Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-10-18

Oue > eyes W Juc pOSSlUlIAllCS vi
this wonderful country. II re-
mains an arid desert until water
is put on the land through irri-
eating bitches, when anything
planted will grow with wonderful
|rapidity. This valley has been
under development but about six
years all told but the strides
made so far surprise the most
Optimistic. A 100000 school
house has just been completed
between Pharr and McAllen,
which are but three miles apart,
and McAllen has 100000 build
ling very similar to our own. Nc
Allen is but about six miles from
the Rio Grande, to which a trip
is made, and just across the river
is the old Mexican city of Rjon-
osa. a city of 5000. Large pump
ing plants are located on the riv-
er, which is about the width of
the Missouri and just as muddy.
The homeward trip was begun
Saturday evening at $3.50, and
early Sunday morning immense
rice fields were passed. The grain
has just been cut and was in the
shock, which could not be told
from wheat shocks. Galveston
was reached shortly after noon.
The trip to Galveston had been
looked forward to by the whole
crowd and they surely were not
disappointed. The city is reached
from the mainland over two
mile causeway. This entire cause
way was destroyed during a storm
two years ago and has never been
rebuilt in concrete as yet, SO the
approach to the city over a two
mile wooden trestle. AS soon as
the city is reached the crowd was
hurried TO an excursion boat,
piled on board and with two toots
we were off. The first leg of the
cruise is along the wharves,
where the boats of all nations,
except German, may be seen load
ing their cargoes. All the liners
are equipped with big guns on
4 their stern for use on subma-
rines. Guards pace back and
forth on the dock continually to
see that no damage comes to the
ship while in dock or nothing is
piaced in the holds to damage
them while at sea. Several rev.
lenue cutters, submarine chasers
and other government boats can
be seen tied up to their docks. but
all of them looked as though they
were ready for business at mo-
ments notice. Boatloads of ba-
nanas from South America can be
seen unloading beside big cargo
beats filled with cotton just get
ting under way for England or
France. Galveston is the largest
cotton shipping point in the
world and comes second in several
other commodities. After the tour
OF the wharves the boat is headed
out into the gulf, and short trip
taken there where the water is
deep enough to swim in, at any
rate. The fort guarding Calves
ton can be plainly seen, but a
near approach is impossible while
The war is on.
4 Next comes the swim in the
gulf and that is worth the price
OF the trip alone. Men, women
and children are given bathing
suits and soon appeared on the
sands of the beach, but many Of
the women had to be coaxed for a
considerable length of time before
they could be induced to get into
water over ankle deep. When
once they had ventured out into
water up to their armpits and had
the big breakers wash over their
heads. they would come I'D from
out of the briny deep spouting
water like school of whales and
would begin to see the fun in il
and were just as eager as the men.
Life lines and guards make the
water as safe as sitting on tho