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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1984)
/ Page 12/The Battalion/Wednesday, February 1, 1984 Capitol statue to be inspected i United Press International AUSTIN — A specialist will inspect the 16-foot Goddess of Liberty statue atop the Texas State Capitol this week to recom mend how the state should re pair serious cracks in the 96- year-old cast zinc statue. Texas Historical Commission architect Stan Graves said Tues day the statue will be inspected Friday by Patrick Rice, a conser vator from the Washington Uni versity Sculpture Conservation Laboratory in St. Louis. Workers who were cleaning and painting the Capitol dome last fall discovered serious cracks that threaten the structu ral integrity of the statue. Graves said the cracks are in the back, arms, hand and sword of the statue, although other areas of its surface are also badly deteriorated. The cracks appa rently were caused by freezing water and lightning. It is uncertain whether the statue will have to be removed to be repaired. “There’s a possibility it may have to be taken down to be re paired or it might be repaired in place,” said Graves. “He (Rice) is going to check under the base of the dome where it is attached and he may well go on the out side of the dome with safety ropes to inspect the exterior.” Also, a helicopter may be used to photograph the statue, he said. In addition to the cracks, workmen also found insect nests inside the statue, which was cast in 1888 in the basement of the Capitol by J.C. McFarland. The grim-faced statue, hold ing a star in one hand and a sword in the other, was hoisted atop the Capitol dome on Feb. 26, 1888. The prominent five- pointed star held aloft in the left hand symbolizes Texas’ image as the Lone Star state. Details of how the statute was placed on its 300-foot perch are sketchy, but photographs have led historians to believe raised by a pair of detil T here are no records ini how much the statue although Graves said Rid try to make that detenu:; during his inspection. Graves said alter thej tion this week, a reporttl submitted to the comnii outlining proposals forJ and stabilization of thes^| The state is being dJ $ 1,500 for the inspection! Woman charged with cruelty United Press International HOUSTON — Investigators who found 26 skinny horses, a half-eaten horse carcass, at least six horse graves and a pile of horse bones on a north Harris County tract Tuesday charged a 55-year-old woman with animal cruelty. One horse in a barn had gnawed much of the wood off his stall gate trying to fill his sto mach, investigators said, and counting skulls they estimated at least 15 horses had died and were improperly disposed of on the place. “This is the worst case of animal cruelty on record in Har ris County,” Harris County Pre cinct 5 Constable Tracy Maxon said as he and deputies scoured the 37-acre tract on Jones Road, finding dead dogs as well as dead horses. “We have a situation where a woman had been taking care of a number of horses and they have just been loved to death,” said Constable’s Capt. George Hueb- ner. “She could not take care of them, but she would not part with them.” Maxon said his office received four months of complaints own er Johnnie Riley, 55, was not properly feeding the horses but would not sell them or let a veterinarian kill them painlessly. Maxon said estimates of how many horses originally were on the place were conflicting, with accounts of former handlers ranging from 50 to 105. Many more may have died, he said. The survivors, several with ribs showing and coats filthy, were impounded. Maxon said they would go to the county farm where, if a court decided Mrs. Riley could not keep them,_ they would be sold or “put to sleep.” Justice of the Peace H.N. McElroy scheduled a hearing on the impoundment question within 10 days. Veterinarian Vicki Oefinger, who accompanied officers to the scene, said the horses still alive were very neglected. Blood sam ples were taken for analysis, but she said preliminary indications were the horses had worms. “It’s a situation of benign neg lect,” Dr. Oefinger said. “I think we simply have a misguided in dividual here. Either she wasn’t cognizant or she closed her eyes. I just can’t understand it.” Riley drove up to the proper ty while Maxon and his cieputies were searching, and she angrily denied the charges, saying “I am an animal lover." Riley said some of her horses died of old age and others had Juniors, Seniors Grad, Vet, Med students Get your picture taken on-campus at the 8:30 a.m.-12 noon, 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information call 693-6756 or 845-2681. become sick, but shesaidvit taken care of them evenilj she had been going thi divorce and had undei surgery recently. “A veterinarian has let attendance. The horstsj been fed and properl)| tained,” Riley said. Therd way any animal on this| died of starvation.” Asked about Huebner'sp mem the horses had bee:i to death, she said: “ThaiJ culous. I think hejustn take my horses and toe false illusion of glory fotl self.” H uebner told reporten! heard that story fourtiiml kept saying please talec your horses. Nothing pened. WejustcouldnW longer.” Crewmen body located Unitd Press Intemationi CORPUS CHR1ST1 -1 body of man found inthtl of Mexico was identified!: day as a crew member frou Florence B, a fishing boaii sing since Jan. 16, offidaki N ueces County Medidi aminer Dr. Joseph Ruppl fied the Ixxly as thatotarap crew member, but the* name was withheld pendinr notification of relative:I spokeswoman Jo Forbus. I-, “We’re still working «■ she said. “We’d like to fin family and ask them a afl tatoo (on the victim’s bod: didn’t have a good ID on: • However, Forbus sai: body did carry a cardlislk name of one of the missing: men. The card said them* born in 1933, and italsoii social security number: being checked out, she at’ She said the man app had two addresses, one ii son. Miss., and anotherinR cola, Fla. Officials in both cities* attempting to track dowtj victim’s next of kin, shes The Coast Guard discoj the body Monday aboutSOsj southeast of Port Aransas*! investigating a drifting at! from the Matagorda Shift nel. The body had become* tangled in the bony’s ani' chain, officials said. Two other members: Florence B are stll missing 66-foot fishing vessel saiil 16 about 46 miles souths Galveston. Children perish in house fit United Press Intemation* SAN ANTONIO-I children, whose mother them alone “for five minute; get surplus cheese, were! 'Tuesday in a one-alarmft| their westside home, ofh- said. Fire Department Capt h ry T revino identified thew as Veronica Gonzales,! Luis Angel Gonzales, 1. The fire gutted the front' rooms of the small, wood-W house on the city’s wests' Trevino said. The bodies were found neat front door, he said. The mother, Patricia (' zales, had apparently left children alone to collect stir; cheese from a local assist* agency and found the I flames when she returned said. “The husband was the other kid was at school the mother said she wentt° some cheese,” Trevinos “She said she was only gon: five minutes.” Trevino said the hous« engulfed in flames when woman returned, making* cue attempt impossible. “Nobody could hav(res them),” Trevino said. Investigators said thecaiis' the fire had not yetbeendf 1 mined.