Bug's Guidebook to Texas.

[Bugman]

Robert Douglas 'Bob' Bullock was born in Hillsboro Texas July 10 1929. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951, serving in Korea during the war and was discharged in 1954. Returning home Bullock earned a B.A from Texas Tech and a law degree from Baylor. While still in law school he was elected as state representative for Hillsboro in 1956.

In 1968 Bullock was appointed as general counsel to Governor Preston Smith, who appointed him Texas Secretary of State in 1971. Bullock was elected Comptroller of Public Accounts in 1974. The Texas constitution prohibits deficit spending and the comptroller sets the amount that can be spent by the legislature every two years, making the comptroller one of the most powerful positions in state government.

Bullock was a reformer, updating the technology of the office, introducing a toll-free number for taxpayers, and closing tax loopholes for businesses. His "Bullock's Raiders" became famous for swooping down on businesses, closing them down and selling off the inventory of those who failed to remit sales tax receipts to the state.

During his time in office he also upended the practice of gerrymandering voting districts, intended to dilute the voices of Hispanic and African-American voters. In 1991 he was elected Lieutenant Governor, serving in that office until 1997.

Bullock was an alcoholic with a hair trigger temper. His withering reprimands of subordinates who failed to meet his standards are still the stuff of legend in Austin political circles. Bullock suffered a heart attack in 1979, which he said "came as a great surprise to people because they didn't think I had one". Despite his flaws, his love of Texas, its history, and people were never in doubt.

Bob Bullock died June 18 1999 of congestive heart failure and cancer. The Texas State History Museum opened in 2001, and now bears his name. He would like that, I think.

First picture, a statue of Mr. Bullock. More pictures tomorrow.

 

[milagros317]

Sounds like quite a character and a rare proponent of responsible spending by government. Looking forward to learning more from your subsequent posts. 😀

 

[rdhd]

Despite his flaws, I wonder what he could have done at the Federal level....

 

[Bugman]

Sounds like quite a character and a rare proponent of responsible spending by government. Looking forward to learning more from your subsequent posts. 😀

Texas has never lacked for colorful, larger than life characters. Bullock certainly fits that description.

Despite his flaws, I wonder what he could have done at the Federal level....

No way of knowing of course, and as far as I know he never had any interest in a federal position. Check back later rdhd, I have some pictures that should be of interest to you.

 

[Bugman]

In 1685, French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was in command of four ships sailing the Gulf Coast. His mission was to establish a colony near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Unable to find the river La Salle sailed on, finally putting some of the colonists ashore near present day Victoria Texas, on Matagorda Bay. There one of his ships, La Belle, was destroyed by a storm.

Lost to history for centuries, in June 1995 a team of state archaeologists discovered the ship. A Cofferdam was built around the wreckage and after years of excavation and preservation the La Belle is now on display at the museum.

 

[Bugman]

Left to right.

A cannon from La Belle.

An overhead view of the ship.

The skeleton of an unfortunate sailor was found deep in the ships cargo area. It is believed he died before the ship wrecked and was to be returned to France for burial. The other items, back row- a pair of shoes and a shoe last. Front row, a cup engraved with what is believed to be the name of a crew member. You can't see it but behind the magnifying glass is a Jesuit ring, given to Indians who converted to the Catholic faith. Some combs and a wallet.

Last picture, a scale model of La Belle.

 

[milagros317]

So Victoria, Texas, was founded due to La Salle's inability to find the Mississippi River? I find that amusing. 😛

 

[Bugman]

So Victoria, Texas, was founded due to La Salle's inability to find the Mississippi River? I find that amusing. 😛

Yeah, as the article I linked to points out, he was looking in the wrong place. Not an uncommon thing then, or even today when I can't find my keys. 😕

 

[milagros317]

Yeah, we should remember that they had no GPS units with which to navigate back then. 😱

 

[Bugman]

Some artifacts from the ship. The third picture is a bit blurry but you can make out two ax heads, a knife and sheath, and necklaces used for trade.

Second picture. This is one of eight cannons discovered at the site of what some have called Fort Saint Louis but the settlement never had a formal name.

Last picture right, the round object in the background is a small millstone.

 

[Bugman]

A statue of Sam Houston. He was not a native Texan, born March 2 1793 at the family plantation in Virginia. Sam's father died when he was 13 and the family moved to eastern Tennessee where they established a farm. A rebellious type even as a child, in 1809 he fled the farm and lived for several years with a band of Cherokees led by Chief Oolouteka, who named him the Raven. Houston quickly bonded with the tribe and remained sympathetic to Native American causes the rest of his life.

In 1813 he enlisted in the US Army, serving in the War of 1812. After being wounded and decorated for valor he met Andrew Jackson, and the men became lifelong friends. After the war Houston opened a law office in Tennessee and was appointed to the state militia as an officer, then elected governor of the state in 1827. Houston married in 1829 but the union lasted only eleven weeks before his wife returned to her family. The circumstances leading to the dissolution of the marriage are still unknown. Neither of them ever spoke about it.

Whatever the cause Houston fled the state and reunited with Oolouteka and his people, who by then were living in what is now Oklahoma. There Houston took to the bottle, earning a new nickname, Big Drunk. After three years Houston found his way to Texas and quickly became embroiled in politics. Rebellion against Mexico was in the air, and he was appointed commander of Texas military forces, such as they were.

On April 21 1836 Houston and his men faced a Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at San Jacinto, in present day Harris County. The decisive battle of the Texas Revolution lasted just 18 minutes. Santa Anna was captured the next day while fleeing the area dressed as a peasant.

After the war Houston served two terms as president of the Republic of Texas. When Texas joined the Union in 1845 Houston was sent to Washington as a US Senator. He later served as governor of the state. In the years leading up to the Civil War Houston tried to keep Texas in the Union. He was removed from office for his troubles and retired to his home in Huntsville, where he died July 26 1863 at age 70.

Sam Houston is one of the many colorful, larger than life figures that define Texas history.

Read more about him here.

 

[milagros317]

Sam Houston, at least, is somebody about whom I already knew a lot. 😀
Not everything after following your link, though.

 

[Bugman]

Left to right.

A Mexican signal cannon circa 1820. Before entering a harbor, ships were required to signal the harbor master by firing a powder charge. A boarding party was then sent out to inspect the cargo, crew and any passengers.

A collection of Mexican swords.

3-4 Two more signal cannons and examples of firearms used by the Mexican military.

A Mexican pack saddle.

 

[Bugman]

Left to right.

A British carbine used by a Confederate soldier. The sword was found on the San Jacinto Battleground.

This Goddess of Liberty statue stood atop the capital building 1888-1885. An inspection that year showed significant damage from exposure to the elements and it was replaced with a corrosion resistant aluminum statue.

3-4 A portable bed used by Santa Anna in the field.

A Sharps carbine and Civil War cannonball.

 

[Bugman]

Another Sharps, a .44 caliber Colt revolver, Bowie knife and spur. I don't remember what the metal object on the left was used for.

A cannon from a Confederate ship.

Some Native American artifacts.

This pitcher was hidden from Mexican soldiers during the Runaway Scrape.

 

[Bugman]

A T-6 Texan. Built by North American Aviation, during WWII the T-6 was used to train pilots for the US Army and Navy, the Royal Air Force and some other Commonwealth nations. This Texan is powered by a Pratt & Whitney nine cylinder R-1340 cubic inch engine, producing 600 hp.

More than a dozen variants of the T-6 were built from the 1930's to 1950 and could be configured for training or combat operations. The T-6 was in fairly widespread use into the 1970's. The South African Air Force retired the last of their T-6's in 1995.

A 60's era spacesuit and replica of a control panel used by Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center.

 

[Bugman]

Some vintage gas pumps and an oil company mascot.

In the second picture, note the three silver drill bits. The bit on the left is a Hughes Rock Bit, designed by Howard Robard Hughes Sr. 1907-1908. The Hughes Rock Bit revolutionized the oil industry, allowing drilling in places no conventional bit of that time could penetrate. Roughnecks working the oil fields christened it the 'Rock Eater". Hughes Sr. died in 1924 at 55, but the Hughes Tool Company (now Baker-Hughes) made his son, Howard R. Hughes Jr. one of the richest men in the world.

Last picture, some vintage seismic recorders.

 

[Bugman]

The last pictures.

Salt is the oldest continuously produced commercial mineral in Texas.

The device hanging on the left wall was used to castrate livestock. Lower left, these instruments were used to ear tag cattle. Right, a vintage instrument used in oil exploration.

Center. In the 19th century and into the 1950's con men traveled the countryside, promoting themselves as rain-makers. Preying on desperate farmers and ranchers they used instruments like the one in the center to separate these men from their cash, usually without result.

In 1906 C.W. Post (of Grape Nuts and Post Toasties fame) bought 225,000 acres of land in West Texas, near Amarillo. He sold the land to farmers in 160 acre lots and believed he could produce rain by strategically placing small parcels of dynamite and detonating them at regular intervals over several hours. Despite spending thousands of dollars over several years he had little more success than the con men and abandoned the project.

 

[Bugman]

These pictures are a small sampling of the collection. If you find yourself in Austin with a few hours to spare it is worth visiting for the La Belle alone. I suggest setting aside at least three hours to see everything.

Learn more about the museum here.

 

[rdhd]

Since you mentioned the oil industry (is that present in Texas????).... My first job out of college was with a company called Texaco - you know, the one with the big red star.... It's a wonder that McCarthy didn't go after them as being Communists (or hell, maybe he did..).

 

[Bugman]

Since you mentioned the oil industry (is that present in Texas????).... My first job out of college was with a company called Texaco - you know, the one with the big red star.... It's a wonder that McCarthy didn't go after them as being Communists (or hell, maybe he did..).

Word is there's still a drop or two of oil around here. No telling what Joe might have done, being the fun loving guy he was. 😉

But hey, there's always this.

 

[milagros317]

I remember that Texaco commercial! It was used a lot during my childhood.

 

[Philip_2006]

Tragic

In 1685, French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was in command of four ships sailing the Gulf Coast. His mission was to establish a colony near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Unable to find the river La Salle sailed on, finally putting some of the colonists ashore near present day Victoria Texas, on Matagorda Bay. There one of his ships, La Belle, was destroyed by a storm.

Lost to history for centuries, in June 1995 a team of state archaeologists discovered the ship. A Cofferdam was built around the wreckage and after years of excavation and preservation the La Belle is now on display at the museum.

Thank you for sharing your pictures.
Quite interesting that the tragic dates were so near to each other.
la Belle wreckage and cannon of le Comte de Vermandois (Louis de Bourbon teenage death).

 

[Bugman]

I remember that Texaco commercial! It was used a lot during my childhood.

Can't say I remember that specific commercial but that jingle was used for many years.

Thank you for sharing your pictures.
Quite interesting that the tragic dates were so near to each other.
la Belle wreckage and cannon of le Comte de Vermandois (Louis de Bourbon teenage death).

Thanks Philip, glad you enjoyed them. 🙂