The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-01-01
FRIDAY. JANUARY l, 1903.
TIE GID NEW YER.

With noisy demonstration, and
gladstone greeting, the new year Of
1909 was ushered in last night at
the stroke of midnight. 1t begins
auspeiously for the Lower Rio
Grande Valley. If even half the
glowing prospects that seem to await
this section shall be realized, the
year 1909 win be a red letter year for
it. The year just added to the past
has been one of great achievement
for the entire Valley 1t is not too
much to say that property values in
this Valley have been enhanced mil
lions of dollars during the past year.
The completion of the many canals
which have been constructed tc If
rigate and make fruitful the rich al
Iuvial soil of this Mile Valley of
America" has undoubtedly multi
piled many times the value of the
land and added as much 10 the ac-
tual wealth of the land owners. The
past year has witnessed the addition
of hundreds OF families of active and
enterprising settlers to this section.
All along the river, beginning below
Brownsville in Cameron county and
extending as far up as Mission in Hi
dalgo county. new settlements have
sprung into existence, new farms
have been opened, homes, schools
and churches have been built, and
the land converted into green fields,
yielding abundant harvests. AS if
the Good Fairy bad waved her magic
wand over the Valley, almost the
whole face of it has been trans
formed. Thousands of acres of land
that a year ago were covered with
thorny chaparraI are now under Gull
tivation, watered by the waters of
the Rio Grande New towns have
sprung up and gerat changes of all
kinds are in progress.
Yet it is felt that we are only at
the beginning of development here,
and the new year that dawned last
night is undoubtedly destined to wit
ness a transformation far greater
than that which has already taken
place. The year 1909 will witness
its completion. while there is every
indication that at least one more rail
road, if not two or three, viii be
built through the Valley. which will
result in the building OF many more
towns and the development of vast
tracts of land in addition to those
already developed. Indeed it is
difficult to realize the magnificent
prospects which lie within the COM
ing year for Brownsville and the
Lower Rio Grande Valley.
For Brownsville, the past year has
been one OF great advancement The
addition of splendid electric light
and water system. second to none in
any town OF its size in the state, has
made 1908 a year long to be remem-
bered. The addition of many new
homes and numerous new citizens of
a class that insures activity and pro-
gress along all desirable lines has
marked the year In all lines the
town has shown remarkable growth
and increased prosperity. Yet, it too,
Is only at the beginning of becoming
the Greater Brownsville, which it is
undoubtedly destined to be by rea-
son Of its splendid location In the
midst of the most fertile Valley in
the entire country, on broad river,
which will asuredly be made nayiga4
BILE, and become an important part
of the projected intercoast canal,
Brownsville viii very probably dur
ing this year realize what it means
to he the center of population of such
a rich and fertile Valley, the port
through which the leading staple pro-
ducts of the Valley viii undoubtedly
End an outlet, and through which the
heavier commodities imported for
the Valley will find entrance. New