This Week

Judge Jack Hall and secretary Rhonda Aveni display some of items discovered during a clean out of the Donley County Courthouse, including an antique pistol, a ballot box made from a sugar can, a wanted poster, an empty 12-pack of Pale Dry beer, and an old checker set.
 
Each passing week sheds new light on history and uncovers strange artifacts as Donley County moves out of the courthouse it has occupied since the 19th century.

The most interesting item to date was uncovered last Tuesday by the secretary of the county judge. Rhonda Aveni was working in the basement vault when she found a 90-year-old gun.

Behind some old property tax receipts, Aveni found the German made Walther pistol complete with a leather holster with “B.A.X.” stamped under the flap and one empty clip.

Local gun collector Jim Garland identified the pistol as being a Walther Model 3, which was manufactured in 1910 in Zella-Mehlis, Germany. He says the gun is in pretty rough shape with some rust and a missing left grip. The pistol also is missing one of its two clips.

“Someone used some ingenuity and made a glass or plastic piece to replace that grip, which serves the purpose,” Garland said.

County officials say they don’t know how long the gun has been there or why it was put in the basement vault. Former judge W.R. Christal said he knew of the gun’s existence, even knew exactly where it was, but had no knowledge of its origins.

Anyone having any information about this gun is asked to call The Clarendon Enterprise at 874-2259 or County Judge Jack Hall at 874-3625.

Hall, Aveni, all the members of the commissioners’ court, and county road hands were joined in cleaning out the old building by nine inmates from the Clements Unit from Amarillo. The group worked for three days last week hauling furniture, books, and county records to temporary storage facilities. They also removed all of the radiators from the building, which may be sold as scrap.

Prior to last week, Angie Papa of the county clerk’s office, spent weeks in the courthouse basement sorting and boxing county records.

“The more of that stuff we can remove on our own, the less it will cost for the contractors to do it,” Hall said. “All this kind of work will go toward the county’s match of the state grant.”

The judge expects to have the inmates come back to Clarendon to remove shelving in the basement and in the old treasurer’s office and to rip up carpet and decking on the second floor.

The only furnishings remaining to be removed are the jury box and judge’s bench.

Among other items found in the courthouse were an old wooden checker set, an empty box for a 12-pack of Grand Prize Pale Dry beer, a 1935 physician’s statement certifying a certain man to be “free from all known venereal diseases” (which apparently had something to do with getting a marriage license), and an early 1950s wanted poster for one Sydney Arthur Long, alias “Darcel of India.” According to the poster, Long was a con man who sometimes claimed to be a hypnotist. The price on his head was $250.

Judge Hall said he also ran across a civil suit filed against legendary cattleman Charles Goodnight and found “lots of dust that has accumulated since 1890.”

The county plans to preserve the artifacts it finds, but some history will probably be lost forever as the restoration of the courthouse ensues. Graffiti, for example, is scrawled on the walls of the attic in what used to be the third floor of the tower. That area may have once been used as a holding room for people awaiting trial. It’s not known exactly when the writing was done, but one piece – proclaiming that “Sheriff Mosley is not worth a dam” [sic] – can be dated closely. M.W. Mosley was sheriff of Donley County from 1929 to 1930.

Another etching reads, “Quiet in the courtroom. The judge is eating beans.”

And one inscription could be taken as a motto for the courthouse. It reads in bold, dark letters: “LET THERE BE JUSTICE.”

Judge Hall hopes to save some of the graffiti but says the plaster in that room crumbles like sand.

In other courthouse news, commissioners met on February 12 to open bids for the abatement of lead paint, asbestos, and bat guano. They awarded a contract to the Environmental Reconditioning of El Paso contingent on the approval of environmental consultant Luis Acuña.

The El Paso firm had the low bid at $30,300 and was recently given the nod by Acuña.

Other firms bidding were Asbestos Removal of Odessa with a price of $34,761.75 and the Borger-based Asbestos Maintenance with a bid of $79,300.

Abatement work will begin this month and is scheduled to be completed by the middle of April.

Donley County schools could lose more than a quarter million dollars in state funding if appeals of state property valuations are not successful.

According to Clarendon CISD Superintendent Monty Hysinger, the State Comptroller’s office annually reviews property valuations in every school district to determine if local efforts are doing enough to bring in tax dollars.

“There are two tiers of state funding,” Hysinger said. “Tier One is a fixed amount, and Tier Two is based on local effort through property taxes.”

If the local property valuations are within five percent of the state valuation, the state will proceed with funding using the local numbers. If not, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides funding using the state figures. In a nutshell, if TEA uses higher state numbers, local schools lose money.

Paula Lowrie heads the Donley County Appraisal District, which does the appraisals for the Clarendon school district and that part of the Hedley school district which lies in Donley County. She says this year the state valued properties in the Clarendon district more than $4.5 million higher than the local values. In the Hedley district the difference was more than $1 million.

In Hedley, those higher numbers mean the school could lose $80,000 or more in state funds for the next school year. In Clarendon, that amount could be a loss of $200,000.

“[The comptroller’s office] is influenced by statewide economic factors,” Lowrie said of the state’s valuations. “This happens everywhere in the state. It’s rare that the state ever appraises lower than the local appraisal.”

Judging local property values from the state’s capital doesn’t necessarily provide an accurate assessment.

“Those people are sitting in Austin and don’t realize land isn’t as high here,” Hedley Superintendent Bryan Hill said.

To make their appraisal, the state takes a random sampling of property sales, Lowrie said. But sometimes the state may not have all the information. In an appeal, local officials will look to see if a sale included personal property, farm equipment, or anything that might have inflated the sale price.

Both local school districts are appealing the comptroller’s appraisal, and both are seeking the cooperation of local property owners.

The Clarendon school has hired the law firm of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins & Mott, L.L.P. to represent its interests in an appeal to the comptroller. Representatives of that firm will review property sales in Donley County to try to show that the comptroller’s office has valued local real estate too high, and to that end they may be contacting local people who bought or sold property in the school district in the last year.

Clarendon CISD has used this law firm before, and Hysinger says they have a good track record of helping school districts because some of their people used to work for the comptroller.

“We just want people to know that if they are contacted by someone claiming to represent the school, it is legitimate,” Hysinger said. “This won’t affect their local taxes at all; it will just help us with the appeal.”

If people don’t want to talk to the attorneys, they can call the school to verify what’s going on, he said.

“I’d just hate to see us lose this money for our kids,” he said.

Hill said his school will probably be making some similar phone calls to people in that district, and Hedley faces the added burden of appealing valuations in two counties. Approximately one-third of the Hedley district lies in Collingsworth County, Hill said.

Hedley hasn’t hired a law firm to represent it. Their appeal will be handled in house and with the assistance of the local appraisal district.

Both superintendents say their schools have had to appeal the state valuations for the last several years.

The appeals should be filed this month. If the comptroller doesn’t make a correction, then the school’s can appeal to a court of law in May.

For more information about the appeals process, Hysinger encourages people to contact him at 874-2062.

Cheryl Johnson, Clarendon Enterprise

Twenty-three Clarendon Bronco band students competed on Saturday at the UIL Solo/Ensemble Contest at WTAMU for the right to compete at the state competition. The state solo/ensemble contest will be held May 28 in San Marcos.

Those qualifying for the state contest are Megan Roberts, solo keyboard; Chantelle Kelly, solo clarinet and Clarinet quartet; Jamie Sawyer, flute trio; Rachel Papa, flute trio; Stephanie Pace, flute trio; Samantha Vargas, clarinet quartet;  Danielle Holden, clarinet quartet; Richard Anderson, clarinet quartet; Nickless Devin, trumpet quartet; Derek Gourley, trumpet quartet; Drew Sell, trumpet quartet; Vanna Holton, trumpet quartet; Amber Carson, French horn quartet; Chuck Robertson, French horn quartet; Austin Sears, French horn quartet; Candace Hall, French horn quartet; and Sarah Kidd, solo twirler.

Those receiving division ones were Rachel Papa, flute solo; Richard Anderson, clarinet solo; Samantha Vargas, clarinet solo; Ottis Scrivner, oboe solo; Valerie Taylor, bassoon solo; and Chris Johnsen, baritone sax solo.

Those receiving division twos were Tanya Carson, trumpet solo; Jeremy Ray, saxophone quartet; Sam Holton, saxophone quartet; Kelsey McQuien, saxophone quartet; and Chris Johnsen, saxophone quartet.

The Saints’ Roost Museum is proceeding with its effort to restore the historic Ft. Worth & Denver Depot building.

Museum board members have been meeting with Shamrock architect Lynn Ramsey to discuss electrical, mechanical, and restoration goals for the building. In order to make the depot as authentic as possible, however, the museum is asking the public’s help in obtaining any photographs of the building.

If you have any photos of the interior or exterior of the building, please call Jean Stavenhagen today at 874-3905.

Fundraising also continues to help the museum match its state grant. If you would like to make a donation, send it to Saints’ Roost Museum, PO Box 781, Clarendon, TX 79226.

Area residents are once again promised a full slate of free health screenings as well as financial advice at the “Be A Champion of Your Health and Wealth Fair” on Wednesday, March 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bairfield Activity Center. 

The health and wealth task force continues its commitment to providing easy access to information and services in a day at one location. Last year’s event saved the public in excess of $32,000 on free health screens and financial services. Each year the services are expanded, and this year is no exception.

Administering screenings such as glucose, cholesterol, prostate, hemoglobin and blood pressure will be a collaborative effort by the Donley County Hospital District, Associated Ambulance Authority, Clarendon Family Medical Clinic, the Donley County Medical Center-Nursing Home and the Northwest Texas Healthcare System. Individuals are encouraged to fast for 12 hours prior to the screens to ensure more accurate results. 

The Clarendon Family Medical Clinic will again be sponsoring the bone density screening which proved extremely popular for the attendees last year. The Lion’s Eye Bank will provide glaucoma screening.

The only services which require fees will be immunizations provided by the Coalition of Healthcare Services and breast mammograms by the Harrington Cancer Center. Appointments are required for the mammograms and can be made by calling 356-1905 in Amarillo. Immunizations will be offered at $5.00 per child (based on ability to pay). The choice of shots will include: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, DtaP, Hib, IPV (polio), MMR, Varicella (chickenpox), and Td. Parents must bring a copy of the child’s immunization record. The only vaccine available to adults will be the tetanus.

Coffee Memorial Blood Bank will conduct a blood drive during the fair hours.

Providing financial information and services this year will be the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and Herring National Bank. Individuals wishing to have their income tax returns prepared at the fair may do so by bringing a copy of their 1999 tax return, W-2’s and 1099’s, and social security numbers for individuals to be claimed on the tax return.

Educational exhibits will be provided by the Amarillo Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, American Red Cross, RSVP, Crown of Texas Hospice, Donley County Extension Service, Friends of the Library Literacy Council, Outreach Health Services-WIC, PRPC 9-1-1 Network, Quality of Life Project, Texas Department of Human Services, Texas Panhandle Poison Center, and Texas Gold.

Patrick Robertson of KEFH 99.3 FM will provide a live remote broadcast at the health and wealth fair. As the day progresses door prizes donated by exhibitors will be awarded.

Plan to have lunch at the health and wealth fair as Cheryl and Bob Wiggins of Catering by Cheryl will be returning as concessionaires.

For more information, contact the Extension Service at 874-2141.