The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1978 Page: 12 of 16
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Your choice of I
major grades of oil
Installed
From all of us
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WEST TEXAS UTILITIES COMPANY
A MemM n4 The Central and Sr*uih West Syntren
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1978
PAGE TWELVE
W.T. Mills
.•
A Christmas conversation with the judge
g§..;:»3
Eg®'.;1"
Editors Note:
It's difficult to follow Judge
Mills around because he stays In
2 such a rush all the time. This so-
; called : interview' took the better
I ‘ part of a lifetime • some questions
.* were asked and answers given as
| late as Tuesday afternoon. Some
« questions were asked several
( years ago and were just now wrlt-
y ten down. In other words, all
5; questions were asked at one time
or another and all the answers
* were given by Judge Mills - at var-
ious times when he was in the
'i»' mood.
| You' ve always gone by initials,
*; just what does W. T. stand for?
f Walkie Talkie! Gabby! At least
.. that's what some people call me
? when they think 1'm not listening.
} My full given name is William
*
I
Thomas Mills but just put in your
paper that I'm William T. Mills.
Now, what else do you want to
know and hurry up and ask it!
Well, ok here goes. You came
to this county a good while ago.
When did you get here and why
did you come?
1 was forced to come here. 1
never had a reason to leave Con-
cho County to come to this God
forsaken place until I was an old
man. The first time 1 came here
was in September of 1933 while 1
was on my way to Fort Stockton to
sell some sheep. I had just gotten
married to Irene Parker in Eldora-
do, Texas September 20, 1933 and
she' s the same one 1' m living with
now. The roads were not paved
through here until 1934 and this
was just a dusty trail. 1 moved out
here in 1938 to some leased land
in the north part of the county
around Douglas Cauble's and
moved my daddy, two horses, a
wagon on a truck and some
materials and an old man carpen-
ter, and 1000 head of sheep. I've
been crazy enough to stay around
here from then until now. My wife
and I have lived here since then
and I have gone broke two or three
times and I still know some people
now that I knew back then.
Did you get much of an educa-
tion?
Yes, I went to school. I finished
high school in Eden, Texas in 1923
and went on to John Tarleton one
semester after that.
When were you bom?
July 21,1904 nine miles south of
Paint Rock, Texas in Precinct #9.
You sure remember anything
that has to do with politics, don11
you? How many years have you
held public office In this county?
Well, I was appointed to take
Bill Friend's place on the school
board in about 1942 and I served
on the board nine years. John
Holt took my place on the school
board and I was elected County
Commissioner in 1953. 1 served
one two year term - we had two
year terms back then - and two
four year terms, so that made ten
years as a commissioner from 1953
until 1962. Then I ran against
Judge Stout for County Judge and
was elected and I've been here
eight years.
Were you ever on any city com-
missions or councils?
Hell.no!!
How many times have you been
defeated In elections?
I've had opponents every time
I've run and sometimes two or
three. Fred Boggs beat me the
first time I ran for commissioner in
1950 by or 71 votes. I heat him
the next time in 1952. John
Daugherty beat me in 1962 for
that commissioners place. I beat
S. E. Stout in 1971 for the office of
County Judge and then Sandel
beat me after two tries this year.
It seems that you get your walk-
ing cane out eveiythne you run
for office. Do you care to tell us
why you do that?
Ha! That came about because
of a discussion with Fred Boggs
over at Wilson Loftin's station.
The cane belonged to him. 1 was
running against him and he told
me "If you're going to beat me,
you're going to need one of
these." I told him that if that
would help me any I would take it.
I've had it ever since and I have
been known to bring it out now
and again.
What other jobs have you had
around here besides politics?
I've ranched and bought and
sold and traded all my life. Cow-
boy ed a little when I was young.
I've bought and sold, cheated and
robbed, and made a living. Re-
member, I built over forty houses
in this town in the 50's.
«n> uinw accomplish-
ments you have made In public of-
fice that you might be proud of.
Nothing. I didn't do anything
outstanding. I have behaved
sometimes and sometimes I
haven't. My wife has a lot of
friends anyhow. Thank goodness
not all people are like me. No,
when I went on the court, Bill
Hudson was County Judge and
the people voted a 2 million dollar
bond issue to pave oilfield roads.
Now there are only two or three
miles that have not been turned
over to the state. I did build a
55 acre park and cleared the land
for it in the north part of the city.
I like to have got run out of the
county because of that. Once I
got accused of trading beef steaks
for firewood over that park deal
by--- He said we were
gathering wood and giving it to
Jeff Kelly and that he was feeding
,
' '
DECEMBER 21,
us steaks in return. He turned out
to be a pretty good feller here
though. He's a good boy, but a
tumble bug is a good bug too.
We've done a few,other things
besides pave some roads and build
a park but that's just what we
were paid to do. I've seen a few
improvements around that the
people and kids enjoy here.
Do you have any motto's that
you live by?
Yes, treat people like I want to
be treated. 1 hate deceit worse
than a snake and a thief - well God
bless 'em - I can't stand them
either.
What are your plans now that
you will leave office in January?
I'll just try to li,ve on what I
make and enjoy my family and
grandchildren. As 1 said I did help
a lady raise three kids; Gene Clay
of Mississippi, Jere K,ay of Fort
Worth, and Jim Tom of Keller
which is near Fort Worth. My
grandchildren are a|ll important to
me - Kirsten, Amy, Ashlee, Jana
Kay, and Jim Bob. Other than
that, I'll just try and stay out of
trouble.
'f'trestone
carefree
car care
-Hotufoij
★ FREE FROM PROBLEMS!
We put ali estimates in
writing and do only the
work you authorize.
Just
check
the work
needed.
than
bring this
•d to
Firestone
CLIP & SAVE
Christmas bells ring
out a message of glad
tidings and joy. We
too echo heartfelt
wishes and thanks at
this wondrous season.
Mari
and
Stacy
Becknell
| gnuiinmjiujiu si ■ ........................g mim
LUBE, OIL I
& FILTER ! j f
Ef •
★ FREE FROM TROUBLE!
We return worn parts for
your inspection, then
back the whole job in
writing.
Our automotive pros will lubricate
your car’s chassis, drain old oil and
add up to five quarts of new oil plus
install a new Firestone oil filter. Call
for an apjiointment!
FRIGIT0NE
ANTIFREEZE
Year ’round coolant and anti-
freeze with ethylene-glycol plus
effective ruat inhibitors. Will not
evaporate or boil away.
per gallon
carry out
FIRESTONE
Christmas Records
*1.79
Tapes...........^2a19
□ BRAKE OVERHAUL
M wEP Drum
Drum Type
Amer. Cara,
(except luxury)
new front
springs, rebuild all four wheel
cylinders and resurface brake drums inew wheel
cyl. $7 each, if needed), repack front wheel hear-
ings. bleed system and add necessary fluid.
We install factory pre-arced lining,
seals and return springs, rebuild all
□ M0NR0-MATIC SHOCKS
eS-Ll.-fas
NATIONWIDE LIMITED WARRANTY
Monro-Matics will last in normal use as long as
you own your car, or Firestone will replace
them on proof of purchase, charging only for
installation.
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SAVINGS
FROM ROB'S TO YOU
10% on
ALL COATS
Denim-Down-Poty Down
20% OFF
ALL MENS SHIRTS
Many styles & colors
$5.00 OFF ALL MENS BOOTS
Tony Lama-Justin-Nocona-Hondo-Acme
_ Larry Mahan-Dun Post _
Boys Shirts
Size 2 to IS
6“ » 8“
large Selection of
Belts and Buckles
Rob'* Wil Be Open
until 8 p. m. Toes. •
Sat. until Christmas.
-Boot Cut
-Bell
LEVIS
$129s
Wranglers
-No Fault— 1
O95
1
Levi's Knit Pants
12“ - 16“
Names Stamped and
Painted FREE!
Lay-Away
Gift
Certificates
Stadium Park Shopping Center-Phone 949-0098
□ FOREVER BATTERY
"Maintenance Free" ^ASi
“»57™ is
NATIONWIDE
LIMITED WARRANTY «wange i
L’ut the FOREVER batter;' in >our car. If it ever
fails to hold a charge for vuu in that car, and in not
merely discharged. Firestone w’ll replace it FREE
with proof of purchase, providing the buttery has not
been damaged due to accident or abuse. Commercial
or marine use exc!
te to acc
Tuded
5-YR.,
50,000 MILE
ALIGNMENT
95
Any Amer. Car
\U
5 YR . 50.000 Ml. SERVICE AGREEMENT
We will align your car every 5,000 miles, or whenever
needed, for five years «u fiO.OOO miles wluchev
first. See our complete written agreement
tional services included.
eve i comes
t for addi-
MOTOR TUNE SPECIAL
t Cytadar *29**
*34**
DISC BRAKE OVERHAUL
□FRONT AND REAR
i *109"
F*new linings *front
PADS - NEW FRONT GREASE
SEALS REBUILD WHEELS
CYLINDERS TURN DRUMS AND
ROTERS. INCLUDES ALL PARTS
AND LABOR
8 Cylinder
INCLUDES ALL PARTS AND
LABOR - MOST AMFR. CARS
Mb a/so honor
. Me... o...—
ant credit—mast Major
lard* attested.
span an
iccmrat
CHARGE ’EM
FREE MOUNTING
leak
ki»t
Official State Inspection Station
THE TIRE VALUE CENTER > OR WEr*T TEXANS
BILL ARMS FIRESTONE
38 West Concho—San Angelo—655-6947
OPEN MONDA Y FRIDAY 7 30 6 PM —SATURDAY 8 00-1 00 _
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Robbie
John
CAPTURE THE TRUE
MEANING OF THE DAY...
[Southwest Butane
Lorene
Juan
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Werst, David. The Big Lake Wildcat (Big Lake, Tex.), Vol. 53, No. 51, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1978, newspaper, December 21, 1978; Big Lake, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth615089/m1/12/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Reagan County Library.