Hide Article Text (OCR)
Mrs. J. C. Crosset Re«b Struggling Days 'of . Early Hardships is CMis HereBy Mrs. J. C. CBO88ETT (A paper read last week before the Clio Improvement Club of the Briggs Coleman Tract.!lecture a semi-arld wilderness. when the mesquite. ebony and chapernl are at anted and gnarled; where the cacti are In their element amUt times, am covered with red and yellow blossoms of the brightest hue; where the leopard cats, coyotes and ratlesnakee roam at will: where the mocking birds, cardinals and orioles build their nests unmolested. and yon hare the setting of Harlingen before the railroad came through In 1004.Harlingen was 2D years old July 4. 1084. It was named for the birthplace of the mother-in-law of one of Harlingen’s founders. Col. Uriah Lott, that place being Harlingen Holland; and according to postal guides, that place and Harlingen, Texas, am the only two so named places In the world.Harlingen Is only twenty-five mi lee north of the soutbennost city In the United States, Brownsville being the extreme city. The first depot was a box car: the first store building was built by James Lockhart and contained the post office and a stock of grocer lea—this building is now locataed on Commerce street and If used as a blacksmith shop.mentum as the ye*!» speed by, who will prophesy what the next five or ten years may bring forth?The population of Harlingen. January 1* 120S, waa 8386; It lacked only fourteen of doubling since 1930. The total enrollment of tbs schools la 1S2D was 429; tt has toci nearly three hundred per cent The taxable valuation of the city is $2,110,000; the hank deposit* totfcl about $1,000,000; the electric light and water plant, owned by the city^ are valued at approximately $1294100. There are fifty miles of paved, and graded streets.With a five-story building with an elevator, the completion of the Baptist hospital, the addition of wholesale houses, a splendid fire department, a mortuary with ambulanea ami pul-motor—Harlingen is a real dty. New brick buildings are becoming so com they are scarcelyAt one time this spring them were more than fifty resited. Our Chamber of Conntm Is J always 'on the Job,'’ snd the City Coua- lt;cil has appointed sixteen men who now 4 are at work on a new dty charter, j J City mail delivery is promised by July jlt; 1. There is to be a $220,000 bond elec- j tlon held June 18; if it carries they lt;will pave more streets, extend the sew- lt;The railroad company built the first I t r system, improve the parks, put in jhotel, which was managed by Mrs. Ogeu: the hotel was later sold to Mr. 8. C. More, the present owner whoenlarged it.To Mr. Lon C. Hill, Sr.. is given the redlt of conceiving the Idea of irrigating this fertile soil and thereby producing the garden qpot of the world. This irrigation system was built in 1007. and the first water was brought the Aroyo Colorado March 23, 1?WW. Mr. John D. Hill, who resides here now. was the first manager and one of the best we ever had. There are 43,000 acres in tne district now; 23.000 acres of wihch are in cultivation ear.TheiAlteration plants, build a city hall, etc., all needed to keep pace with the growing dty.One of the important attainments in the progress of Harlingen is the library, sponsor by the 8tudy Club. Although young and small, it is grow-iug, and promises much. It is located in the rear of Roberts* Jewelry Store.IF—what a big little word, and so ill-mannered—If it were always summertime in Minnesota, if there were no snow banks or blizzards, no coal bills nor chilblains, we probably would still be there. And had we known the trials and hardships weere no automobiles here in , were to experience in Texas the firstthose days, though there were several filling stations.W. H. and J. X. Kilgore, real estate men. took their lioiiicslt;»ekers around in a back drawn by a team of mules, or if it was muddy, in a wagon drawn by four mules. The first tract of land they put on the market was the David and Stephenson Tract, of which Mr. Crossctt purchased forty acres in April 1000. This tract is so near town you do not hear much about the community spirit as the people attend church, school and social activities in town.We arrived in Harlingen November 5 1900. bringing with ns from Minnesota. the first good driving team and top buggy in the Harlingen district.There were two brick buildings here at that time-the Hill building, which contained the bank and Botts and Chambers groceifr store. The little red brick building which still stands Ha risen boulevard, waa also a grocery store. A small building stood about where the Valley Bank now is. and was used as a home for the rangers. When a Mexican got drunk, or the rangers thought he needed punishment. he was chained to a porch post, like some wild animal. 8. Lozano hadgeneral store in a small frame building on the site now occupied by bis brick building. Th** South Texas Lumber company’s yards occupied the talance of that block fronting on Jack-H. Weller owned several frame buildings across the railroad track. E. L. Fender brought his bride to Harlingen that winter, and purchased a stock of general merchan-illse bs-ntacd in the building now occupied by Mr. Van Amdert. There wore *tt few people here It took a long time to dispose of a car of groi-ories, so the natural consequences followed —wormy flour, musty graham, bitter cprn meal, wormy raisins and other meats and yeast that would not rise; but. there wore some'eom|eiisations— occasionally a car of bananas was brought here, and we could get large bunch for 7$c or a dollar.The firt lt;hurcb was built by the Adventists—their minister doing most of the construction work: liefore completion a storm partially wrecked the building killing him and injuring his wife. Ijiter the Christians purchased the building which they are now using. The only church building in use. when we came, was a square box “tabernacle”—the Baptist pastor called It. It was built by the Baptists, but we had union 8unday School every Sunday. One Sunday in the month the Baptist minister. Rev. Petty, of flan Benito, preached; the next Sunday the Methodist minister. Rev. Pyle, of San Benito: and the third Sunday the Quaker preacher. Rev. John T. Suavely occupied the pulpit. The next year the Methodist church was built, and we had a regular service after that. A few years later the Presbyterian church was built: and the present Baptist church in 1917, I believe. There are eight church buildings here now, and twelve church organisations.There were three frame store buildings on the south aide of main street; the Letaerich Bros, drug store occupied one; the first public uchool in Harlingen waa npetarls In one of these buildings.During the trouble with Mexico, the O. 8. latently and Caralrjr were *ta-tetooed In Harlingen, mime 70a hare Men ramp, of this hiad. yam hare no Mea of the detail at wteet provided ter the eoldiere nor the expsaae at It Iterlac the sonuner of 1915, whea the Mexican handitt thought they canid ftrol the Taued States. the achoolfew years, we probably would still l»e in Minnesota; but there are two sides the ledger—a credit and a debit— and today I can truthfully say I am glad my home is in the Rio Grande Valley, and in the choicest section of that Valley—Harlingen.Dual Life of Local Business Man Shown By Detective Tale*By day an alert and business like young treasurer-salecman for a local wholesale house; by night a prowler among the crooks and cutthroats of the underworld. That in brief is the story of the dual life of Richard H. Hart, which was brought to the attention of Harlingen people this week.Hart came here a title over a year ago from Houston by way of Bugar-land, where he held the position of credit manager for the Imperial Sugar companny. With him were his wife and two babies. He became associated with D. R. McNamara in the organizing of the Valley Sundries Company, and as a result of his pleasing ways 11 ud strict attention to business, quickly won many friends and customers for himself and firm.Apparently, however, Hart has labored for the Valley Sundries Companny mainly in the daylight hours. Even bis more intimate friends little sus pcried that Lis nights were given over to dark conspiracies with thugs, pickpockets. rot»lers, kidnappers and even murderers.Evidence of this came to light when the June issue of Real Detective Tales appeared on the local news stands carrying numbcr 12 of his “Exploits of a French Detective,” together with snappy biographical sketch and balf-touc cut which eveu Hart admits hears him some resemblance, with the result that his friends and neighbors lt;are non- finding in the magazine a key to his heretofore unsuspected phase.Most of Hart's tales deal with the experiences of a certain M. Perrin, a member of the French police department in solving unusual crimes. Hart apparently learend Ida Paris thoroughly-during the time he was overseas with the American anuy. as his stories are rich in local color and in what is declared to be trim Parisian atmos- Statea, the schoolheosee aad churches were left ones ea that people froa the eouatry Bight8»ithere to tpead the sipht If'they so dalred. The soldiers did aot uader-The soldier,____stead Mexicans aor haadU wartexa;Mi after Gaptala Baaaoae aad (Mtha tea pin arrived a fief was mappf. «h apea the Mexicaa d.prelrlliarCounty to Establish Stations to Enforce New Auto Light Lawof the county court u» considering the establishment of between 12 and 24 statkms in the county where automobile headlights may be tested in accordance with the recentstate law requiring certain ndjuft ments and which beebecomes effective in8eptember.Dick Normnnd. Inspector of the bend-light department of the statet highway Commission was In the bounty lUWt ly conferring with County Judge Ot OL Dancy and explaining the neceealty for the establishment of testing stations. He recommended at least fifteen ef such stations.The charge for Inspection will beMe per car. Under the law each owndr when applying for license will hasI ha noVjSto sabBlt a certificate aot aotp-t 9U dayi old showiac that lights «t car hare bees Inspected aad Ml at the proper aftk. Aflet that U will be op to the Mm or on« tp keep operty adjusted. *Danat declares.ttate wffi he Me red tape maaerted with the fatabllalfant of the Matteas bof that JIB cafty te ftpartec to'Stlljht law a highly daalrahlt ewa. tea-!
Newspaper Details
Harlingen Star
Harlingen, Texas, US
Fri, May 29, 1925
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 16 Jul 2024
Other Publications Near Harlingen, Texas
Valley Morning Star
Harlingen Star
Harlingen Valley Sunday Star Monitor Herald
Harlingen Rio Grande Farmer
Harlingen Valley Weekly Star
