Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-01-13

WIS "A sleepy Nti ANNh- VIII Hh Tram n hdt W. tNH NtNN
hr line, and the lonely traveller might we'll imagine
fimscli some railway magna'e with his iwn private ear.
y few were his companions In travel and 40 few the
accommodation and ~ rough thc road that they might
we'll have been called his companion ~ travail.
The railway was the John the Parf.f IF Pre- ~~min~
lrr NE nrou-ess ~ growth and aetiri W. rro aininr
PREPARE YF TIFF WAY OF COMMERCE MAKE
sTRhIcHT TIE AZ or AGRICULTURE. let
WILDERNESS AID THE SOLITARY PLACE PLOS-
SOM As THE GARDEN or TIE FORD.
What 'rarsforma'inr five wears rovn mal.
brownsville FL reality. orlv five wear. old, Ir 1905
ahoui 5000 inhabitants: ~ 1910. 1O5o0 II must also hc
-emcmhcrcd hat the growth If me last two years ha~
been The greatest Of amy period IN i+s history. making II
-crv rar'air 'haf today the ra~rir'nr -o' 1se fh~
wclve and possibly fifteen thnHsaHi
Five years have transformed u sleepy ud frontier
Mexican town into Che hnsilinc metropolis of one of the
most Fertile valleys ~ The world Five years ago there
was mot a modern building in the town: the streets were
lighted lh with 2 few scattering coal oil lamps: the
water works were y n Mcxicana hurro carts. the side
~walks-in spots that were few and FAR hctwccn-wcrc ~
broken brick = new house was a curiosity merchants
took their sirstas from n am. tl they eot read, To- come
back "a their pIarc~ Of business Isn't why ~ 49,, some
of you remember how il was If YOU 40 MOI lct thc curtain
~ drawn.
Within that time what bath thc people wrought Men
with push and mercy - newcomer fresh from contact
with ihc busy outside world old timers rising IN thc
occasion. have united their strength. anil behold thr New
and Greater Brownsville,
view ami modern cottages and elegant homes hav,
taken ihr place ~ the Old iacals then scattered al ovei
he city. West Of Third street there were hui two houses
where now 81 one Of The most populots and hcaulifu
sections of the city. including West Brownsville that has
been wholly built within three years.
At ~ safe to say that 500 residences averaging ~ cost
II least S20000o each. have been erected IN that time. or
\ .oo0ooo invested IN homes. In the last year alone. a
sarcful estimate places thc ncw buildings completed ~
not less than S2lO.O0O.
The business section shows equal development. ON
Elizabeth street alone. thc Hollack Store. the vivier
building the Howse Furniturs Store building and the
Walker Brothers. Hancock bnildine viii aggregate IN
least S2oQOo0- Within two years The other new business
HOUSES erected viii raise the amount ~ $500OOO.
The municipal development has heeu sill NOR
remarkable. First ) bond issue. CARRIED without u
Dissenting vote for \ city light and water plant. with thc
bond issue Of 10000 Two years LATER this was supple
mcnted Pr another issue 81 $4,000. which has been used
IN pcrieetiuv \ light and water system. which Is worthy II
anal would be- q credit ~ q city four times IA, Size ofl
Brownsville.
Another 1soooo was voted Cor street paving. thr
bonds have been said. the preliminary work og construct
ing storm sewers has been completed uHa arisyc work a
soon ~ begin on ihe paving ~ fh. business streets with
"rensoted blocks Besides this W ~ ~ supplemented
hy the part the abuttlng property viii pay lor. ~ that thc
amount expended will b. about double ihe amount raised
by the city. and viii ~ y few years give us paved
streets IN the greater part of me city.
For ihe new market house and city hall $1,000 more
bonds have been sold. and thr od u%nsiehtly. unsanitary
market house will be replaced by q new one
Within 4 year about Fifteen miles of cement sidewalk
nave been completed Al 4 cost of arlro .imaiely si00oo0
ami sihi the rood work goc@ ou NJ amending onr wa
n stranger. visiting cur city from FtIdure -lii NM
few DAYS age. that Brownsville could WI he proud NJ her.
banking institutions and that " the same ratio were
kept np as population increased.shr would he far ahead ~
hat city. when her population shall be Az great. They are
worthy of special notice.
The First National-the oldest IA The city-was ar
ganizcd il 1891, with \ capital of tio0G00- II now has
100000 surplus. with undivided profits NJ nearly 500.
.0o0. and deposits Of about s672O0O. II ~ now erecting 4
beautiful and comrpodious banking house. which srouid
.bc az ornament N any city, A ! cost VT approximately
$4,000. II viii ~ completed and occupied about April
Isl. 1912.
The Merchants National VIA. organized aud charter
ed an 1909 and opened is door, for business early in 1904
It. too. has ! capitalof Sl000o0 has paid from tho begin
ming : per cent per annum on a. stock, has 4 surplus If
400 nnn. xftl, I~r...ft-. az .A.4rt -e9s pQD a. l-u 49,.