C. 1906 RAILROAD AND COUNTY MAP OF TEXAS

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/19/2023

This large-scale map of Texas from the early 1900s shows the counties and railways of the state in great detail. Issued by the Texas Railroad Commission, it reflects the important role that the railways played in the early oil industry. This mural-scale map was intended to hang on the wall for consultation in depots, state offices, and the like. The survival rate for maps used in this way is quite low, and for an example to survive in such excellent condition is exceptional.

Historically, the Texas Railroad Commission has been one of the most important regulatory bodies in the nation. For much of the twentieth century it strongly influenced the supply and price of oil and natural gas throughout the United States. As its name implies, the commission was originally established to oversee railroads. Its importance to the state and nation, however, has rested on its authority over the energy industry. In 1917 the state legislature granted the commission the authority to see that petroleum pipelines remained "common carriers"--that is, that they did not refuse to transport anyone's oil or gas. Two years later, commissioners received responsibility for promulgating well-spacing rules. In the early 1920s the agency accepted jurisdiction over gas utilities. This gradually growing responsibility prepared the way for the enormous expansion of commission activity during the next decade. In the early 1930s, unrestrained production from the huge East Texas oil field caused the price of crude to plummet worldwide. To stabilize oil prices and to help conserve the valuable resource, a coalition consisting of parts of the industry, scientists, and public officials attempted to have output regulated. After an involved, protracted, and occasionally violent political struggle, the Railroad Commission won the authority to prorate, that is, to set the rate at which every oil well in Texas might produce. By limiting production in East Texas and elsewhere, commissioners succeeded both in supporting oil prices and in conserving the state's resources. Under the Connally Hot Oil Act of 1935, the federal government undertook to enforce in interstate commerce the production directives of the Texas commission and its sister state agencies. When the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was organized, the Railroad Commission was used as a model. Because of its ability to prorate Texas oil production and because of this state's crucial role in the petroleum industry, the Railroad Commission was until the early 1970s of vital importance to national and international energy supply.

This map is a vivid illustration of the railway network overseen by the Railroad Commission in Texas, which played such a vital role in the EARLY development of the oil industry.

This is not a standard shippable item and will require 3rd party shipping or pickup arrangements to be made.

Condition: (Excellent)

Item Dimensions: 54 - 1/2" x 2" x 50 - 1/2".