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1974 - Predator Control Program Pays Off

Jan. 4-8, 1974

Bounty payments for wolf and bobcat scalps turned into Fayette County Treasurer Lloyd H. Dippel during 1973 amounted to $1,660, representing 303 wolves and 29 bobcats. The highest bounty for any year since the program began was $3,337 in 1970 for 364 wolves and 81 bobcats when the rate was $7.50 per scalp.

Fayette County closed out 1973 with nine fatalities on its highways and public roads, the lowest number since 1967 when the total was eight. The next lowest year was 1966 with nine deaths. The highest of the eight prior calendar years was 23 in 1970.

Sixteen grain-loaded cars of a southbound Missouri-Kansas-Texas freight train catapulted helter-skelter in a derailment at the eastern edge of La Grange’s city limits at 8 a.m. Saturday. Fortunately, no train personnel were injured. The accident occurred about 20 cars back of the multi-engine train, stacking up the ill-fated grain cars just off the E. Eblin St. crossing adjacent to Texas Timbers. It was believed a center pin atop a set of wheel trucks snapped off, causing the wheels to ride the ties for over a half mile until the crippled car hit the switch entrance just south of Eblin St.

The year just ended with a total of $672,055 in City of La Grange building permits, according to Mrs. Margaret S. Mason, city secretary. That was only a little more than 55% of the record construction figure of $1,218,715 in 1972.

The year 1973 closed out with an official rainfall total for La Grange of 55.08 inches, 56% above the norm of 36.52. As for temperatures, 1973 was not abnormally hot; the mercury hit the century-mark only once on July 26. The coldest reading for 1973 was 15 degrees on Jan. 12. Mrs. Emil Kana of Hostyn reported 70 inches for 1973 and 12 degrees as the coldest temperature on Jan. 12.

Law enforcement officers were investigating vandalism totaling approximately $1,000 at the former La Grange Jun-ior High School building on E. Pearl St., also known as Randolph High School. All the large 6x6-foot paneled windows at the rear and one side of the structure were broken out, apparently by perpetrators heaving rocks through the glass. Some smaller windows were also smashed. City police and sheriff’s officers, who questioned several youngsters, said the culprits may have been a group of smaller children spending some of the Christmas holidays here. Over the weekend, a school maintenance crew cleaned up the damage and covered the larger windows with plywood.

Fayette County’s 1974 auto license plates had prefixes from JDZ to JFL, according to information the county tax collector’s office received from the Texas Highway Department. The 1974 license consignment also included 3,500 truck plates numbered CT 5575 to CT 9074; 1,000 farm truck sets ranging from 8P 650 to 8P 1649; 125 truck-tractor; 650 trailer; 100 house trailer; 125 motorcycle; and 223 farm trailer licenses for a grand total of 14,910 plate sets that would go on sale Feb. 1.

Playing well above their heads, La Grange’s Leopard cagers copped both ends of a twin bill from the Moulton Bobcats at Moulton on Thursday night. The varsity charges of Coach Bob Johnson downed their twice conquerers, 79-61, while Jim Story’s jayvees annexed a scintillating 59-46 triumph. Robert Pool completely dominated play despite running into foul trouble and missing about a quarter and a half for ‘insurance reasons.’ Coach Johnson said Robert pointed 15 times and probably would have hit for 30 had he played the whole game. The Lep’s chief also noted that Johnny Johnson was simply outstanding, taking scoring honors for the game with 22. Neal Miller was a demon on defense, scoring 11. Tommy Taylor had a good game on the boards, along with 17 points. Steve Kovar dunked 6.

Funeral services were held for: Mrs. Judy Faye Fritsche, 26, of La Grange; Oscar H. Hoelter, 77, of La Grange; Mrs. Emil (Elsa) Seidel, 63, of La Grange; Friedolin Gustav Schiege, 65, of La Grange; Robert J. Evanicky, 48, a native of Colorado County; and Mrs. Dorothy Etzel, 57, a native of Round Top.

Alongtime employee of the Texas Highway Department, Louis Zitterich, retired on Dec. 31 with 44 years of service. The native of Oldenburg went to work for the department in 1929 at the hourly rate of 35¢. Over the years, Mr. Zitterich saw the Fayette County highway system grow from a few miles of gravel roads to a network of 397 miles of paved highways. He and his wife,Adela von Minden, had one son, Daniel, who was serving in the U.S. Air Force.

Freddie Adamcik, 17, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Adamcik and a senior at La Grange High School, was selected by the Austin American-Statesman as an All-Central Texas Class AAA defensive lineman for the 1973 football season.

Preston David Moore, DDS, of Columbus assumed the former dentistry practice of Dr. Charles Meyer of Schulenburg, who retired after 39 years.

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