Austin’s Town Squares

At last Saturday’s Texas Heritage Day, Austin’s four town squares ownership was brought up for discussion. After 173 years, ownership of the squares may be resolved.

Mike Ward wrote an article in the Austin American-Statesman, dated March 31. Thanks to Carol Castlebury for sharing.

For the full story, click here.

Only Two Votes

Two votes in the Continental Congress prevented Franklin from being the fourteenth state in the Union. The State of Franklin existed from 1784-1789 in a parallel government with North Carolina. Those that favored breaking from North Carolina were called Franklinites. Those that didn’t were Anti’s, the issue divided westerners who had fought side-by-side during the revolution for independence.

The North Carolina Assembly voted in 1780 to cede western lands over the mountain to the federal government to settle the states war debt. The western settlers were left to fight hostile Indians on their own. They quickly formed the State of Franklin for protection, after being abandoned by North Carolina and the federal government. Only in desperation did they approach Spain for help. Many scholars have suggested Franklinites were treasonous by doing so. The Republic of Texas used a similar ploy many years later to become the twenty-eighth state in the union. Amazing how history repeats itself.

During a heavy snowfall, a rebellion broke out between the Franklinites, led by John Sevier, the Anti’s by John Tipton, two were killed, and several men were injured. The fighting was for naught as the North Carolina Assembly elected John Sevier as a delegate to reconsider ratification of the Federal Constitution. Western North Carolina became part of the Southwest Territory. Tennessee was annexed in 1796, becoming  the sixteenth state in the union.

The Franklin constitution signed at Jonesborough, Tennessee on December 17, 1784; Section 31 states no clergymen or preacher of the gospel could hold public office. The next, Section 32 went into great detail that no person that did not believe in God could hold public office. I found those sections interesting.

Read more about the Franklinites in Spring House, Book 2 and the Children of the Revolution, Book 3 of the Westward Sagas series.

Capitol of the State of Franklin

 

Snake Proofing Your Dog

It’s sad to lose your four legged friend for any reason, more so from a painful rattlesnake bite. Even if your dog successfully completed snake avoidance training, as discussed in my previous blog post, they still can be bitten by a rattler in the field or on a hike in the great outdoors. With snake avoidance training and annual rattlesnake vaccinations, the chance of death by a rattler bite is greatly reduced for your dogs.

Daisy and Lulubelle, my yellow labs, received two shots each of the rattlesnake vaccinations the first year and then once annually. The shots don’t prevent a snake bite, but immunizes the dog to the snake’s venom. My longtime vet Dr. Pat Richardson, DVM at Broadway Oaks Animal Hospital, San Antonio, Texas says “should a bite occur, the rattlesnake antivenin will reduce the severity; allow more time to get to a vet with fresh vials of the expensive antivenin, which has a short shelf life, cost about $500.00 a vial. A large hunting dog that has not been vaccinated could require three to five vials. A dog on antivenin may not need any and can be treated with steroids and antibiotics.” My dog’s vaccine was $35.00 per shot at Broadway Oaks, inexpensive protection for my best friends and outdoor companions. Dr. Tom Vice, DVM; founder of Broadway Oaks Animal Hospital and avid outdoorsman, was one of the first vets to utilize the snake vaccination for dogs.

 

This is the snake that ruined the picnic for the bluebonnet pickers.

Snake Avoidance Training

Living in Texas with dogs bred to hunt, it’s a sure bet that you or your dogs will encounter a poisonous snake. My yellow labs, Lulubelle-9 and Daisy-13, both graduated from Snake Avoidance Training (S.A.T.) by the time they were a year old. It’s a good way to ensure your best friend doesn’t stick his/her nose into a rattlesnakes business.

 S.A.T. is simple; the trainer puts a shock collar on your dog, the only time I have ever allowed one on my dogs. The dog is put in a pen with a live defanged rattler. When the dog gets within striking distance and the rattler lunges at the dog, the trainer gives the dog a good shock at the moment of the strike. Fortunately, my dogs got the idea the first time. I don’t think I could watch my girls take the hit a second time. The collars were taken off and never put on again. Sometimes a refresher course may be needed.

Twice, this training has kept me from tangling with a rattler. Lulubelle encountered a rattler shortly after her training, which may have saved me from a snake bite. She was ahead of me on a seldom traveled trail, with lots of growth. She went on point…that tail went up as did the hair on her back. She didn’t bark, but made a nervous growl. There was a 6 foot long rattler curled ready to strike. She made me aware of the snake’s presence, but made no attempt to go near it. We both made a wide detour and my girl earned her treat.

Don’t try this yourself—ask your vet, breeder, or check with a hunting club. Hire a trainer with lots of experience in S.A.T. See my next blog about further snake proofing your dogs.

 

Who is Responsible for Daylight Saving Time?

Before the Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869, uniformity of time wasn’t a high priority. For horse drawn stage coaches, fifty miles before sun down was about the limit. Scheduling was pretty simple – West Bound Stage arrives Tuesday Evening-Departs Wednesday Morning.

A train crash in Kipton, Ohio in 1891 killed eleven people, due to a four minute error in time. A government commission was established to set guidelines and standards for the railroads. Watch makers made their time pieces railroad approved and railroad time became the official time until 1918.

The first government legislation had a lofty title An Act to preserve daylight and provide standard time for the United States was enacted March 19, 1918. It was so unpopular that it was repealed the next year. President Franklin Roosevelt used WWII as an excuse for year round Daylight Saving Time (DST). After the war, 1945 until 1966 there was no DST.

The growing airline industry and television networks formed the ‘Committee for Time Uniformity’ in the early 1960’s. Their lobbyist did a great job. The fact that the world’s largest airline at the time, Braniff, was headquartered in President Lyndon Johnson’s home state, the President’s family owned radio and TV stations didn’t hurt their legislative efforts.

Lyndon Johnson signed the Time Act into law April 12, 1966. Standardization of time is needed, but it sure is a pain resetting my clocks.