Page 4
College Station, Texas
Thursday, December 1, 1966
THE BATTALION
Cawthon Old Country Store Still Has Hospitality
By LEE MORENO
“How about a plug, sonny!”
“Care for a cone, candy,
cigar . .
Yes, the Roark store at Caw
thon still features that old hos
pitality that is hard to find in
today’s hustle bustle world.
Carroll and Russell Roark
came to Cawthon in 1921 when
they were 12 and 14. They built
their store about 35 years ago
on the site of the old Cawthon
saloon.
“In those days we still had a
dirt road, no electricity, no gas,
no running water and no tele
phone,” Russell says.
Today the old general store has
electricity but no gas or tele
phone. Russell and Carroll de
pend on an old well for water
and a woodburning stove for heat
and cooking.
The Roarks still display salted
bacon in an open container.
“We have no problem with
flies,” Carroll observes.
Russell carefully explained the
workings of their old tobacco cut
ter.
“Tobacco used to come in long
narow plugs. A customer would
simply ask for a 5<f, 15^ or 25tf
plug and we would simply lop off
the piece.”
Cawthon, once the scene of
large meat shipments and large
cotton farms, is located about 12
miles southeast of College Sta
tion. There used to be a depot,
post office, saloon and meat mar
ket here. Nothing remains of
Cawthon today except the old
store owned by Russell and Car-
roll Roark.
•• ; - '
HAVING A BIG TIME
Russell and Carroll Roark are indeed a talk- the old Cawthon saloon used to be. They
ative pair who don’t mind having their say that the town also used to have a depot
picture taken. Their store is situated where and a meat market.
Corbusier Chevrolet Company
500 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE PHONE TA 2-1376
BRYAN, TEXAS 77802
Special Deal on 1967 Chevrolet®
FOR
Graduating Seniors
Dear Aggie Senior:
We have been alloted extra cars to be sold to graduating seniors, and
because these cars do not come out of our regular allotment we can make a
special price on any car in our line.
I invite you to come in and let us explain this special deal on a new
1967 Chevrolet of your choice. Because this is a special price deal, we
must quote the price to you in person.
In addition to the special deal, we offer the following services to graduat
ing seniors only:
★ SPECIAL LOW INTEREST RATES, GMAC or Bank Financing
* NO DOWN PAYMENT - First Payment Due March 1, 1967
★ 36 MONTHS TO PAY
★ ONE YEAR INSURANCE
We can deliver your new car in three to four weeks from the date of
order, and you can drive your new Chevy for the remaining days of your
senior year.
4 Personal Message from W. H. Corbusier, President
As a legitimate Chevrolet dealer for 27 years, I assure you this is a bona
fide offer. Our complete line is included: Chevrolet, Chevelle, Chevy II,
Camaro, Corvair, Caprice ... in all styles and with all accessories. The full
five year or 50,000 mile warranty is in effect. Our representatives have been
informed of this special offer and are waiting to explain it to you. Please accept
my personal invitation to visit our company and take advantage of this special
allotment offer to graduating seniors as have hundreds of Aggies beginning
with the Class of 1965.
Sincerely yours,
W. H. CORBUSIER, President
P. S. Bring this letter with you and take your choice of two free offers
with each new car: either a set of pure vinyl floor mats to match or
deluxe wheel discs.
OLD TOBACCO CUTTER
Russell Roark describes how in the old days or 25^ plug and we would simply lop off the
chewing tobacco came in long narrow plugs, piece." (Photo by Elias Moreno, Jr.)
“Customer would simply ask for a 5(f, 15<t,
_ ^ NO RUNNING WATER
The Roarks depend on this well for their esque old store with firewood stacked on the
water supply. In the background is pictur- porch.