320 THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



for the land was one hundred dollars per acre, which had cost the 

 company one dollar and fifty cents and the expense of labor in clear- 

 ing and grading. Grape vines were brought from California and sold 

 to the new occupiers. The two years following were wet seasons, so 

 the quantity of water doled out to the farmers at a nigh price sufficed 

 in a measure; however; some were dissatisfied and determined to have 

 each his own supply from the river. To do this most of them had to 

 borrow money to put up pumps and power. Here they made the 

 mistake so often made by beginners, viz. : putting up apparatus far 

 too small for their requirements. This had to be remedied and new 

 machinery erected. To make this change they had again to apply to 

 the bankers for loans, so that their properties became loaded with 

 debt from which they never recovered. They found difficulty in dis- 

 posing of the produce of their farms at profitable prices, so now not 

 one of the original farmers is to be found on this property, though 

 for the first two years the vines produced excellent crops and looked 

 flourishing; in fact when coming into Laredo from the north one 

 would be reminded of a Calif ornian vineyard, but in a short time this 

 ended with the result as stated, 



Owing to this failure irrigation was discredited in this district. 

 Fortunately, however, the home farm of the chief promoter had been 

 kept watered and was bought by a farmer who understood his busi- 

 ness and who may be called a pioneer, as far as profitable irrigation 

 is concerned in this locality. He brought the place again into good 

 condition; later several of the other farms were ^bought on favorable 

 terms by parties who know how to work them, and now everything 

 looks green within their fences, whilst all around is parched and 

 barren. 



On the south side of the city there were started several indepen- 

 dent irrigation farms, none of which remain in order except one 

 owned by a city merchant of ample means; his farm is in a flourish- 

 ing condition today and he derives from it both pleasure and profit. 



At an earlier date about sixty miles south along the river was 

 established a large irrigation farm, the only one well designed of the 

 original group. Here were grown grapes equal to those of European 

 hothouses, but this farm also has been abandoned; it was too far 

 from railway or market and the owner found more profit in other 

 pursuits. 



I have only one more farm of the older ones to refer to; it is situ- 

 ated twelve miles from this town and was established by an Illinois 

 man, young, active and intelligent. He bought five thousand acres of 

 land touching on the Rio Grande; grubbed and graded about one 

 hundred acres, erected steam engine and centrifugal pump, all of 

 good make. Everything he planted grew well, but he was seized 



