h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have just read your entry about the history of Fort Worth. I am a relative of Sid Richardson. Although I never met Sid, he died when I was 10 yrs old, my grandfather met him. All my family was born in Athens Tx, Sids's hometown, where he helped build the First Baptist Church. Clint Murchison dedicated the public library. I would later attend Terrell High School, where the whole town is surrounded by land owned by Hl Hunt, another mega oil man and a friend of Sid's and Clint's.

My mother divorced my father when I was 3 yrs old and we moved to Midland, Tx, where I spent 5 miserable years, along with Dubya, come to find out. Anyhow, Monahans was near by and that is the only place I remember having a vacation, to the Monahans San Dunes State Park. Boy, was that fun, so many dunes, not so flat!

But the big attraction for me was the Sid Richardson Carbon Plant, owned by my famous and wealthy cousin. I can't describe to you the pride I felt looking at that plant, and all over Texas when I traveled with my family and we would come to a railroad crossing, there would pass by long strings of round black tanker cars with the words Sid Richardson written across the side, and I knew that I was close to famous, close to Sid, & Clint, & Hl. Sid died soon after and I was deeply saddened. For years afterward I would still see those tanker cars passing through towns and mourn his loss anew. It was some consolation when Clint bought the Dallas Cowboys. I was again close to fame.

I now live in Alameda, CA, an island in the San Francisco Bay, with my wife and two sons. Just yesterday I was telling my sons about Sid and all that he accomplished and who he was for the world. My youngest sons face lighted up, like mine use to when my grandfather would talk to me about Sid and his accomplishments. He said he wanted to go to Fort Worth and meet his cousins, the Bass brothers. He said he didn't want any of ther money, he just wanted to shake their hands and let them know that they have family on the West Coast. I told him that I was sure that they would be proud of that.

Then tonight I stumbled onto this little web site and read that fine little piece about Fort worth and the men who built it. About Sid and the value that he placed in the land. I have been a real estate broker and developer for some time. Tonight I feel that old long ago closeness to Sid and his family and I am proud of their participation in the world.