REMEMBER WHEN?
50 Years Ago
July 16-23, 1971
A two-foot-wide hole was chipped into the outer rock and masonry wall of the Oeltjen & Schovajsa law office building in the 200 block of W. Colorado St. in La Grange, 20 feet from the front sidewalk. The nine-inch deep hole, which looked like it had been made with a pick, was on the side facing the former Streithoff building that had been razed some time before. Was some treasure imbedded in the structure? The answer remained a mystery.
La Grange’s corps of veterinarians was set to hit the road to vaccinate the county’s horses, mules and donkeys against the fast-spreading Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, a sleeping sickness, which could also affect humans, but was seldom fatal. The USDA-issued vaccine was expected to arrive Thursday morning.
U.S. Representative J.J. Pickle called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to speed up and extend spraying against the mosquitoes believed to be carrying the dreaded Venezuelan horse disease equine encephalomyelitis. The State of Texas had imposed a full federal quarantine of horses to prevent interstate movement of animals that might be affected by the disease.
La Grange City Council ruled that 55-gallon oil drums could no longer be used as garbage receptacles because trash collectors found them so difficult to handle. Only 30-gallon or smaller drums were approved for future use.
Quick work by volunteer firemen averted what might have been a disastrous fire. The blaze, which was confined to the rear of the Perry Brothers store at 130 N. Washington St., was set off when a trailer truck backed into an electric line at the base of an overhead porch. When one wire snapped and the insulation was severed on another, an electric charge went through the truck that created sparks, which in turn ignited the porch area. Although the flames quickly spread into the rear of the upper story, firemen were on the scene within moments after the alarm was sounded and got the fire under control quickly.
There was a pounding at the Baptist Church in Muldoon on Sunday night at the fellowship hour. The congregation welcomed its new pastor, the Rev. and Mrs. John Tripp. Refreshments of cake, cookies, assorted nuts and punch were served.
In the girls’ softball tournament, the Nitty Gritties defeated the Dirty Dozen by a score of 20 to 9. Brenda Norsworthy was the winning pitcher. Jane Kana was charged with the loss. Cherri Etzel of the Dirty Dozen hit an insidethe-park home run.
Mark Muzny chunked a nohitter on Monday night as the La Grange Braves of the Tri-County Teenage League shut out Eagle Lake, 10-0. The Braves chased over six runs in a wild sixth inning rally.
The official opening of the new Matejowsky store at Nechanitz was set for Sun., July 25. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Matejowsky invited the public to join them for a barbecue meal at noon and to register for door prizes.
Roger Brandt was to receive the Lone Star Farmer degree, the highest FFA award on the state level, at the Future Farmers of America convention in Houston. Others La Grange attendees were Tony Dooley and Louis Bargas. Martin Brandt was the alternate delegate.
Funeral services were held for: Joe Zbranek Jr., 78, of La Grange; Ludwig D. Vitek, 44, a former Fayetteville resident; Mrs. Vlasta Kristek, 74, of La Grange; Mrs. Mary K. Kappler, 80, of Giddings; George Wilson Bosse, 68, formerly of Fayetteville; J.C. Richardson, formerly of Muldoon; and Miss Emma K. Bartram, 82, of Fayetteville.
U.S. Army Private Kenneth A. Berger, 23, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Berger of Schulenburg, completed eight weeks of basic training at the U.S. Army Training Center, Infantry, at Fort Polk, Louisiana.
Schatte Real Estate in Round Top listed the following properties for sale: a three-bedroom house in La Grange on a 85x185-foot lot with breezeway and garage, $13,000; a two-bedroom house in La Grange on a nice lot, $10,500; 1¼ acres with house in Rutersville, $5,000; house on ½ acre in Warrenton, $6,000; and 158 acres of fine blackland farm with house, well, tanks, all minerals, $550 an acre, terms could be arranged.
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