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TABLE OF CONTENTSScope and Contents of the Records Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm proceedings and testimony, 1919, |
Texas Legislature, Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm:An Inventory of Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm Proceedings and Testimony at the Texas State Archives, 1919
Agency HistoryThe Texas Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm was created by House Concurrent Resolution 6, 36th Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, May 7, 1919. The committee was to investigate the lease by the Texas State Prison Commission of 5,000 acres known as Blue Ridge Farm in Fort Bend County, to be farmed by prison convicts. The lease between the Prison Commission and the owner gave the state an option to puchase the land. After oil was discovered on the farm, the owner convinced both Governor William P. Hobby and the prison commissioners to sign a release waiving their option to purchase. By doing so, the state lost an opportunity to acquire the farm at a figure well below market value. Questions were raised about the validity of the release and the joint committee was formed to investigate this issue and leasing practices in general by the Prison Commission. The committee held hearings in May and June 1919 and heard testimony from over twenty witnesses, including Governor Hobby and the Prison Commissioners. The committee issued its findings and recommendations in a report to the legislature criticizing the actions of the Prison Commission and concluding that the waiver of the option was null and void. The committee recommended that the legislature use every means available to exercise the option to purchase the land and to restrict the leasing powers of the Prison Commission with private landowners. (Sources include: the guide survey completed for this material.) Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Contents of the RecordsThe Texas Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm was created in 1919 and held hearings in May and June of that year to investigate the lease by the Texas State Prison Commission of 5,000 acres known as Blue Ridge Farm. After oil was discovered on the farm, Governor William P. Hobby and the prison commissioners signed a release waiving their option to purchase the land and by doing so lost the opportunity to acquire the farm at a figure well below market value. The joint committee was formed to investigate this issue and leasing practices in general by the Prison Commission. Records of the committee consist of a typed transcript of the proceedings and the testimony heard by the committee from May through June 1919. To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents RestrictionsRestrictions on AccessMaterials do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members. Restrictions on UseMost records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.). Technical RequirementsNone. Return to the Table of Contents
Return to the Table of Contents Related MaterialReturn to the Table of Contents Administrative InformationPreferred Citation(Identify the item), Joint Committee to Investigate the Purchase of Blue Ridge Farm proceedings and testimony, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Accession InformationAccession number: 1988/067 These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by an unknown agency during the 20th century. An accession number was assigned on January 21, 1988. Processing InformationGuide survey information compiled by Paul Beck, December 1987 Finding aid encoded in EAD Version 2002 as part of the TARO project by Rebecca Romanchuk, March 2012 Return to the Table of Contents Detailed Description of the Records
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