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Dear Editor,

On occasion, I have been on high ground in San Saba County and looked out over the horizon and saw smoke rising. Recent events have caused this to take on a new symbolism in my mind, and I want to share that with landowners and residents of the county.

Back in the day, to see that smoke rising usually meant that Comanche Indians had raided your neighbor; the cabin was burning to the ground, he was already dead, and his wife and children were either dead or captive. I told this story to our County Commissioners Court in connection with the planned coming of the Oncor 345KV Transmission Line, which will negatively affect the property values of about 10% of the county landmass, perhaps more. I doubted the fierce Comanche raiders ever hazarded more than about 10% of the county at a given time; however, when this occurred, the reaction of our pioneering forebears was to "fort up". They would come together in a common and defensible location to "fort up" together till the danger was past.

We asked our Commissioners Court to help us "fort up". They responded by passing a Resolution in support of our position, substantially against the Oncor Transmission Line. We wish to thank the Commissioners Court for that help and that response.

At the time, that is where the story ended...I suppose there may have been some in that day of the Comanche who took note of the plight of their neighbors' and thought that this may be an economic opportunity for themselves or somehow for the community at large, though I am not aware of it. I do believe that was their dominant value system. Instead, if I were to extend my story, I would add that there was another common reaction to the raiding Comanches. Men would form an armed party and would chase the enemy up the Colorado River, back to their camps if necessary, and carry the fight to them. The community would support this armed party to accomplish this.

This past week, a new organization was formed, called "Preserve Our San Saba Environment" ("POSSE"). Our intention, and our reason for coming into existence, is to carry this fight against Oncor all the way to Austin (down the Colorado River, this time). We have incorporated and established a bank account, are hiring a lawyer, and we are soliciting your support to fight this unreasonable and unconscionable project from crossing the wild and scenic Colorado River once, much less twice, to environmentally and aesthetically degrade our county so that Austinites (and others), can have "green" wind generated power which is merely passing thru and not serving anyone in our County.

Some might argue that this is a welcome development that brings tax dollars, despite the hurt it will cause. I will argue that this is merely the cast-off detritus and negative side of economic development of OTHERS who wish to push such a thing on our neighbors in our county.

Support POSSE to carry this fight to Austin and the PUC, to have this line kept north of the river where development and travel corridors as well as similar sized transmission lines already exist. Please visit our Website at www.sansabaposse.org and consider contributing thru Paypal links there, or by sending a check to "POSSE" addressed to P.O. Box 565, San Saba, Texas 76877.

Sincerely,

Roger Whatley