirty-seven dollars and
fifty cents, but that was his biggest
haul. 1t happened when he was regu-
larly stationed in a hotel full of con-
vention delegates who insisted on 60
ing places and paying for things. but
as rule he averaged around eighteen
or twenty dollars week. He cut out
whisky and stuck to beer but still he
could not save very much; and so he
went on living for two years with his
hand on the door of Paradise but never
able to walk in and make himself at
home. He drove his taxi all day long
with a misting dream of happiness
before his eyes.
That glance which could pick out
from block away the prosperous pc
destrian and lure him into the cab with
smile and an open door, had now
grown dim; and just as his hunger of
heart grew greater and greater his
income grew less and less. There had
been a time when Jimmy could tell by
instinct just how to please fare, He
knew when the gay young bucks
wanted to raise a breeze and skid the
corners: he knew the rhythm which
pleases cautious age, just one pulse
slower than the beat of the traffic; he
knew when he and she wanted to 60
softly on, unjarred by the brakes, un-
startled by squawks upon the horn.
and once he had couple in the Park
he often kept them in their enchant-
ment for two or three rounds while the
meter clicked out its own little story
of the miles.
But now his preoccupation blinded
him to others. There had been days
when he learned so much from the
back seat that the papers hardly could
give him news; but now the voice of
melancholy at his own ear drowned all
others until, on this afternoon, the girl
in his cab said to her man: ITS just
because I've loved you so much that
I'm tired of it ALL"
1t was a rainy afternoon with the
downpour turning to hot steam. In the
lower stories Of buildings, lights were
coming on in this false twilight. The
traffic, thickened everywhere by the