El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-13

E6,+o- r, p Paso. Jan. IS.
While the editorial Of the 10Th in
slant does not suggest dispassionate
/ inquiry for facts and facts only. 7 have
no doubt that the great body Of your
/ readers do desire to know what ar
/ guments moved the committee appoint
/ ed at the chamber Of commerce meet
ing to recommend bond issue TO pro-
teet. the city ana valley from the in
roads Of the river.
They are likewise entitled TO know
what personal interest each member
OF the committee or signer Of the pc
tition has In the movement, and viii
therefore preface what 1 have to say
with the statement that nv sole per-
I sonar lneresr is an undivided one
IourIn interest in 25 IA acres of land
on the river, near the J. A. Barnes
place This land was bought for a home
and not Tor speculation cost me $500
an acre, is not subject TO overflow but
IS Tx ely 10 be washed away by the con-
SSSnlIy changing current OF the river.
Nttlolt wishing TO encroach upon your
valuable space with an advertisement,
OUT IN answer TO your question, I Will
sell II now or at any time within 80
days after the bond election and with
out regard TO the result OF the cleo
ton, al the price it cost me, plus 10
percent interest.
Excepting the foregoing I do not
own an acre Of land within a quarter
Of a mile Of the river at any point in
Ell PasO county
I VIII now enumerate some Of the
reasons which led one member OF the
committee to recommend a general
bond issue:
1. Year by year. for a number Of
years the Mexican government has had
a force of men at work leveeiEg the
Mexican bank Of the river and as a
result the river has cut steadily into
the American bank of the river, al
a h.
1sleta, and many hundreds Of acres OF
the finest farming land has been per-
manenty swept away by the river
CIhis land is not OverflOWed IL is de-
stroyed by the constant shifting Of the
river toward the American side)
2 see no reason to hope that the
United states government viii under
take to offset the work of the Mexican
government BY protecting our bani-
OF the river, but believe that if orr
government, federal state or county
should demonstrate its ability and
WILLINGNESS 20 match the work done
on the Mexican side, an aereer1sr,t
could be reached with the Mexican ~
thorities to make several short cuts IN
tne river peloW ~ Paso, similar to the
one BY which mayor MagOffin saved
this city after the flood of 1897 ShouId
such an agreement be reached the 800
OF shortening the river would be small
and all need of levee would be OH
waited need scarcely add that in srcb
event or in any event the commi ssior
ers court need dispose Of no more /
ponds than were actually needed
g. Last summer the rise of the river
was a serious menace TO the foundry 4
aud an tlat portion of the CITY east ~ I
- Aou4i.AiY ana south Of the county I
coad or Alameda avenue. The CITY en- 4
sineer states that a rise of one foor .
y Us lieI tnan Iast year would iuundate l
~ aeIes ~ tlat part Of the city. in /
Guiding several hundred homes. In sd- I
alton thereto it might injure or de
-lloy tho sewage dismissal 1Tnwr
he greater part of Washfnefor Dsrir
DO not think that any citizen who
ived through the great flood of 1897
an contemplate with indifference the
oss and suffering such a calamitv
would cause to hundreds of resi-
Tents Of the city.
4. On one occasion in former wears
he river broke through the county
'oad near Alfalfa. and for several DAYS
anal and the railroad Should the risa
u this year be as great as that of LAST
ear II is probable that the river viii