Back in the mid 80's someone wrote a two part story for the Nation entitled How the Democrats Lost Big Oil. No one at the Nation remembers the story, which I thought was quite good. It really explained why Texas has become so southern rather than western. I really miss thinking of Texas as a western state. I really like Joe Bob Briggs and the Sons of the Pioneers are my all time favorite c&w group---I like classical music.
As far as this religious business goes...most of these "pastors" never got to the back of the book. They know a lot about smitin' and smootin', but, no much about anything else. Although I do think that the execution of that crazy woman in Texas not to long ago may have registered a little with Falwell, Robertson & Co.
Sincerely, Tom
J Cullen wrote:
> According to one longtime Texas political observer I checked with,
> Richardson and Murchison were only partners in one deal, to buy the
> Pennsylvania Railroad. I don't know what happened to that. As far as the
> oil bidness, they may have had some business dealings but in the main they
> operated independently.
>
> My source confirmed that Murchison was the more conservative of the two;
> Richardson was mainly pragmatic and any of his dealings were on a quid pro
> quo basis.
>
> -- Jim Cullen
>
> > Dear Jim,
> >Thanks for the background on Richardson and Murchison. They were partners
> >in the oil business, were they not?
> >Joe Trees, Benedum's partner, had no politics that I know of. Trees was
> >an engineer and easily embarrassed. He met Benedum at a small hotel still
> >in existance in of all places Wellsville, West Virginia. It may have been
> >a chance encounter in a very small hotel lobby; Trees was broke and needed
> >a couple of thousand dollars to continue drilling in that area. Benedum
> >became Trees partner.
> >By todays standards Benedums methods were not very scientific. For
> >example, a blind man once told him that he saw oil gushing over a fruit
> >tree on his property. Benedum drilled on that spot and found a large
> >quanity of oil. Another time Benedum followed the direction of an arrow
> >that had been carved by American Indians on a rock . Another big discovery
> >of oil. It only gets better...
> >Another classic story about Benedum concerns an attempted robbery. A
> >robber with a gun held up Benedum, and, Mike asked the guy why are you
> >robbing. The robber told Benedum his story and Benedum listened. He then
> >told the guy come a long with me and I'll lend you some money and get you
> >a job.
> >Sincerely, Tom Lehman
>
> ----------------------------------------
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> James M. Cullen, Editor
> P.O. Box 150517, Austin, Texas 78715-0517
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