Alvin
Wirtz was born in Columbus, Texas, on 24th May, 1888. After graduating
from the University of Texas he became a lawyer in Colorado County
(1910-1917) and Sequin (1917-1934). A member of the Democratic
Party, Wirtz served as a state senator for Guadalupe Country.
Wirtz
worked closely with Emery, Peck and Rockwood, a company owned by Samuel
Insull. The company built a chain of privately owned dams and hydroelectric
power projects on the Guadalupe River. After the 1929 Wall
Street Crash destroyed the company, Wirtz was appointed receiver
and advocated the formation of the Lower Colorado River Authority.
However, many local farmers believed that Wirtz's business interests
had cheated them out of their land.
In
1934 Wirtz was forced to leave Sequin. He moved to Austin where he
established the law firm of Powell, Wirtz, Rauhut and Gideon. He was
also appointed general counsel of the Lower Colorado River Authority
(LCRA). Wirtz became a close friend of Lyndon
B. Johnson and
together they helped the LCRA obtain grants and loans from the Public
Works Administration, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and
the Rural Electrification Administration. In return, Wirtz helped
Johnson's political career. He represented Johnson in the legal fight
over his close victory over Coke Stevenson in 1948.
Wirtz
also supported the political career of Franklin
D. Roosevelt. He promoted his candidacy in 1936, 1940 and 1944.
He also served as chairman of the National Youth
Administration. He also served as under secretary in the Department
of the Interior (January, 1940 to May, 1941). Later he was employed
by Harold L. Ickes as a consultant on
power affairs.
Wirtz
was a key member of the Suite
8F Group. The name came from the room in the Lamar Hotel in Houston
where they held their meetings. Members of the group included Lyndon
B. Johnson,
George Brown and Herman
Brown (Brown & Root), Gus Wortham
(American General Insurance Company), Jesse
H. Jones (multi-millionaire investor in a large number of organizations
and chairman of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation), James
Abercrombie (Cameron Iron Works), William
Hobby (Governor of Texas), William Vinson
(Great Southern Life Insurance), James Elkins
(American General Insurance and Pure Oil Pipe Line), John
Connally (Governor of Texas) and Edward
Clark.
Wirtz was also an expert
in oil and gas law and represented Sid
Richardson and his various companies. He also did work for George
Brown and Herman Brown of Brown &
Root.
Alvin Wirtz died of a heart
attack on 27th October, 1951. The Granite Shoals Dam was renamed the
Alvin Wirtz Dam in December, 1951.
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