Remember When?

Although no major crimes were committed in Fayette County during August, there were lots of routine law enforcement issues like hot checks and traffic accidents, according to Sheriff T.J. Flournoy. He reported that DWI offenders were arrested on: August 3, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 24. The sheriff and his deputies also checked on burglaries at Prairie Valley and Carmine, picked up several drunks, jailed an individual for an Oklahoma sheriff, transported one person to the state hospital, investigated a cattle theft at Cistern and served five citations at Fayetteville, plus other routine law enforcement issues.

Official records showed that precipitation had been recorded in La Grange on 111 days from Jan. 1 to Sept. 12 for a grand total of 42.55 inches of rainfall. That was 6.02 inches over normal for the year.

La Grange City Council considered a record budget of $458,784 for the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The proposed total was broken into $183,159 for operations and $275,265 for capital projects. Detailed expenditures were: general and administrative, $60,630; street and bridge, $90,300; fire department, $10,695; police department, $8,895; parks and recreation, $2,559; library, $6,950; and cemetery, $3,490. The proposed capital outlay included: general and administrative, $1,500; street and bridge, $264,015; fire department, $2,500; police department, $500; parks and recreation, $5,000; library, $250; and cemetery, $1,500.

Fayette County anticipated it would spend $934,233.35 for its 1974 operations. That was a little more than $60,000 below the 1973 budget of $994,669 that included $243,300 for Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 95 right-of-way purchases. When ROW acquisition costs were less than anticipated, the budget was adjusted to $872,080.13. The big item in the 1974 proposal was a six percent across the board employee salary increase.

Although regular first class postage remained at 8¢ and 11¢ for air mail, the U.S. Post Office was increasing prices on second class and some controlled circulation publications, certain third class non-profit bulk materials, and some special fourth class material such as books and records. The La Grange Post Office officer-in-charge, Oscar L. Cook, announced a new program called ‘Stamps By Mail.’ Customers would be able to purchase stamps and other products through the mail by returning a preprinted form with a personal check. A special handling fee of 40¢ for postage and handling would be assessed on each order.

The area’s first bale of cotton for the 1973 season was processed at the Kasper-Michalk Gin on Sat., Sept. 8. Weighing 410 pounds and classed strict low middling, light spot, 15/16-inch staple, it was grown by Marvin Schubert of Rabbs Prairie. The bale was purchased by Ruben Lindemann of Lindemann Cotton Co. of Hallettsville for 57¢ a pound. Fayette County had an estimated 1,700 acres planted to cotton that year.

Plagued by fumbles, the La Grange Leopards lost their season opener to the Bellville Brahmas, 34-0.

Two railroad grade crossing protection projects for La Grange were approved by the Texas Highway Commission. The first was the Hwy. 77 crossing of the MKT in La Grange at an estimated cost of $12,000 and the second was the Hwy. 95 crossing of the SP line north of Flatonia at an estimated $18,000.

Funeral services were held for: B.W. Luckenbach, 82, of La Grange; Mrs. Ella Mae Albrecht, 85, of La Grange; Mrs. Katherine (Katie) Brendle, 78, of Rutersville; Willie H. Koopmann, 49, of La Grange; Mrs. Willie Mae Taylor, 72, of La Grange; John Korenek, 67, of La Grange; Mrs. Rosalie Chytracek, 84, formerly of Plum; Martin O. Mitschke, 69, of Winchester; and Albert Binder, 72, of Carmine.

On the Blinn College Honor Roll for the second summer terms were La Grange students: Deborah Chovanec, Susan Faye Teinert, Donna Marie Zapalac and David Leland Zatopek.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture urged horse owners to get their animals vaccinated due to a seasonal rise in equine sleeping sickness. Early signs of the disease were depression, lack of appetite and drowsiness.

The Rev. Donald L. Mattson was installed as pastor of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church at Swiss Alp. Elmo Minzenmeyer, the president of the church council, accepted Pastor Mattson and his wife, Linda, as new members of the congregation.

Beginning with the next issue on Friday, Sept. 14, the single copy price of The Fayette County Record would cost 15¢. Increased production and distribution costs necessitated the increase. According to the Texas Press Association, more than 460 of 570 Texas weekly newspapers were charging 15¢ or more per copy. There would be no increase in paid subscription rates, however, at that time.

Among the Blinn College Vocational Nursing students who received their caps were Brenda Hubbard and Jacquelyn Wessels of Fayette Memorial Hospital in La Grange.

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Wunderlich celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on Sun., Aug. 26 with a reception at Carmine Hall. Mr. Wunderlich and Miss Nala Ziese were married on Aug. 29, 1948, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Warrenton. They had two children: Marlene, a student at the University of Texas, and Donnie, a student at the University of Houston.

Schulenburg Police Chief Henry Robertson resigned to join the El Campo police force.

For more great stories, visit Elaine online at www. elainethomaswriter.com/blog/ or call her at 979-263-5031.