1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4 1-3 WHEREAS, On January 10, 1901, on the Texas Gulf Coast, 1-4 an oil gusher unlike any the world had ever known blew in at 1-5 Spindletop, stamping the image of an immense petroleum plume 1-6 on the opening page of the 20th century; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Towering more than 100 feet above the plain, 1-8 the gusher roared for nine days, spilling an estimated 100,000 1-9 barrels of oil a day across a field near Beaumont; and 1-10 WHEREAS, This spectacular strike, the first salt-dome oil 1-11 discovery in Texas, launched the first oil boom in the state 1-12 and spurred petroleum exploration in Texas and the Southwest; 1-13 Spindletop also ushered in dramatic changes on the upper 1-14 Texas Gulf Coast, as people poured in to develop this and other 1-15 nearby fields, and as an industrial infrastructure of refineries 1-16 and storage facilities, linked by pipelines, rose up in Beaumont, 1-17 Port Arthur, Sabine Pass, and Orange; and 1-18 WHEREAS, For much of the 20th century, petroleum 1-19 production was the driving force in the Texas economy; the 1-20 industry has also enriched the public treasury, in consequence of 1-21 an oil-production tax authorized in 1905, and oil-based wealth has 2-1 supported major philanthropic donations to the arts, education, 2-2 scientific research, and local organizations and institutions 2-3 around the state; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The availability of cheap petroleum fueled the 2-5 automobile industry, which in Texas, as elsewhere, precipitated 2-6 the paving of roads and highways; inexpensive gasoline also led 2-7 to the mechanization of farm machinery, which increased efficiency; 2-8 in addition to these pervasive changes, the oil industry left its 2-9 mark on Texas culture, seeping into books, films, and folklore; and 2-10 WHEREAS, Together with natural gas, oil began to supplant 2-11 coal as the primary fuel in industry, railroads, and shipping; 2-12 within the United States, the discovery at Spindletop broke the 2-13 Standard Oil Company's 40-year monopoly in petroleum production; 2-14 two giant corporations, Texaco and Gulf, had their origins in 2-15 the Spindletop field, and a number of other companies flourished 2-16 there; and 2-17 WHEREAS, Production at Spindletop rose and fell over the 2-18 course of the century: in its second year, the field yielded 2-19 17.5 million barrels of oil, but the frenzy of well drilling quickly 2-20 depleted the topmost deposit; in the mid-1920s, discovery of oil 2-21 on the flanks of the salt dome produced another boom, and in 1927 2-22 production peaked at 21 million barrels; additional deposits were 2-23 found in 1951 and in the 1960s, and by 1985 cumulative production 2-24 at the field totaled over 153 million barrels; and 3-1 WHEREAS, Throughout this centennial year, the 3-2 Spindletop 2001 Commission, assisted by the Friends of Spindletop, 3-3 is coordinating a series of projects and events designed to 3-4 celebrate this historic find, to honor the men and women whose 3-5 efforts sustained the development of the field, and to spotlight 3-6 Beaumont as the birthplace of the modern oil industry; and 3-7 WHEREAS, In addition to the activities scheduled for 3-8 January 10, 2001, in Beaumont, plans include a film festival 3-9 and a symposium on the depiction in film of Texas oil and 3-10 those connected with the industry; improvements to the 3-11 Gladys City Boomtown Museum, a re-creation of the Spindletop 3-12 boomtown situated on the campus of Lamar University; an 3-13 interactive museum exhibit at the Texas Energy Museum in 3-14 Beaumont; a curriculum module developed in cooperation with 3-15 the Texas State Historical Association and designed to educate 3-16 55,000 Texas students about the social and economic significance 3-17 of Spindletop; the creation of an overlook with interpretive 3-18 material adjacent to the site of the discovery well, the fabled 3-19 Lucas No. 1; and a reproduction of the Lucas gusher that can be 3-20 activated by visitors; and 3-21 WHEREAS, The discovery of the Spindletop Oil Field was a 3-22 truly pivotal moment in the history of the Lone Star State; the 3-23 developments it set in motion foretold the emergence of the 3-24 modern petroleum industry, a colossus that would change the 3-25 face of Texas and transform the lives of countless millions 4-1 around the world; now, therefore, be it 4-2 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 4-3 77th Legislature, hereby commemorate the 100th anniversary 4-4 of the discovery of the Spindletop Oil Field, one of the most 4-5 momentous and legendary events in the annals of our state. 4-6 Bernsen 4-7 ______________________________________ 4-8 President of the Senate 4-9 I hereby certify that the above 4-10 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 4-11 on January 11, 2001. 4-12 ______________________________________ 4-13 Secretary of the Senate 4-14 ______________________________________ 4-15 Member, Texas Senate