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Wadsworth has got a move on.
The town is only about eighteen months old, but is a hummer.
There are two grocery stores, a drug store, a dry goods store, lumber company, soft drink and confectionery, hotel, grain and feed store, and an up-to-date four-stand gin nearly completed. A warehouse is assured as well as a bank, and a newspaper almost.
It has not nearly 500 population, with new additions almost daily.
Barnes, the land man, doesn't think a day begins right if he doesn't sell a lot or two before breakfast.
The town has a spacious and very substantially built two-story building used by the Catholics for church and school and by the town as an auditorium. Then the protestants have recently constructed a temporary tabernacle for religious services and public school and for public meetings when desired. Then, the school district recently voted bonds to erect a modern public free school building of brick.
Isn't that going some for a two-year-old?
But that is not all. The chief pride and power of Wadsworth is its Commercial Club and Farmers' Institute, an organization combining two and the way the two work together for the welfare of Wadsworth is an inspiration. The farmers vie with the merchants in boosting the town and country, not that they ever expect to sell their land, but upon the principle that more neighbors secures more public conveniences, and more good neighbors conduce to a higher citizenship.
Ye editor accepted an invitation to join a Matagorda delegation to attend a Club Institute meeting at Wadsworth Tuesday night. In the party were Messrs. A. B. Lorino, Goodwin Sterne, G. B. Culver and W. E. McNabb. Only 30 minutes over a fair road, the ten miles proving just a nice ride. Many new houses were noticeable in town and out on the prairie surrounding. About dusk men began driving in and stopping at the postoffice for their mail, and so many driving good horses, and looking so thrifty a stranger asked and was informed "they are farmers and their wives coming in to the club meeting,"--and they were many.
Arriving at the Catholic building, the first thing attracting attention on entering was the mottos on banners, and pennants hanging overhead, such as and including the following: "Charity," "Goodness," "Love the Lord," "Wisdom," and "Modesty," which seemed to impress one with the spirit of brotherly love behind and beneath the structure.
President Seerden called the meeting to order, and Secretary Barnes was at his desk and read the proceedings of the last (which was the first) meeting, about as published in the NEWS. The President stated the purposes of the organization and especially their need of a warehouse, bank, etc., and the prospect f securing those necessary adjuncts to a live town. The president then called upon and had short speeches from Messrs. Sterne, Culver and Gilbert of Matagorda, and Messrs. Hybarger and Baker of Bay City, on bank, value of the canal to Wadsworth, warehouse, newspaper, etc. On motion of Mr. John Otis, the warehouse and newspaper matters were referred to committees as follows:
Warehouse--J. R. Wittaker, John Otis and Frank Butter. Newspaper--J. A. Barnes and A. B. Lorino
The matter of the bank was pretty well settled in Mr. Sterne's statement that he and his associates had secured a corner lot and would put up a creditable building, contingent only upon some of the business men and farmers cooperating with them in the bank organization, which is assured.
Mr. Hybarger, who represented Judge Gaines of Bay City, said Judge Gaines and his associates would build the warehouse, but rice farmers said they wanted some of the stock to insure it as a Wadsworth enterprise, and a meeting of rice farmers was called for next day to co-operate with Judge Gaines. They are in dead earnest. Fifteen farmers stood up and agreed to be at the meeting.
The Matagorda-Wadsworth good-roads-bond-election petition was passed around and some who had not already signed it, did so. It is now ready for presentation to the court.
The acreage in rice this year about Wadsworth is 10 to 15 per cent more than last year while the acreage in corn and cotton is 30 to 35 per cent increased. While there is more attention given to truck crops than last, those crops do not yet play in Wadsworth's development that they will in the next few years. The soil is fertile and the sandy soil is especially well adapted to the growth of all vegetables, but the farmers about Wadsworth are nearly all from the north and slow to rush into new fields, but they are sure.
Barnes, the lightning land agent, meets trains and sells lots to passengers at the five minute stops. The NEWS man saw him sell three to F. W. Billingsly.
Buford, the water boss of the Gravity Canal says "the overflow from the canal near Farmer Wood's place was not the deluge reported. Only 2 or 3 acres run over. "I believe if somebody was to spill three buckets of water near the canal, someone would report to the boss that the country was flooded, before three hours by the fastest watch in the county," he said. Wadsworth has a park spot in the center of the town, about three blocks east of the depot. It will be plowed up this summer laid off and this fall planted in shade trees, flower beds and lawns. Capt. Barnes says; "It will be done or we will all be dead."
Matagorda News and Midcoast Farmer, July 4, 1913 |
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Copyright 2007 -
Present by Carol Sue Gibbs |
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| Created May 1, 2007 |
Updated May 1, 2007 |