San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-02

sounded the secret Of the Landa sue
cess.
The 800 members of the Landa
staff comprise great family. Two
families boast of three generations
still working for Harry Landa. They
never leave his service. One has toiled
stesdfastly AZ years.
When they become enfeebied IN the
service they are pensioned but even
these refuse TO remain idle and con.
tribute whatever effort they may TO
besutifying the estate or boosting the
community.
Mr.. Landa is a modest man. His
contributions to New Braunfels, grad
ual but continuous throughout his
years Of labor, now are seen BY citi-
zens there in their full value.
-His importance TO the community
makes his retirement a poignant blow
70 New Braunfels," one of that city's
principal merchants declared.
FATHER PROsPERED.
The attainments Of Harry Landa,
who has made the desert TO flower
and give forth bubbling springs" are
the result Of meticulously abiding BY
the precepts Of his puritancial father,
Joseph Lands, who left Germany in
1s47 with his wife, and came to
Texas.
The senior Landa Immediately set
up small mercantile establishment
in the colony at New Braunfels
founded by Prince Braunfels. By
thrift and industry, and aided by the
faithful ministrations Of his wife, he
prospered.
A settler named Meriwether had
acquired a tract of land along the
headwaters of the Comal river. By
digging a small canal TO a steep bluff
nearer town he secured a waterfall
Of % feet by which he propelled
grist 10 the mill.
SAW POSSIBILITIES.
Ianda saw the possibilities of ex-
plotting this tract, hence in 1850 he
purchased it with savings from his
store. With this small nucleus, BY
gradually acquiring the abutting lands
along the Comal, thus securing all
riparian rights and By steadily i'm
proving the property and mill plant,
he laid the foundation for the great
establishment which yet bears his
name.
At first there was but one small
grist mill and cotton gin for the con-
venience Of neighboring farmers. This
was washed away and in 1875 a new
flour mill was constructed. The new
mill operated as a custom and mer-
chant mill until 1890 when Harry
Lsnda assumed direction OF the
estate when ill-health and advanced
age overcsme his father, who died
six year, later.
REALIZES DREAM.
Then began the realization Of q
dream which obsessed the younger
Landa.
Under the magic touch Of Harry
IAnda the archaic mill gave way 10 a
modern Hungarian plant 10 which the
wheat fields of Kansas, as well as
Mexico, contributed grain.
Trooping in rapid succession came |
the cotton oil mill. electric light and !
power plant elevator, ice factory,
corn shelter, vast feed pens, thorough
bred herds Of cattle on an irrigated |
farm and then Landa Park, most |
beautiful Of all the Landa creations. |
Upon completion Of the deal, Mr.. |
Landa relinquiEhes control Of the |
estate which will live as a tribute TO |
his life Of honorable endeavor, en-
bracing about 5000 acres. 1t fronts |
two miles on the Comal river and |
two on the Guadalupe, much Of |
which is within the city limits Of |
New Braunfels.
While the products Of the Landa |
factories have gained international |
recognition, it is thought that Landa |
Park is looked UPON by It's founder