Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-11
LAREDO.
Gateway to and from Mexieo-Secre-
tary Of the Laredo Board of Trade
Tells a Gazetet Nan Something About the Flu
ture Metropolis of the Rio Grande
The Record Broke.

Among the passengers who arrived
on the no~rth-bound train yesterday
morning was Mr.. William Oliver.
assistant secretary of the Laredo board
Of trade. AS anything concerning the
progress of this plucky, wide-awake in
ternational city is Of general interest to
the readers OF THE GAZETTE. a reporter
called on Mr.. Oliver at the Pickwick
hotel, n interviewed him.
Mr.. Oliver said, ''Last week Laredo
broke the record; on Saturday papers
were signed and contracts let for the
construction OF a wooden mill, tannerY
and shoe factory, and a furniture fac
tory. The securing of these industries
will cause an influx of at least
half a million dollars into the
city in less than two weeks, and
will employ nearly one thousand
operatives. In d ion to the above
Laredo has secured and inaugurated the
following industries and improvements
during the past twelve months: Two
foundries n machine shops, costing
500 600; electric light system; two steel
bridges across the Rio Grande, costing
S22O 600; five miles of electric motor
street railway; one mile is also being
constructed across the foot, wagon and
tramway bridge into New Laredo,
Mexico (by the way, this is the first in
ternational electric motor street railway
in the world) cotton gin and milling
works; three bridges, costing S 20 900, in
various parts of the city; mineral water
bottling works; the largest concentrator
in the United States for the reduction of
ore, n many smaller industries.
In the building line we have erected
go residences, fifteen modern stores and
a SD 600 power house for the electric
motor railway. Also the magnificent
Hotel Hamilton, q three-story BRICK
building, with al modern conveniences.
The Laredo improvement company are
now putting in another electric light
power system, and bids are being re-
ceived by them for the erection of
n $50 900, three-story opera house,
a $40 900 three-story grocery establish
ment, Il SEQ. 600 Office building and about
fifty residences. Bids are also being re-
ceived on a $50, 900 Masonic temple.
The Methodist Missionary society of
Nashville, Tenn, are about to erect a
boys industrial college on the Heights,
in which all trades will be taught. The
buildings of this school whe completed
will cost from $3.50 900 to $500, 900. This
society has already expended over $780,
600 in Laredo in a seminary for young
ladies.
The increase of business in Laredo has
been remarkable during the past twelve
months. The receipts of the Laredo
waterworks for 1889 over 1888 were 81
per cent; of the express office, 102 per
cpn% oE tho -1.EoSSoo T-P 49, "a
the Western Union office, IS per cent.
The imports and exports through Laredo
for 1888 were SO, 600 900, in 1889 SI0,-
545 900, and at the prsse Mt rate OF in
crease will be $40 900 600 this year. The
population increased from 5000 in 1888
to u 600 at the beginning of 1890.
How is real estate? High?
No, not at all for a town of II, 900
people, possessing so many important
factories, electric motor street railway
n other improvements. 1t will have
to climb a great deal yet before it
reaches the figures asked for Ell Paso
property. The Laredo electric motor
line works like a charm, and is the big
gest thing in Texas. Parties who have
just returned to Laredo from New York
and Chicago say they saw nothing in
those cities surprising it. The Laredo
company has placed orders
for a large amount of additional ma
%chinery, also for ten new irst-class cars.
The line is paying al operating expenses,
and also q large percentage on the out
lay of capital invested therein.
[ am going to Dallas this afternoon but
will be back to Fort Worth Tomorrow,
and shall be glad to supply anyone inter-
ested in Laredo with maps and other lit
eratule free Of all cost. Keep your eye
o n Laredo, for, if with her cheap and
splendid coal mined in the same county,
abundant raw material and extern
sive and constantly developing markets
both in Texas and Mexico, she does not
become a large manufacturing and COM
mercial center, 1t will be a surprise to
those who have studied the matter.