Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-08

F. E. Scobey OF San Antonio,
known To pioneers OF the Mercedes
4 community as Ed" Scobey is dead.
and how many ~ residing in the
Valley know that Ed" Scobey was
. pioneer or the pioneers OF the
Lower Rio Grande Valley2
Coming from Ohio 10 the Mer-
cedes section in 1907. when that
thriving city was hardly a wide
space in the road, Ed Scobey
placed In cultivation the first land
on the canal system of the Ameri-
can Rio Grande Land g. Irrigation
Company, in partnership with Roy
Campbell. now collector Of customs
at San Antonio, and a man named
Lawrence for whom Lawrence Spur
just east OF Mercedes was named.
The Scobey interests placed 225
acres in cultivation and for a num-
Der OF years did an ever increasing
truck farming and shipping bust
ness. Mr.. Scobey was also heavily
interested in Valley real estate. and
we understand retained some Of his
interests here up to the time Of his
death.
Leaving Mercedes in 1918, ne
moved TO San Antonio. became in
terested and influential In the Giro
les OF the republican party and was
director Of the mint under the late
President Warren G.. Harding, with
whom he maintained a warm per-
sonal friendship.
OF that band OF pioneers who
helped 70 build the city Of Mer-
eedes along with MI. Scobey. there
are but five now living in the city
they helped to make.
Judge s. p. Silver, banker and
Y capitalist, still maintains his home
there. next door neighbor 10 @. x.
Watson, retired head of the Rio
Grande Hardware & Machinery
Company.
And stilI In Mercedes is w. F.
Shaw. whose orchard Is one OF the
show places Of the Valley. and who
served for so many years as chief
engineer OF the American Company,
helping 10 operate the canal sys-
TEN he helped to construct.
II. Z. Bennett, another civil en-
gineer, who helped TO draw the
lines which made a city and a
farming community out Of the Wild
erness, is another. as Il DR.. K. II.
Kasey. present mayor Of the Queen
City. although the doctor deserted
Mercedes for Houston for a time.
Just "a years. a short space OF
time In the life OF the average COM
munity. and yet. in one of u old
est Valley cities. only five men and
their families whose home has been
that city for that length Of time.
A circumstance which in itself ex-
plains the Valley-explains the
eagerneSs with which the Valley
grasps its problems-explains the
impotence the Valley feels at delay
explains the progreSsiveness Of the
Valley schools-explains the system
OF public improvements by counties
and municipalities.
Those OF our pioneers who have
stuck il out for these twenty five
years are bound to have had the
spirit Of youth and progress, or they
would not have stayed to see the
york they started through. And
aving that spirit. by their works
dey have attracted their like TO
Help them finish the job
10 Is hard for us all 10 realize
how really young this Valley is in
actual years. and only when one Of
our pioneers pSSeS on and We
count back the years TO the time
when he came 70 this section, do
we understand that the Valley has
not yet passed the stage OF adol-
essence?
"A husky youth-yes. we admit it.
but still a youth whose strength lies
in the future. not-praise be-in the
glory Of the past. A youth with the
world left TO conquer. and with de-
termination to conquer youth
with ideals, with vision.
Ready 70 fight-ready TO play
a youth calling to youth, whether in
n sixties or in the twentieS, TO
come and Join in the work and
play OF the future, leaving behind
those communities whose proudest
hnasf AZ NJ the mast