1-1                                       1

 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 720

 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in

 1-4     recognizing The Dow Chemical Company, Texas Operations, on the

 1-5     grand occasion of its centennial celebration and park dedication

 1-6     on Sunday, May 18, 1997; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, The Dow Chemical Company was founded in 1897 in

 1-8     Midland, Michigan, by Herbert Henry Dow; the company's first

 1-9     plant consisted of nine buildings and was the producer of many

1-10     new chemicals for making medicines, food, synthetic rubber, metals,

1-11     plastics, lubricants, and other products; and

1-12           WHEREAS, An ingenious and highly talented individual,

1-13     Mr. Dow tapped into Midland's vast amounts of underground brine

1-14     deposits as an economic way to produce bromine by electrolysis;

1-15     his high-quality products and his entrance into the commercial

1-16     bleach market allowed him to incorporate The Dow Chemical Company

1-17     on May 18, 1897; and

1-18           WHEREAS, With its emphasis on research and development,

1-19     the company prospered and expanded, and in 1940, Dow opened

1-20     Dow's Freeport, Texas, operations on the Gulf of Mexico; the new

1-21     manufacturing site's first product was magnesium derived from

1-22     seawater; and

1-23           WHEREAS, Today, The Dow Chemical Company is the fifth

 2-1     largest chemical company in the world and has annual sales of

 2-2     more than $20 billion; the company operates 94 manufacturing

 2-3     sites in 30 countries across the globe; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, The executives and employees of The Dow Chemical

 2-5     Company place primary importance on safety performance and waste

 2-6     reduction, and Dow is considered one of the safest companies in

 2-7     the third safest industry in the United States; Dow met its goal

 2-8     to reduce emissions at its global facilities between 1988 and 1995

 2-9     one year ahead of schedule, and the company deserves recognition

2-10     for its high standards and first-class products; now, therefore,

2-11     be it

2-12           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

2-13     75th Legislature, hereby commend The Dow Chemical Company on its

2-14     enormous success and its many contributions to our state and extend

2-15     congratulations to The Dow Chemical Company, Texas Operations, on

2-16     its centennial celebration and park dedication; and, be it further

2-17           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for

2-18     The Dow Chemical Company, Texas Operations, as an expression of

2-19     esteem from the Texas Senate.

2-20                                                                   Brown

2-21                                  ______________________________________

2-22                                          President of the Senate

2-23                                       I hereby certify that the above

2-24                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

2-25                                  on May 13, 1997.

2-26                                  ______________________________________

2-27                                          Secretary of the Senate

2-28                                  ______________________________________

2-29                                           Member, Texas Senate