The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-04-23
The Town by the BrazOS
Casts Off its Lethargy,
4 Rival for the First Place in the Texas
Procession Well Under Way.

~. VI. DtHteI, HoHa Ibe, uAloi VI
the Fort Worth Gszatte, was in
this city last week, in consequence
of which the following appeared in
the columns of his paper:
Waco, Tex, April 2l-Waco
has walked up. 1t has entered the
Texas hurdle, not for second or
third place but for first money, and
it is as confident of winning it as q
young Kentucky thoroughbred.
For twenty years or thereabouts
this town on the Brazos has been a
synonm for the doubtful virtue of
entire content Elsewhere booms
have come and booms have gone, but
no boom ever disturbed its placidity.
In all those twenty years It's activi.
ties have been eqaltably divided be.
tween the two great ends Of human
existence on the Brazos: Raising
babies and COMPRISING cotton. AL
most in the twinkling of an eye this
condition has been metam orphosed
into one of an inverse nature. Waco,
the Drowsy, has become Waco, the
Alert, the touch of industrial and
commercial aspiration is shown on
every hand. Waco is awake. and
Houston, Fort Worth, Galveston,
Dallas aud San Antonio have a new
and dangerous rival.
The significant fact of this change
Of temper is that the entire com
munity is aglow with enthusiasm
over the prospects of the town.
Every man you meet talks away at
the rate of the Empire State express
on the growth and prospects of the
town. 1t is this general convic.
ton, profound and assertive, that
makes city. We of Fort Worth
know what it means TO have all the
people of the town actively at work
for it. 1t is much to bs hoped that
we will not learn through expert.
ence how expensive is the luxury of
individual Indifference to the gen.
eral welfare.
A look at the map will convince
even the casual student that there is
nothing fanciful in the expectations
of Waco. 1t is now behind, not
ahead of its natural destiny. 1t is
thepivotal point of territory which,
perhaps, is richer in agricultural
development and annual production
than any other section of equal area
IN the South, and it's hold upon this
situation is firm and permanent.
There eau be no doubt that Waco
will always be the metropolis of
Central Texas, aud with that as.
sured, her future career will be
measured by the enterprise of her
citizenship.
That there is an abundant capital
here in energy and enterprise is
shown in the present movement to
build Cotton Palace, to be opened
IN October next. The business men
took hold of the suggestion without
any dilIydallying, q charter has
been secured. a company organic ed
and the preliminary work Is now
well under way TIE business like
methods that have been pursued,
and the confident tone of all con.
nected with the undertaking, augur
we'll for its great success. The
scope of the enterprise is statewide;
its managers are men of liberal
ideas, and their design is to max
the palace truly representative of
the state Every community and
every industry in the state will be
invited to share in The benefits to
accrue from the exhibition and it
goes without saying that it will rep.
resent everything in Texas that
would be of interest to person
seeking information about the state
This important enterprise is for
tnnate in having for its head as
director general Mr.. J. W. Higgins,
who has proved his capacity for
usefulness as a town bailder in the
position of president of the Com
merci'l club Mr.. higgins is
level. headed and successful business
man, who believes in his town and
in his state, and is willing to help
verify his belief. He is at the head
Of one of the largest mercantile
houses in the city, which is a re.
minder that the m srchants here. AZ