San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
Brownsville, Tex, March 1. - T

make the lower hlo GranQe Delta IN
Mecca of winter tourists by securing
at least two connections with the sys
TEN of hard-surfaced highways o.
Bexar county and San Antonio is tn,
objective of Valley good roads promo
tiers led by County Judge Oscar Z
Dancy of Cameron county, who prob
ably has done more toward the promo
ton of hard-surfaced highways
throughout the valley and South Tex
as than any one individual.
The valley now has an outlet via
Edenburg, Falfurias, and Corpus
Christi, connecting with the highway
through Sinton, and with the excep-
ton Of short strip between Flores.
willie and Karnes City, in Wilson and
Karnes counties, this entire highway
has either been constructed, or con-
struction had been financed.
But the valley is not satisfied with
this long route, and at recent meet
ing of the county commissioners court
q resolution was passed TO expend the
remainder Of the county's road funds
on a concrete highway extending north
from Harlingen. That this eventually
will become the valleys shortcut. to
San Antonio and Central Texas points
w may NouhAt
has endorsed the highway and will
vote bonds to construct its section,
and the state highway department has
peen requested to designate this as a
trunk line for state and federal aid.
This highway will run due north from
Harlingen, connecting with Highway
No. II at Riviera, cutting the dis
tance between Brownsville and San
Nv rha (NhrlSfI rnlITP
approximately 60 miles.
Short Cut Through Jim Wells.
Jim Wells county recently voted
road bonds and has embarked upon
an ambitious highway program,
which includes a hard-surfaced high
way from a point near Falfurrias.
through Alice, to the northeastern
corner of the county, near Casa
Blanca. From this point the highway
will run through Mathis and Skid
more, giving the valley a short cut
TO the Bexar county highways.
This short cut will give tourists the
choice of two routes from San Anto-
MO TO the Valley, entering the lower
border section through either WIlacy
or Hidalgo counties, and the distance
will be about equal. Highway promo
tiers point out that these two high
ways viii virtually form tourist loop
between San Antonio and the valley.
The two routes offer many attractions
for tourists who have never visited
the border section, and by entering
over one route and leaving on the
other they will have en- opportunity to
view all the attractions and novel
ties the valley has to offer.
When these highways are completed
the round trip from San Antonio can
easily be made in three days.
A Third Route.
4 third route from the valley to
San Antonio, known as the border
route, following the Rio Grande from
Brownsville TO Laredo, and thence
through LaSalle, Frio and the south
west corner of Medina county, con-
Meeting with the San Antonio high
way to Devine, is being successfully
promoted, and with the exception of
Zapata and LaSalle counties, this
route has been financed.
Starr county has disposed Of its
/, bonds and will soon have the re-
mainder Of it gravel highway from
Sam Fordyce to the Zapata county
line, completed. Zapata county land
owners, mostly big ranchers. have sig
nified their intention of voting a bond
issue at an early date. In both Starr
and Zapata counties the cost Of high
way construction is light, as there is
an abundance Of gravel easy to OBJ
tain along the route.
No definite action has been taken
By LaSalle county. but assurance has
been given that the county will not
permit gap to exist in he valleys
third hard-surfaced highway outlet.
Much effort is being put forth on this
route by promoters, as the attrac-
ton of border highway TO northern
tourists would bring thousands to San
Antonio and the lower border coun-
try.
What the Valley Has Done.
Cameron county this week COM
pleted work on Highway No. II, and
on March Is, the last section will be
opened TO traffic, giving the county
IS miles of concrete highway from
Brownsville TO the Hidalgo county
line, two miles north of La Feria. On
or about the same date Hidalgo coun-
~ will open the section between the
Cameron county line and Mercedes
Work on the remaining sections in Hi
dalgo county will be pushed to com
pletion, and by the time the winter
tourists again turn toward South
Texas the valley will have 125 miles
of hard-surfaced highway to attract
them.
Every mile Of the valley highway
runs through the most beautiful ant
fertile section of the South-a regioI
of perpetual summer, of citrus, fruit
and winter flowers; of vast fields o
winter vegetables-with a score of tn
most progressive cities in Texas. A
an attraction for winter tourists Their
is probably no section of the Unitet
States which can rival the Rio Grand
Valley, and with the completion Of tb
highway projects now under con
structi i or financed ii will becom
one of San Antonio's greatest asset
in connection with the tourist traffic
Hidalgo County's Program.
Hidalgo county. which will have s
miles of hard-surfaced highway, wi
require several months to complete I'll
program of construction now unde
contract.
1t was through the cooperation G
Hidalgo and Brooks counties that tn
valley obtained its hard-surfaced out
LET TO the central part Of the state
the Edinburgh alfurrias Corpu
Christi route. This was originally
caliche project, large beds of that m:
terial having been found throughou
northern HidalgO and Southern Brook
counties. Through Hidalgo count
the 30 miles from Edinburg TO th
Brooks county line have been give
bitulithic topping, and this stretc
is now rated as one Of the finest higl
ways in South Texas. Prior to th