El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-26

tempts of hundreds and later thou
sands. And the success in the Califor.
MIA valley was not greater during th>
first few years of it's existence thar
is the present success in the Pecos val
ley of Texas.
Since experts of statewide and ever
countrywide reputation have said thai
the water below Pecos in the shallow
water belt is practically Indispensable
and As to all intents and purposes bu,
vast underground river, flowing
from the rockies on its way to the
gulf. tapped in the Pecos valley and
| partially diverted from it's wasteful
outflow somewhere in the gulf-since
this is so, then the water question
(and that has always been the only
question: is solved for all time and
for all purposes.
Awaiting Development.
The visitor to the Pecos valley and
to Pecos, its metropolis should not
expect to find here a well developed
| country. 1t is far better for the in
weston, farmer and developer not to so
find 1t, for if he did, he would not
have the opportunity to make money
he otherwise has-in that where de-
| velopment has reached a high stage.
| land values have passed out of the
reach of the homeseekers and the small
| investor
Pecos valley is yet largely a crude,
undeveloped country, dotted only here
and there with farms. 1t is these
! farms the success of which is and
( should be the inspiration for the man
looking for that which is now so hard
| to find, real Country with future"
The visitor should not expect to find
in Pecos a large and beautiful city
for the same reasons as above. Pecos
is yet but small town-and that is
where the opportunity lies for he with
eyes to see must see that where Pecos
now stands. a progressive. hustling.
optimistic town of some $500 to 5000
people, there shall arise, phantomlike,
a city which as time passes-and 1t
passes after all so quickly-is 10 be a
factor of no small pretensions in the
commercial supremacy Of the new
southwest.
When Pecos Walked Up.
Pecos. the city, was founded in the
late eighties. and for years it was
known only as an exceptionally good
trading center and an important cattle
shipping point In the early nineties
Pecos from eastern New Mexico. What
road. following the Pecos river in
New Mexico and Texas. is history. Ev-
eryone knows the story of the pro-
gressive growth which has brought
into being the fine country in eastern
New Mexico adjacent to this railroad
and everyone has heard o: The fine
cities and .towns this development has
nurtured.
Pecos rather drifted for eight or nine
years in a more or less nstless way
after the construction Of the Santa Fe.
In 1907 Pecos really woke up and she
has never slept since The country
began TO see the beginnings Of Its
present development about that time
and wide awake business men of Pc
cos grasped the idea that such a coun-
try must have center city and
they started the TO lay plans to
make Pecos that center-and who will
say they have not succeeded?
Large mercantile houses and jobbing
establishments were located in Pecos, !
the banks were made stronger and
more progressive, the city commenced
to improve along civic lines and Pecos
began to see dreams of a real city
dreams she now considers future re-
alities.
What Public Spirit Did.
4
icy to make a center raised the
worlds largest railroad bonus, a round
100000. and saw constructed before
the fall of the same year what is now
the Pecos Valley Southern railway,
connecting Pecos with the Davis
mountains and the developing country
Whereabouts This railroad has been
a great factor in the present Pecos. 1t
gave the city a new and permanent
trade territory. 1t brought into exist
ence a new country, as it were and
made transportation cheap enough to
warrant a more progressive and
larger agricultural advancement in
the territory which it traverses.
Balmorhea, Saragosa and several
minor points are already the results of
the building of the line. Banks, newspa-
pers and mercantile stores, with mod
ern improvements. have already located
in these different towns.
New Churches.
This done, Pecos set out to build
churches for her people, and the way
was led by the people OF the Church
of Christ. under their pastor, Rev Ho-
mer L. Magee. This denomination
erected a handsome structure in 1910.
costing $4,000. The First Baptist
church, under the leadership Of Rev.
j. y. Cole, followed, and erected a
most imposing and handsome structure,
the envy Of many a large eastern city
a church costing approximately $780,
600. The Methodist church will erect
starting this fall, perhaps in October,
surely by November 1, a church cost
ing about s22,00 Several Of the other
denominations have churches in Pecos
The Presbyterians expect to build a
new building next year.
Civic Improvement.
Churches completed, Pecos turned to
the "City Beautiful and due largely
to the efforts of the Women's Civic
league, assisted by the Commercial
club, a beautiful civic fountain was
erected at the juncture of the main
streets of the city. The city council |
has ordered new cement sidewalks in
different parts of the city. carrying out |
the city Beautiful idea. In addition |
to this. many citizens have improved |
the surroundings of their homes until !
Pecos has some of the prettiest homes |
and gardens in Texas.
Pecos is now working along CONNER |
cial lines though it should also be |!
stated that a Tnagnificanf pou Corpa L