By:  Truan                                       S.R. No. 647
    1-1                           SENATE RESOLUTION
    1-2        WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to
    1-3  recognize the Ed and Hazel Richmond Public Library of Aransas Pass
    1-4  on the grand occasion of its ribbon cutting and dedication ceremonies
    1-5  and the "Last Great Land Lottery" on the occasion of its official
    1-6  Texas Historical Marker dedication, Saturday, April 17, 1993; and
    1-7        WHEREAS, The Ed and Hazel Richmond Public Library had its
    1-8  beginnings in several thousand acres of land purchased in 1890 by
    1-9  T. B. Wheeler and Russell Harrison as a speculative land venture
   1-10  based on the government's plans to build a deep water port in the
   1-11  area that is now Aransas Pass; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, The deep water port was built in Corpus Christi and
   1-13  the land was sold in 1909 to a partnership from San Antonio by the
   1-14  name of Burton and Danforth; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, A lottery which is now historically famous was held
   1-16  by Burton and Danforth; potential property buyers were asked to bid
   1-17  for property by names and descriptions of property drawn from boxes;
   1-18  and
   1-19        WHEREAS, When speculation drove land values up, bidders were
   1-20  not able to pay for the land, and in 1931, a lawsuit was filed that
   1-21  held that the property was to be held in trust for the people of
   1-22  Aransas Pass; the money in the newly established Overbid Property
   1-23  Trust was to be used to build a cotton compress, attract a railroad,
    2-1  or to construct public buildings; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, The library was established in 1962 from money in
    2-3  the trust; in 1990, plans for significant library improvements
    2-4  were made based on using $200,000 from the fund, a sum that was
    2-5  supplemented by a generous donation from the Coastal Bend
    2-6  Foundation; and
    2-7        WHEREAS, Today, the library boasts the latest audio/visual
    2-8  equipment and has been expanded from 3,000 square feet to 7,500
    2-9  square feet; it was named for Ed Richmond, who was the chairman
   2-10  of the Overbid Property Trust for over 50 years, and his wife,
   2-11  Hazel, who served on the library board; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, A beautiful edifice with a relaxed and pleasant
   2-13  ambience, the library is a center of civic pride and enjoyment
   2-14  and historical interest; and
   2-15        WHEREAS, Members of the Overbid Property Trust,
   2-16  William L. Ellis, Jr., Charles W. Marshall, Richard D. Hatch,
   2-17  and John J. Bailey, as well as the Coastal Bend Foundation and
   2-18  concerned citizens who took part in the founding and expansion of
   2-19  the library deserve to be proud of their efforts in fostering the
   2-20  growth of a magnificent asset to their city; now, therefore, be it
   2-21        RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
   2-22  73rd Legislature, hereby join with the citizens of Aransas Pass
   2-23  in celebrating the dedication of the Ed and Hazel Richmond Public
   2-24  Library and in commemorating the "Last Great Land Lottery"; and,
   2-25  be it further
    3-1        RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the
    3-2  library as a token of regard from the Texas Senate.
    3-3                                 _____________________________________
    3-4                                        President of the Senate
    3-5                                      I hereby certify that the
    3-6                                 above Resolution was adopted by
    3-7                                 the Senate on April 20, 1993.
    3-8                                 _____________________________________
    3-9                                        Secretary of the Senate
   3-10                                 _____________________________________
   3-11                                         Member, Texas Senate