The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-03-25
CONTINUED from Page u

Price Brennan. Shields, Bennett,
Dodd Thompson Pickett. Champion,
Gilmore and others, besides several
ladies met the visitors at the sta
ton. Vehicles to convey all of the
Houston Hustlers had been provided
by the Mercedes Commercial Club
and a procession was formed at the
station, parading through all of the
principal business and residence
streets of the city. The great pump
ing plant of the American Rio Grande
Land and Irrigation Company and
also the electric light plant, afforded
a splendid eye-opener as to the grand
scale on which things are being done
at Mercedes. Hardly more than two
years old yet Mercedes has popula-
ton of 1900 people. Modern brick
business houses and residences,
churches. a handsome brick school
house. a public library with several
hundred volumes. substantial bank
ing institution. an enterprising news
paper. electric theater, waterworEs,
electric lights, telephone exchange,
the handsomest hotel in the valley. all
bespeak enterprise in keeping with
the times. A canvass to be used by
the Houston business men for show
ing views of Houston with the moving
picture machine which they brought
with them, had been erected in the
park. as was also a band stand. Seats
for several hundred people had also
been provided The energetic ladies
of the Mercedes Baptist congregation
erected a booth in the center of the
park where refreshments. consisting
of ice cream, cake, ETC., were sold to
assist in raising money to be used for
the erection of a Baptist church at
Mercedes. Scales presided over by
several of Mercedes most popular
young ladies on which the visitors
were weighed at so much per pound,
were used effectively in raising money
for the same purpose. Each one
weighed was required TO pay one
half a cent a pound for each pound
that he weighed. after which a red
tag on which was printed Il Have
Been Weighed" was pinned on the
lapel of his coat 1t was observed
that none were labeled weighed and
found wanting" One Houston man
tipped the beam at 500 pounds and
paid accordingly.
On arriving at the park. cordial
greeting was extended the Houston
Hustlers in a brief but well worded
address by DR.. w. S. Chaplin, presi-
dent of the American Rio Grande
Land and Irrigation Company. DR.
Chaplin gave the Houstonians a
gentle hint to the effect that, if they
wanted to secure the trade patron
age of Mercedes, they could easily do
so by selling goods to the people
there cheaper than anyone else.
Judge Kittrell responded in behalf
of Houston in an eloquent address
In the course of his remarks, Judge
Kittrell stated that Texas has the
best laws of any state in the union,
and her citizens are better taken
care of than those of any other
state He heartily thanked Mer-
eedeans for their cordial reception.
Mayor VIM. G. Lingenbrink of Mer-
sedes followed with few very ap-
propriate remarks, supplementing DR..
Chaplin's words of welcome in the
heartiest manner, and speaking brief
~ of the newly incorporated city of
which he is the first chief executive
officer, its bright prospects of future
greatness.
A number of the younger members
of the party took advantage of the
fine band which accompanied the ex-
cursion to enjoy an impromptu dance
at the station, the large waiting room
affording an excellent place for this
diversion A number of Mercedes
charming young ladies participated in
the dance.
At nine O'Clock p. m. goodbyes
we're said and the excursion train left
the valley, where they enjoyed such
a splendid outing.
The representatives of the Com
mercial Club from Brownsville ac-
companied the excursionists to all
points visited and accompanied them
as far as Harrington, where goodbyes
were said with mutual good wishes
With one accord the visitors were
loud in their praise of Brownsville
and the valley, and of the reception
given them while in our midst
Those of the party who had never
before visited this section were both
surprised and pleased with the de-
velopment and growth seen on every
hand while those who have been
here before expressed surprise at the
remarkable progress since they were
here last. All were convinced that
Brownsville and the valley have one
of the greatest futures of any section
in America