Erecting the refinery was an immense task because the owners weren't satisfied with anything but the best, and when completed it was considered one of the finest and most modern refineries in the United States, producing various products from northern Titus County's heavy crude oil.
An unusual feature of the new refinery was a huge 119 ton reaction chamber forged from a solid billet, making it one of few in the United Slates. The water cooling tower was one of the largest in the state, with pumping units attached. The deep well was capable of flowing 320 gallons per minute and the pumps would re-circulate about 5,500 gallons per minute over the cooling tower.
The latest type Dubbs cracking units consisted of four furnaces, crude oil heater, light oil heater, heavy oil heater and a reforming heater. Vacuum, atmospheric and pressure fractionating columns and five smoke stacks pierced the sky line. One vacuum column was 40 feet high, 10 feet in diameter and weighed 60 tons. A nearby flash chamber was the same size. The Dubbs cracking process would produce a full 68-70 octane gasoline, and a leaded gasoline blending plant was contemplated for the future.
Ample electric power was generated by a new three-unit plant run by natural gas. The new electric plant could illuminate 5,000 ordinary house lights if used for lights alone and operated at full capacity.
The usual number of small storage tanks and transfer tanks were assembled near the operating units, but five 55,000 barrel on-site tanks were constructed for longer term storage, with ample room for several more.
A 50-car loading rack was erected on the Cotton Belt at the refinery, and was connected with the Talco Pipe Line Company's 20-mile line from the field.
The large and up-to-date refinery was only part of the plant constructed on the beautiful rolling site near Mount Pleasant. The laboratory had its own steel building, and had many features including the latest model C. F. R. Knock Testing machine. This small but necessary piece of laboratory equipment was purchased at a cost of approximately $2,500. A separate building housed a combination machine and electric shop, with space in the building for the refinery warehouse. A large lake to furnish water for the cooling towers and a fire prevention system was been created and several of the key men's houses fronted the water.
The refinery would produce a full line of asphaltic products ranging from the harder paving grades to the softer fluxes, and a full line of liquid products, including slow and medium curing oils, rapid curing cutback asphalts and roofing flux.
The company operated two pipelines from the Talco field to the refinery, and controlled over two thousand acres of production, insuring operation for at least twenty years. The asphalt business was highly competitive, and Talco crude was gradually replacing crude used by other companies, so the Talco Asphalt & Refining Company had the foresight to insure a large supply early in the development of the Talco field.
The refinery's grand opening, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, was to be an extravagant, invitation-only event to celebrate the plant's completion and thank Lucey-Byrd-Frost for locating their plant here. The celebration date was set for Thursday, November 18th, at refinery official's request because that date was midway between Armistice Day and Thanksgiving, and big football games would not interfere (after all, it's Northeast Texas).
Committees were chosen to handle every aspect of the event. They were:
Arrangements - J. A. Petty, E. C. Johnson and A. G. Daniel
Program - H. G. Brown, J. R. Hart and T. C. Walker
Publicity - G. W. Cross, Bob Blieden and T. J. McHale of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce
Invitations - E. M. Clem, A. L. Crossland and Dan Latimer
Music - Paul Cohn
Finance - A. J. Copellar, W. E. McClintock, R. F. Lindsay, Dr. Dan M. Witt, S. H. Spurger, A. S. Mitchell, Dan Latimer, Tobe Thomas, and H. L. O'Briant
Plans were made for a huge barbecue to host between 3,000 and 5,000 people, which would require at least $1,500 in contributions from local sources to make the affair a success. Mt. Pleasant could not afford to have it otherwise because those attending the event would be very influential people, and the positive publicity for the city would be worth the cost.
The finance committee began work immediately to raise the sum. They committee estimated what each firm or individual should contribute, and urged everyone to help make the event a success. Their list included almost every business firm and local citizen, and was arranged so no one would be asked for a large amount of money.
H. C. Spraggins of the Cotton Belt announced that his company would run a special train from St. Louis to Dallas, where many prominent state officials would be brought together and then come to Mt. Pleasant. Heads of the railroad would also be on this train, which would be parked on one of the refinery sidings practically all day during the celebration. T. J. McHale of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce, who was in charge of publicity, announced that the hundreds of visitors expected are looking forward to a big occasion.
Jim Caviness, Paris & Mt. Pleasant Railway general manager, announced that arrangements had been made to run a special train for Paris people coming to Mt. Pleasant to attend the refinery's opening. The Paris delegation was expected to send the largest delegation of any town for the big event. This was a big event for the P&MP, since it had been many years since the railway had run a steam passenger train, and if it had ever run a special for any event it was soon after the road was built. The special would stop at the P & MP Depot, and courtesy cars would be needed to carry visitors to the refinery.
G. B. Holder, local Cotton Belt agent, announced that a special train from Tyler would arrive in Mt. Pleasant a few minutes before noon to bring visitors to the grand opening celebration, and would stop at the Cotton Belt Depot to discharge the passengers. Courtesy cars were needed to carry visitors to the refinery in time for the barbecue.
Anyone who could spare an automobile for an hour or two for visitor's use was urged to notify the Chamber of Commerce so arrangements could be made to take care of the thousands of visitors expected.
Doc Witt, director of the Tyler band, announced that this famous musical organization would be here in full force for the celebration.
Mayor Claude D. McDonald was asked to issue a proclamation asking all businesses to close for a short time in honor of the opening celebration. Mr. McDonald's proclamation read as follows:
"Reading the importance of bringing new industries to Mt. Pleasant to insure its future prosperity, and feeling that the location of the Talco Asphalt & Refining Company plant will become one of the greatest assets to our city for many years, in appreciation of the efforts of the men who made this large industry possible for the marketing of a new product of our county.
"I hereby call on all of the business concerns of Mt. Pleasant to close their places of business from 11:15 Thursday morning until 1:30 in the afternoon for the purpose of assisting in celebrating the Refinery opening, declaring a partial holiday for this especial occasion so that everybody in Mt. Pleasant may visit this big industry and take part in the barbecue and mingle with the thousands of visitors from other places who have come to celebrate with us."
"CLAUDE D. McDONALD
Mayor of Mt. Pleasant."
Admission tickets were given to everyone who donated to the celebration fund so they could be presented to out of town friends.
On Wednesday, November 17, workers were busy erecting huge tables on which to serve the big barbecue for the thousands of visitors expected to arrive the next day for the refinery's formal opening ceremonies. A large tent was secured to cover the tables so the barbecue could be served regardless of weather. All preparations for serving the barbecue and trimmings were made in advance so everybody could be served promptly at the long rows of tables. The barbeque arrived Wednesday night, while everything else was prepared hours ahead of time. Warm sunny weather was expected, but after all, it's Northeast Texas.
