| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 407 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | join the citizens of Austin and Texans across the state in |
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| 4 | 4 | | celebrating May 3, 2017, as Moonlight Tower Day; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, In the late 19th century, various designs of |
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| 6 | 6 | | electrical moonlight towers were erected in cities around the |
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| 7 | 7 | | world, including Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, |
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| 8 | 8 | | and London; Austin civic leaders, looking to light the city's |
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| 9 | 9 | | streets with power from the newly completed Great Granite Dam, |
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| 10 | 10 | | contracted with the Fort Wayne Electric Company to construct |
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| 11 | 11 | | moonlight towers around the city; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, The company built 31 towers, each 165 feet tall |
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| 13 | 13 | | with six carbon arc lamps mounted at the top; each tower was |
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| 14 | 14 | | guaranteed to provide enough light to read a watch face at 1,500 |
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| 15 | 15 | | feet; the first tower was erected in the newly established Hyde |
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| 16 | 16 | | Park subdivision, with the others installed strategically around |
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| 17 | 17 | | Austin to light as much of the city as possible; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Through the years, several of the towers have been |
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| 19 | 19 | | lost to storms, accidents, and development, but 17 continue to |
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| 20 | 20 | | stand and to provide the city with light; designated as historical |
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| 21 | 21 | | landmarks during the 1970s, they were prominently featured in the |
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| 22 | 22 | | popular film Dazed and Confused, and a moonlight tower is the |
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| 23 | 23 | | pivotal center of the annual Zilker Holiday Tree; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Austin Energy, the City of Austin's electric |
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| 25 | 25 | | utility company, has maintained the towers for a century, and the |
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| 26 | 26 | | company renovated the Texas State Archeological Landmarks |
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| 27 | 27 | | thoroughly in 1993 at a cost of $1.3 million; with extraordinary |
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| 28 | 28 | | care and expertise, Austin Energy keeps the remaining towers |
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| 29 | 29 | | fully illuminated and operating today, adding to the unique |
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| 30 | 30 | | spirit of Austin; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Today, Austin is the last city to feature this |
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| 32 | 32 | | once-popular lighting system, and the moonlight towers have |
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| 33 | 33 | | become an important link to the city's past; it is truly fitting |
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| 34 | 34 | | that a day be set aside to pay tribute to these iconic Austin |
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| 35 | 35 | | landmarks; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature, hereby declare May 3, 2017, as Moonlight Tower Day |
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| 38 | 38 | | and call on Texans to celebrate this unique feature of the |
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| 39 | 39 | | capital city; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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| 41 | 41 | | honor of this special occasion. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Watson |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | President of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 46 | 46 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 47 | 47 | | the Senate on March 13, 2017. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ________________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 50 | 50 | | ________________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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