Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-12-27
BROKEN
ON STREET
PAVING
FIRST DIRT TURNED WITH MISS
FRANCES CHANCE HOLDING
PLoW SHORT PROGRAM
RENDERED IN PRES
ENcE OF OFFICIALS.

ever begun in Bryan was inaugurated
at o'clock this morning when the
first dirt was broken in the actual
work of paving Main street.
Notwithstanding the early hour
| quite little crowd, including city of
ficials and citizens, was present to
witness the important work. Mayor
Harris called the gathering to order
and stated the object for which the
meeting had been called, after which
he invited Hon. w. c. Davis to make a
| short talk Mr.. Davis responded in
his usual timely and appropriate man.
ner, saying in part as follows:
The best evidence of the grit and
get-up-and-do-things spirit of the citi-
zenship of Bryan is manifest here
this morning in the breaking of dirt
for the beginning of the pavement of
the main thoroughfare of our splendid
town. The history of Bryan has been
one of development and progress; she
has never taken a step backward.
Many towns have sprung up and -four
ished for few years, and then ceas-
ed to grow, but Bryan has builded
slowly, but surely until today she
stands in the front ranks of the pro-
gressive cities of the great southwest.
The paving of Main street is the con-
sumation of the ardent hopes and
cherished dreams of our citizenship
for many years. 1t has been the
one thing lacking, and the only one.
which has kept Bryan from taking its
rightful place among the cities of
Texas. The adverse criticism occa-
stoned by the bad and almost impass-
able condition of the streets has been
justly merted, and has in a mec s.
ure retarded the growth of our town.
With this removed every stranger
who comes among us will leave with
her praise on his lips.
Bryan has many things of which to
boast; educationally, she is the Ath-
ems OF the southwest, the a. and NJ.
College, Allen Academy, Bryan Dap
tist Academy, Ursuline Convent and
our splendid public school system, af.
fording educational facilities uneuua.-
ed anywhere; commercially sre is the
leading city of central Texas. being
the trading point for a large section
of the rich and fertile Brazos Valley,
reached by the Interurban railway;
she boasts of her light water and
sewerage system. her beautiful
church edifices being the source of
universal pride; and when the work
! begun this mori'rF sha have been
completed, she cln justly boast of be-
ing a "city beautiful" and one OF the
most hospitable places to be found
anywhere.
| congratulate our efficient Mayor
and board of aldermen for their faith
fulness in carrying this important pro-
Iect to q successful termination. and
felicitate the citizenship of Bryan in
being thus guaranteed this much need.
ed and much desired Improvement.
And as Miss Chance, one of Bryan's
most beautiful and accomplished :oung
ladies, shall hold the handle OF the
plow which breaks the dirt, | JON yo.,
in the sentiment that Bryan may con-
tinue to grow and thrive, ar d that her
citizenship may be among tile happiest
and most prosperous in the world.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Davis ad.
dress, Rev. Finn was called upon and
made few remarks very appropriate
to the occasion. Mr.. Finn took occa-
sion to congratulate the city officials,
and felicitated the citizenship general.
ly upon the fulfillment of long years of
hope and expectancy. Upon the fact
that the thing so long desired, the
paving of Main street, was now to be
a reality.
DIR. M. e. Weaver led in prayer in
voking the divine blessing upon the
work, upon the city and citizens. and
asking divine guidance through the
coming years for those who would be
charged with the city's growth and
development
These exercises over, preparations
were made for the all-important event
Of the occasion. The great plow was
set, and Miss Frances Chance, the