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Ennis News

Railway tycoon had Ennis ties

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Colorful excerpts of Ennis and Ellis County history

He may have been the wealthiest man to set foot in Ennis. Born in London, Col. Edward Howland Robinson Green, nicknamed “Ned,” was educated in New York and Chicago before heading south in 1892 to take control of the Texas Midland Railroad, a soonto-be lucrative family investment.

Mysterious 1899 death of German VIP

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I have room for only a few yesteryear news items this week, most of these provided by newspapapers.com, where some local publications are archived. In addition, I consulted back issues of the Ennis Daily News and Ennis Weekly Local from my own collection.

Youth at the helm

September in Ennis was hottest, driest on record

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WEATHER

When one’s favorite outdoor activity is going back indoors, its summer in the south. While September usually signals a change of venue, in Ennis it was as though the thermostat was set for fried hell.

According to our resident meteorologist and TV weather watcher Ron Vestal, the just concluded month was not only the hottest on record, at least in the near 50 years he’s been charting Ennis, but it was also the driest as well.

Home Tour tickets on sale

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COMMUNITY

Ever since the August announcement was recently made of the five houses that will be included on the upcoming Christmas Home Tour, interest in the event has grown. Hosted by The Friends of the Ennis Public Library, proceeds will benefit that organization.

Spurgeon seeks Bardwell mayoral post

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COUNTY

Seven months after her husband, Bardwell Chief of Police Mike Spurgeon, died in a tragic accident on S.H. 34, Shannon Spurgeon will seek to keep his legacy alive when she runs for mayor of the Ennis suburb, Bardwell.

Voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballot in favor of either Spurgeon, 49, or Larry G. Gilbert, 76, who once served a two-year term as mayor 28 years ago.

ENNIS GRINDS ‘CATS

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BAM! BAM! JONES

A blue-collar, blue-grade steel, workmanlike effort got the job done for Ennis in a 42-14 road victory over an out-manned Sulphur Springs team. Cold and damp conditions may have cut short any ideas for fireworks, but none were needed on a night when Hall-of-Fame Head Coach Sam Harrell won his 200th career victory.

As expected he credited players down through the years, and also made mention of longtime coaching cohorts, Steve Marrow and Paul Willingham, who have worked together over two decades.

Ennis edges ‘Cana, 3-2, boosts mark to 17-10

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After taking the first of a best of five match against Corsicana on Tuesday, Ennis dropped two straight before storming back to win the fourth and the fifth set tie-breaker to claim a 3-2 volleyball victory. The Lady Lions won 25-17, then played badly during 25-11 and 25-16 setbacks. On the verge of a defeat, they fought tooth-and-nail to claim the equalizer, 25-20, setting up a fifth game to snap the 2-2 deadlock. A 15-4 triumph followed to earn the team a key sweep, elevating their league mark to 4-3 and their overall record to 17-10. Corsicana falls to 14-19 and 1-6.

What is the people's business?

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To borrow from Andy Rooney, the late broadcaster of 60 Minutes fame, “You ever notice that when a politician gets in trouble, they always begin to scream about needing to do the ‘people’s business’ and stop the investigation? I sure have.”

With the state of education into how the government is supposed to run, it can be confusing what the people’s business is.

What's got college students so depressed?

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A growing trend that is building into a ground swell concerns the mental health of college students. Over the past two or three decades many have become as uptight as a long-tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs.

Their age used to be a time for discovery and freedom. Of course, with that comes the added responsibilities for education, preparing for adulthood, proving the ability to sustain oneself and plenty of critical areas that can sabotage one’s future if undisciplined.

Lunch, anyone?

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Although my commute to work is only seven minutes, I sometimes skip the trip back home for lunch and, thus, I land in the prayer garden at my church, with a salad and a glass of sweet tea. It’s funny how people interpret that, for I’ve invited others to join me. “Lunch in the prayer garden?” they repeat. “No, I’m good,” they say, declining the invitation. “No, I don’t want to interrupt,” another has admitted, as if I might chant or groan.