Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-21
BIGGEST INLAND
TOWN BECOMES
EXPORTCENTER
n
Continued from Page One,

Owen Scott, vice-president, Fred D..
Guerra, cashier, E. ]. Guerra, assistant
cashier. The First National Bank, or
9anized in 1920 has for it's president
Lawrence r. Brooks, vice-president Mrs.
A.. M. X. Bass, cashier George Marsh.
Supplying Rio Grande City, and
Fort Ringgold is an up-to-date electric
light and ice plant and water system,
OF which Limo Perez is president, T.
T.. Mango, secretary, and Mrs. Sofia
Clark Mango, treasurer.
A good public school system Of which
Sam p. Vale is superintendent, and a
convent operated by the Sisters of
es are the educational and religious IA
~cilities.
May Get Railroad
Several retail and wholesale CONNER
cial concerns, the largest of which are
the S. Block, Hinojosa Bros, C. Vale, E.
Block, Eligio Salinas, Sanchez Bros, AL
berto Gutierrez, c. Vale, Vicente Cue
rrero and Amado Gutierrez do an extern
sive business with Mexico and are among
the chief assets of the inland town.
But Rio Grande City, quite old town"
may soon lose its distinction from other
Valley towns, for the last there are two
proposed projects for railroads under
consideration. One is the extension of
the branch line of the St. Louis,
Brownsville, and Mexico line from the
terminus at Sam Fordyce, a distance of
twenty-five miles from the Starr coun-
ty seat. The other is the direct line
proposed from San Antonio to Tampico,
n1onc fAr -L:al Ill r.. IL -
tional crossing at Rio Grande City.
Darlington & Ricaby of San Antonio
are the promoters of both projects.
Bonds have been issued for the first
named line, and permission granted by
the railway commission. At present the
men at the head Of this short-line pro-
ject are negotiating for the sale of
bonds; when this effected, work will
commence at once, as a great part of
the material to be used is alreay at
Foryce. This is ties, rails and other
material belonging to the government
which few years back contemplated the
building of a line to Fort Ringgold;
Darlington and Ricaby hold an option
on this. The citizens of Starr county
have subscribed a $4,000 bonus and
have secured most all of the right-of-
way for this line.
The plans for the second project are
still in the tentative stage. However,
the business men of the town and coun-
ty are most eager for definite develop
ment of this road, since this section
would receive prompt and direct benef-
it from such outlets, in addition to loo
al advantage derived from a bridge
across the Rio Grande River at that
place. Statistics, showing what Rio
Grande City can offer toward encour-
aging the building of these roads, has
been compiled by the Chamber of Com
Rpe zee. This DrGapintioE> has also held
several joint meetings with the bust
ness men of Cameron, lamps, Mexico,
relative to these matters, and represent
atives of both the border towns recent
ly journed to Monterrey for a confer
ence with the directors of the Chamber
of Commerce of that city, inviting
their support in the proposed project.
They met with hearty cooperation, it
being pointed out that Rio Grande
City is the nearest Texas town of any
consequence to Monterrey, which is
called the gateway to southern Mexico.
Has Big Export Business
Rio Grande has been for a number
of years an important port of entry,
and at present maintains a SUPPORT at
Roma. There are also maintained Of
fices of the custom, immigration, and
public health departments. During the
twelve months ending March 1924,
there were exported 1851 900 pounds,
n imported $500 pounds of miscel-
laneous merchandise.
To give an idea of the amount Of
tonnage handled at the nearest railroad
point, which is in Hidalgo county, stat
istics have been obtained which date
between April 1923 and April 1924. More
than 23,000,0 900 pounds of inbound ton
mage was received for Starr county. The
outbound tonnage amounted to 82,000,-
600 pounds, the freight being forwarded
in car load lot shipments amounting
to LAS cars, all except 592 of these
out of Starr county.
Next best to having a railroad is
good highway, and Starr County has an
excellent highway program. At present
there is being built from the sale of
county bonds and with state and federal
aid, a road that will cost approximate
ly $246,O0 When completed there will
be about forty-five miles of good grav-
Ell road connecting with Zapata on the
west, and Hidalgo on the east.
The march of progress of Starr
county seems well defined. With trade
territory to the north and west on the
American side, and many miles into the
interior on the Mexican side, Rio
Grande City has an unlimited source
for growth and expansion.