Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 68

1 8C Sunday January 11 1987 01987 Fort Worth Star-Telegram I 6341Atcootommoometw OA I fi I 1 0 fi fi n(D)la 0 ggli 1' 411 Loving County short on amenities 4 but long on citizen satisfaction Continued from Page 1 Kinley Hopper 64 a longtime Lov- "These people out here ing resident It wouldn't hurt you to drink it if you could stand the taste are a breed of their 1 a our lumbin could take it" i 1 Some county residents not only own the ranchers and live miles from their neighbors but I I 1 oilfield people You also lack a telephone I I I I Rancher Rex McQueen and his family live at least 10 miles from couldn't wish or better 4 A When you're I i their people nearest neighbor and don't --t '4'' 5- 40 have a phone because "the cost to 5 ili 54 A 0 '5 e' run lines there would be prohibi- accepted you're dt 1 tive" Hopper said "You'd have to 4 40' ok 4- '4'" --k buy the telephone company" accepted Some schoolchildren in outlying 4 4 areas of Loving County make daily Creager -'m -A 100-mile round trips to attend school in Wink The elementary school in Mentone was closed in 1978 One Mentone resident said she '1 Former Kansas residents Eva knows of a man who comes from Gunn 37 and her husband Glen 43 Houston to vote in every Loving operate a cafe in Orla (population County election although he has no i 17) just beyond the Loving County intention of ever moving back line Their son Wayne 10 goes in a "They're like homing pigeons 5Ny '''4 car pool to Mentone each weekday And they don't come home 'til elec- morning and then takes a school bus tion day" quipped Hopper i to Wink It is a 126-mile round trip All local officeholders are Demo- The pastor of the non-denomina crats for the simple reason that "we tional Mentone Community Church don't have a Republican primary" 1 the Rev Mike Holley is paid $60 a County Judge Creager explains But i county residents overwhelmingly 1 I 1 7- i i Sunday to come from Odessa to preach That's a 176-mile round trip 4 44''' sk es are born outs Babiide the coun- backed President Reagan by a lop- ty in larger towns such as Alpine or sided margin over Democrat Walter Odessa supported Republican Bill Clements for governor in November and V' Mondale in 1984 Because Loving County has no City folks who venture here may cemetery burials also are outside wonder why anyone chooses Loving the county County as their home Most resi- 0 Hopper said that so far as he dents say they like the friendly peo- 1 i -ts' knows the last burial in Loving ple and wide-open spaces 0 County was at least 60 years ago "I lived on a ranch most of my life i J-J--- 05 when a 21-year-old cowboy named so it doesn't bother me" said Mattie 5 Shady Davis died after being Thorpe who at age 81 runs a gas t' i dragged by his horse Davis is buried station by herself 5 in a remote spot 12 miles outside "These people out here are a 5i Mentone breed of their own the ranchers and Loving County is named for oilfield people" said Barbara 5 3 4 A Oliver Loving celebrated as the Creager a native of faraway New 4 A 5 i first trail driver of Texas cattle He Zealand "You couldn't wish for bet- 4 a died of wounds suffered at the ter people When you're accepted i' I t- A 1 hands of Comanche Indians who you're accepted" 4' shot him in a fight near the Pecos "It's true grit out here" she said River "When they say something it's the Mentone was misnamed by a truth They never go back on their le- French prospector homesick for the word" 1 71 1 Riviera resort of Menton Creager said she and her husband 11- Elections are "the most exciting Royce an oilfield pumper had lived 0 i 7 'Z thing" here Loving County Judge in Mentone only 18 months when -A I 4 Don Creager said their home burned Residents held a I 4 5 i 0 Of Texas'254countiesLoving had potluck supper for the couple and I- i i 4 4 I 4 I 4 the best turnout in the 1986 general showered them with presents 4 1 election with 805 percent of the "It took us212 hours toopen all our It A tr I county's 113 registered voters cast- gifts" she recalls s- 'i 40 4 I i mg ballots "When we first came out here in I And wh is the number of re is- 1953 we had a boy 2 ears old and a I 3' 3' i i (0 1 '1 i ii b''' A 4 4 I A' i I' I tired voters nearly double the cen- girl 9monthsold" recalls Mary Belle 1 i 9tA 4 I it "4: f'r '4' SUS population? Jones "I wag 21 years old I hated it 1 0 i'' 1" 4 4 4 t-k A I ti That's at least in part because of here For about two years I cried 4 1 4 4 I 17 I kr 5 4 I 'I' former Loving County residents But she grew to love the rugged I i i I I 4 4 v' I I I 0 8 Id who return here to vote These vot- country and became absorbed in I LI 1 f- i I l' ie 7: 44 i ers utilize liberal state election laws raising five children I 4 i' el'i't 4 I 1 I -4 11 t' that permit people to vote back in "Now I wouldn't live anywhere A o' 2- I---- 5 -1 1 i 4 (1 t4- 0 it4 4 14 -44 their home county if they are still else" she said "I like the open spac- 't 4 '''''111 4 1 1 't li registered there and say they plan es the sunsets and the moonrises I t- i 'I lr) 1 eventually to move back said like to be able to walk down the road iti'' ht4' 4L -t-a1' 'ft! 5 i Irl2a4 --it'0-- i' -lit T)1 1 1-14- Sharon Hanko a state elections offi- and not worry about being mugged 4 4 Iv vini Wo tion't inn roll hottea VA virtwoorv440 I 1: 114 Pile of noffill Loving County short on amenities but long on citizen satisfaction Continued from Page 1 Kin ley Hopper 64 a longtime Loving resident "It wouldn't hurt you to drink it if you could stand the taste and your plumbing could take it" Some county residents not only live miles from their neighbors but also lack a telephone Rancher Rex McQueen and his family live at least 10 miles from their nearest neighbor and don't have a phone because "the cost to run lines there would be prohibitive" Hopper said "You'd have to buy the telephone company" Some schoolchildren in outlying areas of Loving County make daily 100-mile round trips to attend school in Wink The elementary school in Mentone was closed in 1978 Former Kansas residents Eva Gunn 37 and her husband Glen 43 operate a cafe in Orla (population 17) just beyond the Loving County line Their son Wayne 10 goes in a car pool to Mentone each weekday morning and then takes a school bus to Wink It is a 126-mile round trip The pastor of the non-denominational Mentone Community Church the Rev Mike Holley is paid $60 a Sunday to come from Odessa to preach That's a 176-mile round trip Babies are born outside the county in larger towns such as Alpine or Odessa Because Loving County has no cemetery burials also are outside the county Hopper said that so far as he knows the last burial in Loving County was at least 60 years ago when a 21-year-old cowboy named Shady Davis died after being dragged by his horse Davis is buried in a remote spot 12 miles outside Mentone Loving County is named for Oliver Loving celebrated as the first trail driver of Texas cattle He died of wounds suffered at the hands of Comanche Indians who shot him in a fight near the Pecos River Mentone was misnamed by a French prospector homesick for the Riviera resort of Menton Elections are "the most exciting thing" here Loving County Judge Don Creager said Of Texas' 254 counties Loving had the best turnout in the 1986 general election with 805 percent of the county's 113 registered voters casting ballots And why is the number of registered voters nearly double the census population? That's at least in part because of former Loving County residents who return here to vote These voters utilize liberal state election laws that permit people to vote back in their home county if they are still registered there and say they plan eventually to move back said Sharon Hanko a state elections official "These people out here are abreed of their own the ranchers and oilfield people You couldn't wish for better people When you're accepted you're accepted" Creager One Mentone resident said she knows of a man who comes from Houston to vote in every Loving County election although he has no intention of ever moving back "They're like homing pigeons And they don't come home 'til election day" quipped Hopper All local officeholders are Democrats for the simple reason that "we don't have a Republican primary" County Judge Creager explains But county residents overwhelmingly supported Republican Bill Clements for governor in November and backed President Reagan by a lopsided margin over Democrat Walter Mondale in 1984 City folks who venture here may wonder why anyone chooses Loving County as their home Most residents say they like the friendly people and wide-open spaces "I lived on a ranch most of my life so it doesn't bother me" said Mattie Thorpe who at age 81 runs a gas station by herself "These people out here are a breed of their own the ranchers and oilfield people" said Barbara Creager a native of faraway New Zealand "You couldn't wish for better people When you're accepted you're accepted" "It's true grit out here" she said "When they say something it's the truth They never go back on their word" Creager said she and her husband Royce an oilfield pumper had lived in Mentone only 18 months when their home burned Residents held a potluck supper for the couple and showered them with presents "It took us 2 V2 hours to open all our gifts" she recalls "When we first came out here in 1953 we had a boy 2 years old and a girl 9 months old" recalls Mary Belle Jones "I wag 21 years old I hated it here For about two years I cried" But she grew to love the rugged country and became absorbed in raising five children "Now I wouldn't live anywhere else" she said "I like the open spaces the sunsets and the moonrises I like to be able to walk down the road and not worry about being mugged We don't lock our house" town Al Emo of her Exxon station The non-denominational church stands near the edge of I Ri Photos by RODGER MALLISON I 4' 1 '1 1 l' 'r A 111 ig 4 i 0 I i trA AP Ls i i 't I i '4' 4 '01prs441- i A A I 400 '''ii 6 wi '''I tf 3 of 1 0 jf INEtr '-i-ftr1i 1 mows t'1 I A 4 1 I '64 'II' t'''' '1 '4 4 't T' I 'NO' 12 i 1" i tiri 1 P- 4y-a -r- -t t' 1 1- 4 4- to it 1 Cc41 111 011 I a 4 ortyc" 0 0 1t I 444-0--- A Half of the county's law enforcement is parked at the Loving t4IN10 -0'''''''''''''''' I' I a 1 County Courthouse in Mentone The roster includes the a 0 sheriff deputy highway patrolman and constable Half of the county's law enforcement is parked at the Loving County Courthouse in Mentone The roster includes the sheriff deputy highway patrolman and constable Spkm lib' Alo11- iho AMMON rP111PWWmV Mattie Thorpe can see almost the entire town from the windows 4 1K -6 M10rn 4----- --1 WV P- i'----a'-' 4--- r- '--tZ'MV'' 7 A.