Crull, Elgin 1973-06-13

Elgin Crull, former City Manager of Dallas, discusses the park department in Dallas.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Elgin Crull

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: June 13, 1973

Location: Dallas, Texas

Interviewer: Harry Jebsen, Pattie Hogan, and Robert Newton

Length: 1 hour, 55 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Recalls Dallas city government from 1931-1935, Form of government was council-mayor, Catfish Club was reform movement reaction, In 1935 election claimed all seats in city council, Appointed friends to Park Board, Park Board funded by federal government, Discusses revelation of scandal in Parks Board, George Ripley notified press, Placed Charter Association in power, People in new government listed, Comments on persons involved in scandal, Describes shadow government of Dallas, Members of Elks Club tried to make a machine in Dallas, News coverage in scandal remembered

Tape 1, Side 2: Notes changes in park department under L. B. Houston, More Catfish party scandals reported, Explains problems in city government after 1946, Continues comments on changes made by Houston, Enumerates functions of municipal government, Parks in Dallas depicted, Talks about Kesler Plan, Concepts in park development reviewed, Accounts for cooperation between city government at park department

Tape 2, Side 1: Continues on Turtle Creek issue, Discusses traffic problem, City Council proposed plan explained, Have encountered opposition to plan by ecologists, Had help from park board, Describes park police force, Thinks park police force should be under city police department, Presidents of park board noted, Kennedy memorial mentioned

Tape 2, Side 2: Blank

Tape 3, Side 1: Educational background and work with Dallas News described, Expression of attitudes toward manager-council and other forms of city government, Realization of Dallas water problems recalled, Review of plans to meet the water needs, Rationalizations on the use of cloud seeding techniques, Krick organization cited, Plan involving west fork of the Trinity remembered, Dallas water rationing, Recollections of drilling wells and rehabilitating artesian wells, Conflict between Ling-Temco-Vought and Dallas cited, Discussion of implementation of long range Dallas water programs, Man-made lakes mentioned, Lack of fort Worth-Dallas cooperation, Reasons for public disapproval of Trinity water plan examined, Krick contract discussed, Acquisition of city water rights explored, Chloride controversy recalled

Tape 3, Side 2: Cloud seeding evaluation cited, Recollection of Dallas controversy with North Texas Municipal Water District

Range Dates: 1931-1973

Bulk Dates: 1931-1946

Access Information

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Transcript:

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