The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1928-11-22
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: LETTERS OF THE PEOPLE =
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II Paso. Texas

f
Ell Paso, Texas,
November IL, 1928.
We have just had the pleasure of
spending two days with Mr.. and
Mrs. Theo. j. Thompson of San
Juan, Texas. Mrs. Thompson is a
sister of Mrs. Homer Johnson of
Finley.
The Thompsons visited at Finley
last spring and made many friends
there. 1t was through an urgent
invitation from Mr.. and Mrs.
Thompson that we decided to visit
the Rio Grande Valley.
Just a few words about "The
Magic Valley
Most of the citrus district lies
within two counties, viz; Cameron
and Hidalgo. Both of these counties
are very large. Brownvi1le is the
county seat of Cameron county and
Edinburg of Hidalgo Co.
A few years ago most of this
district was covered with scrubby
mesquit and cactus. Only a part of
the two counties is developed.
There are many hundreds of acres
set to citrus fruit mostly grape
fruit.
Not many trees are over seven
years old. However, there are a
few trees ten and eleven years old.
The soil is rich and deep. There
is also an abundance of cheap Mex
lean labor.
Citrus fruit here is of better
flavor than we find in California.
The grapefruit does not require
sugar and the oranges are sweet
also. One variety Of grapefruit is
pink inside. A few years ago at a
convention of visiting gentlemen,
the pink grapefruit. was served at
a banquet. The visitors would not
believe it the natural color and in
sisted that they had been colored
with wine.
At the present time the growers
are getting liz cents per pound
on the trees for grapefruit. Last
year one man who had few trees
eleven years old made gross re-
turn of $1,000 per acre.
AS to the climate, it is warm
most of the time and hot the rest
Of the time. The, temperature has
been known to be as high 100 de-
grees on Christmas Day. Occas-
ionally they have frost and one
winter several years ago the young
trees were frozen down.
This land is all under irrigation
by water pumped from the Rio
Grande river. In Hidalgo county
there is perhaps 400 miles of road
already built or under construc-
ton The school district in which
Edinburg is located, has very
fine set of school buildings all To-
Gated in one. group. Many nice
homes are to be found here. Heat
ing and cooking are done with ma
tural gas.
Yes, looking at the situation
from what I have just said, the
Rio Grande Valley is a wonderful
place to live and take life easy.
Let US look now at the other
side of the picture. One needs cap
ital to start in this country. The
idea of buying high-priced, unde-
veloped land, and then set it to
trees and wait four years for a
return is uphill business for the
man without capital.
Hidalgo county is bonded for
ninety millions and taxes are pref
ty high. The present set of officers
have been in office for sixteen
years. That is none too long for
honest officials. These were men
of very ordinary circumstances
when they first took office. I was
told that most of them are now
rated as millionaires. From my
personal observations in the short
time / was there / believe the
sheriff of the county is a multi
millionaire. The entire ring is max
ing desperate fight to retain
their present county offices. One
would wonder why man worth
so much money and so much in
come would want to bother with
a bounty office.
They have been able to hold Of
flee by means of the Mexican vote
In a former letter, mentioned