June 22, 1959
By BEN PEELER
Times Correspondent
Fort Stockton, Texas. – The President of the United States wired his personal congratulations as this city opened its week-long 100th anniversary celebration Sunday.
Main speaker Sunday in Panther Stadium, as the centennial got of to a solemn beginning, was Dr. James Jauncey, pastor of the first Christian Church of El Paso.
He used as his theme: “The destiny of a city is determined by the same factors that prosper or kill an individual; on the one hand a city can prosper and on the other it can march ahead, dependent on what it wants to do.”
In his telegram President Eisenhower said: “It is a pleasure to send greetings to the citizens of Ft. Stockton and to Pecos County, joined in the celebration of their 100th anniversary.
“In the annals of the United States Army this fort is well known. It is a story of pioneer courage and enterprise and strength to the traditions of your city.”
Dr. Jauncey hit home in his address as he outlined “factors that make the difference.”
“Some of these factors are the sheer luck of the circumstances being good or bad, yet this is only the material to be worked on. The major factor is always the spirit of the town or man or nation. What he does with his circumstances is the thing.”
“The founding fathers saw not a hostile wilderness but a great civilization in which human values would be supreme. In the Revolutionary War the Americans saw not the power of the greatest military might on earth at the time, but the might of right and there the gamble paid off.
“Ft. Stockton is here today not by the wealth of its resources alone, but by the spirit of the men who lived here 100 years ago. Its future will depend on the vision and initiative of its citizens as they mould their circumstances, good or bad, to the common good.
“On that spirit, depends the future of America,” he concluded.
Monday’s activity will see an Old Fashioned Trades Day at all stores. Items – in limited quantity – will be on sale at the genuine 1859 price.
Centennial officials are expecting 50,000 visitors during the centennial.
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