Hiatt, Dean B

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Dean Hiatt, longtime resident of Thurber, Texas and former safety director of Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, relates his memories of early surveying activities in West Texas, his career with Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, and life in Thurber from 1910-1940. In the last tape, he describes scenes from old photographs.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Dean B. Hiatt

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: October 21, 1980; March 4, 1981

Location: Kerrville, Texas

Interviewer: Richard Mason

Length: 2 hours, 35 minutes


Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: W. D. Twitchell, Surveying techniques, XIT Ranch, Olden Texas, Hartley Texas, Difficulties surveying in West Texas, Canadian River, Mining mercury, Process, Number of employees, Bill Zimmerman, Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, Thurber Texas, Description, W. K. Gordon, Physical description, Personality, Thurber Texas (again), Population, Segregation, Anecdote: catching birds around Thurber by using bells, Italians, Discovery of oil in Ranger Texas, Impact on Thurber, Coal mining strike (1922), Causes.

Tape 1, Side 2: Types of houses in Thurber, Value, Construction, Residents, Decline of population in Thurber, Oil field employment, The Ranger field, Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company (again), McKinney oil lease, Private leases, Expansion, Conservative nature, Location of leases, McClusky family, Wells owned, Gulf Oil Company, Activities in Texas, Sid Richardson, Buys oil leases, McCamey Texas, Strawn Texas, Population (1930s).

Tape 2, Side 1: Strawn Texas, Coal mine, Thurber Texas (again), W. K. Gordon (again), Strawn (again), Coal mining, Slope mines, Ventilation system, Mining process, Gordon, Texas, Gas wells, Sam Greenwich, Marston family, Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company (again), Stewart Field, Ranger Texas, McClesky well, Oil pipelines, Strawn gasoline plant, Thurber (again), Neighborhoods.

Tape 2, Side 2: Thurber (continued), Neighborhoods (continued), Segregation, Park road, Brickyard workers, Italians, New York Hill, Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, Mingus Texas, XIT Ranch, Goldie Thomas cook, Ed Dollen, Claude Woods freighter, Bathing, Born (1897), Amarillo Texas, Douglas Witt, Railroad building, Bridges, Track.

Tape 3, Side 1: Photographs discussed, Ranching, Railroad building, Thurber Texas, Gasoline, Trigg Twichell surveyor, Maps, Monarch Land and Loan Company, J. M. Donaldson, Railroad builders, Citizens’ reactions, Sam Houston: Mid Muddle and Mud.

Tape 3, Side 2: Elderly people, Ailments.

Range Dates: 1897-1940

Bulk Dates: 1913-1940


Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:



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