Local newspaper archive downfall of my free time

When it comes to the perfect venue for frittering away massive amounts of time, local newspaper archives are my downfall.

I’ve spent most of my life in eastern New Mexico, so it’s always great fun to scroll through newspapers on the hunt for familiar names and events.

But, honestly, I wouldn’t have to know a soul to appreciate the gems that regularly made it into print in older papers.

I just blew most of a morning in a single issue of the Portales Valley News from 90 years ago.

I was sucked in by a front-page headline that read, “Pigs and Grain Are Currency at Office of Portales Valley News.”

In the story that followed, as well as an accompanying editorial, Editor and Publisher J.G. Greaves announced that pigs and grain, as well as peanuts, Irish potatoes, onions, chickens, turkeys, and eggs were being accepted “in the payment of subscriptions.”

This was, as you will recall, during the early years of the Depression, and this edition of the paper offered a curious and not fully explained plan to boost circulation.

Farmers were encouraged to participate in an ongoing exchange program spearheaded by a Mr. Armstrong, “who will be at the News office for swap propositions on Saturdays only,” according to the story, “as he will be in the field soliciting subscriptions the remainder of the week.”

The program was, according to the newspaper, off to a rollicking start.

“The last week has shown a decided improvement in the exchange of pigs and grain,” the story reported. “The News pens now have around 40 pigs and there is room for more.”

Wait. The newspaper owned pigpens?

“Bring in what you have to swap on Saturdays, if possible,” readers were urged, “or send in your name and address and Mr. Armstrong will call at your farm as soon as it is convenient. The News wants 500 pigs and 200 tons or more of grain.”

Allow me to reiterate: 500 pigs.

And as soon as possible, thank you very much.

“This swap proposition cannot continue indefinitely,” Greaves wrote, “so farmers are urged to bring in what they have to swap at their earliest convenience. Let us all cooperate and wind up this swap proposition as soon as possible, so that the new year will move off without leaving us in the red.”

Maybe not in the red, but definitely in the pork. So much pork.

What happened next?

Did the newspaper get its desired 500 pigs? Did the pigs eat the grain? Were the pigs sold? Were they, in turn, eaten?

See what I mean by how easy it is to get sucked into old newspapers?

I don’t know how this story ended, but I plan to keep looking. Maybe after some lunch and a nap. This could be a long journey.

Betty Williamson is craving more information with a side of pork chops. Reach her at

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