Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-27
IRRIGATION COMPANY
DIvERTS RIO GRANDE
Suit to Be Brought by United States
Government Against American
Land and Irrigation
Company

Ell PAsO, Aug. 26.-Proceedings in
equity will shortly be instituted in the
United States court in Houston by the
federal government against the American
Rio Grande Land and Irrigation company
to compel this company to replace the
banks of the Rio Grande and prevent the
diversion of water from this stream for
irrigation purposes.
/ The American Rio Grande Land and
Irrigation company operates an irriga-
ton system about twenty-five miles north
of Brownsville, and the diversion of water
from the Rio Grande. 1t is alleged. has
really changed the course of the stream
and placed a considerable portion OF
American territory on the west side OF
the stream.
Engineer Follet of the international
water boundary commission stated that
the matter was before the commission,
and he was not at liberty to give any
details of the contentious on both sides.
The papers in this matter have been
forwarded to District Attorney Lock Nc
Daniel Of the Houston district by the
department of justice with instructions
to proceed at the earliest possible time
against the irrigation company.
+ The real complaint in this controversy
comes from the Mexican government
That country claims that certain pro-
visions in the treaty existing between
Mexico and the United States have
been violated by reason of certain
changes made in the course of the Rio
Grande by the irrigation company.
The American Rio Grande Land and
Irrigation company is a corporation con-
trolled by st. Louis syndicate, 1t owns
very large irrigating plant. the water
for which is pumped from the Rio
Grande It's plant Is situated near the
Rio Grande and water for irrigation pur-
poses is furnished for miles around in
that vicinity.
Treaty Is Involved
Not only is the treaty between this
country and Mexico involved but hun
dreds of acres of Texas soil will be-
come Mexican land in the event the
United States government is not success
full In it's suit 1t is anticipated by Judge
Mcdaniel that the proceedings will be
of more than usual interest.
The Rio Grande at a point where the
pumping plant of the irrigation company
is located has several large bends in 1t
and it is stated that the irrigation COM
pany, shortly after installing its plant,
without permission from either govern
ment dug a canal twenty feet in width
bends of the river for the purpose OF
strengthening it out and making the
water flow with more velocity.
!. This canal since its construction has
widened from twenty feet to nearly 200.
and it has naturally diverted the regular
course of the river, causing the water in
the bends to become standing and stag
nant. and at times the bends are partial-
ly dry. The Mexican people residing in
the vicinity of the bends, which are
miles in length, complained to their gov
ernment of the condition of the stream.
An investigation was begun by the Mex
lean authorities, resulting In the discov-
cry that the canal dug by the American
irrigation company had caused the
trouble.
Texas Land In Mexico
The matter was taken up with the
limited states authorities at Washing
ton and engineers and other officials
were sent to the Rio Grande border dis
trict to investigate the Mexican COM
plant.
They discovered that the course of the
river, which is the boundary line of the
two countries had been changed suffi-
GENTLY to leave large portion of Texas
land on the Mexican side.
The treaty that exists between the Unit
ed States and Mexico says that the Rio
Grande at all times shall be the dividing
line between the two countries. The por-
tion of the treaty which Mexico claims
that this government has violated is
article 8, which says that no artificial
change of any character, either by the
cutting OF waterways to shorten the
stream or otherwise. shall be made in
the course of the Rio Grande.