CASS COUNTY RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

(Citizens Journal 1939)

Rural electrification in Cass County sponsored by Mrs. J. C. Morris of Douglassville, Texas, and I. L. Griffin, of Bryans Mill, Texas, had its beginning in October 1935, when a letter was written to Rural Electrification Administration at Washington, D. C., asking how a community could go about securing rural electrification. The Washington Office at once sent instructions in the form of bulletins explaining how to proceed.

Much correspondence took place between the sponsors and the Washington Office during the first six months without much progress being made. In April 1936, several Bowie County communities joined in with Cass County and worked with us. But up until December 1936, very little satisfaction over project had been received. The sponsors then enlisted the aid of Senator Morris Sheppard and Congressman Wright Patman, and the Banks of Cass, Bowie, and Morris counties, and the office in Washington was convinced that these communities could support such a project.

Early in 1937 the Bowie-Cass Electric Co-operative formed with headquarters at Douglassville, and the project was turned over to the Morrison Engineering Company of Waco, Texas. This Company mapped the project and prepared all data relative to it to be presented to the Washington office for approval. Approval was made September 27, 1937, and a partial allotment of $174,000 was made to begin construction of some 150 miles of line in Cass and Bowie counties to serve approximately 600 customers.

In the latter part of 1937, the first board of directors was set up. This board was composed of Harvey H. Simms of Bowie County as president, T. C. Lyster of Cass County as vice-president, Mrs. J. C. Morris of Cass County as secretary-treasurer. R. Courtney and J. H. Langston, of Bowie County, and E.H. Harris and E.A. Coker of Cass County as Board members.

On November 16, 1937, this Board of Directors let the contract to Glassell Construction Company of Shreveport, La., to construct approximately 150 miles of line in Cass and Bowie Counties to serve some 600 customers. This line was energized on January 31, 1939 and is now serving about 400 customers. Houses are still being wired and customers are being added daily.

Communities in Morris and Titus Counties have joined in on the project, and the Cass County and Bowie County part of the project is known as division “A.” And the Morris County and Titus County are known as division “B”. There is also a division “C” that applies to Bowie and Cass counties in which is to be constructed 48 miles of extension lines that will be energized by June 1, 1939. Also 75 miles of line in new territory 38 miles of which is in Cass County in Cass, Bowie, Morris, and Titus counties has made application to join the project, and it is expected that it will be approved and an appropriation made by July 1. This will give Cass County considerably more mileage than either of the other counties.

When the lines already built and the ones in the process of construction are all completed, approximately 800 customers will receive service. Among these we find such customers as beacon lights for guiding airplanes at night, and one landing field for airplanes. If people, who can, will take advantage of this service, it will not be many years until electricity will be one of the cheapest things that we have in our rural communities. There is no reason why it should not reach every community in Cass County.

Rural Electrification is one of the greatest things that the Government ever did for the rural communities, and much credit should be given to the sponsors and the Hon. Morris Sheppard, and the Hon. Wright Patman, for securing this service for our county.