By Gray H.C.R. No. 193 75R11092 JHS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The citizens of Texas City will commemorate the 50th 1-2 anniversary of the Texas City Disaster of 1947 during the three-day 1-3 "Rebirth Celebration" on April 16-18, 1997; and 1-4 WHEREAS, The disaster, the worst industrial catastrophe in 1-5 American history, was triggered when the French freighter Grandcamp 1-6 caught fire in the harbor of the Monsanto Chemical Company on the 1-7 morning of April 16, 1947; as local firefighters struggled to 1-8 extinguish the fire, the ship's cargo of ammonium nitrate 1-9 fertilizer erupted violently, sending a column of smoke 2,000 feet 1-10 into the sky; and 1-11 WHEREAS, A second blast rocked the harbor and started a chain 1-12 reaction of fires and other explosions in the buildings encircling 1-13 the bay; early the next morning, the High Flyer, a freighter loaded 1-14 with fertilizer as well as sulfur, exploded after an unsuccessful 1-15 attempt to tow it away from the smoldering harbor, and this 1-16 continued the devastation that has forever changed the city's 1-17 history; and 1-18 WHEREAS, The Texas City Disaster claimed the lives of nearly 1-19 600 people and seriously injured hundreds more; brave residents 1-20 worked steadily through the night and into the next day caring for 1-21 injured relatives, friends, and neighbors and organizing rescue 1-22 attempts for those individuals trapped within the many collapsed 1-23 and burning buildings; and 1-24 WHEREAS, This unprecedented tragedy has undeniably altered 2-1 the face of this venerable city, yet in true Texas fashion its 2-2 citizens have overcome this adversity, rebuilding their homes and 2-3 businesses in an effort to reclaim their city and reconstruct their 2-4 lives; and 2-5 WHEREAS, The three-day "Rebirth Celebration" offers residents 2-6 an opportunity to remember and reflect on this terrible tragedy 2-7 while at the same time celebrating the remarkable renaissance of 2-8 the City by the Bay; the dedication and resilience displayed by 2-9 Texas City's citizens have enabled this thriving port to recapture 2-10 its former glory and successfully build its bridge to the 21st 2-11 century; now, therefore, be it 2-12 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-13 hereby commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Texas City Disaster 2-14 of 1947 and extend sincere best wishes to the citizens of Texas 2-15 City as they continue in their efforts to "Remember the Past and 2-16 Celebrate the Future."