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One of the lead items in the Orange Leader edition January 5, 1934, was a brief from City Hall. It stated that Mayor Blanchard had returned from a successful business trip to Austin.

In other news, Charles Gunstream and his wife deeded to Fannie Gunstream and her husband undivided interest in 10 acres of the C. West Division for a consideration of $10.

Three hundred poll taxes were paid as of the date of the paper, it was announced by the city tax collectors office. It was about one-tenth of the amount expected to be paid. January 31 would be the last day to pay poll tax.

It was reported that there had been no city or county arrests the prior day.

About 1000 feet of levee had been built as part of the city flood control system. The project was under the direction of Ed S. McFarland. The construction of the flood gates was expected to start soon. Materials for the flood gates and other facilities had already been delivered to the construction site.

Construction of the first all-steel, electrically welded barge built at Levingston Shipyard was nearing completion.

The barge was 20 feet wide and 52 ½ feet long and had a capacity of 600 barrels. It was being built for the transportation of crude oil.

The all-steel barge was built under the supervision of J.G. McMullen who was combining his machine shop with Levingston Shipyard for the project.

It was predicted that the construction of the barge would be creating a new phase of industry for Orange oil development and was expected to create a big demand for barges to be built for the transportation on crude oil.

Nothing was given out at this time, but it was expected that orders for the construction of other barges of this type would be following the completion of this first barge.

It was believed that the longest non-stop ambulance run from Southeast Texas started at 11 a.m. January 4 from Wheeler Funeral Home to San Angelo, Texas and return to Orange to pick up Newton Rumsey, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Rumsey of West Orange. His condition was reported to be rather serious. He had been confined in a San Angelo sanitarium for several months during which time he had undergone a serious surgery to try to correct a problem with his lungs. Several months prior to the surgery it was reported that the young man had coughed up a three inch stick which had entered his lungs under some mysterious circumstance. His condition had been very serious at times and at times not so serious. He was unable to be returned home by train.

Henry Stanfield and Lannie Claybar were the drivers of the Wheeler ambulance on the 1200 mile round trip journey.

For the next few days, men were engaged in hauling oyster shell from a large barge located at the Fourth Street docks. The shell is to be spread over Orange Avenue between Third and Fifteenth Streets. The men would be working day and night. The non-stop work was to be done in order to eliminate the cost of demurrage on the barge.

Marvin Bilbo, a local paint contractor, was removed from his home at 415 Bradford by Wheeler ambulance. He had been taken to the Frances Ann Lutcher Hospital where he would undergo an operation for appendicitis.

Allie Payne, a resident of a farm in Little Cypress, was reported as growing weaker by friends who had visited him. Payne had been in declining health for over a year.

“And now you know.”