The old days - Aboard the Apollo - 1973

[afaceinthecrowd]

Oh...and one last thing...

The Republic of Texas included half of present day New Mexico, a slice of present day Oklahoma, about a third of Colorado including the western slope of the Rocky's extending about 50 miles into southern Wyoming covering nearly 400,000...making The Republic of Texas the size of California, Arizona and Nevada combined. sqm.

During the "deal-making" with Uncle Sam to be admitted to the Union, the US wanted to set the Borders smaller than present day Texas and to take the other land. After some serious negotiating with them damn Yankees, the Texicans backed them off and settled for the present day borders but with a number of interesting concessions...one of which is that the Texas State Flag is the only State Flag that can be flown at the same height as the US Flag...and that's a fact, Jack.

Face

[lkwdblds]

Oh...and one last thing...

The Republic of Texas included half of present day New Mexico, a slice of present day Oklahoma, about a third of Colorado including the western slope of the Rocky's extending about 50 miles into southern Wyoming covering nearly 400,000...making The Republic of Texas the size of California, Arizona and Nevada combined. sqm.

During the "deal-making" with Uncle Sam to be admitted to the Union, the US wanted to set the Borders smaller than present day Texas and to take the other land. After some serious negotiating with them damn Yankees, the Texicans backed them off and settled for the present day borders but with a number of interesting concessions...one of which is that the Texas State Flag is the only State Flag that can be flown at the same height as the US Flag...and that's a fact, Jack.

Face

Thanks for the further info. I knew Texas was much bigger at one time but did not know the rest of the story. Its always nice to learn added data!

Isn't it true that when Texas entered the Union, they had the option to split into up to 5 States instead of one State? The last time I heard about this topic, maybe in the 50's or 60's, they still had that option. Do you know if that option is still available to them.

If they split into 5 states they would have a total of 10 U.S. Senators, a pick up of 8 senators. Being a state which is currently voting Republican more than Democrat, the Democrats would probably do everything in there power to fight Texas dividing into more than one state.

Here is a link to the map of the Republic of Texas:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...153923&first=0

Now there is a State that is a State. The North to South length is probably about the same is from San Diego up to Vancouver.
Lakey

[Mark A. Baker]

Oh...and one last thing...

...

After some serious negotiating with them damn Yankees, the Texicans backed them off and settled for the present day borders but with a number of interesting concessions...one of which is that the Texas State Flag is the only State Flag that can be flown at the same height as the US Flag...and that's a fact, Jack.

Face

You sound like my cousins, Face.


Mark A. Baker
p.s.

[Ted]

Lakey,

Like I said before, I did not listen to the song until after my first couple of posts. The way your first post re: the song appeared to me at the time I read it...it was late in the day and my brain was already starting its nightly mini-crash, it appeared to me that you were recalling some of the things you were saying. The "did something to shorten their tails" made no sense and I said something. For some reason, due to my problems reading and writing off and on during the day, I somehow thought you were recalling driving cattle up to Idaho from California.

As far as the Texas cattle going to Idaho, I did some looking and the Idaho cattle herds...which had been built up from Seedstock from Oregon and Washington...were decimated by some sever winters around 1867-68 and the Oregon/Washington herds were hit fairly hard, too.

The mining industry was booming then and there was a desperate need for new Seedstock and an interim beef supply. A large amount of the cattle that was brought in across Wyoming had been driven up into the Midwest from Texas. I did not know this.

Starting in the late 1870's and for about 6 years there were some drives of around 2,000 head made from Texas to Wyoming and Montana to establish herds there--which I knew--and fatten cattle for beef allotments to the now "Ward of the State" Plains Indians--which I did not know were, for awhile, partly Texas cattle.

There were already cattle herds established at this time in Montana and Wyoming as well, however, the seizing of the Native American,s lush pasture land there meant the sustainable breeding cattle numbers could overnight increase by times multiple.

So, the Lyrics to the song appear to be a composite of things that happened over that small window in time.

BTW, the big "Railhead Drives" had as many as 15,000 head...man, that's a lot of cattle!

Face

As are many a folk tune, a mixture of fact and fiction with enough poetic license to keep the rhythm and interest up.

This one is a fictitious tale crafted by Tom Campbell and Steve Gillette, but through the story line and references to actual places it sounds like a true story. Add the references to epic circumstances and archetypes of true love, a handsome young man, a beautiful maiden, the pain of loss, and this song will live on until these things no longer matter to human beings.

[afaceinthecrowd]

Thanks for the further info. I knew Texas was much bigger at one time but did not know the rest of the story. Its always nice to learn added data!

Isn't it true that when Texas entered the Union, they had the option to split into up to 5 States instead of one State? The last time I heard about this topic, maybe in the 50's or 60's, they still had that option. Do you know if that option is still available to them.

If they split into 5 states they would have a total of 10 U.S. Senators, a pick up of 8 senators. Being a state which is currently voting Republican more than Democrat, the Democrats would probably do everything in there power to fight Texas dividing into more than one state.

Here is a link to the map of the Republic of Texas:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...153923&first=0

Now there is a State that is a State. The North to South length is probably about the same is from San Diego up to Vancouver.
Lakey

The five state thing was and is part of the "Deal" as were Rio Grande Water Rights that still have New Mexico and Colorado PO'd. It's over 900 Highway miles from north to south and east to west. When your drive from Austin to LA, when you get to the Texas/New Mexico Border your over half way there.

[afaceinthecrowd]

You sound like my cousins, Face.


Mark A. Baker
p.s.

Well then he must be a damn fine Folks!!

[afaceinthecrowd]

One more Texas factoid and then I gonna try real hard to shut up for awhile.


In order of % of land in private hands Mississippi is # 50 at 0.36% and Texas is # 49 at 0.49%. Texas has over 240,000 Sqm more land than Mississippi.

[FoTi]

The probable reason, dear Lakey, is that grow and Idaho rhyme . . . it is a song, after all!

And while Buffalo rhymes, there's too many syllables in it . . . . 'twould screw with the rhythm and beat of the song

R

Don't Idaho and buffalo have the same number of syllables....3 each?

[CarmeloOrchards]

[lkwdblds]

Don't Idaho and buffalo have the same number of syllables....3 each?

Good eye FoTi! I already caught Roger's error and pointed it out to him yesterday on my post 14046.

Also, Buffalo, being in New York state would not be suitable for use in a Cowboy song about cattle drives out West. That didn't make sense to me either.
Lakey