The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 44, Ed. 1 Friday, October 24, 1958 Page: 6 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 16 in. Scanned from physical pages.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Page 6 — THE MATHIS NEWS — Friday, Oct. 24, 1958, Mathis, Texas
Survey Of Coast Line
Underway By Government
A leveling survey, which will re-
-determine the elevations of bench
.■marks in the Houston-Galveston
-area. Port Aransas, and Padre Is-
land, will soon be made by an
18-man field party of the Coast
;and Geodetic Survey. The present
survey, which is the first phase of
a 5-year program to study settle-
ment in the Houston-Galveston area
is estimated to be completed in
about three months.
The Chief of party, Ensign Roy
W. Entz, reports that his trailer
office probably will be located at
"Brown’s Trailer Park in Baytown,
Texas. The party’s equipment, in-
cluding nine house trailers, eight
trucks, and one office trailer should
arrive in Baytown about October 21.
The entire party, which has just
completed a similar survey in the
vicinity of Big Timber, Montana,
has a total population of 44, in-
cluding wives and children.
Since they first began the task
in 1878, parties such as this, have
methodically crisscrossed the coun-
try from border to border on foot.
You have probably seen them along
some lonely highway sighting
through the delicate instruments
that are shaded by a large um-
-brella. Yet this familiar sight is
probably one of the least known
■operations carried on by the Feder-
al Government.
Technically speaking, the opera-
tions of a leveling party may be
defined as the determination of ele-
vations of certain points relative
"to some arbitrary or natural level
surface called a datum, but in
simple language it means finding
the elevation above sea level.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it! But
•strangely enough the sea isn’t level.
It rises and falls with the tide and
it is higher on one coast than an-
other. This obstacle was overcome
by holding as fixed the mean sea
level observed at 26 tide stations
in United States and Canada. Field
parties, such as the one in this
area, now refer all elevations to
that level or datum.
The field parties, which not only
include engineers and surveying
aids, but also wives and children,
may stay in one place four to six
weeks and often less than that.
Their nomadic type of life should
be looked on with envy more than
pity, because how often have you
wished to spend the summer in the
northern rockies and winter in the
sunny south. Since most of the
party are married they lead a well
ordered life which means church
on Sunday and children off to
school the same as you and I.
Parties such as this have placed
over 300,000 small bronze discs
along our highways and in our cities
Around the edge of each disc is
stamped BENCH MARK, U. S.
Coast and Geodetic Survey. When-
ever you see one, it means that
the elevation of that particular spot
has been determined as accurately
as is humanly possible and is free
to be used by anyone desiring to
do so.
In action, the small surveying
party may look like any other sur-
veyor as they sight through their
instrument, which is about midway
between the two tail checkered rods
Through the instrument, which is
a telescope carrying a delicate
spirit level, the observer reads first
one rod and then the other. The
difference in the readings is the
difference in height between the
two points.
About every mile along their
route they come across the bronze
discs that have been set in con-
crete by an advance party. This
is the only evidence of the party
that remains behind.
What separates this surveying
from ordinary surveying is the ac-
curacy involved. This is called a
geodetic survey, which means that
the size and shape of the earth
are taken into consideration. The
reason the elevation is not shown
on the bronze disc is that it is
not known until the computation
and adjustment of the records are
undertaken in the Washington Of-
fice. The elevation of each disc
can be obtained by sending all of
the information that appears on the
mark to the Survey’s Washington
Office.
What are they used for besides
getting the elevation shown at rail-
road stations, water towers and on
mountain tops? — not much, just
every topographic map and chart
that’s printed, interstate highways,
irrigation and flood control projects,
planning sewerage systems and
tunnel construction to name a few.
This is just one facet of the
geodetic work of the Coast and
Geodetic Survey, a Bureau of the
Department of Commerce. When
you see one of these small bench
marks or a field party, such as the
one now in this area, you can be
sure that at sometime long ago,
a similar party started at the sea.
Point by point they will method-
ically spread out in all directions
until the whole country is covered.
LEGAL FORMS
Release of Vendor’s Lein
Lease, City Property
Warranty Deed
Chattel Mortgage General
Bill of Sale
Chattel Mortgage, Automobile
Affidavit to Any Fact, Short
Affidavit to Any Fact, Long
Note, Installment
MATHIS NEWS
NOW...
THE MOST COMPLETE FARM NEWS
ON THE
TEXAS GULF COAST
KATR - CORPUS.CHRISTI
PROUDLY PRESENTS ONE OF TEXAS’
LEADING FARM REPORTERS
BUCK BUCHANAN
KATR’S NEW FARM DIRECTOR
* WITH COMPLETE UP TO THE MINUTE
LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL
FARM NEWS
★ MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY .
6:oo - 6:30 A. M.
KATR 1030
50,000 WATTS
COVERING ON YOUR DIAL THE TEXAS GOLD COAST
. >
Mathis Lake
Biologists Use
New "Fish Bait"
AUSTIN — Constant research by
fisheries biologists .is leading the
way to new control methods and
improved fishing, according to the
Director of Inland Fisheries of the
Game and Fish Commission. Re-
cently a statewide program of re-
search projects was initiated in
each of nine regional laboratories
of the division.
Each project is different so over-
lapping of work has been eliminat-
ed, the director explained. This
program will help determine prin-
ciples to adopt in the future con-
cerning management pratices.
Of interest to fishermen as well
as the biologists is the “fish call-
ing” project being carried on at
Austin. Different species will be
placed in a large “live box” where
a hydrophone will pick up sounds
made by the fish. The noises will
be tape-recorded then played back
to the fish to study their response.
Selective kills in flowing streams
may become practicable with the
tests being run at San Marcos.
Chemicals are metered out for a
certain portion of the stream. At
a point downstream neutralizers
are introduced, therefore limiting
the treatment to that part of the
stream between the two points.
Biologists at Mathis are making
pellets-that will bloat fish to make
them float to the surface. If no
fish takes them, reaction with the
water will dissolve the pellets after
about 30 minutes.
Control of alligator weed on the
Gulf Coast has been undertaken
at Houston. This weed has defied
all herbicides to date.
Excellent results have been ob-
tained in lab tests at Marshall for
selective control of suckers and
bullheads in the acid waters of
East Texas.
Denison biologists have noticed a
low survival rate of channel catfish
in acid waters. They are studying
harmful levels of acidity affecting
this species.
Testing and developing new types
of fish traps and nets is one project
at Fort Worth. One phase is an
effective net for removing gar in
quantities.
Tests are being run at Wichita
Falls on the lethal dosages of all
toxicants on different fishes as well
as trying out new control chemicals.
This includes the effects of insecti-
cides such as neptachlor on fish.
Biologists at San Angelo are try-
ing to run currents of water in
a lake at different temperatures
and using different odors to attract
fish into the current.
Besides these and other special
projects, these regional laborator-
ies conduct inventories and surveys
to note trends which will deter-
mine management needs. The main
jobs still are the development of
Man Who Killed
Wife Gets
Life Sentence
Alfonso Zavalla drew a life term
in the State penitentiary Thursday
morning ;>'with a jury assessing that
penalty on the defendant’s plea of
guilty to the murder of his wife,
Hortncia Zavalla. Aug. 19.
Zavalla and his wife were es-
tranged at the time of the murder,
and he shot her to death at a
farm home on the McKamey farm
between Taft and Gregory as she
and her mother sat talking with
each other on the porch of the
home.
The State in its closing agru-
ment before the jury recommend-
ed that Zavalla be assessed a life
term in the penitentiary for his
crime. After the jury had return-
ed its verdict of guilty and asses-
sed punishment against the de-
fendant time for filing a motion
for new trial was waived by Zaval-
la and he requested that he be
sentenced forewith. Judge Miller
granted the request and pronounc-
ed the sentence which read in part;
“to be confined in State penitenti-
ary for not less than two nor more
than his natural life”.
Zavalla will be transferred to the
State prison when the prison wagon
makes its next visit to the San
Patricio Co. jail, a spokesman for
the sheriff’s department said.
Several Cases
Disposed Of
In Dist. Court
Alfred Allee Miller entered a plea
of guilty in 36th District Court
Saturday morning after waiving a
jury trial on a charge of forgery
and passing. He was assessed five
years in prison by the Court.
The defendant pleaded guilty to
having forged and passed a forged
instrument in the amount of $600.
Rockey Harkey was the court-ap-
pointed counsel for the defendant.
The sentence reads for “not less
than two nor more than five years
in the State penitentiary”.
A jury trial disposed of last week
in 36th District Court was one in
which Francisco Montalvo was
found not guilty on an indictment
of rape.
A murder trial, a negligent homi-
cide in first degree, and an assault
with intent to rob were other cases
disposed of in the 36th District
Criminal Court last week. Judge
John H. Miller presided at all hear-
ings.
WWmiMM
llii
better vegetation and fish popula-
tion controls.
The pain-in-the-neck pest of the
century, the vicious little imported
fire ant, has evidently charted new
worlds to conquer, and two of Tex-
as’ major cities — Houston and
San Antonio — are among the first
top prizes in the fire ant’s life
of fire.
Both Houston and San Antonio
have been found to be infested in
varying degrees by the native South
American fire ant, whose sting is
extremely painful and whose stone-
hard earth mounds play havoc with
the landscape.
To combat this unwelcome intru-
sion, both cities, assisted by Texas
and U. S. Departments of Agricul-
ture and local and county officials,
have begun to take definite steps
toward eradication.
In Houston, where more than 20,
000 acres are infested, a co-opera-
tive city-county program has been
inaugurated'which will provide for
ground treatment in various sec-
tions of the city. Aerial application
of insecticides in Houston is pro-
hibited by city ordinance.
In addition to direct preventive
and eradicative efforts in sections
of the city, treatment and inspec-
tion of Houston plant nurseries by
Texas Department of Agriculture
inspectors has practically eliminat-
ed these potential fire ant hide-
aways from the area of concern.
Although no definite plan of ac-
tion against the fire ant has been
formulated for San Antonio, county
officials ' have appropriated funds
scheduled to be matched by city
funds for treatment of private pro-
perty in the city. A committee is
Caution Urged
In Use Of All
Guns In Home
AUSTIN — It is not necessarily
the itchy-fingered hunter in the
field who mistakenly kills someone.
The “unloaded” gun in the home
is an even more dangerous killer,
according to a report from the
Texas Safety Association.
In Texas, for example, almost
half of the accidental firearms fa-
talities occur in the home. Most
recent figures reveal that of 1 8
total firearms fatalities, 82 happen-
ed in the home while only 11 were
hunting-accident victims.
For increased safety, TSA re-
commends that ALL guns be treat-
ed as though they were loaded —
until it is proved that they are
not; never aim in the direction of
another person; put firearms away
unloaded and dismantled. Lock am-
munition in a chest or other safe
place — especially if there are
small children in the home.
By Jobn C. Whit#. Comm7*fion#r
now being organized to initiate the
program, which will likely be sim-
ilar to that planned for Houston.
One of the greatest matters of
concern in the eradication plan is
that connected with eliminating risk
of contamination and poisoning in
the treatmet of private property
with the necessary ant-destroying
chemicals. In this respect, fullest
precaution possible has been taken
in selection of the chemical —
granular heptachlor — and in pre-
scribing instructions to be follow-
ed by persons living in areas to
be treated.
A sampling of these instructions
include: prior to treatment, close
windows and doors, cover or turn
upside down water and feed con-
tainers for animals and pets, cover
all leafy vegetables, preferably with
plastic, remove fish from open
ponds and cover ponds with plas-
tic, cover open cisterns; after
treatment, sprinkle lawns and gar-
dens with water thoroughly, but
prevent children and pets from
drinking from puddles which might
form, wash all garden vegetables
thoroughly before eating, keep dairy
cattle from gazing in treated area
for a period of 30 days, and keep
children from playing in treated
area for several days.
VV>AA/VV\AAA/VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVNA^>
cars^-all METAL
TORCH
KIT
with handsome
metal carrying case
Here’s a double value carry-all torch kit
with all the accessories you'll need for
hundreds of jobs around the home or shop.
Ideal for sweating copper tubing, paint
removing, soldering, tile
setting, lighting charcoal
fires, etc. Regular $ 12.20
Torch value PLUS FREE
HANDSOME METAL
ALL-PURPOSE CARRY-
.UJG CASE.
NOW ONLY
Complete
STEINMEYER & CO.
CHEVROLET
Let your eyes linger over
Chevrolet9s fresh, finely
shaped contours. Relax in
the roominess of its elegant
new interior, get the ex-
hilarating feel of its hushed,
silken ride. No other car says
new like this one!
Here’s the car that’s definitely new in a decidedly
different way. The ’59 Chevy is shaped to the new
American taste with new Slimline design. It brings
you a roomier Body by Fisher, vast new areas of
visibility. There’s a new Magic-Mirror finish that
needs no waxing or polishing for up to three years.
A new Hi-Thrift 6 and a wide choice of vigorous
V8’s. Bigger, safer stopping brakes. An even
smoother ride. At your Chevrolet dealer’s right now!
jgsi
definitely neve, decidedly different! The new Impala i-Door Sedan, like all new Chevies, has Safety Plate Glass all around.
see your local authorized Chevrolet dealer
BEALL CHEVROLET CO
102 S. Front
I
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Haden, John. The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 44, Ed. 1 Friday, October 24, 1958, newspaper, October 24, 1958; Mathis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1045266/m1/6/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Mathis Public Library.