Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 22, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 6, 1989 Page: 2 of 16
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PAGE TWO-THE CHEROKEEAN/HERALD OF RUSK, TEXAS-THURSDAY, JULY 6,1989
OPINIONS
Don't blink or sneeze...
"Point of order." These may not seem like
significant words, for you or any other citizen of
Cherokee County. And yet, time could bear out
that these three words could end up costing the
taxpayers of our county an estimated $60,000.
How? It is all a part of the back stage scenario
leading to a decision on the proposed new
District Court to be shared between Cherokee
and Anderson counties.
After the "hoop-la" of news releases on
negotiations between elected officials, State
Senator Bill Haley and State Rep. Dick Swift, it
seems that Cherokee County is in great shape
to get a release from the mandate to pay for the
new court.
But think this through carefully. From Robert
Browning's poem, "Pippa Passes," we remem-
ber that God is in his heaven and all is right with
the world! So, in a special session, Gov. Bill
Clements is on his throne and ... is all right for
Cherokee County?
He has promised that he has no problem with
letting Cherokee County decide its destiny in
the matter of the District Court! Hurray for him!
But, it's not that easy.
Only the Governor determines what is on the
agenda of a special session. This is why he can
be termed "on his throne." And the new District
Court is NOT on his agenda! What he has said is
that he will not VETO such a request!
But... if just one person in that 181-member
legislature decides to hop on the microphone
and say, "Mr. Speaker, Point of Order. This is
not on the Governor's agenda." Well, then, that
kills ALL effort to get Cherokee County off the
hook! That's all it takes! Our present State
Rep. Swift took it upon himself to decree in his
infinite wisdom that we should have a new
District Court. He knows better than we? Who
pays the bill? He didn't bother to ask!
So, if some incorrigible colleague is willing to
raise the "point of order" question, Cherokee
County is right back where it was ... with a new
District Court to fund.
Should this hypothetical scenario come to
pass, even Robert Browning wouldn't want to
write its conclusion. Don't blink or sneeze. You
may miss an important moment in histwy ...
your history!
'Roundabout...
with Marie Whitehead
I
To separate Self from Self's
responsibilities...just to enjoy a few
days out of town...is almost as dif-
ficult as a fly disengaging itself
from sticky fly paper...or extrac-
ting itself from a spider's web. But
once in a while, Self needs to have
its needs met with a few hours of
distraction. A change of pace, if you
get my meaning.
In a recent effort to leave town for
a little while to view the Ramses II
exhibit in Dallas, I felt like the
fly...trapped in the web. Right up to
the moment of leaving, I was ready
to quit trying. Give it up. Just not
worth it. But finally, packed, we
left.
Not quite. Racing (not really!)
down Hill Street around the corner
from Bonner, it became apparent
that we were not alone in our inten-
ded journey! A lizard was perched
on the windshield. It wanted to see
the Egyptian exhibit, too, maybe?
There was no choice in the matter.
The Better Half declared it was a
Bonner Street Lizard with the right
to all of life's expectations.
History of County Jail reviewed
By: JOHN ALLEN TEMPLETON
As Cherokee county officials
prepared to dedicate the county's
new jail on June 30 on a site off US
69 north of downtown Rusk,
thoughts turned back to earlier jails
the county has built and operated
since the Texas Legislature created
Cherokee County on April 11,1846.
Research shows that a year later,
April of 1847, the Commissioners
Court acted officially to build a jail.
Walter D. Whaley, L.H. Dillard,
and G.G. Cole were named to con-
tract for the construction of a jail
for the county. Site for the jail was
designated as Lot 1, Block 15, town
of Rusk, Texas.
The Commissioners Court then
included Lewis Gideon, the first
county judge (then called "chief
justice") and Commissioners R.J.
Banks, William Isaacs, Andrew C.
Walters and William Roark.
What the county did for a jail until
April of 1847 is not of record. In all
probability the Commissioners
Court had its hands full and its
pockets close to empty trying to get
the county's new government
operating and finding revenues to
finance its operation. It is known
that the court authorized the con-
struction of a crude courhouse on
the square in Rusk immediately af-
ter the county was formed and later
authorized improvements to make
the crude, log building with a "doi
trot" more weatherproof and ei
ficient as funds were available.
: Not quite a year later on Jan. 10,
1848, the state-appointed Locating
. Commission was authorized to pay
the "undertakers of the jail" $973 on
the cost but were ordered to pay
:Timmons $100 due on the townsite
; property before paying on the jail
cost.
; At that time the Commissioners
•Court fined Sheriff James K. Mc-
: Night "for not attending to keep the
^Courthouse cleaned and kept in
: good order as the law requires him
: to do." Commissioners were
I looking after their housekeeping,
; obviously.
In 1855 after the June term of the
I court, G.W. Pearson was awarded
; the contract to build a new jail for
; $4,200 (some records show $4,250).
: Pearson was to be paid $1,500 on
; completion of the jail and the same
amount annually thereafter until
; the entire cost was paid. Pearson
was to be secured for the amount of
the contract with a mechanic's Lien
; on the building and site. The court
I
Cfyerokecap/Herald
USPS 102-520
Texas' Oldest Continuously
Published Weekly Newspaper
Established as the Cherokee Sentir1,
Feb. 27,1850
Consolidation of The Cherokeean,
the Alto Herald, and
the Wells News & Views
Second Class Postage Paid at Rusk, Texas 75785
Published weekly on Thursday by
E.H. Whitehead Enterprises,
618 N. Main, Rusk, Texas 75785
(214(683-2257 (214)586-7771 (409)858-4141
Sutncnptmn Riles Payibla in Adnnci
Cherokee County 113 per year
Outaide Cherokee County 915 per year
Outside Texas HO per year
POSTMASTER Send iddfm chinm lo CM[R0M LAN/HCMLU.
Bon 475. Rusk. !«*« lilti
then included A.J. Coupland, chief
justice, and John H. Kendrick, J.L.
Trimble, Jesse Hill, and John H.
Martin as commissioners. By then,
John F. Williams was county
sheriff. All had been elected in the
1854 voting, and by that time county
officials' terms had been reduced
from four to two years.
In 1882 a new jail was built nor-
theast of the courthouse square, the
present site of the Courthouse An-
nex building. That jail was used un-
til the present courthouse was built
and included the jail on the top floor
of the structure. The present cour-
thouse was dedicated Nov. 11,1941,
during a day-long event which in-
cluded the formal dedicatory ad-
dress by Coke R. Stevenson, the in-
cumbent governor of Texas.
The old jail on the Courthouse
Annex's present site was
demolished to make room for the
annex structure a few years after
the present courthouse was oc-
cupied.
For the record, the Com-
missioners Court in 1882 included
Judge M.J. Whitman, and Com-
missioners M.W. Martin, precinct
one; W.A. Muckleroy, precinct two;
Farming Right
with Jack White
By: JACK L.WHITE
County Extension Agent • AG
As I drive through the county, I
notice a lot of producers putting up
hay. Reports indicate excellent
yields in the first cutting. With our
last hay season, this is a real
blessing. Now might be an excellent
time to store some "extra" hay as
insurance against further drought
or cold weather.
With hay cuttings occuring the
question of fertilizers arise. I think
several points are worth men-
tioning again.
First, we fertilize because we
need the grass. That is a decision
you must make each time you har-
vest. Do you need more hay or just
pasture grass? Obviously we fer-
tilize for hay with heavier amounts
of fertilizer.
Second, the long term effects of
putting just nitrogen or second cut-
tings aren't good. Grass requires
almost equal amounts of nitrogen
and potash. When we add only
nitrogen we "mine" the extra
potash we need out of the soil.
Eventually all the potash is gone.
Then grass strands become weak,
yields fall off, weeds come in, and
producers get frustrated. I recom-
mend you use a blend fertilizer for
all your applications. Combinations
like 21-8-17,16-6-12, or 20-5-20 seem
to work very well.
Third, if you are firmly entren-
ched in the practice of applying
only nitrogen, I recommend you
look at the various sources to help
get your money's worth. Am-
monium nitrate is our standard in
the industry. We have used it for
.<#
years and know what to expect.
Two additional sources are am-
monium sulfate and urea.
Ammonium sulfate is a good fer-
tilizer and my next few comments
are not intended to down grade its
value. For hay operations in East
Texas, it really is not a good choice.
It has a third less nitrogen per ton
and generally costs almost as much
as ammonium nitrate. In addition,
it lowers soil pH rapidly and in-
creases the need to lime the hay
meadow.
Urea on the other hand is a good
option. It has 25 percent more
nitrogen per ton and usually costs
just a little more than ammonium
nitrate. Its biggest drawback is fear
it will disappear. The actual term is
volitalization, losing nitrogen as a
gas into the atmosphere. Repeated
studies in actual hay meadows
across Texas show this is not a
problem.
Concerning fertilizers, the
question of how much and what
kind are extremely important. Cow
prices are better than we have seen
in many years, but not good enough
to waste money needlessly on fer-
tilizer.
I realize that a lot of hay has been
rained on, maybe even more than
once. Quality will be real uncertain.
I suggest you forage test each cut-
ting and feed according to value.
Remember also there will be a
Cherokee County Hay Show again
this year. We haven't set the date
yet. However, if you have a good
sample, drop it by my office. We
are accepting entries.
D.A. Andress, precinct three; W.C.
Frederick, precinct four.
In 1938 the Commissioners Court
deemed a new courthouse and jail
were a necessity and began the
move to provide the new facility.
The court then included Judge J.W.
Chandler, and Commissioners
Albert Phifer, Mrs. M.W. Rozelle,
Walter P. Murray, and A.N.
Walley. Demolition of the old cour-
thouse began in January, 1940, after
office space for the county offices
had been leased in various
buildings in Rusk. In June, 1939,
however, quarrying stone near Alto
and Wells began for the new cour-
thouse, and actual construction
work on the new building began
April 19, 1940-again, an April
timing in the county's history.
Final payment of the ap-
proximately $600,000 cost of the
courthouse was made by County
Auditor J. Jinan Smith on May 26,
1950. The building cost was $170,000
for the county and $430,000 for the
federal government.
The Commissioners Court which
saw the pay-off of the project in-
cluded Judge J.W. Summers and
Commissioners G.M. Black, G.P.
Burrough, L.L. Etheridge, Mack
Allen, and A. "Pete" Bailey. Coun-
ty Auditor Smith, who made the
final payment, had served in that
office throughout the construction
of the courthouse and jail.
An interesting point in the
history of the series of county jails
is that even though the county had
its own jail almost from its begin-
ning as a county, prisoners were
housed often in the old Rusk unit of
the Texas Prison System when
there was fear of mob action to free
a prisoner or the administration of
mob justice without waiting for a
prisoner to be tried in the proper
court. After the old penitentiary
was closed and became a mental
hospital, the county housed all
prisoners in its own jails. At times,
officers in neighboring counties
also housed prisoners in the old
penitentiary when some kind of
mob action was feared.
Obviously, the jail to be dedicated
June 30 is a far cry from the crude
one first built by the county in 1847
and is also far ahead of those which
followed during the years the coun-
ty was growing and developing.
So, back home again. We finally
got the Uiard, a lovely little
Chameleon the color of my car,
detached and safely in the yard.
Try again for the trip North! This
time we succeeded and met the 2:20
p.m. deadline with time to spare! If
only I could remember that all is
well that ends well! It went well!
The tour of the exhibit is well wor-
th anyone's time and the price of $8
(that's adult admission). For a few
hours, less than two really, one is
zapped back better than any time
machine could do it. The many ob-
jects on display from a time frame
of 1314-1197 B.C. are mind boggling.
From such personal objects as
combs, jewelry and tools, as well as
those items seen in what is called a
"funerary" area one can gain a
small Insight to the level of intellect
during the reign of Ramses II. In
this exhibition, the life of a man who
ruled Egypt more than 60 years and
fathered about 90 children, Is
briefly reviewed.
This collection has been brought
to Dallas at great expense and I
hope that serious students of history
will avail themselves of a once in a
lifetime opportunity to do the
nearest thing to a visit to Egypt and
see it! A few helpful tips before
taking the tour, however! Cameras
are allowed on Wednesdays only
(unless you are the working press,
which your writer is!), bone up on
the subject before going, and
especially for the benefit of children
who may be a part of your en-
tourage, give them the benefit of
background to better understand
what they will see.
Thank goodness that recent
people have been able to decipher
the written language of that time
period. There is so much to learn.
Without the understanding of writ-
ten words, how do we leave
messages for those who follow?
Tools, jewelry, statues, these things
leave a part of the story for us, but
the written words tell much more.
As my luck runs, I ran out of film
in my camera just before the last
breath-taking statue came into
view. It is the last object for
viewing on the tour and it stands 24
feet, seven inches tall. The bigger
than life replica of Ramses II is
carved of granite and for centuries
was lost! It was only in 1962 that
Ramses' colossus was rediscovered
when machinery was digging the
foundation for a restaurant in an-
cient Memphis.
Through leadership from the city
of Memphis, Tenn., restoration of
this statue of Ramses the Great was
begun in June, 1986. Restored, it
weighs 47 tons. It is an incredible
story! Plan now to take the tour,
buy the book that is offered and you
may want the tape narrated by
Charlton Heston. It is valuable
history for yourself and your
children and your grandchildren!
Just look at the history those
laborers made possible for us
today!
Maybe we are just fly specks on
the paper of time. Insignificant as
individuals. But collectively, each
generation writes its own history
for those who will live in the eons of
time to come. And who can say that
our lovely, little Lizard is any less
important than the rest of us who
call Bonner Street, Rusk, Texas
"home?"
Until next week? -mw
THIS CHANNELED COLUMN, on display now in Dallas, was originally
erected by King Tuthmosis IV (1425-1417 B.C.). Ramses the Great,
however, was not one to waste anything. He took it for his own use. And
it was still later used by the Roman Emperor Trajan about the end of the
first century A. D. So, until Aug. 25 it will be on display in the Automobile
Building of Fair Park in Dallas. photo by marie whitehead
is 1
i
4-H members hold fashion show, Forestry Invitational ¡ SFA production big success
By: LAURISCHATTENBERG
County Extension Agent - H.E.
Eleven Cherokee County 4-H
members participated in the annual
County 4-H Fashion Show on Thur-
sday, June 22 at the Jacksonville
Public Library. The theme for this
years event was "Photo Fashions."
All 4-H members were awarded
blue ribbons for their achievements
by the judges, Mary Nell Zehren
and Jackie Hinch.
Participants in the Ready-To-
Wear division included Christine
Capizzo, Elizabeth Capizzo, Rachel
Walker, Brandee Dowling, Candi
Dowling, Jackie Dowling, Laurie
Weidenbach and Jessica Capizzo.
Construction division participants
were Rebekah Bear, Mindy Comte
and Mary Bea Underwood. In ad-
dition to receiving a blue ribbon the
following individuals also received
a first place rosette; Christine
Capizzo, Rachel Walker, Brandee
Dowling, Jackie Dowling, Laurie
Weidenbach, Mindy Comte and
Mary Bea Underwood.
Seven of the eleven youth will be
representing Cherokee County at
the District 4-H Fashion Show on
July 7 at Stephen F. Austin State
University in Nacogdoches. Our
participants will include Brandee
Dowling, Candi Dowling, Jackie
Dowling, Laurie Weidenbach,
Rebekah Bear, Mindy Comte and
Mary Bea Underwood. t
Seven Cherokee County 4-H
members participa ted in the eighth
Texas 4-H Forestry Invitational at
Camp Tyler, June 26-28. The pur-
poses of this event are to provide
the opportunity and atmosphere for
4-H forestry members from all over
the state to:
Develop leadership talents and to
work toward achieving character
development and effective citizen-
ship; develop desirable attitudes
toward the need and importance of
conserving woodlands as a source
of income, raw materials and en-
joyment necessary for quality
living, aB the habitat of many forms
of wildlife and as a critizal area for
water resource management and
outdoor recreation; acquire Infor-
mation and understanding of prac-
tical forestry skills in forest
management and the utilization of
forest and wood products.
Participants from our county in-
clude Kenneth Phifer, David Cates,
Daniel Cates, Tony Goff, Ben
Capizzo, Kenneth Cameron and
Elizabeth Capizzo. Several of our 4-
Hers were recognized at the in-
vitational for being high point in-
dividuals. Daniel Cates placed
third, David Cates placed fourth
and Kenneth Phifer placed sixth. In
addition, our senior team placed
thrid and received ribbons and a
plaque. Team members were Ken-
neth Phifer, David Cates, Daniel
Cates and Tony Goff.
By: GLORIA JENNINGS
"Star-Spangled Girl," a comedy
by Neil Simon was presented in
great style at the Stephen F. Austin
University's Repertory Theatre
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
evenings at the Cherokee Theatre in
Rusk.
The three member cast kept the
plot moving for a million laughs a
minute.
Members of the cast included An-
dy Hobart playing Andy Long;
Norman Corn
HOPE Devotional
I would like to buy $3 worth of
God, please. Not enough to explode
my soul or disturb my peace, but
just enough to equal a cup of warm
milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I
don't want enough of Him to make
me love another race or pick beets
with the migrant. I want ecstasy,
not transformation. I want the
warmth of the womb, not the new
birth. I want a pound of the eternal
in a paper sack. I would like to buy
$3 worth of God, please. Sorry,
God is not for sale nor is His will.
Have a great week!
Paul Stalnaker, Pastor
Rt 2 Box 2477
Alto, Tx. 75925
(409) 858-HOPE (4673)
Members of the cast included An-
dy Hobart played by Andy Long;
Norman Coirnell played by David
Bennett and Sophie Rauschmeyer,
the Star Spangled Girl played by
Veronica Russell. Dr. C.W. Bahs
was director for the production.
Sophie was a true blue All
American girl, who did her best but
she still caihe in sixth in the Olym-
pic swimming competition. Her
biggest complaint about the com-
petition was that she came in
behind "that fat little black headed
girl from the desert (Egypt)."
Norman fell in love with Sophie
immediately and she soon stole the
heart of Andy. Norman and Andy
were a part of the radical
movement of the 60s. They were
publishers of a radical magazine.
The play first opened on Broadway
on Dec. 21,1966.
Sophie never waivered from her
devotion to her country. As the final
scene ended, she held a flag high
and recited the Pledge of Allegian-
cp to the Flag of the United States of
America.
-J
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Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 141, No. 22, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 6, 1989, newspaper, July 6, 1989; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth151911/m1/2/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.