WARD COUNTY TRUE STORIES

WARD COUNTY TRUE STORIES

SOUTHWESTERN BELL PERFORMS FEAT;

The Tulia Herald (Tulia, Tex), Vol. 50, No. 37, Ed. 1, Thursday, September 10, 1959

. PYOTE — Now a days there is nothing earth shaking or unusual about a town getting dial telephone service. But when this far West Texas town got a dial telephone office about a week ago, It was both earth shaking (literally) nnd unusual, if not unique. Pyotc's dial office—a twenty year veteran from Anson—rolled into town about 2 p.m. a week ago Friday behind a ten ton diesel tractor The trip covered about 250 miles. By 5:30 p.m. it was firmly set - 60,000 pounds of building and equipment • on a new foundation surrounded by prickly pears, cat's claws cacti, ant hills, sand, and bean ladened mesquite on a lot just east of the Pyote Air Force Base

Swinging a 20 pound sledge into the old foundation at Anson about 10 a.m. Thursday 6 '/2 foot, 300 pound Gerral Bigharn of Snyder, started the moving project. Gerral is one of five sons of W. K. Bigharn, who operates a five state house moving business. He teamed with his younger brother, Burly, and James Carter of Snyder to lift the 16 by 28 foot structure on to two 50-foot steel beams and two sets of wheels, ready to roll by 3:30 p.m. Slowed briefly by a low-slung aerial telephone cable two blocks south of the old office site in Anson, the two vehicle caravan—Carter in the guide truck about fifty yards ahead and Gerral at the wheel of the big diesel—rolled down Highway 180 through cotton, sorghum, and watermelon fields and into Snyder. A Snyder police car met the Bigham's at the city limits to escort them through town. One block east of the square the driver of a Ford convertible—made in Texas by Texans —pulled down to ten miles an hour . behind the rolling dial office. He honked wildly for Gerral to move over to give him room to pass. Gerral didn't. A grocery store was in the way. The movers parked the load over night about six miles west of Snyder. At 6 a.m. Friday, they were again moving west on Highway 180 toward Lamesa. From Lamesa the caravan sliced southwest through Irrigated cotton and sorghum fields through the deep and shallow permian oil well fields of Andrews, then through the sand dunes and oil storage fields of Kermit and Wink into Pyote. It all began a couple months ago when the air force asked South western Bell to furnish dial service as soon as possible to some 50 families at pyote who keep house for the now inactive air force base, This town of 201 citizens was the site of a bustling air base during the Second World War and—more recently— a grave yard for thousands of obsolete B 17 bombers that helped to pulverize Hitler's war muscle. Pyote—it rhymes with coyote—is now served with less than 20 telephone lines out of Monahans and Pecos, 15 and 23 miles east and west reflectively. As soon as Southwestern Bell construction and installation can build lines and hook up telephones, the people of Pyote will have up-to-date local dial service.

If Bell had built Pyote a dial system from scratch, it would have taken months of planning, tailoring, and manufacturing of equipment, and a chunk of money that even oil- rich West Texas wouldn't sneeze at. A dial telephone system costs a minimum of $40,000 When the air force placed its hurry-up order. Southwestern Bell just happened to have the answer on tap. Anson, out grew its dial system about six months ago and converted to a new bigger dial system in June 1959. Anson's previous dial office, put into service In 1939, made history at the time it went to work. Anson was then the smallest town in the United States to have dial telephones. The out- grown dial equipment was just what Pyote needed. It was simply a matter of moving to pyote.

W K Bigham's boys, Gerral and Burly made the moving look simple. They did it so easily that a baby could sleep in the dial building from Anson to Pyote without being disturbed. Tom Chandler, Bell Wire Chief at Stamford, rounded a cycle on the move too. Chandler was Bell's service man at Anson and helped put the dial telephones into service there in 1939. Anson is one of the group of towns he supervises now for Bell System so when the office move was arranged. Chandler, with help from John Clifton, Anson's present telephone man. battered down the hatches for the trip and saw his baby off to serve another town. "I put her in here," Chandler said. "She's just as good as ever. . .ran a call through her yesterday All they have to do is hook her up in Pyote and she's ready to go."

Barstow Bank Is Robbed By Armed Bandit
LUBBOCK, TEXAS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1935 LUBBOCK AVALANCHE

A man robbed the Citizens State bank of $3,500 in currency today and fled after pushing the cashier into a vault. The man, described as about 30 years old. entered the bank at noon and walked to the cage of L. H. Nutt, cashier. He asked Nutt to help him check an account, then reached into his coat pocket, Null said, and jerked out a pistol.
Wanted Big Money
Nutt haid he ran behind the cage, grabbed several stacks of bills and then ordered him to "open that vault safe—I want some big money." He picked up more bills in the safe, ignoring some $1.200. Then with his pockets stuffed, he shoved Nutt and his son, only persons in the bank at the time, into the vault, slammed the vault, tore the telephone off the wall and ran outside to his motor car, a 1934 Plymouth coupe. Nutt freed himself quickly, and notified officers. A posse was organized quickly as the robber fled west. Nutt said the man was about five feet nine, and weighed about 165 pounds. Bandit's Coupe Said To Have Been Bought Here The coupe driven by a fugitive bank robber who fled from Barstow Wednesday afternoon was registered at Midland under affidavit it had been purchased from the "Reynolds Motor company" of Lubbock, the sheriff's department here was advised. Search of records showed there had been no such motor company here, and the affidavit evidently had been forged, authorities said. License number of the automobile 745-343.

In connection with the candidacy of Will Woodrough for judge in a Texas county, a good Story is related. During the campaign Woodrongh and his opponent engaged in a joint debate. The Butler county boy had finished his speech and his republican opponent was talking. The republican Indulged in ridicule of Wood rough as a candidate and referred to him as "a Yankee stripling." ln the audience were many cow boys. All were friends of young Wood rough. The republican orator kept on referring to Wood rough In sarcastic and uncomplimentary terms, and the cow boys were getting mad about it. The republican made another contemptuous remark regarding his opponent. Without any warning, and quick as a flash, one of the cow boys swung a lasso, caught the republican speaker around the shoulders, and with a mighty pull yanked him off the platform. The rest of the cow boys then took hold and pulled the man from the hall. The incident broke up the joint debate, but the crowd gave the verdict to Wood rough.
WILL WOODROUGH ELECTED A JUDGE IN A TEXAS COUNTY
Another Butler county boy has gotten to the front in his new borne. This time the boy to bring honor to his native heath is Will Woodrongb, a grandson of William Beckett. Will Wood rough Is an exceedingly clever and bright young man. He is traveled and well read and Is destined to make his mark. Some time ago young Woodrongh went to Barstow, Texas, where his father and Howard Wood rough are located and engaged in the Irrigating business. Will saw a chance for a good lawyer, so he studied law and on the 29th of August last was admitted to the bar. Texas, as is well known, is a democratic stronghold, so to be In style young Wood rough embraced democracy, as by the way has his brother Howard. The ability of Will Woodrougb the democracy of that county recognized and nominated him for the judgeship He entered the canvass and made a brilliant campaign. The county Is inhabited by many Mexicans, and they vote as the "spirit" moves them. Woodrough's opponent had a "barrel" and sought by the aid of the Mexican vote to elect himself. As a side issue the republican candidate promised the Mexicans a Spanish fandango the night before the election and he sent to El Paso tor the music. Barstow was crowded with Mexicans, ready for the dance. Here Howard Woodrongh took a hand. He headed for El Paso and met the band of musicians engaged for the republican candidate. Dance at a way station. He engaged them in pleasant conversation then Invited them to take supper with him. He managed to make himself so agreeable that the musicians dallied until late at night, In the meantime the Mexicans at Barstow were impatient; the impatience turned to anger as the time wore on and they did not get their dance. Argument proved of no avail, and believing that the republican candidate had tricked them, they went to the polls the next day and to a man voted /or Will Wood rough for judge. . , , Will Woodroogh was elected to the judgeship by a handsome majority. He is but 21 years of age and Is in all probability the youngest judge in the United States. Hurrah for Wood rough
Nov 17, 1894 Hamilton Daily Democrat
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