From Pioneer Paths to Superhighways - The Texas Highway Department Blazes Texas Trails 1917-1968
Excerpt, Cooke County Delegation, Hearing Before Texas Highway Commission, 1961
Page 1
MR. PETRY: I understand that the group from Cooke County is ready to report.
Mr. Hatcher, would you let us know now what your decision is.
MR. HATCHER: Yes, sir. With the help of Mr. Privette and Mr. Frey, we
looked over the plan and it is acceptable to us as drawn,
or if you have to make minor adjustments in it, it will be perfectly o.k.
with us.
MR. PETRY: Did you get the Bureau of Public Roads to agree with our State
Highway Engineer and get substantial agreement?
MR. HATCHER: No; we didn’t do that, but he did say that he would submit the
plan – that that’s all he could do, as you gentlemen – we rea-
lize that that’s all you can do, and that’s all we want you to do: to submit
it to the Bureau of Public Roads and let them make the final decision. We
know it rests with them.
MR. PETRY: They are usually pretty fair people. We have more trouble with
them on the ramps than anything else. I don’t know why they
don’t get a new ramp man over there! That’s the worst trouble we have, on
ramps.
MR. GREER: They are getting in a new shipment of ramp men!
MR. HATCHER: Gentlemen, for the record, I’d like to show you a couple of
pictures of what we have, what we are placing our need for a
ramp on – the lack of business is closing up our situation. Here
are two pictures; there are three places there that are closed because of
lack of traffic on the highway and there is also a café that has been closed
and is now open at the present time. All of the business people from our
community have written up itemized – well, it’s brief – statements on their
business that they had before this highway was fixed as is - - -
MR. PETRY: Why don’t you leave that with us?
MR. HATCHER: That is what I was going to do, submit this to you and there
would be no use in reading it.
MR. PETRY: I would like for that to go into the file, and anything else
that you have.
MR. HATCHER: If that is not sufficient, our books are open and you can have -
just ask and, anything that you ask, we will give. Gentlemen,
in closing, this is all I have to say: any help you can give us would be
appreciated. We are just at your mercy and the Federal Bureau of Public Roads.
10-26-61
31
Excerpt, Cooke County Delegation, Hearing Before Texas Highway Commission, 1961. Cooke County project files, Texas Highway Department Records, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.