Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-18
SHIFTING CHANNEL
OF THE RIO GRANDE
Gives Rise to Question Of Sow
ereignty Over Southern Section
OF City OF Ell PasO.
KNOWN AS CHAMlzAL ZONE.
United States Has Always Exercised
Jurisdiction over lt--NHlucd at
Several Million Dollars.

Washington, April 1.-THE shifting
channel of the Rio Grandc river i- Dee
sponsible for the present diplomatic
controversy over the question whether
the extreme southern section of tine clty
of El Paso. Texas. ON the Mexican
frontier. valued at several million doll
lars really belongs ON the MgNi.aU
side OF the boundary line
The land Involved, which Is know 30
as the ChamIZ3l zone. and over Whiun
the United States has alNaA exercised
jurisdiction. Is about mile and "a hdlf
long and hvc blocks wide Boo hes widest
part. 10 is mostly laid out iu city
blocks and contains "a large number of
homes owned and occupied principally
by Mcxicaus
El Paso had never considered the
Mexican claims seriously until the
meeting OF President Taft and PROSE
dent Diaz in Fl Pasl last year.. when
81 was agreed the disputed territory f1l
that particular occasion should boz tc-
garded as a neutral zone. THE citizens
Of Il PasO regarded this agreement 1e
Of the highest consequence, as 30 tend
cd to recognize that MoXicl might hay"
claim 90 the territory ANA steps 'm-
modlately were taken 10 secure dele
mite settlement Of the whole matter. as
volved were becoming seriously Affect
ed
citizens OF El Paso. including tho
mayor visited the state department
some weeks ago and urged Socy. Knox
% dispose 90 the question as soon "a.
possible. representing that delay had
already depressed the value of prop
orty lying within the zone.
Secy Knox gave assurances he would
take up the matter Immediately with
Mexico and hoped n conclusion might
b. reached within the next few weeks.
Tho treaty OF peace with Mexico
which followed the war of lNi6-4N, iu
fixing the boundary along the Texas
frontier. provided the channel ~ the
Rio Grande should be the boundary
line. but I'm supplementary boundary
conventions especially those ~
1884 and 1889. the fact Was recognized
that tho Rio Grande river was extreme
iv tickle and e was agreed In the event
NJ a change IN the course OF the river
by accrctiOn. the territory gained hF
either country should remain Too tho
country into which 10 had boon thrown
hut in the event Of a change by csolu-
ton the territory involved should re-
main tho property OF the country with
Nm whose borders n originally was
TN 90 n fow years ago Mexico seor1-
cd 10 have acdulesccd In the exercise
bv the United states ~ jurisdiction
over the territory now in dispute hut
az that time certain claimants 10 tn
land entered suit I'm tho federal cour,
20 determine fits status
Some time ago the Mexican govern
mont submitted proposition To the
washington authorities, IN effect 20
withdraw IL claim 20 the Chamlzal
strin n the United states would ced'
10 Mexico an island no tho Rio Grande
river 30 miles below vi Paso. known
as San Elizari0 island, containing
about 1900 acres. The United states,
however had strong reasons for 7c-
clining this offer and On turn. sub
nlitted counter proposition, the terms
Of which have not hccn made public.