LAREDO, a city of southern Texas, U.S.A., on the Rio Grande, opposite Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; a port of entry and the county seat of Webb county. It is the southern terminus of the Meridian highway; is served by the Missouri Pacific, the Rio Grande and Eagle Pass, and the Texas Mexican railways, the National railways of Mexico, and motor-bus lines to Corpus Christi, Mission, San Antonio and Monterrey, Mexico. A motor highway to Mexico City is under construction, and a municipal air port is contemplated. The population in 1920 was 22,710 (52% Mexicans) and was 32,618 in 1930.
Two international bridges cross the river here, with customs, immigration and health offices of the respective Governments at either end. About 5o,000 immigrants enter the United States annually through this gateway, and it is estimated that ioo,000 other visitors come to the city. The climate is dry, with an average annual rainfall of 18.51 in., and the winter temperature rarely falls below 42° F. Laredo is the American trade centre nearest the large markets of Mexico. Over 5o% of the commerce across the Rio Grande passes through it, and the exports amount to about $40,000,000 annually. It is also an important shipping point for Bermuda onions, spinach and other winter and early spring vegetables (2,700 car-loads in recent years) to northern markets. Citrus fruits, figs, grapes, cotton, corn and alfalfa are other important crops of the region. There are 8,000 ac. of irri
gated land along the river, just above and below the city, and a project is under way for irrigating 65,000 ac. more.
High grade cannel coal is mined 28 m. N.W. of Laredo. Natural gas was discovered about 28 m. E. in 1908, and the production now is 4,000,000,00o cu.ft. daily. The first oil well came in on April 17, 1921. At the end of 1928 there were 613 producing wells, and the daily production now averages 20,000 barrels. Bricks and Spanish tile are important manufactures. There are also several plants making Mexican products, a petro leum refinery, a cotton seed oil mill and other industries. Ft. McIntosh, a U.S. military post, is just west of the city.
Laredo and Nuevo Laredo were originally one Mexican town, named after the seaport in Spain. The first settlement was made about 1751 by Capt. Tomas Sanchez, and in 1767 a city charter of liberal character was secured. The part on the left bank of the river was captured in 1846 by a force of Texas Rangers, occupied by U.S. troops under Gen. Lamar in 1847, and chartered as a city of Texas in 1852. It remained a quaint, somnolent adobe town until the first railroad reached it in 1881. After that, growth was rapid. By 188o the population was 11,319, and in the next 3o years it doubled. A new impetus was given by the discovery of oil in 1921.