Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-08-24
lis 1t delta" :"
| ---OT-.-
lis 1t "Valley?"

and since that seemed 10 be true. il de-
cided to discontinue presenting argument
Tor and against the proposition. How
ever, since that time more letters have
been received on the subject, indicating
that u Is not as dead" question AZ
The Herald thought il was
Among the re- ent letters is one from
Z. III. Pease Of McAlIsn. secretary and
manager of the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley Water Users association. one from
DR. j. l.. Hunter Of Ia Fcria, and one
from DIR. VIM. VI. Spohn Of Browns
vile. Mr.. ePase, because Of his efforts
IN connection with gravity irrigation. has
made close study of the typography Of
the Valley, and his views are commend
ed for consideration Of all readers. Ills
letter follows:
Your efforts 10 indroduce the name
Rio Grande Delta'as applied ~ this
section seems to have attracted con.
siderable interest and some rather cur
ious comment. | have made number
OF trips through the western states. H.
was first my custom 10 refer 10 the
country from which anne as the Lower
Rio Grande Delta aS applied to this
was invariable understood 10 BE- the
country around II Paso and the irrga-
tion project of my home country was
understood 10 be the government pro-
JeCt of that place. | soon found that if
stated that | came from the Browns
Vile country. il was understood what
section referred to. thanks to the late
Theodore Roosevelt.
I,,u ,,.L.
dents should have developed 50 much
antagonism TO your suggestion j. a
mystery 10 me. When that atrociouS
name. Magic Valley was first Sug-
gested il took for time like hot cakes.
There was no sentiment exhibited in
favor of the old and exceedingly long
name If the Lower Rio Grandc Valley.
The absurdity Of the name magic as
applied TO the exceedingly real and ma
terial sect tion finally has resulted in that
name becoming unpopular.
The name suggested by you has the
merit of being shorter and il also has
the merit of being accurate in descrip-
ton. II can be applied to no other pOr-
tion of the Rio tSraude. " carries with
il the idea of fertility. The Mississippi
Delta is famous for its fertility. The
Rio Grande Delta is equally famous We
have delta in fact II is in no sense
"a valley except the portion from Rio
sssande city 10 Mission. From that point
on il takes on the chacteristics of al
delta. II is delta shaped, the name be
ing derived from the Greek letter ".
or delta Our section has itS appex
at Mission and spreads out N-or deha
shaped to Brownsville and Ramondvillr.
There are no bounding hills or bluffs
except in the extreme upper portion.
Physically il is undoubtedly q delta
and not valley. In fertility il has "a"
characteristics of all deltas whi'h are a.
luvial deposits built up around the mouth
If river, which are invariably highly
productive The only objection IL the
well known difficulty in changing the
habits Of whole community. As al
matter Of habit they continue 10 use the
old name. but il the name be generally
adopted by the newspapers, i will not
b. long before il will be in general use.
II am very much in favor of your
suggestion"
Dr. j. H. Hunter Of La Feria. secre-
Society. says:
II heartily endorse your stand IN TIE
matter of changing the name Valley tol
Delta.
The change should be made now.
Rio Grande Valley means any point
along the river. from its icy source 10
it's mellow delta. Delta means not
only land between the mouths IF al
river but any ton formed by aluvial
deposits usually at or near the mouth
of river, and may cover great areas.
To cover great hrca II must extend
great way from the mouth 0f the river.
The Mississippi delta covers about H.
600 square miles The Rio Grandc del
IN means all that alluvial soil which ex-
tends many miles up-rhe river and many
miles east aud west 'of il.
No one would expect the same cli-
matte conditions found a; the delta toI
exist ~ the source Of the river. or ~
any point intermediate. Delta" would
tell the world just where we are. Val
lev comes within thousand miles, more
or less. of locating u.
"The main objection raised against
only realize Of what little Importance lrc
Il. or how soon he j. forgotten. Also.
that his home section Of the country iS
not 80 universally known n he thinks
II Is a.
While this Sc tion i rapidly hc-
coming known AZ The Valley the pro-
portion of the inhabitants ~ the United
States which knows Of the existence ot
this magic part of the Valley y in
finitessimaly small. Like unto drop
in a bucket of water. Just get few
miles away from home and Il y hard 20
find one who knows everything about
YOU or your home. The name Lower
rio Grande Valley j. lengthy and not
precise. The Magic Valley j. too ego
t:s,ical. Rio Grande Delta covers the
whole ground.
Changing the name would CIV" an
other great boost by the papers and
prove big ad for the country "
would he of present and lasting value
IN the section ~ q winter resort. truck
farming and fruit country: IN fact. from
(Coniinued on page p