San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30

Brownsville, Tex, March 28.-The
people of the Lower Rio Grande Val.
ley are apparently the least excited
in the United States over the sena-
torial investigation of alleged land
frauds, which started Monday, and
recessed Wednesday afternoon until
March 81. They hold no brief for
the land companies; they expect evil
dence of fraud and Misrepresentation
to be presented and proven; but out
of the barrage of allegations, recrim-
nations and political chickering's they
expect the actual truth concerning
the Rio Grande Valley. its fertility
and wonderful resources, to emerge
triumphant.
Mayor A. b. Cole of Brownsville.
has been sent TO Washington to rep
resent the Valley at the hearings. He
is shrewd attorney. perfectly IA
miliar with Valley conditions aud
problems. At no time has he been
connected with any of the various
land companies, and his duties VIII
be to defend the Valley against the
allegations contained in the first sec-
ton of the Helm resolution. wherein
the Senator alleges that the Val
ley's irrigation systems are ineffl-
cient: that over half of the land Is
subject TO overflow. and that much
of the valley land cannot be adapted
to profitable farming.
Makes Valley Farmer Smile. .
Any reference to that section OF
the Helm resolution pertaining 10
Valley agricultural conditions gen.
orally brings n smile to the face OF
the Valley farmer. However. in re-
gard to the land companies, many OF
the farmers, especially those who pur-
chased from the w. +. Stewart Com
pany in 1918 and 1919, are extreme
~ bitter. and in many cases their bit
terness is apparently justified. Bot
they now look upon the experiences
of those days rs thing of the post
and they are enjoying now n prosper
ity such as no other section OF the
state can evidence.
In connection with the W. f. Stew
art lands it is rather interesting to
note that they now comprise what is
considered one of the most prosper
Gus and progressive sections OF the
Valley. That the farmers are max
ing success is not: however, IN any
way due to w. f. Stewart. They
were It'll NOIh out ONh cua
vation," and they have succeeded in
A manner which has surprised even
themselves.
Valleys Big Shipping Center.
The little city of Weslaco-the Va
LEWIS "baby city"-is now the main
shining point for the farmers who
purchased the lands sold by the Stew
art Company. and Weslaco has broken
all records this season in vegetable
shipments. Day after day. since the
beginning of the shipping season.
there has been a constant stream of
yegetable-laden wagons and trucks
drawing up to the Weslaco shipping
platforms, and from 20 to 46 carloads
has been the weekly average. This
movement will continue several weeks,
and it is bringing to that section I'M
precedented prosperity. Practically
every acre of those lands is today
under cultivation. rent lands are at q
premium, and the cotton. truck and
citrus acreage has attained a total
which few years ago would have
been deemed impossible.
1t is true that many of the origin
al purchasers of the Stewart lands,
who overbought or who lacked suf-
ficient capital to tide them over the
two or three "lean" years, were heavy
losers. but those who stuck" are to-
day reaping the reward for their per-
severance and energy, and any one
of them will assert that there is no
more fertile land in the United States
than can be found on the "West
Tract the area from which the
thriving little city of Weslaco is now
drawing the bulk of its business.
When Water Was Scarce.
Lurid tales of disaster and priva-
ton, due to failure to secure water
for the land purchased from the Stew
are Company. will doubtless be pre-
sented at the investigation--and most
of these will be founded upon actual
facts. But that day has passed. The
Edinburg canal. now owned by the
farmers of the district. which was
wholly inadequate at the time the
lands were sold, has been transform
ed into very efficient system. and
farmers dependent upon it have no
trouble from that source. The West
Tract has always been watered from
the canals of the Mercedes system.
recognized as one of the most eff
cient in the United States.
Purchasers of Stewart lands in
what is now the Edinburs water i'm
provement district, were probably the