1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-3 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol will 1-4 be celebrated February 26, 1997, and the Texas Senate takes 1-5 great pleasure in recognizing this important region whose citizens 1-6 have contributed immeasurably to the Lone Star State; proudly 1-7 representing their county on that day will be residents of Jim 1-8 Wells County and the cities of Alice, Orange Grove, Premont, and 1-9 San Diego; and 1-10 WHEREAS, In the early 1500s, Alvar Nunez de Cabeza de Vaca 1-11 explored the area known today as Jim Wells County, and his 1-12 records tell of tuna or prickly pear festivals held annually by 1-13 his coastal Indian captors around the present day City of Alice; 1-14 and 1-15 WHEREAS, Originally a part of Nueces County, Jim Wells 1-16 County was created and organized by the Texas Legislature on 1-17 March 11, 1911, and the City of Alice became the county seat; 1-18 the county was named for a prominent political figure and land 1-19 developer, James B. Wells, Jr., who was also purchasing agent 1-20 for the King Ranch; and 1-21 WHEREAS, The area comprising Jim Wells County figures 1-22 prominently in the early days of Texas for the land had become a 1-23 part of Texas after it gained its independence from Mexico in 1836; 2-1 and 2-2 WHEREAS, There were extensive land holdings in the area owned 2-3 by N. G. Collins before early settlers to the region arrived in 2-4 1850; they brought only the barest necessities with them to build 2-5 a general store and a trading post east of present day Alice; the 2-6 town of Collins was short-lived since the San Antonio and Aransas 2-7 Pass Railroad was built two miles west of the community when 2-8 landowners refused to sell the right-of-way through the town; and 2-9 WHEREAS, In 1886, a new town developed where two rail lines 2-10 intersected; after several name changes, the new town of Alice, 2-11 named for Alice King, began to develop economically; located at 2-12 that time in the northwestern part of Nueces County, the town 2-13 eventually became the largest cattle shipping point in the world; 2-14 and 2-15 WHEREAS, Located in the geographical heart of South Texas, 2-16 along the "Texas Tropical Trail," Alice is known as the "Hub of 2-17 South Texas" due to its strategic location at the intersection of 2-18 State Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 281; and 2-19 WHEREAS, Many oil exploration and related companies have 2-20 established facilities in Jim Wells County, principal among them 2-21 the Flournoy Drilling and Production Company, founded in 1947 by 2-22 Lucien Flournoy, who built his first drilling rig in Alice; as his 2-23 company flourished and became one of the city's largest employers, 2-24 Mr. Flournoy supported local and regional programs that have 2-25 benefitted the residents of the county and all of South Texas, 3-1 and his public service has included terms as a City Councilman 3-2 and Mayor of the City of Alice; although his company was recently 3-3 sold to DI Industries, Inc., Mr. Flournoy will serve on their board 3-4 of directors and will continue to be a major corporate good citizen 3-5 as the owner and operator of Flournoy Production Company, operating 3-6 and managing oil and gas leases throughout South Texas; and 3-7 WHEREAS, Along with the oil business, ranching, cattle 3-8 shipping, and cotton and grain production, a fine public school 3-9 system, a modern hospital, and an expanding health-related service 3-10 industry combine to drive the local economy; and 3-11 WHEREAS, Situated on primary United States-Mexico trade 3-12 routes connecting Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley with the 3-13 Port of Corpus Christi, the City of Alice and Jim Wells County 3-14 are developing into a major "Hub of International Trade"; U.S. 3-15 281 has been named in the National Highway System Designation 3-16 Act of 1995 as a key link in the future I-69 NAFTA Superhighway 3-17 System; and 3-18 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County has been an important agricultural 3-19 area that contributed to the development of the Southwestern part 3-20 of the United States; since the mid-1800s when the famous 3-21 Chisholm Trail passed through the county, the cattle industry has 3-22 played a major role in its economy; mesquite brush and grasses in 3-23 the western part are ideal grazing conditions for livestock, and 3-24 coastal plains to the east produce coastal Bermuda and vegetables; 3-25 and 4-1 WHEREAS, In 1936, the first notable oil activity in the 4-2 county began and the first major oil producer, The Texas Royalty 4-3 Corporation and Lucy Petroleum Company No. 1, was bought northeast 4-4 of Alice; the oil rush brought many new families to Jim Wells 4-5 County; and 4-6 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County history has been carefully 4-7 preserved at the South Texas Museum, a Texas Historical Landmark; 4-8 donated by the McGill Family, the museum was the old ranch 4-9 headquarters; and 4-10 WHEREAS, Proud of their unique heritage, the citizens of 4-11 Jim Wells County have retained the social fabric of their culture 4-12 through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos, and outdoor activities, 4-13 including hunting, water sports, and other popular recreational 4-14 events; and 4-15 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is 4-16 an appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the 4-17 residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their 4-18 excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it 4-19 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 4-20 75th Legislature, hereby declare February 26, 1997, as Jim 4-21 Wells County Day and join its citizens as they celebrate their 4-22 county's greatness; and, be it further 4-23 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 4-24 the citizens of Jim Wells County, and that copies be presented 4-25 to County Judge Arnoldo Saenz, Mayor Octavio Figueroa, Jr., of 5-1 Alice, Mayor Truett Thomas of Orange Grove, Mayor Lee Rodriguez 5-2 of Premont, and Mayor Alfredo E. Cardenas of San Diego as an 5-3 expression of the admiration and appreciation of the Texas Senate. 5-4 Truan 5-5 Armbrister Galloway Ogden 5-6 Barrientos Harris Patterson 5-7 Bivins Haywood Ratliff 5-8 Brown Lindsay Shapiro 5-9 Cain Lucio Shapleigh 5-10 Carona Luna Sibley 5-11 Duncan Madla Wentworth 5-12 Ellis Moncrief West 5-13 Fraser Nelson Whitmire 5-14 Gallegos Nixon Zaffirini 5-15 Bullock, President of the Senate 5-16 ______________________________________ 5-17 President of the Senate 5-18 I hereby certify that the above 5-19 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 5-20 on February 26, 1997. 5-21 ______________________________________ 5-22 Secretary of the Senate 5-23 ______________________________________ 5-24 Dean of the Senate