The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 102, Ed. 1 Monday, February 26, 1979 Page: 1 of 8
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LCRA sees $2 million price tag
Smithville to get big railroad shop
by JACK FRASER
The Lower Colorado River
Authority plans to build a $2
million railroad car inspect
ion and repair shop in
Smithville on Missouri-Kan
sas Texas Railroad property
at the end of Main Street.
LCRA's management com
mittee has approved the plan
and it now goes to LCRA's
Board of Directors and the
Austin Citv Council for
authorization, it was learned
Saturday.
News that LCRA plans to
erect the facility to inspect
and repair railroad cars
bringing coal to the Fayette
Power Project surfaced at
the annual banquet of the
Smithville Chamber of Com-
merce Friday night. Top
officials from the railroad
and the LCRA were among a
large group of dignitaries to
crowd the affair.
Elof Soderberg, chief
engineer for LCRA, told the
crowd management has been
authorized to negotiate with
theKaty railroad permission
to build a maintenance shop
that could handle 1.000
railroad cars.
"Smithville is the logical
place," Soderberg said.
After the dinner, the chief
engineer said the approxi
mate cost would be around
$2 million.
He said, "It will be some
sort of metal building,
located at the end of Main
Street."
LCRA sources said land
and railroad track for the
facility would be leased from
the railroad.
According to Soderberg.
construction should start
"within the next few
months" pending successful
negotiations with Katy and
authorization from LCRA's
board and the Austin
Council. The city of Austin
would pay half and LCRA
half since they are partners
in the huge Fayette power
plant near La Grange.
Asked about employment,
Soderberg said "It will start
off fairly small." He said he
couldn't give an accurate
future employment figure at
this time.
LCRA and Austin have
been forced to buy railroad
cars to haul coal from
Montana to the Fayette
plant. So far, four trains or a
total of 440 cars have been
purchased. The coal is
hauled 1,600 miles from
Montana. It moves over
Burlington Northern tracks
to Ft. Worth where Katy
takes over.
LCRA plans to also import
coal from Wyoming. (Event
ually, coal from Bastrop
County will also be burned,
is* <I])t $astroj) jpberttscr.
llastrofp (.(unity's Leading \<>ivs/)(iiM*r - Since March L Itt.y.'i
Monday, February 26,1979
Bastrop, Texas
NUMBER 102
Fugitive eludes law officers
according to LCRA plans.
Lignite coal would come
from Camp Swift and
probably from privately
owned land here, LCRA
officials have said).
CHAMBER AWARDS
At the banquet, attended
by some 400 persons, the
Chamber named Mrs. Linnet
Shade, City Librarian for the
past eight years, as Out
standing Citizen for 1978.
Toastmaster Pat Starns, Jr.
said Mrs. Shade "is one of
the first persons newcomers
meet when they move to
Smithville. She is a good
ambassador of public rela
tions, always polite, court
eous and her friendliness and
helpfullness are outstand
ing..."
The Chamber also pre
sented an award of apprecia
tion to the former County
Commissioner Howard
Burns who left office last
January.
during river bottom chase
An alledged escapee from
the Muskogee, Oklahoma,
city jail ran from Smithville
and Bastrop County officers
Thursday in Smithville, and
after a high-speed chase
along the Colorado River
Road and across pastures
near the river, abandoned
the red and white pickup
truck and fled into the dense
brash along the river
bottom.
■ Authorities are still look-
ing for Orville C. Russell, 34,
who is said to have walked
out of the Muskogee jail
"posing as another prisoner"
after being arrested there in
connection with unauthor-
ized use of a motor vehicle.
A juvenile accompanying
Russell was taken into
custody by sheriffs deputies
after he swam across the
Colorado. He is being held in
the Bastrop County Jail.
After sheriff s officers
were tipped off to watch for
Russell in Smithville, the
juvenile appeared at the
Smithville Police Station and
attempted to register the
pickup truck, said police.
"He had a pocket full of
papers" on the truck, said
Police Chief Tommy Simon.
But the papers could not be
matched with identifying
serial numbers on the
vehicle. Body, motor and
transmission all bore differ-
Lentz named new JP
Cody Lentz of Red Rock
last week was named Justice
of the Peace for Precinct
Three, succeeding Howard
Gould Sr. who died Feb. 17.
The Commissioners Court
made the appointment after
considering at least two
candidates, according to
county sources.
Lentz' area covers a large
portion of rural Bastrop
County, including Red Rock
and Bateman through Cedar
Creek, nearly to Elgin. The
post pays over $6,000 a year.
Lentz said he will continue
Judge Gould's practice of
maintaining his office at the
County Courthouse.
The new Justice of the
Peace was born in Red Rock
in 1906 and attended Bastrop
High School. He graduated
from Texas A&M in 1930 and
became a state registered
plant breeder on cotton seed
and a part-time field
inspector on seed.
During World War II he
was a captain of the Texas
Def ense Guard in Victoria.
For 26 years he was in the
feed, seed and insecticide
business. He was also a
trustee of the Victoria
Independent School District
for seven years and a
director of Victoria First
National Bank.
Ijentz returned to Red
Rock seven years ago to be
semi-retired and has been
raising cattle.
He said his main objective
in applying for the JP post
was to help maintain the
laws of the state "and to do a
good job for the people of the
county..."
He lives with his wife
Eloise at Red Rock and has
two daughters: Ann Calla-
way who teaches in Victoria
and Kay Lentz who teaches
in Bastrop. His brother,
Duncan Lentz, operates a
store at Red Rock that has
been in the Lentz family
since 1892. His nephew,
Chris Lentz, operates Smith-
ville Livestock Auction.
ent numbers as well, said
Simon.
As the juvenile left police
headquarters, he was follow-
ed by Deputy Jim Gifford
and off-duty patrolman Mark
Wilkerson in an unmarked
car.
After a brief stop to pick
up another person, presum
ably Russell, the occupants
of the truck spotted pursu
ing officers and the chase
was on.
Police sadly acknowledged
the high-performance capa
bility of the truck they
chased first along the
Colorado River Road toward
Fayette County, then across
river bottom pastures, as the
Prisoner cuts hole
in county jail roof
Sheila
wins
Bastrop's golfing ace,
Sheila Oldfield, took first
place in the recent San
Antonio Independent
School District Tourna-
ment.
Miss Oldfield, who is
now weighing golfing and
academic programs at
various colleges for next
year, scored 117 points,
topping Martha DuBose
of Mac Arthur with 118,
Susan Yantis, the defend
ing 4-A State medalist,
with 125 and Shenna
Bassett with 127. The
tournament drew 127
young women from
throughout Texas.
pickup went through "four
or five fences" only to be
abandoned near the river.
Sheriffs officers covering
the north bank of the
Colorado picked up the
juvenile after he crossed the
river.
Fayette 'County officers
were called in to watch the
area to the east and
Smithville area pilots were
asked to search the area
from the air.
Heavy brush frustrated
police observation and "we
got caught by the dark," said
Simon.
Russell has been sought
by authorities since last
August when Muskogee
officials "just released the
wrong man," according to
Muskogee Deputy Bill Corn.
Russell was being held on
a previous escape charge
following an arrest on
"several theft charges in
Oklahoma and Texas," said
Corn.
He may be armed with a
pistol and might have
obtained a car, according to
Bastrop County sheriffs
spokesmen.
"We want that fellow
pretty bad," said Corn,
adding that in Muskogee,
Rassell was known as a
"pretty ornery fellow. Those
boys down there better
watch him."
"We haven't given up" the
search yet, said Sheriff I.R.
Hoskins.
Smithville Mayor W.R. Davison 1 right) welcomed
Reginald N. Whitman, Board Chairman for the
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, when Whitman arrived
Friday night for a speech to the annual Chamber of
Commerce banquet.
Staff Photo by Jack Fraser
Grand Jury issues
27 indictments
BY DAVIS McAULEY
The January term grand
jury last week returned 27
felony indictments charging
burglary, forgery by passing
a "split bill," unauthorized
use of a motor vehicle and
possession of marihuana.
Of the 27 indictments, 15
were "sealed indictments" in
which the names of those
charged are kept secret until
they are arrested.
Charged with burglarizing
the home of Dr. Richard
Hudson of Smithville on
Sheriffs officers broke up
an apparent attempted jail
break "in the night" last
week when they "heard a
racket" and went in to see
what was going on, accord-
ing to Sheriff I. R. Hoskins.
"I went in," said Hoskins.
The escape was attempted
through a ventillation duct in
the ceiling after a covering
grill was removed, he said.
According to one report,
one of the four prisoners
being held in the area said
that Kenneth Milton had
crawled through the 9 by 10
inch opening onto the roof,
then returned to the jail to
bring out a second inmate.
But Hoskins said he
doesn't think Milton ever got
through the narrow opening.
Milton, a federal prisoner,
was being lodged in the
Bastrop County Jail after his
arrest by Austin police. He
was wanted for escaping
from federal custody in
Jacksonville, Florida, ac-
slii rtfl I It llo«.kia» tMHpriu ImiIi made in t riling ol County Jail in a chut (lived ear ape
alU-mpl Dan ley Ui tin jail In pi burner« »l»t«r II opened yeara ago ha» been
rkii fioivt arinrrfinn In lite Hlmilf
Will I'ltwin In Ja«k I »#»• »
cording to the U.S. Mar-
shall's office in San Antonio
where he was moved
following the alleged jail-
break attempt.
The alleged escape
attempt could result in a
felony indictment against
Milton. Attempting to es-
cape from federal custody is
a felony punishable by up to
five years in prison and/or
up to a $5,000 fine.
The break-out attempt has
caused concern on the part of
some female employes at the
Courthouse, it was learned
last week, although no
complaints have been
brought to officials yet.
County sources said it's
possible the Commissioners
Court might discuss the
issue of housing federal
prisoners but no item has
been put on the agenda of
the court yet.
The county has hired an
architect to draft plans for
work at the jail, mainly
designed to correct alleged
inadequate ventilation,
partitions and other items
cited by the Texas Jail
Standards Commission. That
work is expected to cost in
the range of $30,000 to
$40,000 and federal fund* are
being sought for the work.
The county also has la-en
attempting to get the federal
government to pay more
than the current i'.i per day
per federal priaoner. County
Judge Jack A Griesenbeck
haa aaul he expert* annul
increase in the federal
allot mi-iil to Bant top County
although the **art amount
haan I la t n noted yet,
Eight arrested
in pot busts
Acting on sealed grand
jury indictments, law offi-
cers from the Greater Austin
Area Organized Crime Unit,
the State Liquor Control
Board, Bastrop County Sher-
iffs Department plus Bas
trop and Smithville police
arrested eight persons in the
county Friday and charged
them with the sale of
marijuana to undercover
police agents.
Sheriff I.R. Hoskins calcu-
lated at least 17 officers in
Bastrop Friday" worked on
the marijuana and related
cases. Hoskins said he had
been working "for three
.nonths" on the cases.
Only a small amount of
marijuana was seized in the
course of the arrests, said
Hoskins.
"I got my help, as I said
while running" for election
as Sheriff, he said.
Held in county jail Sunday
under $30,00 bond for three
alledged sales of the
controlled substance were
Alton Austin, arrested on
Highway 21, and Charlie
Brown of Smithville.
Ricky Evans and James H.
Franklin, both of Smithville,
were being held under bond
of $20,(NX) each. Both are
charged with two caaea of
aalc of marijuana to police.
Doug Auatin, alao charged
with two i-ounta of selling
marijuana, hail poated
I'.'.Hi MX i bond by (Sunday anil
had been released, aatd
Hiakint
Chanted with a Dingle aaii
of the illegal weed were
Curtis Burleson and Lee
Armstrong, both of Smith
ville and Ray Rivas of
Bastrop. All three are in
county jail under $10,000
bond each.
"I'm not through yet," said
Hoskins, "I'll be working on
the same thing for the next
two years."
The eight all acted as
individuals and were not
part of organized groups "as
far as we know," said
Hoskins.
Also Martin Sinclair and
Billy Ray Singleton were
both charged Friday with
possession of marijuana.
Both were released under
$300 bond each.
Hoskins said the arrests
followed an investigation by
Deputy Richard Hernandez
of a complaint of disorderly
conduct at the Mobile station
next to the Magic Mill
Restaurant on Highway 71.
Hernandez "smelled it"
while checking the com
plaint, said Hoskins, who
also described Hernandez,
with a broad smile on his
face, as "my German
ahepherd wetback."
"I promised to work ori
marijuana and cow theivea,"
said Hoskins. "and | know
lota of others are handling"
marijuana in the county at ill,
"All I aak la for |n ople to get
behind me and stay with urn
nil thla," ha aatd,
"All information" provided
by i'ili**n* help* ma," It*
added
January 31 are Edward
Wilson Upton, 20, and
Kenneth Wayne Sargeant,
18, of Smithville.
Upton and Sargeant were
arrested along with four
juveniles January 31 and
February 1. Smithville police
and sheriffs officers re-
covered an estimated $2000
worth of goods February 1 in
the course of an investiga
tion which began with the
alledged burglary at Hud
son's home on January 31.
James Bearl Scott was
charged with "forgery by
passing" a "split bill" with
intent to "defraud" S. L.
Griffin. According to Smith
ville police. Griffin was given
a $1 bill onto which the
corner numerals from a $20
bill had been crudely pasted.
Two indictments were
lodged against Daniel Colla
zo for burglary. In one,
Collazo is charged with theft
February 12 from a building
to Heine Neidig of Elgin. The
second indictment charges
theft from a building
belonging to Ciro Lopez,
October 29, 1977.
Johnny Joe Castillo and
Victor Hernandez were
charged in separate indict
ments with a January 13
Continued on Page 5
KATY PLANS
Reginald N. Whitman,
Chairman of the Katy Board
and featured speaker for the
evening, said 60 per cent of
the railroad "will have been
rehabilitated by the end of
1978 and 100 per cent in
three or four years."
Whitman said the railroad
will show a profit for 1978,
the first time since he took
over the near bankrupt line
in 1979. He said he had
deferred profits in order to
rebuild dangerous track and
overhaul equipment.
At least part of the line's
future growth and profit Ls
tied to hauling coal to LCRA,
he said, making Smithville a
pivatol point in the Katy
system.
"Let's convert coal to
electricity" and cut depend
ance on shaky supplies of
imported oil from other
Continued on Page 5
Board
to weigh
contracts
The contracts of all
Bastrop school principals
and administrators will be
considered at the regular
meeting of Bastrop Indepen
dent School District trustees
Tuesday at 7:30.
Administrators' contracts,
including that of the
superintendent "come up"
for consideration "in Febru
ary," said superintendent C.
H. Evans, Jr.
Also on the meeting
agenda is a hearing to
"consider" the expulsion of
two students "for attacking a
teacher." The hearing may
be held behind closed doors,
said Evans.
Junior high school teacher
Linda Johnson has charged
that she was attacked by
Mrs. Joephine Benford of
2208 Pecan Street and her
two daughters in an incident
at the school.
Justice of the Peace
Herman Bartsch set bond for
Mrs. Benford at $1000 on
charges of assault and
disrupting a meeting.
County Attorney Neal
Pfeiffer said the assault
charge was a "very prose-
cutable case." Several wit
nesses agree that the
teacher was "jumped on"
and "kicked" during the
incident, he said.
An argument developed
after Mrs. Benford and her
daughters went to the school
to discuss a matter which
had come up the day before,
according to a sheriffs
department spokesman.
Mrs. Benford will be
arraigned on the charges
March 7, said Pfeiffer.
Other business to come
before the board includes
consideration of a date for
the board to meet to take up
questions brought before
trustees by parents at its
last meeting.
Evans said he will also
recommend to trustees a
date for a public hearing on
an increase in the "ratio of
assessment" from 50 percent
ot 100 percent of valuation of
property on the school tax
rolls.
At the Tuesday meeting,
the board will also hear
reports on the building
program in progress, on
homestead exemptions, and
on "possible litigation."
Henry Schuyler
to run again
(Councilman Henry Schuy
lerhas filed for re-election to
the Bastrop City Council
seat he has held since May 1,
1967.
"I'd like to be a councilman
for another two years," he
said Sunday, "to help
complete our water system
and other improvements.
"We've drilled one new
well and overhauled three
and we need some additional
tank capacity and other
wurk," Schuyler said.
Tin alao very interested
In the new storm drain*
going in for the north part of
the city, I'd like to continue
lo work to Ki-l all the nurfaec
water out of the cit y I d alao
like lo work on improviuK
our garbage t'ollei'tlon »> »
lent
mmU
i til l I M
some
•lav
i alte>it|i
«* t 'Mtt'lti
recently" with a new
garbage tguck and contain
era. "I've enjoyed very much
being a councilman, working
to make Bastrop a better
place to live for everybody."
Now retired, Schuyler was
one of the managers and
owners of the local Coca Cola
Bottling Co.
He moved to Bastrop June
I, 1941, after living in
Liberty, Texas. He was born
in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Schuyler lives at 407 Cedar
Street.
After bt-iMK appointed to
the Council m 1967, he »aa
eleeted to five succesalte
I mo year terms. The only
oi her Candida It- to file so lar
lot I he April 1 election la
I .'OHt iliii.iu (D ' ILippt I
I ill Silt
Ibid". .n» mil In
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The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 102, Ed. 1 Monday, February 26, 1979, newspaper, February 26, 1979; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601954/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.