Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-15
viii have population of at least IS, 900

at q great cost of money time and labors
It is proposed by the erection of factories
of all kinds at Laredo to control this
class of trade, and the circumstances
justify the important step in that direc-
ton which has been taken by the enter
prisiDg members of the Laredo Improve
ment company. Industrial enterprises
of every character are being established,
including wooden and knitting mills,
foundries, smelters, planning and -four
ing mills, brick yards, sugar refineries,
stone quarries, tanneries, cotton mills,
cold storage establishments, etc., etc.
The city of Laredo has a destiny as bril-
liant as that which Denver had twelve
years ago, when she started on her
march of phenomenal prosperity, in
creasing in size from an insignificant
town of I2 200 to magnificent city at
the present time of 135, 900 people, and
having really less advantages than may
be found at Laredo.
When it is known that the conditions
of soil and climate are favorable to the
cultivation of sugar, cotton and all the
fruits grown in the semi-tropical regions,
as well as the cereals and fruits of the
temperate zone; when it is known that
excellent land for such purposes may be
bought at prices ranging from 81. 80 to
So per acre on forty years time, and
when it is known that horses, cattle,
sheep and hogs roam the plains from one
end of the year TO another without atten-
ton and are always sleek and fat, then
the tide of emigration will be turned in
the direction of Laredo, and lol the city
will revel in q prosperity most magical in
its nature. This result is Inevitable,
and the time is near at hand when it will
be fully realized.
If you will take the map and look it
carefully over you will find that Arkansas
Pass, on the Gulf of Mexico, is almost
due east of Laredo 100 miles, and by in
forming yourself upon the subject you
will learn that that point possesses the
most feasible advantages for a deep-ws-
ter harbor of any town or port on that
great body of water. You will also see
that a railway runs directly from Arkansas
Pass to Laredo, con1eeting both places
by rail with the CitYsof Mexico and the
numerous intermediate places along the
line of the Mexican Central railway,
whose mammesh machine shops are now
built at Laredo. With a deep-water
harbor estabiished at Arkansas Pass, it is
easy to understand how tho advantages
~ Larsdo may be increased.
eENmeEated, Laredo is the pivotal point
Of lrcumference of territory covering
9nE of 200 miles, within which are
k8ownto exist vast deposits of silver,
ron aad other metallic ores, while
skoalin, NEpsum, phosphites and the most
valuable IRE brick clays abound in mex
haustible 9pantities. This vast area of
country is a3sp rich in the possession of
millions of fbpous plants, from which the
finest rope, Tagging and paper can be
manufactured Eat handsome profit.
The mannfactunsof those articles of COM
merce will becomsone of the substantial
and lucrative industAes of Laredo, while
in the course of few years the products
of iron, wool, cotton, pelts and hides
Will give employment to thousands of
skilled and unskilIed operatives and be-
come source of vast revenue and trade.
IMPROVEMENTS.
Within the past eighteen months many
enterprises have been inaugurated, and
several Of them have been consummated,
chief among which are the electric motor
system of street railroads, reaching all
parts of the city, and extending into the
town of New Laredo, Mex. Immediately
across the Rio Grande river, which is
spanned by two substantial and attrac-
tive steel bridges, splendid system of
waterworks, an electric light plant and
an elegant hotel. Numerous business
blocks and charming private houses have
been completed and are under course of
construction, while it is con-
fidently anticipated that the finest
artesian water will soon be
flowing from well now being bored,
and which has already been sunk to the
depth of 800 feet. In sinking this we'll,
evidences of underlying veins of coal of
superior quality were discovered, which
is supposed to be an extension of the
great coal beds which skirt the river only
twenty-five miles distant, and which
have been the source of Laredo's supply
for several years, as they will be for CEN
turtles to come. Laredo is situated at
sufficient distance from the gulf of Mex
leo to derive the benefits of the breezes
from that quarter without experiencing
the disagreeable features arising from
fogs, and hence the nights in summer
are made delightfully."- cool and refresh
ing.
FRUIT CULTURE.
Experiments in the cultivation of de-
eidious and citrus fruits have demon
strated the fact that the pursuit of the
horticulturist can be successfully fol-
lowed, the most luscious peaches, or
anges and bananas having been produced
in the vicinity of Laredo, while the soil
and climate seems to be specially adapted
to the growth of olives and the delicious
guave, the last named fruit yielding a
jelly whose excellence Is without compar-
ison.
AS TO CEREALS,
If is only necessary to say that the most
gratifying results have attended the eff
forts of the farmer, the yield of corn,
wheat and barley proving beyond doubt
that no country in the world can afford
better returns for the labor bestowed
upon their growth.
LIVESTOCK.
Since the first settlement of the coun-
try, and until quite recently, the whole
of Western Texas was recognized as the
vantage ground of the stook-raiser, and
the opinion was confirmed in the thou
sands of cattle, sheep, goats and horses
which every year found their way to the
markets OF the East from that section,
and made miIlionaires of those who pur-
sued that branch Of business The wild
grasses of Texas are not only luxuriant
oil &-sk e.,