'H AUSTIN — Introduction of po- ditasi sntially dangerous aquatic plants ke hy dr ilia and water hyacinth will ecurbed, if not halted outright, fol- Reve'jl )wing action taken by Texas Parks nd Wildlife Commissioners regard- looroli fethe importation, sale, transport rrelease of noxious aquatic plants. This law (H.B. 1278 of the 64th exas Legislature) will prevent the re liki Wesale introduction of potentially mgerous plants into Texas waters,” en > n ?if iid Lou Guerra, P&WD noxious tie egetationcontrol program director. The proclamation, approved by ;r itla| ieCommission at its May meeting kiwi i Austin as presented by Guerra, seenj int wii blueis for “lit ightim 'erliiiii »und it just sit rmsaul ‘ said iraisitf by 'vorlitd tently osopb eitk I wasi sai'd. iw wkl tof ver In nth tie sanal ■rafer ■ball id ■ertaiii tbe» he* roppa ;f all ; Of ill 5 bon ^ters. ars. But Imported aquatic plants proved harmful established rules and regulations and also sets up a permit system to regulate research projects into any of the 12 floating, rooted or submerged plant species listed in the noxious aquatic plant category. Guerra cited detrimental effects of the vegation on humans; impedi ment to navigation; and diminished quality of water-oriented recre ational uses. The vegetation control chief pointed out that noxious plants like hyacinth are dangerous to humans because they provide almost ideal breeding ground for mosquitos that carry Venezuelan equine en cephalitis (VEE), malaria and other potentially deadly diseases. “The major damage to any Texas lake from these plants is their rapid productive potential. Under good conditions, some of these plants can entirely cover a lake, making it to tally unnavigable, in three years, ’ Guerra said. “There are areas in South Texas where the climate is such that these plants would be in a state of growth almost on a year-round basis, Guerra noted. In contrast, Guerra indicated North Texas’ climate could limit the growth of these plants during colder winter months. Guerra said the Texas law was similar to legislation adopted by southeastern states that will make it illegal to import, transport, sell or release certain plant species. Of the 12 species listed, seven are native to the U.S., Mexico, or Central and South America. They include Sal- vinia (Salvinia rotunditolia), water fern (Azolla caroliniana), water hyacinth (Eichhorma crassipes), Florida Elodea (Hydrilla verticel- lata), Brazilian Elodea (Egeria de- nsa). Alligator weed (Alternant her a philoxeriodes) and rooted water hyacinth (Eichhornia azurea). “Some ol these plants were origi nally used as aquarium plants and cattle feed,” Guerra noted. “After the person got tired of the aquarium, he would dump the water and plants into a stream or river. That was the beginning of a very big problem to Texas. “That is how hydrilla was intro duced into Texas five years ago,” Guerra pointed out. As the plants grew and reproduced, biologists dis covered that certain species of water vegetation were resistant to every known herbicide approved as safe for use in the state. “Some plants, like hydrilla, have the potential to spread across the country, with no effective means of halting it,” Guerra said. Thus the need arose for methods and means to control the spread of these plants into recreational-area waters around the state, Guerra noted, adding that some of these plant seeds are so hardy that they can survive out of water for up to 17 years. The proclamation notes that re search permits will be issued^ “hut strict guidelines in disposing of these plants after research has been con ducted are spelled out,” Guerra said. THE BATTALION Page 11 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16. 1976 Office __ 37l£l.29 T " SAfc-vni Q* 'ytlo-roY Can. A&M to hold estate planning seminar Estate planning advice will be of- ered at a seminar to he held in louston June 28 under the direction roeotipTexas A&M University’s De- elopment Office. The meeting will be held at the ms. HBectric Living Center, 2121 West South, beginning at 7 p.m. While primarily intended for TTI assists rail operations bssiis Texas A&M alumni, the seminar will ■an In- ie open to the general public, said d whl ana salting i 'ere fe StOf igineei- r being ml anil ' obtain m because loneof arouni Robert H. Rutledge III, the Univer sity’s assistant development direc tor. Rutledge said the session will in clude detailed information about proper estate planning and man agement, as well as discussions of various aspects of Texas probate law and federal estate tax law. “During a time when we see infla tion materially distorting the value of our estates and increasing the amount of federal estate and state inheritance taxes payable upon our deaths, each of us needs to be acutely aware of the importance of proper estate planning,’’Rutledge said. “It is unlikely that a person will achieve his desires for the disposi tion of his estate without careful planning and management.” He said the latest statistics re- AMTRAK operates over 24,()()() niles of track owned hy many sepa- afe railroad companies. This gives km a sizeable headache in that ibeyhave extensive knowledge con- :erning locomotive and rolling lock, scheduled arrivals, depar- ires and train services; however, it us little knowledge of the rail sys- im over which it operates. Texas A&M University’s iconomists at the Texas Transporta- ion Institute are going to provide be aspirin in the form of excerpts rom the National Rail-Highway Urade Crossing Inventory file they Jeveloped. In computer storage are 60 standard data items on over 225,000 parts of the U. S.,” according to iroject research economist John iammon. “Each record contains lo- ational information, administrative information, operating data, grade Tossing warning device and high- nay system data. Also location and administration data is available for 1,000 other railroad-highway loca tions.” Initial wonder at the need for this bind of information is quickly dispel- (d when it is realized that the rail mein which Amtrak uses can he isponsible for the reliability or un- eliability of Amtrak’s schedule. Since Amtrak is operating trains over this rail system, it is also re- iponsible for accidents which may occur as a result of its operating passenger trains,’’ Sammon ex plained. “Foremost in rail operating safety are grade crossing accidents result- from auto collisions,” he added. Also local speed ordinances restrict rail speeds over grade crossings which further restricts Amtrak’s abil ity to maintain adequate schedule speeds. Even in this area, however, Am trak possesses little data concerning tivois /idly re- jdeiji U equirf ^ervie* irvie*' f se, . autoj!' the operations of the carriers, from which it leases track rights, and grade crossings along its operating system,” Sammon said. “This operating and grade cros sing information will assist Amtrak management to locate specific prob lems that occur on high density traf fic lines, timetable restrictions and potentially dangerous crossing loca tions,” he said. “The operating and grade crossing information which we will provide Amtrak gives nearly a mile-by-mile profile of the railroad system on a national basis,” Sammon said. “Train speeds, rail traffic density, number of tracks, joint operating carriers, warning devices at grade crossings and crossing highway sys tem data would allow Amtrak execu- tives to view the entire rail system over which they operate, he said. A separate complete crossing file is being developed hy TTI resear- A scientific approach to diamonds. An artistic approach to fine jewelry. G '\,Car| Bussells Diamond Room TOWN & COUNTRY CENTER 846-4708 3731 E. 29th MEMBER AMERICAN GEM SOCIETY ( ) \ce Reid to lead Tech trail drive Nationally-known cowboy car toonist Ace Reid will he putting on bis act (and it’s a great one) daily as be helps ramrod the Texas Tech Bicentennial Trail Drive and its herd of70Texas Longhorns from San An tonio to Lubbock. Six hard days on the trail, the herd leaves San Antonio on June 27, with stops in Kerrville, San Angelo, Stam- and Midland, arriving at the Ranching Heritage Center, Texas Tech University, July 2, just in time for opening ceremonies. Reid is no newcomer to trail drives, having played a big part in the drive from San Antonio to Dodge City, Kansas, in 1966. Want to help drive that herd to Lubbock? Contact Texas Tech Bicentennial Trail Drive, YO Ranch, Mountain Home, Texas 78058 or call them at 512-640-3222. SIGHTS kA HOW MUCH SWEETER THAN SUGAR IS SACCHARIN MSC DINNER THEATER presented by MSC Summer Directorate & Aggie Players Nt ' L n BP& BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! June 24 & 25 and June 30 & July 7 6:30 P.M. MSC Ballroom Tickets on sale now: MSC Box Office 845-2916 $4.25 students $5.75 general admission Reservations close 24 hours prior to performance. SEE How Much MORE COMFORTABLE It 1 Is To SEE With PHOTOSUN LENSES = Than Ordinary SunGLASSES, That i SHADE From DARK To LIGHT With EX- = P0SURE To SUN . . FASHIONABLY = PITTED! The answer is 400-500 times. I The ()pticaI She >ppc f H.W. Fulfs, Optician Manor East MalFBryan S 422-6261 : leased by the Internal Revenue Ser vice show a 31-percent increase over a three-year period in the number of deaths that required filing of federal estate tax returns, and a 38-percent increase in the estate taxes levied. Rutledge said the seminar will in r elude presentations by four Houston-area Texas A&M graduates well versed in estate planning. Ap pearing on the program will be Joel B. Coolidge, an attorney; R. H. Ste vens Jr., certified public accountant; Eugene F. Howard Jr., certified life underwriter, and George L. Risien, a trust officer. Sun Theaters 333 University The only movies in town. 846-9808 chers for Amtrak hy piecing together segments of crossings from carriers over which Amtrak operates, using software that has been developed for the National Crossing Inventory file. “This file will he oriented on a sys temwide basis for Amtrak and also on a route-by-route basis,” Sammon said. “Both formats would provide Amtrak with the detailed operating and grade crossing information in a manual which would help meet their data requirements.” Special Midnight Shows Friday A Saturday $2.00 per person No one under 17. Escorted Ladles Free ALL SEATS $3. $1 off with this ad. 1201 HIGHWAY 30, BRIARWOOD APTS. (FORMERLY “THE PENTHOUSE CLUB”) MANOR EAST 3 THEATRES MANOR EAST MALL HAPPY HR. TILL 7:00 ALL THEATRES 6:10-8:00-9:50 WALTER TATUM MATTHAU ^ O’NEAL "THE BAD NEWS 6:50-9:00 in ‘All The President’s Men’ u Opens Today 6:50-9:10 From the people who brought you Benji fl family film by joe camp ^atsostarring JAMES HAMPTON • CHRISTOPHER CONNELLY starring SLIM PICKENS • DENVER PYLE • GENE CONFORTI MIMI MAYNARD and JACK ELAM as “Bad Jack Cutter" co-starrmg LEE de BROUX • HERB VIGRAN ftflS A SHORT SUBJECT: BENJI S LIFE STORY Starts FRIDAY! WHEN MOVIES WERE SILENT- HIS WAS THE BARK HEARD ’ROUND THE WORLD Tta ixx; Who ,S4VED fKJLtyWOOD" URLS PRESENTS A MICHAEL WINNER EM M BRUCE DERN PHIL SILVERS MADELINE KAHN TERIGARR ART CARNEY RON LEIBMAN*» Rudy Monl»Kue A STAR-STUDDED ARRAY OP FAMOUS GUEST STARS IN CAMEO ROLES M usic Scor*d by Written by NEAL HEFTI ARNOLD SCHULMAN and CY HOWARD Produced by Directed by DAVID V. PICKER. ARNOLD SCHULMAN. MICHAEL WINNER MICHAEL WINNER Production Service, by CONNAUGHT PRODUCTIONS UIUIK BY MOVlfclAB Ar»«AM