, 1934-12-30

this section Of the Valley TO a sea-
port by the end OF 1885.
2. Discovery OF an OIL field in
western Hidalgo county.
BY the end Of 1894 more than 20
wells are producing oil in the Sam
fordyce field In southwestern Hi
dalgo county. The drilling Of more
wells may be expected to continue
during the year, and an oil field
Of Importance Is rapidly being de-
veloped in the Valley after 20 years
OF intermittent. and four years Of
steady validating.
Location OF refinerles, oil well
machinery plants. and other ad-
juncts to an oil field will natural
" follow. The new Hidalgo field
has held the spotlight OF attention
in the state recently.
Proration Of Citrus
8. Proration OF the valleys citrus
fruit.
The Valley citrus industry. in
GLIDING both growers and shippers.
decided 70 put into effect restric-
tion OF movement by holding back
the poorer grades of fruit. The pro-
ration introduced during the year
Is expected to be lasting in certain
forms. and to be the first step in
orderly and systematized marketing
that will bring better prices for the
fruit
Z. Farm organization.
During the winter and spring Of
1884 farmers Of he Valley band
ed together and carried out the
first successful attempt az reStric-
ton Of shipments in order TO bols-
ter prices. A permanent farm or
~ganization. resulted. and promises
70 make its influence felt IL the
Valleys affairs in the future.
5. The beginning Of real flood
control.
During the year Just closing
Uncle sam took over the Valleys
flood control problem and has spent
close TO S2.00U.O0O N putting the
flood control works IN shape to
actually Withstand a flood. The re-
suit is that now the flood works
for the first time are in condition
so that they will hold flood waters
OF the Rio Grande off Valley farm
lands.
The government contemplates
considerable additional work, and
at the present Is preparing 10 seek
100000 more TO carry on.
s.. The defeat OF Senator Archer
Parr.
The end OF the long reign OF SEN
ator Archer Parr Is listed among
The ten major events OF the year In
the Valley primarily because it sig
nalizes the end Of an era, and the
beginning OF another.
Senator Parr. who had during his
career passed many bills that aid
ed the Lower Rio Grande Valley
met defeat largely because in the
minds OF Valley people he was res
ponslble Tor defeat OF the move 70
pave a highway through Kennedy
county. The fight for this paving
Is expected to be renewed when his
successful opponent. Ranchmar Jim
Neal OF Webb county. takes office.
Recovery Begins
7.-Beginning OF recovery.
The first significant increase In
bank deposits in the Valley since
the depression was revealed in the
October, 1884, figures.
IL marked the turning OF the
tide. And the fact that the tide has
turned vas revealed IT, the fact
that merchants in the Valley in al
most every instance reported the
1884 Christmas business the best
since ls29-the beginning Of better
business after four lean years.
8. Refunding OF irrigation district
bonds.
Refunding programs In which the
r F. c. is lending money in the
aggregate OF about Sl0.000.000 10
Valley irrigation districts TO refund
about 100000 O in bonds have
been worked out during 1884. IN
spite OF a recent federal court de-
cision holding the e bankruptcy
law unconstitutional insofar as
such an irrigation district is con-
cerned. the Irrigation districts ex-
pect to be able tc carry through the
program which they have mapped.
and in which they have been given
the help OF Congressman Milton II.
West.
9. Pan Americans new equipment
new airlines.
Events or the year helped greatly
70 emphasize the position of
Brownsville as the aerial gateway
linking the United States and Latin
America.
Pan American Airways put into
service the new giant Douglas Air
liners. which link Brownsville and
Panama in the span Of one days
sun.
And at the same time two new
airunes TO the north opened-Long
a. Hartman succeeding the American
Anyways which left when 1t lost
It's airmail contract; and Bowen
AirlineS.
10. The 5ankhead act fight.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley
had planted its cotton before the
Bankhead act was made law. When
the cotton crop matured IL was
found that the Valley would have
10 pay about 100000 in tax, more
than half OF which would fall on
Willacy county.
The Valley made vigorous and
continued protest, asking for spe-
cial consideration and exemption,
bur TO no avail. The tax was paid.
The fight is listed among the
major events OF The year largely for
its significance in helping 70 grad
ually cut down cotton a. the VAL
ley's major crop in favor Of vege-
tables and cltruS-a rove that has
hnrr -ni-r ~. far rnarN