SCENE IN PASSING
MARIE WHITEHEAD herald@mediactr.com
Let the history lesson begin. Friend Katie Gillespie offered to share with me some of their collection of former issues of this newspaper. The one chosen for this week's review is a créme de la créme in the stack. Dated Nov. 13, 1953, it was presented as an "extra" edition. Across the top of the front page, the word "extra" is printed in handset, type, three and one fourth inches tall. The issue's big news was the announcement of Brown & Root's decision to join forces as contractors for the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority. Forrest and Cotton was the consulting engineer firm from Dallas.

This one issue alone suggests our area was about to burst out of its cocoon, with water leading the way. The legislature had greased the way for the project through its passage of a bill to create the water authority. The governor appointed three persons from each of the three cities involved- -Jacksonville, Rusk and Palestine--to serve on the board. They were Frank W. Ebaugh, Tom E. Acker and Gus Blankenship, Jacksonville; Eldridge R. Gregg, Charles Decker and Lewis R. McCarroll, Rusk; and K. A. Anderson, Eugene Fish and R. L. Kenderdine of Palestine.

All men were certified for service and the three communities held separate elections on the water issue with it passing by more than 100 to one favoring the creation of the water district. So far, so good, it would seem.

Like projects of this present day, it was a well investigated, researched idea before action was taken. The committee for the project held its first meeting Oct. 31, 1951. It was noted that the three cities, like many others in the southwest, "are in need of more water. Separate investigations had previously been made in an effort to develop separate additional water supplies, which investigations had shown that considerable expense would be involved."

Thus, a more logical idea was explored, first submitted by Judge James I. Perkins. "It was felt that it might be possible to do the job almost as cheaply and at the same time to create a very great water supply, if these three cities could create a water supply project which would serve them jointly." Judge Perkins served as the chairman of the original investigating committee. His thinking was found to be fully justified through later investigations.

Brown & Root's role was presented in bold face type: "It is also expected that Brown & Root in the same capacity will finally place the facility in operation, serving in this capacity for an initial period of three years."

Location of the proposed dam was shown as 16 miles southwest of Jacksonville; 15 miles east of Palestine and 16 miles west of Rusk.

And thus was born a new geographic entity, to be known briefly as "The Golden Triangle," or "The Tri-Cities."

Leaders' research had also discovered that "the cost of construction would be the lowest in the state of Texas-- only $22 per acre foot."

Now that years have made a wiser woman of me, I can more fully appreciate the magnitude and scope of that project. Its potential for good. But I think today that no matter how difficult the situation is, with understanding, cooperation, something good will come out of it. The project of November 1953 finally played out as today's Lake Palestine. In between these few sentences, a book could be written, a movie produced, illustrating all the best and worst in that noble beast called a human. But we did learn from it. I am sure of it. If you believe with me, stop and grin, for all that was, even the might have beens.

A small postscript: The page featuring the Eagles Echo (RHS student newspaper) billed James (Bubba) Jared as editor and Johnny Irwin as assistant editor.)

Until next week?