By Chisum                                        H.R. No. 227

      75R7001 JHS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, One of the more intriguing chapters in the history

 1-2     of the State of Texas involves the construction of the current

 1-3     State Capitol and the origin of the legendary XIT Ranch; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, When the previous Capitol was destroyed by fire on

 1-5     November 9, 1881, a special legislative session was called to

 1-6     develop a plan for erecting a new building; lacking sufficient

 1-7     liquid capital, the legislature opted to encourage potential

 1-8     investors with a portion of the state's vast land holdings in

 1-9     exchange for the development and construction of an edifice worthy

1-10     of the citizens of Texas; and

1-11           WHEREAS, A Chicago investment group accepted the state's

1-12     proposal and took possession of more than three million acres of

1-13     prime Texas Panhandle land encompassing parts of 10 counties; the

1-14     10 members of the "Capitol Syndicate" christened the land the XIT

1-15     Ranch, a name popularly believed to stand for "Ten in Texas," and

1-16     soon drove in the first herd of cattle; and

1-17           WHEREAS, The XIT Ranch was hailed as the biggest ranch ever,

1-18     and its existence was largely responsible for Texas' worldwide

1-19     reputation as a cattle empire; at its height, the ranch maintained

1-20     150,000 head of cattle and was criss-crossed with more than 1,500

1-21     miles of barbed wire; and

1-22           WHEREAS, The construction of the Capitol began in early 1882

1-23     and was completed on April 20, 1888, at a cost of nearly $3.75

1-24     million; the state assumed more than $500,000 of this expense and,

 2-1     in effect, received just more than one dollar an acre for the

 2-2     Panhandle tract, at least twice as much as the asking price for

 2-3     land at that time; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, Although seeking outside investment aid would not

 2-5     have been unprecedented, the sheer enormity of this bold move did

 2-6     help to secure Texas' fame as a daring and iconoclastic state set

 2-7     on distinguishing itself from the rest of the union; the Texas

 2-8     State Capitol remains the tallest building of its kind in the

 2-9     nation, and its fascinating history has made generations of Texans

2-10     proud; now, therefore, be it

2-11           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-12     Legislature hereby commemorate the opening of the XIT Ranch exhibit

2-13     in the Capitol Complex Visitors' Center and recognize the vital

2-14     role this Panhandle expanse has played in the construction of the

2-15     State Capitol.