From the San Saba News & Star Archives
100 Years Ago March 6, 1924
The McMillin boys basketball team came over and played us a game of ball last Friday. Live Oak won the victory. The score were 29-5 in favor of Live Oak. Our boys are not very large, but they sure can play ball.
The Shiloh girls indoor baseball team crossed bats with Bethel's team last Friday. The score was 17 to 19 in favor of Shiloh.
Some of the ladies of our community met our county agent, Mr. Brison at Richland Springs, for the organization of an Egg Circle.
Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Crabb, of Houston have decided to cast their lot among us. Mr. Crabb is a cabinet maker and furniture man. He has rented the building on the southwest corner of the square and will be ready for business in a few days. We welcome the new enterprise to our little city.
One night this week Sheriff Neal was out among the hills and valleys of the county and he captured a little still that was behind the hill, as the world went by. The machinery of the plant consisted of an oil can and a few feet of copper coil. This machinery was used for the purpose of manufacturing 'corn' into chained lightning, more commonly known as busthead licker.
Elvis Brown has a permanent position with J. W. Carroll grocery business. Mr. Brown is a San Saba county man and has a host of friends throughout the county. He will be glad to see all his friends and acquaintances at his place of business.
Discoveries are most always made accidental, and this was the case in the discovery of a clay deposit which may be of commercial value to this county. This winter while some prospectors were digging for whatever mineral deposit they might find in the Colony district, they struck a vein of clay at a depth some 20 feet below the surface. This clay being of a most peculiar texture was sent to the pottery department of the College of Industrial Arts at Denton, where it was tested as to its value.
80 Years Ago March 2, 1944
Mrs.. W. J. Moore of Llano was in San Saba last week and had a picture of her son, Col. Howard Moore, U. S. Army Air Force, in company with the King of England and Major James Doolittle at an English air base which is under the command of Col. Moore. Col. Moore has the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for his service.
The past week records show we have had 2 1/2 inches of rain. Cherokee Creek was up some 5 feet, Colorado River just freshed.
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Wyres of Lohn, who bought the former Hewgley Ranch, are having their house remodeled while they have been occupying an apartment with Mrs. Mary Sullivan.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Ratliff of the C. C. Pool Ranch were in San Saba Saturday. Mr. Ratliff said they were looking forward to attending the San Saba Stock Show as they always bring some of the fine registered Hereford stock from the ranch to this show.
One of the modern day conveniences is the helpy-selfy grocery store. But C. R. Morton longs for the good old days when grocery clerks waited on customers. While he was in the Kirkpatrick Grocery last week, he was attracted by a luscious stalk of bananas, freshly imported from Mexico. After Morton had chosen a few well ripened fruit, he stopped his task and looked with amazement at the stalk. W. G. Kirkpatrick, genial proprietor of the store––wishing to be helpful–– came forward and asked his customer if he could be of help. Morton said, 'Yes, get that snake out of that stalk of bananas.' With the assistance of the entire staff of the store––including Mrs. Ed Tittle––the yard-long snake was unwound from the stalk where it has hibernated since the fruit was gathered in Mexico. Mr. Morton has changed his appetite––and now calls for Texas grapefruit and coconuts––he wants to get something snakes do not eat.