Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1978)
THE BATTALION FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1978 Steele Store’s death Rural town fading By ANN RICHMOND The community is dying. Old, abandoned houses are a common sight at the edges of plowed fields SHOP CULPEPPER PLAZA MONDAY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS TIL 8:30 P.M. where cotton plants have just re cently broken the surface of the ground. It is a farming community. It started when a man named Steele built a store there, between the Lit tle Brazos and Brazos rivers in the late 1800s. People in the area would gather at Steele’s store and thus the community became known as Steele Store. Steele also built a cotton gin which still stands, though now it is a stone ruin, overgrown with shrubs and trees. It is opposite the site of the original store, where a beer hall now stands. Highway 50 runs be tween the old gin and the beer hall. Steele Store was never a large community. It never had much business. At the peak of its activity, there were only two or three stores, says W.A. Stasny, county commis sioner for Precinct 4 in Brazos County. The people had small farms — 50-to 100-acre tracts. They used mule teams to plow and cultivate the land. Jttpfnambm 5® ' Eddie Dominguez Joe Arciniega ’74 66 Constable Sam Fachorn, a farmer in Steele Store, remembers those days. He came to Steele Store with his family in the 1930s. In 1935 they planted their first crop. He says he followed the mules with his father for 24 years. “It was rough then, but every thing was so cheap,” he says. “We weren’t living with conveniences.’’ They paid mule drivers 50 cents a day and that was enough for them to make ends meet. Two mule teams were used to farm their 100 acres, Fachorn says. One hundred acres was all a farmer could take care of with only two teams. He says they hired day laborers, mostly blacks, to help with the work. Tractors replaced the mules around 1947. That made farming a little easier but also made it more expensive. It had always been dif ficult for the small farmer, but for some it became impossible to con tinue. They were forced to sell their farms and leave. Most went to Bryan. The farmers who remain in Steele Store today own large tracts of land. Fachorn has 1,000 acres in row crops and 1,000 acres in ranch land. But, he says, he still has “a rough time making it.” Fachorn and the other farmers in the community grow cotton, grain and alfalfa. Some of the farmers also raise cattle. People are still moving out of the community. “There used to be four gins here running,” Fachorn says. “Now it’s down to two. The people get so dis gusted.” Many of the day laborers have also gone to Bryan for better paying jobs. “We can’t compete IRS labels collections hobby taxabli The original cotton gin built by a man named Steele in the late 1800s still stands in Steele Store. The gin was shut down around 1913, according to Constable Sam Fachorn, a farmer in the community. Battalion photo by Ann Richmond with what they can get in town,” he says. “We let them go. We just can’t afford it (the salary).’ Most of the houses where the day laborers used to live are now aban doned shacks. They look desolate, standing wind-blown and forgotten, slowly being reclaimed by the land. But some of the decrepit buildings still house a few people. A cluster of about eight houses can be seen from the highway north of Steele Store. A dirt road leads to the houses, which are surrounded by fields of cotton. There are a few signs of life. About six dogs are running around the yard at one house. A child’s bicycle is leaning against the side of the building. A television an tenna protrudes from the roof. Fur ther down the road, a Cadillac is If you want the real thing, not frozen or canned . .. We call it “Mexican Food Supreme.” Dallas location: 3071 Northwest Hwy 352-8570 €l. fK John POERYKR Railroad Commissioner of Texas Keep an outstanding man in this important job. John Poerner’s ability and integrity are proven in a decade of public service. Pd. Pol. Ad. to elect John ,H.. Poerner - Railroad Commission, Ed Ingram, treas. 1037 Brgwn. Bldg. Austin, Texas 78701 This is no time to feel insecure If you're going to make the most of this excit ing day, self-confidence is important. And Tampax tampons can really help. They're uniquely comfort able. In fact, once a Tampax tampon is properly in place, you can't even feel it. And you never have to worry about odor. Because when a tampon is in use, embarrassing odor doesn't form. (Which is why Tampax tampons don't offer you a deodorant — and the added expense that goes with it.) What's more, Tampax tampons are designed to conform to individual body contours. So there's less chance of an accident. Tampax tampons. Because there'll never be another day quite like today. The internal protection more women trust MADE ONLY BY TAMPAX INCORPORATED, PALMER, MASS. Corsages For The Ring Dance 10% OFF ON CORSAGES WITH STUDENT I.D. The Green Jungle 700 E. University Drive • 846-3778 (Across from Fed Mart) COMPLETE FLORAL SERVICE Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased With These Carefully Prepared and Taste Tempting Foods. Each Daily Special Only $1.69 Plus Tax. “Open Daily” Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. MONDAY EVENING SPECIAL Salisbury Steak with . Mushroom Gravy Whipped Potatoes Your Choice of One Vegetable Roll or Corn Bread and Butter Coffee or Tea TUESDAY EVENING SPECIAL Mexican Fiesta Dinner Two Cheese and Onion Enchiladas w/chili Mexican Rice Patio Style Pinto Beans , Tostadas Coffee or Tea One Corn Bread and Butter WEDNESDAY EVENING SPECIAL Chicken Fried Beef Steak w/cream Gravy Whipped Potatoes and Choice of one other Vegetable Roll or Corn Bread and Butter Coffee or Tea THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread Tea or Coffee FRIDAY EVENING SPECIAL BREADED FISH FILET w/TARTAR SAUCE Cole Slaw Hush Puppies Choice of one vegetable Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee SATURDAY NOON and EVENING SPECIAL “Yankee Pot Roast Texas Style” Tossed Salad Choice of one vegetable Roll or Corn Bread & Butter Tea or Coffee ■ “Quality First” SUNDAY SPECIAL NOON and EVENING ROAST TURKEY DINNER Served with Cranberry Sauce Cornbread Dressing Roll or Corn Bread - Butter - Coffee or Tea Giblet Gravy And your choice of any One vegetable parked in front of another house. Grass has grown up around the wheels of the car. A shirt is hanging on the front porch. Inside another house, blankets can be seen on the floor of an otherwise empty room through the open door. A man named Willie is staying in the house where the dogs run loose. He appears to be in his early fifties. He says he was born in this house, where his sister-in-law and another woman now live. A couple of Spanish people live in the house where the Cadillac is parked, Willie says. Another family lives in a house further down the road. The people who lived in the now empty houses used to work on the farms, he says, but they have all moved to Bryan. He, too, will be moving to Bryan in a week, he says. He got a job as a janitor at Texas A&M University. He says he is a city man. He doesn’t like the hoot of the owls at night or the empty houses. But not all of the estimated 80 to 100 residents of Steeele Store want to leave. Frank LaBarbera, who owns a liquor store, says there is still quite a lot left in Steele Store. Nothing escapes the piercing sweep of the Internal Revenue Serv ice, not even stamp and coin collec tors. For the more than 18 million coin collectors in the United States, and three times that many who collect stamps, the idea that they own taxable income never entered their minds. “That’s one of the problems we are trying to relate to the collec tors,” says Dr. Larry Crumbley, a Texas A&M University accounting professor. “People must keep rec ords of their coin and stamp estates just as though they were dealing with stocks and bonds.” In the eyes of the IRS agents, many collections are high value in vestments on which taxes must be paid, he explains. The key for the collector is keeping a businesslike approach and thinking of it always in terms of investment, not just a hobby. Crumbley is the author of a re cently released book on the financial management of coin and stamp es tates published by Arco of New York City. Coin and stamp collections should be kept in safety deposit boxes, ob serves the researcher. An investor should take all necessary steps to show he truly has a profit motive, especially since the IRS may at tempt to classify the investor as a collector in order to disallow ex penses and losses. “For some reason the IRS seems to feel that if you get any pleasure out of your collection, then you shouldn’t receive a tax break,” says Crumbley. “By keeping the collec tion in a bank not only do you pro tect it, but you give the IRS no rea son to suspect that you receive some sort of personal satisfaction from the stamps or coins, other than as an in vestment, of course. ” “The future will find an ever in creasing portion of people’s coin and stamp investments being lost to taxes,” reports Crumbley. “Most people would be amazed at the tre mendous sums of money which the government collects each year from U F"* F"* 1 EEs taxpayers due to no other res than poor tax planning. “These are sums which should have legally been avoids There is a difference between avoidance and tax evasit Avoidance applies to legal tar: ings. Evasion indicatesfailureloi your taxes. “Don’t let anyone kid youal the value of a collection. Collect; should never try to hide incos One individual found out thel; way in 1974 when he was comicj of $350,000 income tax evasion; sentenced to a five-year pri; term.” The courts have attemptedi make the distinction between* vestor or a dealer in terms oil taxpayer’s motives or expectal says the researcher. An investj one who buys in expectationotj ing at a profit due to a rise im value of the property. The deals one who buys with the expecM of making a profit by selling price in excess of cost. "Basically, the investor recti favorable capital gain treatment the sale of his coins or stamps, explains. "The dealer’s gains taxed as ordinary income.” If the activity is consideredas; for profit, then any associated penses or losses are deduclil However, if not for profit, associated expenses are deck only to the extent of any ins made. “The problem is most don’t report income they.rece from the sale of their coins stamps, Crumbley says, under the tax laws today, y( guilty until you are proven cent. That means you have top you are innocent. “If you bought a stamp cents and five years late soli $10, that is a $9.50 increase come you are supposed to rep That’s one of the reasons weens age people to keep constant curate records, to protect I selves when the IRS calls." Any sale without a record very likely be valued by the! its selling value with no consii tion for the purchase price. f Ian to par have: past t tour, re min that t called Even advert luck w Thi: “Hear like tl Wood A Cot by i tion star selc J' A& sen of C terr C grei Lav grai CUSTOM EXHAUST SHOCK ABSORBERS AMERICAN OR FOREIGN CARS TRAILER HITCHES BRYAN MUFFLER SHOP 1309 S. COLLEGE 822-2612 CHARLES S. KINARD (OWNER) - CLASS OF '57 (SUPPORTING A&M) ASK ABOUT OUR CONDITIONAL LIFETIME GUARANTEE! Duke, 70 jets home ‘ looking fi ATTENTION: FACULTY& STAFF Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union Certificates of Deposit (Minimum $1,000) One Year - 6V2% Two Years - 7% Three Years - 7V2% Compounded Quarterly All accounts are insured up to $40,000. 405 East University Drive College Station 846-2904 United Press International BOSTON — Actor Jol» Wayne, wearing a cowboyb and looking fit, left Massack setts General Hospital Thursk, a little more than three wed after undergoing open liet' surgery. “I feel great,” Wayne said feel the best I have felt in ale time. “I knew Boston was tbecrai of liberty. I didn’t know it* also the cradle of humanity Wayne said as he boarded tl steps of the jet standing by take him back to his home California. The “Duke” was operated April 3 to replace a defect* mitral valve in his heart. Atet of cardiac physicians insert similar valve from a pig to reps Wayne’s heart. When asked if at anytime! was frightened, Wayne i swered: “Ah hell, sure.” I ofT con Jim Soc I JE1 J acti tun gaii eng its; mo I as ‘ ciei »at reg has sys A& N grac Tue For gui- tea< E of 1 ent Kui sm VILLA MARIA ONE-b# CLEANERS One-hour dry cleaning available; request One-day shirt service FREE SUMMER STORAGE Alterations • Suede « Le# Open 7:30-6:00 Mon.-Fn 8:00-1:00 Sat. I Isas 5