Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

The most important announcement IN ag
ricutlnral development made ~ the Lower
Rio Grande Valley IN yeaT~ was made To-
day when Hiram Hart. Valley sugar cane
industry promoter announced the pur-
chase Of 1000 acrc~ ui river land, located
about five miles up the river from Browns
vile. from a. i. Barrcda. all of which by
January. 1917. viii bc planted to sugar
cane. The purchase was made by the sun
set Sugar Company. composed of New
York capitalists. and which concern j. a.
vet unincorporated but J. soon to take out
articles of Incorporation ~ Texas. with
headquarters ~ Brownsville Mr.. Hart
will be u stakeholder and director in the
company.
Coincident with this announcement. Mr..
Hart stated that the Sunset Sugar Com
lany j. taking over the assets Of tie Rio
Grande Sugar Company. which has long
time lease on the sugar null at Donna The
sugar plantation near Brownsville will far
niSh cane for the mill IA Donna. and with
the acreage in sugar cane at Donna, 500
acres, will give that mill the entire produc
tlon Of cane on $500 acres Of land
The deal for the purchase of the 2000
acres Of Barreda lands was closed some
weeks ago, and Mr. Hart has just returned
from New York and Chicago. where he ii
nancAd the development of the land Some
of this development n already under way.
and one hundred team today began the
work Of planting 800 acres of cane on the
N ~. IN. t.la ~
than tbis acreage this year on account of
the scarcity of seed. the company havine
had available only 20O0 tons Of seed from
the cane acreage Al Donna. Four tons ~
seed are planted to the acre.
Ot the 20O0 acres. 4 total Of 900 acres
IRE cleared and ready for cultivation. and
the balance of 100 acres i brush land
The company viii begin the clearing Of this
land NJ once. and plans "a have the entire
tract ready for cane planting by the WIN
ter of lal6-lT. For the next several
months the company Will have III it, en-
ploy from 300 To 500 men al al times en-
gagged in the work of clearing and develop
ing.
Mr.. Hart said today that ~ the season l.
growing late NO time viii be lost in the
planting nf the 500 acres. and II u cx-
pccted that this work will hc completed
within twenty davs.
gang of men has been ut work several
days and has about completed the in~tailn-
tion of spur track near the plant of the
Gulf Coast Brick 4 Tile Company. whore
the 20n0 tons 81 seed will ~ unlnadcd Th
company will also construct spur irack-
later through the tract for the handling Of
IT, cane direct to the II loui~. Browns
Vile 4 Mexico railroad. for transporting
io the mill at Donna.
Immense amounts Of eastern caNital. Mr.
Hart said. viii be- poured into the sugar
industry in the Valley. recent performance
nj the Donna and San BenIio sugar mill
having demonstrated. he declared. that the
susar industry i a highly profitable one j.
the Lower Rio Grande Valley. IIe said
that the present mill tonnage in the Lower
Rio Grande Valley Cor the grinding scasor
i l50.0on tons. and that the two mills N,
last season. despite the fact that they
ground only to about L. per cent of capa-
city. realized substantial profits. Thess
facts. he SAID. appealed IA the eastern mcr
with whom he IS associated. and he believe.
that within few wears. on basis of io0e
acres Of cane to each mill. there will b. es
tahllshei IN the Lower Rio Grande VALLEY
upwards of loo sugar mills
To Mr.. Hart'S activities J. due the ra
iuvenation Of the sugar industry. IN the
Lower Rio Grande Valley. Three wear
ago every mill in the Valley. with the ~
cepticn of that ut Donna. was in the hand
of receiver. In Mr.. Harris opinion. thi
was due to incorrect methods Of PLANTING
and he said that It has been eStahIlShes
that sugar cane planted IN the Valley ~
coriing 10 methods adonted many wear
ago by the pioneers. the Bu'av plantation
near Brownsville and the Closner planta
, tion near Hidaigo, Is the most suecessfu