1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 135 1-3 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol will 1-4 be celebrated February 4, 1999, and the Texas Senate takes great 1-5 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 1-8 Jim Wells County and the cities of Alice, Orange Grove, Premont, 1-9 and 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 records 1-12 tell of tuna or prickly pear festivals held annually by his 1-13 coastal Indian captors around the present day City of Alice; and 1-14 WHEREAS, Originally a part of Nueces County, Jim Wells County 1-15 was created and organized by the Texas Legislature on March 11, 1911, 1-16 and the City of Alice became the county seat; the county was 1-17 named for a prominent political figure and land developer, 1-18 James B. Wells, Jr., who was also purchasing agent for the 1-19 King Ranch; and 1-20 WHEREAS, The area comprising Jim Wells County figures 1-21 prominently in the early days of Texas for the land had become a 1-22 part of Texas after it gained its independence from Mexico in 1836; 1-23 and 1-24 WHEREAS, There were extensive land holdings in the area owned 2-1 by N. G. Collins before early settlers to the region arrived in 2-2 1850; they brought only the barest necessities with them to build 2-3 a general store and a trading post east of present day Alice; 2-4 the town of Collins was short-lived since the San Antonio and 2-5 Aransas Pass Railroad was built two miles west of the community 2-6 when landowners refused to sell the right-of-way through the town; 2-7 and 2-8 WHEREAS, In 1886, a new town developed where two rail lines 2-9 intersected; after several name changes, the new town of Alice, 2-10 named for Alice King, began to develop economically; located at 2-11 that time in the northwestern part of Nueces County, the town 2-12 eventually became the largest cattle shipping point in the world; 2-13 and 2-14 WHEREAS, Located in the geographical heart of South Texas, 2-15 along the "Texas Tropical Trail," Alice is known as the "Hub of 2-16 South Texas" due to its strategic location at the intersection of 2-17 State Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 281; and 2-18 WHEREAS, Along with the oil business, ranching, cattle 2-19 shipping, and cotton and grain production, a fine public school 2-20 system, a modern hospital, and an expanding health-related service 2-21 industry combine to drive the local economy; and 2-22 WHEREAS, Situated on primary United States-Mexico trade 2-23 routes connecting Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley with the 2-24 Port of Corpus Christi, the City of Alice and Jim Wells County 2-25 are developing into a major "Hub of International Trade"; U.S. 2-26 281 has been named in the National Highway System Designation 3-1 Act of 1995 as a key link in the future I-69 NAFTA Superhighway 3-2 System; and 3-3 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County has been an important agricultural 3-4 area that contributed to the development of the Southwestern part 3-5 of the United States; since the mid-1800s when the famous 3-6 Chisholm Trail passed through the county, the cattle industry has 3-7 played a major role in its economy; mesquite brush and grasses in 3-8 the western part are ideal grazing conditions for livestock, and 3-9 coastal plains to the east produce coastal Bermuda and vegetables; 3-10 and 3-11 WHEREAS, In 1936, the first notable oil activity in the 3-12 county began and the first major oil producer, The Texas Royalty 3-13 Corporation and Lucy Petroleum Company No. 1, was bought 3-14 northeast of Alice; the oil rush brought many new families to 3-15 Jim Wells County; and 3-16 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County history has been carefully 3-17 preserved at the South Texas Museum, a Texas Historical Landmark; 3-18 donated by the McGill Family, the museum was the old ranch 3-19 headquarters; and 3-20 WHEREAS, Proud of their unique heritage, the citizens of 3-21 Jim Wells County have retained the social fabric of their culture 3-22 through fiestas, county fairs, rodeos, and outdoor activities, 3-23 including hunting, water sports, and other popular recreational 3-24 events; and 3-25 WHEREAS, Jim Wells County Day at the State Capitol is 3-26 an appropriate occasion for the Texas Senate to recognize the 4-1 residents of Jim Wells County and to commend them for their 4-2 excellent accomplishments; now, therefore, be it 4-3 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 4-4 76th Legislature, hereby declare February 4, 1999, as 4-5 Jim Wells County Day and join its citizens as they celebrate 4-6 their county's greatness; and, be it further 4-7 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 4-8 the citizens of Jim Wells County, and that copies be presented 4-9 to County Judge Arnoldo Saenz, the Jim Wells County Commissioners 4-10 Court, Mayor Octavio Figueroa, Jr., of Alice, Mayor Truett Thomas 4-11 of Orange Grove, City Secretary Idolina Perez of Premont, and 4-12 Mayor Alfredo E. Cardenas of San Diego as an expression of the 4-13 admiration and appreciation of the Texas Senate. 4-14 Truan 4-15 Armbrister Gallegos Nixon 4-16 Barrientos Harris Ogden 4-17 Bernsen Haywood Ratliff 4-18 Bivins Jackson Shapiro 4-19 Brown Lindsay Shapleigh 4-20 Cain Lucio Sibley 4-21 Carona Luna Wentworth 4-22 Duncan Madla West 4-23 Ellis Moncrief Whitmire 4-24 Fraser Nelson Zaffirini 4-25 Perry, President of the Senate 4-26 ______________________________________ 4-27 President of the Senate 4-28 I hereby certify that the above 4-29 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 4-30 on February 3, 1999. 4-31 ______________________________________ 4-32 Secretary of the Senate 4-33 ______________________________________ 4-34 Dean of the Senate