Texas Monthly Reporter
(Page 3 of 4)
ALGEA OR FADED SHAMROCK?
No Texas town, with the exception of Shamrock, does up Saint Patrick's Day like San Antonio. With the help of the Paseo del Rio Association and a strong Harp and Shamrock chapter led by Hilton executive William Hunter, the Irish holiday gets its due.
Leading off the day before (Saturday, March 16, at 11 a.m.) is a warm up street parade led by parade master Pat Dowd. Then on Sunday (also at 11 a.m.) the beautiful San Antonio River is dyed green for the boat parade and Irish entertainment at the Arneson River Theatre.
GOOD BYE RED BRICK ROAD
Fort Worth Star Telegram book editor Leonard Sanders has written a book about his city called How Fort Worth Became the Texas Most City. For years one of Cowtown's most distinctive trademark has been its red brick streets.
They're on the way out, says public works director Jack Graham. "It's a shame we can't keep them because they are unique and have a certain beauty. But the bricks themselves aren't made any more and labor costs would be prohibitive in trying to replace them," said Graham.
The problem lies underground. The concrete base cracks, the street sinks, and the bricks must come up. Nowadays, the bricks are replaced with four or five inches of hot mix asphalt and concrete, and become the property of either the city or the contractor doing the work.
"With increased wheel loads, more cars, and higher construction costs, everything is against keeping the bricks," said Graham.
SECOND TOLL ROAD FOR METROPLEX
A spokesman for Wilber Smith Associates, the top traffic study-engineering firm in the United States, recently called the Trinity corridor between Dallas and Fort Worth, "the fastest growing corridor in the country." Vice President Norman Wuestefeld calls growth in the Mid-City area, "phenomenal. .. the question is not whether to build anew toll road but how soon."
Arlington Mayor Tom Vandergriff remains unalterably opposed to the proposed toll road because the easiest method of financing the highway would be retention of tolls on the present Dallas-Fort Worth Toll Road after it is paid for in 1977.
"I think it is cruelly unfair to the people in Mid-Cities who pay the lion's share of these tolls to continue to have to pay after they were promised no more payments when the bond payment is finished," remarked Vandergriff.
The proposed Trinity Route would parallel the present turnpike on the northern side of the Trinity River, running along the southern edge of the new Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, and would stretch from the west edge of downtown Dallas 34 miles west towards downtown Fort Worth.
Is the new route necessary? Yes, says Dee Kelly, chairman of the Texas Turnpike Authority, the agency responsible for financing and construction, if the Texas Highway Department decides not to do the job.
"We will have bumper-to-bumper traffic in five years on the existing Dallas-Fort Worth Toll Road, making it similar to Stemmons Freeway in Dallas and the West Freeway in Fort Worth during peak traffic hours, an intolerable situation," said Kelly.
Vandergriff disagrees and is skeptical of such studies. "The highway department hasn't seen a need for increased arteries in that area until 1985. I am more comfortable with their planning than an engineering firm retained by the turnpike committee.
"Also, let's give the new Interstate-20 (south Dallas-Tarrant Counties) a chance to work. The toll road should only be built when it is self supporting."
Building two additional traffic lanes within the existing turnpike median was suggested, but experts say they would compound present traffic problems at terminal connections and other interchanges.
If the turnpike authority is given the go-ahead from Austin, bonds could be sold as early as January 1975, and the new Trinity Route could be ready by January 1978. Cost for the six-lane, toll operated highway is estimated at $222.4 million. If constructed as a non-toll freeway by the state highway department, the road will cost $234.9 million because of additional ramps and structures.
Mass transit systems have not been overlooked. The North Central Texas Council of Governments examined 15 possible transit routes and determined that the most feasible would be one sharing the proposed Trinity Route's right-of-way. However, that terrain is considered not flat enough for the 150 mile-an-hour tracked air cushion vehicles which would be used.
RODENT ON THE MOVE
The state's best rock and roll-country-western boogie hall, Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin is expanding its activities. Says impresario Eddie Wilson: "We're expanding into audio and video production for two reasons. More national record companies want tapes of local Austin bands and more national talent wants to record live here after the success of the Commander's album [Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen Live From Deep in the Heart of Texas] which was recorded here last November. Z. Z. Top, Steve Miller, Waylon Jennings, Mike Murphey, and Van Morrison all want to do live recordings here. The only one tentatively scheduled is Morrison in May," said Wilson.
In the front section of the monstrous building, Wilson and partners are planning an art gallery. "We're waiting on funding. It will be very democratic and we want to have photographs, sculpture, and paintings."
Finally, Armadillo will be entering the graphics-image consulting field, advising companies on how to best market their products to the 18 to 35-year-old group.
Armadillo's line-up for March:
March 1-2: New Riders of the Purple Sage.
March 15-16: Bruce Springsteen.
March 22-23: Michael Murphey, premiering his newest album, The Music of Michael Martin Murphey.
UPDATING SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio political activist Larry Travis is carefully moving ahead on revision of the San Antonio city charter. Architect-city planner Travis is chairman of the 27-member committee appointed by the present city council in a fourth attempt to revise the 1951 document. Travis is not at all sure of success.
"The mood of the people is against it. It is confusing to most everyone because of the constitutional revision sessions going on in Austin.
"On the bright side, the political make-up of our city council favors a change for a change. The present council is the first in a long while where the Good Government League [read conservative, affluent, north San Antonio] doesn't have a majority."
Here are some glaring inadequacies that Travis and his committee hope to rectify with the new draft:
Updated salaries for councilmen and the mayor. Today, city councilmen are paid $20 per session with a maximum take-home pay of $1040 a year. This eIiminates from officeholding everyone but the already afIuent. The mayor is paid an underwhelming $4040 a year for his time and services. Travis wants this changed to at least $6000.
The present nine members each represent 72,684 San Antonians and are elected at large. This is not as bad as Houston where nine councilmen each represent 136,978 citizens, but Travis would like to increase San Antonio's council to 11, elected by district instead of at large. Each man would then represent 59,468 constituents.
Full recommendations go to the city council body May 2. They vote yea or nay on September 17. If the council approves, the new charter then goes for final approval to the voters.
COWTOWN'S TALLEST
Look for the dedication of the new 37-story Fort Worth National Bank Building the last of this month or early April. The $20-million, tallest-in-town structure's opening ceremonies will feature honorary chairman of the board H. B. Fuqua, present board chairman Lewis Bond, and a descendant of Major K. M. Van Zandt, founder and president of the 101-year-old bank for 56 years. Oh yes, that 40-foot "stabile" in front is Alexander Calder's "The Egle," done in "Calder Red," the creator's favorite.
RETURN OF THE WORD
Sinners Beware! Hook up the Royal Telephone! Praise Jesus! Do unto others as you would have them do to you because the Brother Heumann Hour returns March 2, 11:30 p.m. (C.D.T.) over XEG radio, Monterrey, Mexico.
The fine art of black religious humor, largely spoofs of the radio evangelism racket, carried on by Brother Heumann and nine other bozos (all ex-University of Texas students) has been long awaited by fans who remember their previous Firesign Theatre raps of a year ago. It is all supported by contributions and comments so send your confessions to Brother Heumann, Box 4773, Austin, 78765.
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