Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-05-28
VALLEY PROGRESS AND
THE HOTEL

Never ia the history Of the Lower Rio
''rands Valley has progress been accsl-
Grated To greater degree than that now
attained. Brownsville. the mrtrnpelic
of the .alley. has kept pace with this
progress. Up To now cur energies have
been directed mainly toward development
of the Valleys agricultural resources
and this has been successful to IA degree
which cannot b.. surpassed by any other
agricultural section Of the United States
But the fundamental of the Valley
agricultural success--ii's unsurpas cd
ciinate-can also be made the f0unda
tion for another industry almost as
profitable, an industry which will be-
closely related with the ultimate de-
vclopment Of the entire Nailey-the So
called tourist industry which consists
principally of providing hotel accommo-
dationS, pleasant climatic conditions. and
re reation for those who have the means
and leisure To enjoy them. This class
in the United States includes millions.
Brownsville has the climate-more -
than any of til" popular resort sections
on either the Iacific or Atlantic coasts.
IL can offer all forms Of recreation. But
il lack the hotel facilities 50 essential ii
Brownsville is 10 capitalize the advnn-
tages nature has so generously bestowed.
Some are inclined Ia look upon the
tourist traffic n merely side issue"
FOR this city. \ few years ago many re-
garded agricultural development ia this
section n not worthy Of serious con>id
Grafton: regarding the trade with Mex
10 as she principal source of revenue
and the only source 10 be cultivated.
The fallacy of this view has been demon
sirated in recent years. and Brownsville
now realizes that agricultural develop
nent in the Brownsville section ~ well
n in other parts Of the Valley. has been
responsible for the city'S steady growth
and the immense volume If ciy inn
provementS.
Farm development here has doubled
the size aud business Of the city. The
development Of the tourist traffic ~
providing hotel accommodations. viii II
will attract To the city thousands nf
those who now journey 10 Florida or
California will add another source of
revenue which in a few years will equal
or surpasS that Of our agri ultural de-
veIopment. Incidentally. il must also
be borne in mind that these two develop
menfs are closely related. the tourist
providing a local market for greater
volume Of the farmers products. and
lSo market for many of the unde-
(.ioped acres. especially those most de-
rable for homeSiteS.
The Valley boasts of IT'S Nun-cr,Il
gricultufal resources. and il fa~ reason
h. boast. but. a. Il matter % fact ou"
city on the Florida coast. which ten
years ago was no larger thar Browns
Vile, derives twice a> much revenue
from its tourist business rs tt- Lower
Rio Grande Valley does from ~ agr
cultural activities. That il ~ Peters
burg. which last year derived rom the
tourist trade over .S3OOOO.O0c Their
climate is inferior to that Of th, lower
Rio Grande Valley. but they have rlcnty
If tourist hotels viii h are fillrc eight
months Of the year.
Not tha; Brownsville should pay less
attention to agricultural devc,ormeni.
but the, residents of the city hav' not
devoted sufficient attention "a " po-
tential source Of revenue. which. with
the outlay Of = few thousand dollars for
a tourist hotel. may eventually cc ip~e
the revenue from agricultural sources.
Brownsville has thus far failed to
capitalize it's climatic d.iion>. aud
it is time for this city 10 rra izc the fact
that il has ignored what can ~ mad"
one of its most prolific sources of rev
enue.
Brownsville has ambitions ~ become
the most important ,ity on the Mexican
border. To become commercial. indus
trial and agricultural center without a
rival in South Texas The best way
to materializr these ambitions ~ to brin.
10 this section the tourists. men ami
women Of means. This cannot b. done
until the city can supply the accommoda-
iions they demand.