The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1908-07-20
Business Men
Hold Meeting

rounding country. Ii the cltlzenS mere
go to work properly the up-building
of the country would be the up-build-
ing Brownsville. The town has
been lethargic, and should awaken.
Half a dozen good, live and active
citizens. by united action and ener-
getic effort, he declared could make
Brownsville the great city she should
be. Additional hotel facilities, manu-
features. amusements and other en-
terprises, he said, are needed, and can
only be secured by intelligent and
concerted work.
This is the country Of the greatest
winter gardens in the world" he ad-
ded. 1--WE have twenty-five canals,
with enough mains and laterals to
reach from here to st. Louis, II
stretched out in a single line. What
Brownsville needs is a big club. Ev-
erv business man should get into this
club and help with its work. OF all
new communities / have ever seen,
none possessed the refinement, intel
ligence and wealth that have been
settled at Brownsville. Nearly all
who have come here are men OF
means. In fact, no place ever had
greater opportunities than Browns
vile has at present, and if she will
only improve them, she will soon be
the greatest city in this entire val
ley
DR.. w. S. Chaplain of Mercedes,
president of the American Rio
Grande Canal Canal company made a
few short and pointed remarks, to the
effect that the country around here is
surely outgrowing Brownsville. Mer-
cedes, he said, is making great
strides, and unless Brownsville in
creases her gait, Mercedes will sur
pass in another year or two. Browns
Vile should be the distributing point
for the whole valley, but she would
have to do her share of the work
and furnish her share of the funds
Judge Chaplin said that one strong
central organization, and not two OF
more, is needed in this valley to carry
on this work successfully. He wants
to give Brownsville people another
chance to join the club, and If they
fail to do so, believes that Hidalgo
should withdraw its support.
DR.. S. K. Hallam said that, al
though he had been given to under
stand in the beginning that no real
estate men were wanted in the club
he is now willing to join, if he is
wanted, and will aid to the best OF
his ability in the work OF develop
ment. - He spoke in glowing terms OF
this valley, and he believed that this
club would be a potent factor in its
development, if it was kept open, as
it is now, to all citizens irrespective
of their business calling.
Vice President L. A. Smart of the
club said that he had never before
seen an instance where the country
bad gone ahead of the town, as il
has here, and he felt that. if the peo-
pie of Brownsville would take hold
of this work and guarantee the sup
port necessary for the club. fostering
it financially and morally. it would
be an easy matter to push Browns
vile forward to the front ranks.
E. C. Lassater of Falfurrias was
asked by Mr. Smart to tell how they
have accomplished such wonders al
Folfurrias, where a fiourishing town
of $500 has been built from a ranch
settlement within two years. Mr.. Las
safer replied briefly that the way
they had done was that they had
worked and not merely talked.
Col. Alba Haywood contributed an
earnest and pointed argument in fav-
or OF general awakening IN BroWnS-
vile. He spoke of the water-works
and electric lightplant and the inten-
ton to build sewers soon in Browns
vile as splendid evidences of progress
here, but added that much more is
necessary to make it such a city as il
should be.
Finally a motion was made by
Judge Chaplin, and carried unani.
mously that a committee of five be
appointed to secure additional mem
beers for the club in Brownsville. The
meeting then adjourned, with genera
expressions of good will and hope fol
Improvement as the result of this
frank exchange of views.