From: "Brian Norwood"

March 5, 2000

Dear friends and fellow Jalapenos,

It has been quite some time since the last sculpture update (a little over three months, actually), and much work has been done since that last report.

As of Thursday, March 2, all of the figures are complete. The frames have been welded together and attached to the figures. Thirteen of the figures--all of the cattle--have been moved from the slab over to the sculpture site. It is an odd site to see these large metal cows with their pipe frames laying amidst the grass and mesquite. The four cowboys remain at the slab and will be moved to the site in the near future.

At this point I need to thank Gene Armstrong ('52) for all the hard work he has put in on this project. It was his skill as a welder and his generous donation of his time and equipment which has moved the project to this point. Gene insisted that he was nothing more than a grunt and I was the boss, but I can assure you that the oppsite was true. Gene--with some help from his son, Gooser ('82)--handled all of the welding of the frames, lifting them into place and tacking them onto the figures. Following that, Gene and I transported the cattle to the sculpture site by dragging them along behind his 1-ton winch truck. I am sure this must have been quite a site for the few people who happened along nearby roads as this was taking place. Can you imagine seeing a truck dragging a a twelve foot high cow (with six feet of pipe extending below its hooves) down a narrow dirt road? To give you some idea of what it looked like, I have posted several new pictures on the photopoint site. To get there just follow the links on the Table of Contents page (Panther Paw #20). These photos show the smallest of the figures, a calf that will stand about seven feet tall.

Most of the cattle went peaceably to their temporary resting places, but one decided to give us a battle. We didn't expect this particular critter to give us much trouble. But once we got over to the site and tried to drop him on the ground, he kept hooking the truck with his horns and we couldn't get loose. In the process of trying to get free, the truck became stuck in the powdery dust (we REALLY need some rain!). We finally managed to get the figure on the ground, but by this time it was getting dark and we had to call for reinforcements to get unstuck. Thanks to Gooser and Gregg Fulfer ('79), we finally were pulled out of our predicament.

We got this all accomplished just in time, as Gene has another interesting and exciting project coming up. He will soon be heading for Hawaii to fly a replica World War II Japanese dive bomber in the upcoming Disney movie, "Pearl Harbor". A long-time pilot with a lot of experience flying in airshows with the Confederate Air Force, Gene will fly a WWII vintage US trainer that was modified to resemble a Japanese "Val" dive bomber for the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora!" in the late 60's. Gene owns one such aircraft, but for the movie will be flying a CAF-owned plane which he sponsors. By the way, Gene is not the only pilot in his family--Gooser is following in his footsteps and now does some airshow flying in Gene's Val. I wish Gene all the best with his movie venture. He is a great supporter of Jal and is not shy about promoting us when he makes these trips. He mentioned that he would like to have a photo of the finished sculpture to show the Disney people when he gets to Hawaii.

The next step in the process is to get 34, six-foot holes drilled in that hard rocky ground north of town. When that is done we will get a crane out there to lift the figures into place and then fill the holes with concrete. I won't try to give you a time frame for that because there are so many variables involved. But, hopefully, it will be soon. As the time gets close, I will post another update so that anyone who would like to watch (or help) can make plans to be there.

Finally, I need to thank Jake Merryman again. This time for providing us with enough six inch pipe to finish the frames. And thanks again to all of you for your interest and support.

Brian('75)

November 29, 1999

Fellow Jalites:

Well, it is time for another update. And I am happy to pass this one along because it represents a significant step toward making the sculpture a reality.

Saturday, November 27, I finished cutting out the last of the seventeen figures which will make up the completed sculpture. It has taken less than three months (the steel was delivered on Sept. 9--cutting started on Sept. 21) to whittle away all the unwanted material from twenty-eight hundred square feet of metal and wind up with the silhouettes of four mounted cowboys and thirteen cattle.

I can tell you that I was extremely nervous making that initial cut in the first of seven 10 ft. x 40 ft. pieces of steel. Except for two or three cuts on a piece of scrap to try out the plasma cutter before buying it, I had never cut a piece of metal in my life. The thought of possibly reducing over $8,000.00 worth of steel to nothing more than scrap metal was pretty terrifying. But all went quite well--better than I could have imagined--and today the cutting is done. I think--I hope--that everyone will be pleased with the results.

So far, I have gotten some very positive feedback. A good many people have come out to the slab to see the work in progress. A number of local residents have kept tabs on the project and offered lots of praise, advice, and critiques. One Eunice resident even stopped by and said that he wished someone in Eunice would do something like this.

The holidays have brought forth a whole new group of people to look things over. Among the Jal grads who showed up over the Thanksgiving weekend were Ross McCorcle ('82), Alice Sappington ('74), Fred Sappington ('71), Karen (Lee) Stevens ('70), Diana Cooper ('75), Roger Cooper ('72), Paula (Fine) Ferguson ('67), Mike Fine and Keith Fine ('66). I know that there were others that I visited with but have forgotten to mention--to them, my apologies. Also, I know from talking to at least one local resident that there were a number of others who showed up when I was not present. I am sorry I missed the chance to vist with those folks. Everyone I talked with had something nice to say about the project, and those kind words are much appreciated.

I haven't as yet had time to update the photos on my Photopoint site, but as soon as possible, I will get some new shots of the project--hopefully to include an aerial view--posted. Keep an eye out.

Now it is time to move on to the next phase--constructing the pipe frames which will provide the support for the individual pieces. This will require welding skills which, unfortunately, I do not possess. Gene Armstrong ('52) has volunteered to step in and head up this part of the project. He is a very capable welder and I know that he will do an excellent job. At least some of the pipe necessary to do this part of the project is being donated and will, hopefully, be delivered to us soon. When that happens, we can put Gene to work. Keep your fingers crossed that the beautiful weather we have enjoyed will continue and the sculpture project can continue to move forward. Thanks to everyone for all the help and support!

Sincerely, Brian ('75)

Mon, 18 Oct 1999   From: Brian Norwood

Fellow Jalites:

I am happy to report that the sculpture project is continuing at a good pace. As of Friday, Oct. 15, seven of the total of 17 figures have been completely cut out, along with portions of two others.

Photographs of the cutting phase have been posted on my Photopoint site which can be reached via the the Photos links on the Table of Contents page. While you're there, check out the new billboard in the "Paint the Town" album. This is one of four billboards (two of which have been completed) that will be put up along area highways. The photo doesn't do justice to this work of art, which was painted by local artist and Jal grad Michele Gonzales ('88).

I hope the sculpture photos help to give some idea of what the process looks like at this stage. To give you a better idea of the scale, one photo shows a tape measure stretched from the hoof to just above the shoulder on one of the medium sized cattle. The tape is set at eight feet. Also, if you look very closely, you can see the tire prints made by what appear to be a small pickup which some overzealous visitor who drove over the steel (No harm done!).

There have been a lot of other visitors who have stopped by to check out the project. A number of people have come out to the worksite to get a better idea of what is going on and where the sculpture will be located. The most comon remark up to this point has been, "I just didn't realize it was going to be this big!" Others have remarked on how big a job it is and how much work there is left to do. I am trying to make people understand that in this case, "size does matter". If it weren't a big job, or as large as it is, they wouldn't be coming out to look at it, nor could we expect people from elsewhere to travel to Jal to see the finished sculpture.

Other visitors have included quail, cardinals (not the Eunice variety), and my most frequent guest--a roadrunner. The roadrunner seems very curious about the whole business and works at getting the best view. Occasionally it watches from nearby mesquite limbs or from pipe that protects the guy wires on the radio tower nearby. It often comes up on the slab and stands in the shade to watch. It has even gotten on the roof of the building that sits atop the slab and watched me from above. One day, while getting ready to leave, I was rolling up an extension cord and as I pulled it toward me, the roadrunner followed. He chased that big worm to within about three feet of me before stopping, giving me the once-over and going off to chase some bugs.

The plasma cutter is working quite well, and is visible in one of the photos. It is a very portable unit weighing just forty-two pounds. The plasma arc process uses a torch that produces a high-velocity jet of high-temperature (20,000 deg. F) ionized gas,or plasma. The torch cuts by melting the steel and displacing it from the workpiece. The other items necessary to do the cutting are compressed air (no oxygen or acetylene) and electricity. If the cutting is done efficiently, there are virtually no sparks visible above the steel. Almost all of the material that is displaced is thrown out under the steel. And this can be done with only a fraction of an inch of clearance between the steel and the concrete.

Well, that is all for now. But keep checking back for more updates and more photos. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me at bgnorwood@leaco.net .

Brian ('75)

Saturday, September 18, 1999 From: Brian Norwood

Fellow Jalites,

It has been almost two months now since my last sculpture project update, and there is good news to report. The construction phase of the project has at long last begun!

On Thursday, September 9th, the steel which will form the silhouettes of the JAL Cowboy Sculpture Project was delivered. Seven sheets of 1/4 in. steel, each measuring 10 ft. by 40 ft. were delivered to a spot near the sculpture site. Each sheet of steel weighs 4,084 pounds, for a total
weight of 28,588 pounds.
The steel was purchased at Shamrock Steel Sales in Odessa, TX at a delivered cost of just over $8,000.00. As you can probably imagine, this order raised more than a few eyebrows and caused several employees at Shamrock to ask their salesman, Mike Martin, "...He's going to do what?!" My thanks to Mike and to driver Miguel Torres who made the delivery. Both have expressed a strong interest in seeing the completed project.

The construction location, a large concrete slab which may be familiar to some of you as a favorite partying spot, will be used for the cutting of the figures and welding of the pipe frames which will serve as supports. Somehow it seems appropriate that a sculpture, which is in part being paid for by Jal's former teenagers, should be constructed on a site that many of those used-to-be-teens will remember fondly. Giving credit where credit is due, Gene Armstrong ('52) came up with the idea of using "the Slab" for the cutting and welding of the figures. For some reason, Gene seems to have more than a passing acquaintance with this particular spot!

For those who are interested, I will try and keep photos of the various phases of construction posted on my Photopoint site. Six photos of the steel being unloaded are currently available in the JAL Sculpture Project album. You can get to Photopoint by clicking on the photos link on the Table of Contents page of this website (while you're there, look at the photos of "Paint the Town" and feel free to check out photos of some of my paintings as well). Among those pictured, you will find Gene, Shamrock's driver Miguel Torres, and Don Green, an employee of Merryman Construction. My thanks to all three of these guys--they did an outstanding job! I must also thank Mr. Jake Merryman for making Don and the equipment available to the project at no cost. This is just one of the very many ways that Jake helps our community. We are indeed fortunate to have people like him in Jal.

Now that the steel is unloaded, I have begun drawing off the figures. So far, eleven have been drawn and are ready for cutting. I am still doing some fine-tuning and finish work on several of the enlargements, but should have them ready soon. I hope to begin cutting next week, and have obtained a plasma arc cutter for that purpose. The plasma cutter--so called because it uses an ionized gas, or plasma--makes it possible for me to do the cutting myself, thereby maintaining control of the process and making any last minute design modifications that might be necessary. It also prevents someone else from having to spend their valuable time doing the cutting.

I won't even try to give an estimated date for finishing the sculpture. However, I do think that things are progressing well and I am pleased with the progress that is being made. I feel certain now that the project will be finished before the Y2K Reunion. Keep looking for updates, and checking the Photopoint site for new photographs.

My thanks to all of you for your patience, your very kind words and your overwhelming support of this project!

Sincerely, Brian ('75)

 July 24, 1999
From: Brian Norwood

To all Jalites, Panthers, Jalapenos and Jalamanders,

Exactly three months ago today, I met with an area rancher to discuss a possible contribution to the JAL Cowboy Sculpture Project. He indicated a strong interest in the subject matter the sculpture will portray--the pioneer ranchers and early settlers of southeastern Lea County.

He was somewhat skeptical that the amount of money I had estimated it would take to complete the sculpture would be enough. In fact, at one point he expressed the belief that it simply couldn't be done for $10,000. Still, he was very supportive of the project, and made me this offer: if we could raise $5,000 he would donate $5,000. In order to encourage people to donate more quickly, he suggested a time limit. His first suggestion was six months, but after some discussion we decided that it would be possible to raise the money in a shorter period. Three months was what we decided upon, and that is where we are at today.

Many of you have responded with donations, and I want to thank each and every one of you for your generous contributions. I truly believe that the character of Jal's people has been shown in this very impressive and gratifying effort.

So, how did we do? May I have a drum roll please----as of Friday, July 23, the Jal Chamber of Commerce has reported donations totaling $8,566.13! You have responded by donating more than $3,000 over the amount necessary to match the $5,000 contribution--give yourselves a big round of applause!

I have reported this happy news to our anonymous donor and have been assured that the money is ours. I have also been authorized to make public the donor's name. So, let me offer a very big thank you to Mr. Tom Lineberry. For those of you who might not know or remember Mr. Lineberry, he is the owner--along with his wife, Evelyn Scarborough Lineberry--of the Frying Pan Ranch south of Jal. The Frying Pan was established in 1910 in Winkler and southeastern Lea Counties by W.F. Scarborough. Mr. and Mrs. Lineberry are noted throughout the southwest for their contributions to schools, museums and other worthwhile projects. Certainly, their dedication to Jal is evident through this extremely generous donation.

While I am at it, I would also like to offer a special thank you to Jiggs Dinwiddie and Sarah Rebecca Smith for their parts in contacting Tom Lineberry and making him aware of this project.

Mr. Lineberry has further contributed to the authenticity of the project by providing photos of Henry Scott, one of the real JAL cowboys who worked on the Cowden Ranch. Mr. Scott's likeness will be included as one of the cowboys in the sculpture.

In other news, I must also thank the Jal Senior Citizen's. These amazing people worked for several weeks--in the heat of early summer and without air conditioning--putting together a garage sale in the old Anthony's building. All of the proceeds were donated to the sculpture project. They had hoped to raise at least $500 and instead were able to contibute $1,500! The opening day of the garage sale drew so many people and cars that Main Street looked as busy as it used to when I was a kid. Everyone enjoyed it and I think this may become a yearly event. Their effort is much appreciated.

I hope that, as Jerry has suggested in a Panther Tracks newsletter, everyone will want to be a part of this project. My plan from the start has been to have a plaque made listing the names of contributors. Anyone who has not contributed but wants to be listed can still send a donation--in any amount--and have their name included. And let me assure you that all the funds will be put toward the construction and dedication of the sculpture. Should we wind up with more money than necessary to complete this project, plans have already been discussed to place a figure or figures on a median within the city.

The design has been finalized--seventeen figures (four cowboys and thirteen cattle) will sit on the ridge north of town. There are still some details to be worked out and materials to be gathered before construction is begun, but the process is well under way thanks to all of you.

Sincerely, Brian Norwood ('75)

From Brian Norwood: 04/24/99
(Bold Text added by Jerry Phillips)

It seems it is already time for another update on the JAL Cowboy Sculpture Project, and there are some interesting developments to report.

First, in regards to fundraising, comes the news--confirmed today--that
an anonymous donor has pledged $5,000.00 if we can first raise that same amount. That's right--all we have to do is raise $5,000.00 of the projected $10,000.00 needed to build the sculpture and this donor will provide the rest! Of course, there is a catch--we have just three months from today
(April 24, 1999) to raise the money.

The last report I had from the Jal Chamber of Commerce shows that we currently have pledges and donations totaling $2,473.00. That means that
we need to come up with $2,527.00 by July 24 in order to secure this very generous donation. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, I would strongly urge anyone who intends to donate to this project to
send your contributions as soon as possible.

Contributions can be made to: Sculpture Project, Jal Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1205, Jal, NM 88252.
Donations are tax-deductible.

A second interesting development is that an actual JAL cowboy may become part of the structure. A talk with a couple of area ranchers has resulted in my possibly obtaining photos of a man named Henry Scott, who worked for the JAL Ranch for a number of years. I have already been given a physical description of Mr. Scott and, hopefuly, will be able to add his likeness to the sculpture. This is an unexpected opportunity to be able to add a special touch of realism and authenticity--a true JAL cowboy as part of our JAL Cowboy Sculpture!

Also, I received an e-mail recently from Michael Pettit, the great-great grandson of William H. Cowden, one of the founders of the JAL Ranch. He is currently researching sources for a book he plans to write about the Cowden family and their ranching heritage. Of course, the JAL Ranch was an important part of that heritage, so he was interested in the sculpture project and any possible sources of information I might have. I have sent him some information, and plan to send more. However, it seems that the Cowden's did not leave behind a lot of documentation on their ranching operations, and most of the old timers who would have remembered the JAL Ranch are now gone. So if you, or someone you know--perhaps a friend or family member--has some information about this part of Jal's past, please let me know. Or you may contact Michael Pettit at <mpettit@alumni.Princeton.EDU>.

Turning now to the work on the sculpture itself, let me say that things have gone somewhat slower than I expected. I had hoped to have begun construction by this time. Unfortunately, even a starving artist needs to eat on occasion, so I have had to spend some time on a few projects that I had already committed to (and for which I actually get paid!). Also, I had intended to work on getting one or two figures up at a time. But it seems that the groundwork has to be laid for the entire sculpture before starting on erecting that first figure. I am currently enlarging each of the figures (the enlarging process takes from two to five days per figure) in order to get exact dimensions so that each piece can be laid out on-site in order to get clearance from oil and gas, and utility companies prior to digging the holes for the support pipe. Greg Fulfer, owner of Fulfer Electric in Jal, has agreed to drill the holes when the project reaches that stage. This is indicative of the type of support this project has received and for which I am extremely grateful.

So, the project moves ahead--sometimes slowly and at other times much faster than I had anticipated. If we can now raise the $2,527.00 necessary to obtain the $5,000.00 donation, the fundraising portion of the project will be done. Then the fun part--the actual construction of those riders and cattle on that ridge--can take center stage.

Once again let me thank each of you for your donations, moral support and other contributions. This project is possible thanks to your support!

Sincerely, Brian Norwood Class of '75

From: Brian Norwood   03/11/99

I would like to take this opportunity to update everyone on the JAL Cowboy Sculpture Project. First, I want to thank those who have sent e-mails for their encouraging words. The moral support helps a great deal, especially on those days when it seems that things are moving too slowly or just not moving at all. Fortunately, those days have been few and far between.

As of today (March 11), we have received pledges and donations totaling $1,643.00. That puts us almost one-sixth of the way to our goal of $10,000.00 without having had a major fundraising project! I have been assured by several people that they intend to donate, which will help further the cause. Just as an added incentive, I would like to remind everyone that the sooner the money is raised, the more likely we can have the sculpture completed by the Y2k Reunion! I do have appeals out in other places and volunteers looking at different avenues for raising money.

Last week I received final approval to use the land that I had selected for the sculpture site. I believe that this spot--north of the golf course and just west of Country Club Road on Phillips Hill--will be the best possible location, allowing the sculpture to be seen from the greatest distance in all directions. My thanks to the Woolworth Trust Board and Glenna McCorcle for their help and cooperation with this aspect of the project.

The Jal Chamber of Commerce has been very supportive as well, even using the sculpture project as the theme for their upcoming banquet(March 22nd). The High School cafeteria will be decorated with scaled-down replicas of some of the proposed figures and, hopefully, provide for more exposure of the project to people in the area. I now have about two-thirds of the first figure enlarged on paper. This will be used as a template for laying the figure out on the metal prior to cutting. The figure will be that of a mounted cowboy with one arm outstretched, pointing toward Jal. Overall height is 20 feet 2 inches and the length will be just over 22 feet. The belly of the horse will be six feet above the ground. I haven't finalized the designs for the other figures, but I have taken photographs of Jalites and local cowboys Bert Madera and Silvio Cervantes working cattle. These photos should provide the details and the motion that I would like to include in the other pieces.

There are a few more details to work out before actual construction can start, but with any luck, I will have those ironed out before too long. It is my hope that we can get started putting up that first figure in just a few weeks. Of course, there are many factors that enter into a project of this scope--personnel, weather and materials to name just a few. So please be patient (something I have trouble doing!) and keep checking back here for further updates.

I would like to remind everyone who wishes to contribute to make checks payable to Jal Chamber of Commerce. Send your donations (which are tax-deductible) to Sculpture Project, Jal Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1205, Jal, NM 88252.

Again, I want to thank everyone for their interest and support, and to offer my promise to make this project something everyone from Jal--past, present and future--can be proud of.

Sincerely, Brian Norwood ('75)