TITLE: Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Slaton.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Slaton.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Slaton are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their town's founding with a full program of events scheduled for July 1 through July 4, 2011; and WHEREAS, Named for O. L. Slaton, a local rancher and banker, Slaton originated as a railroad town; needing a site that could serve as the division point for its line in northwest Texas, the Santa Fe Railway Company purchased land for that purpose in April 1911; the new town was platted with streets radiating outward from the central residential and business district, a plan similar to that of Washington, D.C.; Slaton was officially established on June 15, 1911, a day marked by the arrival of the first of four daily passenger trains and by the publication of the first issue of the Slaton Journal;in less than a year, the rapidly growing town boasted a post office, a newspaper, and an independent school district; Slaton became the center of the largest division in the Santa Fe system and serviced the division's trains with its roundhouse and machine shops; the town's economy was based chiefly on the railroad and on agriculture, particularly cotton; Slaton is reported, in fact, to have ginned the first bale of cotton on the South Plains; and WHEREAS, Today an attractive, friendly community of some 6,000 residents, Slaton continues to serve as an agricultural center; in 1955, the Santa Fe Railway Company gave Engine 1809 to the city of Slaton in tribute to the town's railroad heritage and the countless runs the engine made hauling cotton from area farms to ports on the Gulf Coast; other points of interest include the Slaton Museum, the Harvey House, a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, and the Texas Air Museum, which maintains several vintage aircraft in addition to its exhibits and which hosts periodic air shows; for a number of years the annual Sausagefest, sponsored by St. Joseph Church and School, has drawn an appreciative throng, and the nearby Buffalo Springs Lake and Lake Ransom Canyon, both located in Yellow House Canyon, offer a variety of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts; and WHEREAS, Over the years, the citizens of Slaton have sought to preserve the best of their past while working to build an even brighter and more promising future, and they are indeed deserving of recognition on this special occasion; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the centennial of Slaton and extend to its residents sincere best wishes for a grand and memorable celebration. Perry Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2095 was adopted by the House on May 26, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House