1921 :: Soldier Boy's Funeral to be Held Tomorrow

The funeral of Private Hicks R. Carlile will be held tomorrow. The remains are due to arrive on the 2:40 p.m. I. & G. N. train from San Antonio. Mayor H.C. Meyer was requested by the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night to take charge of the details of the funeral, which assures that the young hero will be shown due respect by our citizenship. The funeral will be under the auspices of the American Legion, and the body will be buried with military honors. Interment will be held at the Hamilton Chapel burying ground. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 49, No. 34, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 20, 1921 Page: 1 of 8

1922 :: Death of Joe Bratcher

Joe Bratcher, colored, died in the home of his aunt, Melisa Sanders, Monday night and was buried here Wednesday. Deceased was in the faithful employ of Mayor H.C. Meyer for many years, continuing in his service up to the time he was stricken with the malady that eventually caused his death. Joe belonged to a sturdy pioneer generation whose parents are fast becoming thinner and fewer. Rockdale Reporter, April 6, 1922

1933 :: Sale of Henne & Meyer

The stock of the Henne & Meyer company was sold by the trustee at public auction here on Wednesday morning, and was bought by the McLendon Hardware Company of Waco. The sale included stock, fixtures, notes and accounts. Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, March 16, 1933

1922 :: Death of J.D. Hamilton

J.D. Hamilton Instantly Killed 
in Storm of Wednesday Night. 

Another Rockdale citizen meets tragic death by coming in contact with high powered electric light wire of Texas Power & Light Co. 

J.D. Hamilton, Rockdale citizen and business man and former constable of this precinct, was instantly killed about nine o'clock Wednesday night of this week when he came in contact with a fallen electric light wire on East Cameron Street near SAAP Depot. 

Mr. Hamilton had been in Cameron on the Grand Jury and has just returned home on the evening SAAP train, which was late on account of the storm. The storm had broken the high voltage electric wire immediately in front of the residence of Dr. C.E. Wisecup. This wire had fallen in such manner to catch on the paling fence, thus forming a loop across the sidewalk. Mr. Hamilton, after waiting at the depot a few minutes for the rain to abate, started walking up town. His foot caught in the fallen wire, and the full charge of 2300 volts passed through his body, killing him instantly. He fell in such manner that the wire continued in contact with his leg, and it was therefore necessary to cut off the power at the sub-station before his body could be moved. 

A Mexican named T.V. Rincon of Rosebud, was just behind Mr. Hamilton and witnessed his fall. This Mexican stated that he at first thought Mr. Hamilton had slipped and fallen and he started to take hold of him and help him up, but received such a shock he immediately realized the situation. He then gave the alarm and in a few minutes a number of citizens were at the scene, among the first to arrive being Dr. Wisecup, W.E. Gaither and Dr. Coulter. 

As soon as the body could be extricated it was removed to the Henne & Meyer Undertaking Parlors, it being impossible to reach Mr. Hamilton's home on account of high water in Ham Branch. Examination disclosed that one of the dead man's feet was completely burned off, the entire lower limb, from shoe top almost to the knee, being almost entirely consumed. 

This is the second death in Rockdale by electrocution in two weeks, and it is a singular coincidence that the other death -- that of little Velma Ashby on San Jacinto Day -- occurred in Mr. Hamilton's yard. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger, Thursday, May 4, 1922

1921 :: Collapse of Water Works Standpipe

The Rockdale water works standpipe collapsed under pressure of a full head of water about 9:00 o'clock Tuesday night. The standpipe was 110 feet high, and consisted of 22 sections of 5 feet each. The break occurred on the 9th section, and the thirteen top sections fell with a crash that was heard all over town. 

In falling the tower pointed north and partially wrecked the W.E. Gaither warehouse, formerly occupied by the old Rockdale Commission Company. While the tower proper did not reach the warehouse the volume of water carried by the falling portion dealt the building a blow that wrecked the rear portion and scattered its contents promiscuously. Mr. Gaither's damage amounts to several hundred dollars to building and contents.


Some damage also resulted to the old City Cemetery, a number of monuments and gravestones being displaced and broken, shrubbery uprooted, etc.


In falling the connection water main was broken, thus draining the section of the standpipe left standing, and causing a shortage of water over the city which was not relieved until nearly noon next day.


The loss to the city is really not very great, as the standpipe was known to be almost worthless and its collapse was not unexpected. It was erected in 1890, and was therefore 31 years old and had served its allotted time and many years over. The city council only recently authorized the purchase of a new water tower to take its place, and Mayor Meyer has since been busy getting bids and prices on same, and was about ready to place the order when the collapse occurred. The order was placed Wednesday morning by wire.


Until the new tower can be erected the waterworks will be conducted by direct pump pressure from the plant into the mains. The nine sections of the old standpipe still standing will be kept full and ready for emergency use in case of fire.

Mayor Meyer asks The Reporter to state that no time will be lost in replacing this tower, and that under the system of direct pumping there will be an abundance of water in the mains at all times for all purposes.


The new water tower will cost $10,000, and will be paid for out of the water works plant fund accumulated from the earnings of the water works plant. This fund on October 1st contained $8,454, almost enough to pay for the new water tower.


In this connection the citizens should not confuse the water works plant fund with the water works bond fund. The bond fund is the sinking fund provided for the retirement of the water works bonds and is accumulated from the tax payments. This bond fund now consists of $654 cash in bank and the ownership of $7000 worth of other city bonds, bought as an investment for the water works sinking fund, and drawing interest therefore.


No city bonds of any kind have been bought with the water works, plant fund, which, as above stated, is an accumulation of profits from the operation of the water plant. These profits amount of approximately $300 per month, in addition to which the town receives free water for schools, drinking fountain, street sprinkling and fire protection -- a service which formerly cost the city $100 per month. Cameron Herald, October 20, 1921

1934 :: Lignite Deposits at Rockdale Sold

Rockdale, Texas, June 8. -- Increased interest in Texas lignite coal, which is found over a large area but has not been mined very extensively, is indicated by the sale of 800 acres three miles southeast of here to H.H. Coffield this week. Much of the land formerly was owned by the Henne & Meyer lignite interests and deposits are untouched. Prices were not announced but cash was paid and purchase made outright, with the price understood to have been large. Purchase was made with the idea of ultimately developing the project and establishing production, Mr. Coffield said, in the belief that the lignite industry is coming back within a few years. Deposits are about seventy feet underground and will be mined by the shaft and hoist method when operations are started. Dallas Morning News, June 9, 1934

1914 :: Mail Carrier Drowned

Death - L.C. Meyer Drowned - Luis C. Meyer, mail carrier on Rt. 1 was accidentally drowned Monday afternoon while making his return trip. The accident happened on the Rockdale and Burton road at Cottonwood Hollow between Hogg and Chriesman Chapel. Ordinarily this so-called branch is dry but the rains Monday had converted it into a raging torrent. No one saw the accident but some one heard him yell and Wright Watson, Steve Bubnik and Lee Wolz went to see what was the matter and found Meyer's horse standing on the bank, the harness having been cut to free the horse from the hack and the hack itself had been washed some distance downstream. Meyer was nowhere to be seen. A further search disclosed his body hanging in a barb-wire fence of the Krall pasture and when taken down, the body was shone to have a number of cuts. Burial in the Masonic cemetery under the Hermann Sons lodge. He leaves a wife and two children, Fred Meyer of Rockdale and Mrs. Arthur Tomlinson of Rosebud. Cameron Herald, May 7, 1914

1914 :: St. Patrick's Day in Rockdale

Rockdale, Tex., March 20. -- St. Patrick's Day was designated by Mayor H.C. Meyer as "clean-up day" for Rockdale. All stores were closed in the forenoon, their forces entering with spirit into the work. Curls of smoke rose from trash piles in all directions, tin cans were relegated and soon the city blossomed forth in cleanliness. The public schools were also closed, giving the boys and girls a chance to contest for four cash prizes offered. The winners were: First girl's prize, Miss Mary Rothrock; second girl's prize, Miss Margie Lewis; first boy's prize, Bailey Reeves; second boy's prize, Shelby Brieger and Fred Green (divided). Dallas Morning News, March 21, 1914