LCRA Report to Probe Power Plant’s Impact
The effects of the Fayette Power Project were expected to be manifold, involving not only the displacement of some 70 landowners from 6,300 acres and the impact of 1,500 or more construction workers on site but also spurring social, economic and environmental changes in the county. LCRA planned to convene a meeting with the contractors’ representatives and local community leadership so Fayette County would know what to expect. An environmental assessment required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency was also planned. A New York-based company was the low bidder at approximately $18 million to build the Cedar Creek dam and baffle dikes, level the plant site, construct rail and road spurs, prepare the pump station site and lay a 48-inch pipeline from the Colorado River.
Contributions and pledges to the Fayette Heritage Museum/ Library, including the cityowned land valued at $30,000, totaled $101,760.20, according to Clarence Schulze, cochair of the project’s fundraising committee. Schulze said the figure did not include profits from the Lion’s Club auction the previous week. The Square Fair planned for June 7-8 was expected to send the building fund substantially higher. The biggest windfall was the $25,000 gift from Houston Endowment, Inc.
At its regular meeting, Fayette County Commissioners authorized the county auditor to advertise for bids to sell dipping vat No. 75 and also ¾ of an acre of land situated in the James Beardslee tract, both located in Precinct No. 2. Commissioners also agreed to convey 1/5 of an acre of land, an old, unused county road, to Joe A. Muras.
La Grange City Council went on record to offer $250 to the respective landowners on corners of the Hwy. 71 and 77 intersection in downtown La Grange so the four curbs could be cut back for added traffic safety. The Texas Highway Department recommended the cutback, which would require 50 additional square feet at each corner.
Fayette County, which had recorded production since 1943, produced 246,728 barrels of oil at the rate of 678 barrels per day in 1974, according to a Texas Mid-Continental Oil & Gas Report. Some 31 counties produced more than 10 million barrels of crude oil, with Anderson and Kleberg counties dropping below that mark and off the list.
Court-appointed commissioners awarded Mr. and Mrs. John Schuhmacher Sr. $132,744 for 15 acres of land being taken for the Fayette Power Project near Fayetteville and another $170,191 in damages to land not being taken. Damages were for the decrease in value of the 333.89 acres the Schuhmachers would retain due to the nearness of the power plant site. It was 7/10 of a mile from the Schuhmacher home and an ash storage area would be less than 1,000 feet away. Commissioners were Julian Headley of Schulenburg, Carl Smith of Flatonia and Henry Barry of La Grange.
Exterior work, including paved streets and parking area and stone entrance posts, was virtually complete on Bluff Manor Apartments on Monument Hill. Eleven of the 20 apartments were already leased. The owners said a laundry facility for residents would be built soon.
Rebecca Lynn Fuchs was valedictorian and Ronnie Gene Jahnz salutatorian of the 1975 graduating class of Round Top-Carmine High School.
Carol Zimmermann was initiated into Alpha Lambda Delta at Sam Houston State University. Alpha Lambda Delta was a national honorary scholastic society for freshman and sophomore women. A home economics major, Carol was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Zimmermann.
The City of La Grange was advised by the San Antonio district office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that it would accept an application from La Grange to administer an existing housing program. HUD said La Grange had been allocated $48,000 to provide housing assistance payments for approximately 27 families.
A two-run third inning was all the La Grange Leopards needed Thursday night to rack up the Class AA bi-district baseball championship over Hondo’s Owls, 3-0.
The Rev. Brand conducted the confirmation class examination at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church at Winchester on Sunday morning. Members of the class were: Rodney Schulze, Connie Lehmann and Lorie Herzog.
Doug Walker, a senior at Schulenburg High School, was selected by the Texas High School Coaches Association to play as a member of the 33-man south squad in the annual Texas High School all-star football game in the summer at Texas Christian University Stadium. Doug was the son of Coach and Mrs. Tom Walker.
Airman Stephen L. Muras, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lad V. Muras of Flatonia, completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base. The airman was to remain at Lackland for specialized training in security police. Muras graduated from Flatonia High School in 1971 and earned an AA degree from Blinn Junior College, Brenham.
Funeral services were held for Leo V. Tiemann, 60, of La Grange, Mrs. Augusta Heller, 91, of Ammannsville and Charles F. Schneider, 87, a Fayette County native
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