The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1907-09-26
TURN RIVER INTO
OLD CHANNEL
Is the Demand Made by Judge
Lock Mcdaniel.
American Rio Grande Land and irrigation
Company Wishes to Accede to Any
Reasonable Demand that In
iured May Make.

American Rio Grande Land and
Irrigation company, demanding
that this concern restore the Rio
Grande to its former condition by
replacing the banks of the stream
at the point where a canal was dug
by the irrigation company for the
purpose of diverting water fol
irrigation purposes says the Hous.
ton Post.
The demands, which are il
writing have been forwarded &c
Judge Duval West of San Antonio,
attorney for the irrigation com
pany, and further action in the
matter will await an answer from
him.
Judge Mcdaniel in his demands
makes known to the company the
fact that treaty now exists be-
tween the United States and Mex
leo, in which it is especially pro-
vided that neither government
shall divert the waters of the Rio
Grande or allowethen TO be divert
ed by its citizens. With this pro
vision violated, as it has been, the
United States has been placed IN
an awkward and unpleasant light
before its sister republic and, &C
cording to the demands, this gov
eminent now feels that it is moral
" obligated to have the stream
restored and in order to do this
the United States, if necessary, will
force the irrigation company to
place the river in its former condi
ton or else suffer the consequent
ces.
The irrigation company has
made known to the government
officials it desires to peacefully set
tie this controversy and avoid if
possible the legal proceedings IN
the court, but this government is
in no position to say that the mat
ter can be settled until Mexico IS
satisfied.
The complaint regarding the
diversion of the waters of the
boundary between this country
and Mexico came from the Next
can government, and to settle the
controversy now it would be neces-
sary to first satisfy the Mexican
government and the laud owners
in Mexico adjoining that portion
of the river which has been left a
stagnant pool of water by reason
of the canal dug by the irrigation
company.
The American, Rio Grande Land
and Irrigation company, as has
been stated before. is a St. Louis
concern. in which 3. F. Yoakum
and many other prominent men of
finances are interested. The com
pany owns in the vicinity of
Brownsville on the St. Louis,
Brownsville and Mexico railroad
more than 100000 acres Of land
and the irrigation system which is
now being installed will be sup
piled with water from the Rio
GraHde. It will have a capacity
for watering more than 10000
acres of land and when completed
will be the largest irrigation sys-
tenn in the world. It's pumping
plant, located on the banks of the
Rio Grande on the edge of Hidalgo
county. is of the very best con-
struction, being built Of concrete
and reinforced with steel. The
machinery that has been installed
has capacity Of pumping water
from the river at the rate of 200,
900 gallons per second.
The canal, which was dug by
this irrigation company, over
which this controversy has COM
menced, connects two bands of the
Rio Grande and Strengthens the
stream. When first dug this canal
was only few yards in width, but
the water has cut the banks away
until is now more than 400 feet