The Encyclopedia of Texas Page: 75 of 970
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TEXAS
now completed or under construction in the Wichita
district 100 miles of four, six and eight inch pipe
lines. The combined capacity of these lines, when
completed, is 280,000 barrels daily.
In all, there are twenty-six pipe lines either in
operation in the county or under construction. This
number does not include the many small gathering
lines leading into the main lines at Burkburnett.
With the exception of two, all of these lines have
been started or completed since October, 1918. At
that time the fields were served only by the line of
the Texas Company and the Magnolia Petroleum
Company. The Texas Company alone now has 390
miles of pipe line serving the fields.
Supplementing pipe lines, loading racks have been
built which have the capacity of 850 tank cars daily.
In addition to these there are innumerable storage
tanks in the fields, ranging in size from one thousand
to fifty-five thousand barrels.
Refining has become a huge industry in Wichita
Falls because of the location of the city with regard
both to the fields and railroads. In addition to thosein the city itself there are many at other towns
in the county. While at the present time the refineries
in the district are not able to take care of
the crude oil from the local field plans are already
made for extension to such a point that crude will
be shipped from other fields into the city and refined
here. The new railroad extension being made
from the Wichita Southern will pass the Range field
and put the Wichita refineries in a position to secure
crude oil from that district.
While refining proper is in the front rank, at the
same time there are a number of large casing-head
gasoline plants in operation and under construction
which add to the income from the oil industry. The
largest casing-head gasoline plant in the world was
recently constructed and put in operation at Burkburnett;
this is the plant of Chas. F. Noble Gasoline
Company. This company already has a small skimming
plant in operation in the northwest field and is
making 6,000 gallons of casing-head gasoline daily.
The total capacity of the casing-head plant is 40,000
gallons daily.HISTORY OF WICHITA FALLS
By J. B. MARLOW
Ex-MayorA S I review in my mind the wonderful growth
Wichita Falls has made and try to determine
the reason for that growth I am constantly
reminded of the many instances when a small body
of loyal men put their shoulders to the wheel and
pushed the town over difficult obstacles. I am therefore
forced to acknowledge that the one thing
more than any other which has been responsible for
the growth of this city has been its loyal citizens.
Until 1882 Wichita Falls was an inland settlement
boasting of one general store and located in an unorganized
county. During this year three elections
were held on the county seat question. The first
was in June, at which time the county was organized.
This was a three-cornered election between a
320 acre tract of Tarrant County school land near
where Iowa Park is now, the S. B. Burnett ranch
section near a settlement afterward called Ruthford,able to establish sufficient residence. The commissioners
court agreed after the third election that
no further election should be ordered for a year,
and Mr. S. B. Burnett agreed to use his influence for
Wichita Falls at the fourth election. This was held
in the fall of 1883, by which time Wichita Falls had
a population of nearly one thousand, and easily
selected herself as county seat. The fifth and last
county seat election was held in about 1889 by which
time the town of Iowa Park had enjoyed sufficient
prosperity to become a place of considerable importance.
Its ambitious citizens had aroused considerable
sentiment in favor of moving the county
seat to their town and accordingly the issue was submitted-as
a result of the activities of some Wichita
Falls citizens to an election. The question of this
election was to determine the location of the county
seat for the next five year period. Factional feelingWichita Falls in 1919, Before the Present Big Buildings were Erected. The Old Kemp and Kell Building
is the Five Story Structure in the Center of the Picturenow known as Burk Station, about 16 miles west on
the Denver and Wichita Falls. In this election there
was a total of about ten votes cast for Wichita Falls
and that was enough to keep a choice from being
made. The second election was held about August,
1882, which also resulted in no choice being made.
At the third election in November, 1882, Ruthford
received half of the votes poled and the Tarrant
County School Land and Wichita Falls divided the
remaining about equally with about five votes apiece,
and again no choice was made. Wichita Falls would
have decidedly won the third election if the few
additional people who came as a result of the arrival
of the railroad, following the August election, had
been eligible to vote, but these new comers were notbecame very bitter and the enthusiastic supporters
of Iowa Park instituted enjoining proceedings
against the election officers. Mr. W. W. Flood was
the leading spirit in these actions and the supporter
of the claims of Iowa Park. Wichita Falls was represented
by Judge R. E. Huff who was so determined
in his opinion that they could not rightfully enjoin
the people from holding the election that he was
made presiding officer at the poles and the election
was held. The only voting place was conducted in
Wichita Falls which compelled the Iowa Park sup-
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The Encyclopedia of Texas (Book)
This book provides a biographical view of Texas and its history. The book uses many narratives of the individuals who helped shape Texas history. The book also includes profiles of: the public school system in Texas; banking; the public school system; the State Fair; the Cotton Industry; oil history; and histories of select towns, such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Ellis County, Waco, San Antonio, Galveston, and many others.
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Davis, Ellis Arthur & Grobe, Edwin H. The Encyclopedia of Texas, book, [1921..1922]; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth21069/m1/75/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.