1-1                                       1

 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 517

 1-3           WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is proud to welcome the descendants

 1-4     of Charles B. and John V. Farwell as they visit the Capitol Complex

 1-5     on April 16, 1997, to view the XIT Ranch exhibit; and 

 1-6           WHEREAS, This significant display chronicles one of the

 1-7     more intriguing stories in the history of the Lone Star State,

 1-8     the 1882 transfer of three million acres of state land holdings

 1-9     to an investment firm headed by Chicago's Farwell brothers in

1-10     exchange for the construction of a new Capitol building; and

1-11           WHEREAS, The seeds of this agreement, which set aside the

1-12     huge expanse of untamed Panhandle territory for sale or trade,

1-13     were planted in the Texas Constitution of 1875; when the former

1-14     Capitol was destroyed by fire on November 9, 1881, an offer was

1-15     extended to a number of investment firms across the country and

1-16     was eventually accepted by the Farwells' syndicate in 1882; and

1-17           WHEREAS, The Capitol was completed on April 20, 1888, and the

1-18     result was a monument truly worthy of the citizens of the Union's

1-19     largest state; during the six years of construction, the investment

1-20     group introduced cattle to its newly fenced property and, in the

1-21     process, created the largest fenced cattle ranch in the world,

1-22     christened the "XIT Ranch"; and

1-23           WHEREAS, This transaction resulted in the construction of

 2-1     one of the world's most striking buildings and also helped bring

 2-2     law and order to the Texas Panhandle; in 1963, the last of the XIT

 2-3     lands were sold, ending nearly 80 years of ownership by the

 2-4     "Capitol Syndicate"; and

 2-5           WHEREAS, Among the descendants of these gentlemen in

 2-6     attendance today are Reginald de Koven Hudson and his wife,

 2-7     Joan Hudson, Lucia Winston Heyworth, Vaughan C. Spalding, and

 2-8     Kathleen Spalding; other relations who have already visited the

 2-9     exhibit include William Montague Ferry, Nancy Ferry Hinds, and

2-10     Deborah Smith Haight and her husband, John McV. Haight, Jr.; and

2-11           WHEREAS, By helping to commemorate the XIT Ranch exhibit,

2-12     the descendants of Charles B. and John V. Farwell have further

2-13     preserved the legacy of both their forebears and the Lone Star

2-14     State, and this act of historical recognition adds yet another

2-15     interesting chapter to the saga of this land we call Texas; now,

2-16     therefore, be it

2-17           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

2-18     75th Legislature, hereby welcome the descendants of Charles B.

2-19     and John V. Farwell to the State Capitol and extend to them

2-20     warmest best wishes for continued happiness in the future; and,

2-21     be it further

2-22           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared

2-23     for these individuals as an expression of high regard by the Texas

2-24     Senate. 

2-25                                                                  Bivins

 3-1                                  ______________________________________

 3-2                                          President of the Senate

 3-3                                       I hereby certify that the above

 3-4                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

 3-5                                  on April 16, 1997.

 3-6                                  ______________________________________

 3-7                                          Secretary of the Senate

 3-8                                  ______________________________________

 3-9                                           Member, Texas Senate