Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-12-21
MANY BUILDINGS
BEING ERECTED;
TERRITORY BIG
Up-to-D Date City Being
Made of Oldest Town
in Valley by Modern
improvements

BROWNSVILLE, tne ldfIneSI
south; the metropolis OF the
Valley; the city of opportunity;
with an important place in the
history of the state and nation.
All these things n true of
Brownsville and more.
Incorporated for the first
time in 1850, the town has since
that time played an important
role in the development of the
country surrounding it and al
though it never has had a boom,
it has maintained it's place as a
large center of population and
commercial activities.
With a population of more than
5000 and assessed property valuations
of So, 10O, 900, the town is at present
making more rapid growth thar at any
time in its history. More than Is bust
ness buildings and residences are under
construction at the present time and
many buildings have been completed
during 1924. Building permits will reach
a total of 100000 for the year it is be
,lieved, more than SITE, 900 worth Of
permits having been issued up to the
early part of December. Assessed valua-
tions have increased 81 LITE, 900 in the
past year.
Located as it is, at a port of entry
from Mexico directly opposite the city
of Matamoros, with extensive territory
in that country to draw from in addi-
tion to the large trade territory of
rich farming land lying north, east,
south and west which is being developed
rapidly, Brownsville is especially for
tunate. The completion of the deep
water port now under construction at
Point Isabel, % miles away, will give
added Importance to this extensive
trade territory for the merchandise
from the nations of the world may be
imported through this city by way Of
the Rio Grande railway connecting tn
city and the port.
s,, City Becomes Modern
While Brownsville still retains many
of the old touches of quaintness given
it,by the builders back in the early sos
The modern office and banking build
ings, up-to-date display fronts and
splendid mercantile establishments are
making a modern business section while
hundreds of beautiful homes have been
built in the residence districts. Splendid
school buildings and fine churches ON
bine to round out. a city such as the
newcomer would select in which to
make a nome and rear a family. And
they are coming, more and more Of
them weekly; until the housing pro-
blem has become a serious one.
Brownsville is the oldest town in the
Valley but none of the other towns
have more efficient public utilities and
few places in the United States equal it.
The w~aterworks, light and sewer sys-
TENS, all municipality owned, are the
pride of the city officials and Of the
citizens.
The light and water systems were
completed In 1908 and nave been improv-
ed from that time until today they rank
with the best in the country. These two
plants have cost the city $343,890 in
bonds and warrants, and since they
were built a total of $147, 900 has re-
turned to the city in addition to en-
largements and improvements which
have been paid for, reports of the city
show. The two plants have a depreciat-
ed valuation of approximately $4,000
based on the Billingsley audit report.
Water System Efficient
The supply for the water system is
lifted from the Rio Grande by a 600,0 600
gallon capacity pump installed on a
barge, which is anchored by steel cable
shore lines. The connecting pipe has
flexible joints to allow for the rise and
fall of the barge with the river. The
pump is electrically driven, as is all
machinery used in the system, and a
high tension power line is carried to
the barge. On the bank of the river, on
ly a short distance from the barge is
an auxiliary pump with connection to
a stationary intake pump for use in
case of accident to the pump on the
barge. The water lifted by this pump
goes into immense settling tanks and as
it passes into them a small quantity OF
sulphate of iron and lime is mixed into
it by automatic machines. These cheml-
Gals coagulate the greater part OF the
solids in the water and cause them to
settle. The water then passes through
two more settling tanks, Is lifted 10 the
smaller settling basins and has a small
quantity of alum mixed with it while 1t
is in transit. 1t passes around a series
of battles, again giving it time to de-
posit additional solids, and goes into fit
e1s. where it passes through several feet
Of sand and gravel. These filters are
washed every day by forcing water and
compressed air through them in the OPP
posite direction to that in which the