Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-04-12
SHIP CHANNEL
TO BROWNSVILLE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TAKES
UP PROJECT ACTIVELY.
Secretary Whitney Submits Plan for
Water Transportation Which Will
Build Up Interests of Entire Val
ley-Will be Pushed at Once.

Build Up Interests of Entire Val
ley-Will be Pushed at Once.
The matter of a ship channel to
Brownsville was brought to a first
working basis Tuesday afternoon,
when Secretary Whitney Of the
Chamber of Commerce Introduced
before the board of directors of that
body plan to build the channel.
The proposal of Mr. Whitney, which
IS to form a corporation with a cap
ital Of 100000 for the preliminary
work of making such examinations
and survey as may be necessary TO
the selection of the most ad7antag-
eous route. Mr. Whitney's propo-
sition was discussed at length and
was approved by the directors, and
Mr.. Whitney was instructed to draft
a resolution fully endorsing the pro-
ject.
Since his coming to Brownsville,
Mr.. Whitney has studied this propo-
sition carefully, and is convinced
it can be accomplished, and he feels
that it is vital to the whole interest
Of the Lower Rio Grande Valley that
a determined effort in behalf Of The
project be made now.
In support of his contention, Mr..
Whitney has prepared a Very inter
esting paper entitled, Water Trans
portation and a Greater Browns
ville.'
Secretary Whitney's article fol-
lows:
Water Transportation and Greater
Brownsvillee.
Faith without works is worth
less" You may claim faith great
enough to move mountains, but if
you do not back your faith by start
ing the work of construction you
will never move so much as an ant
hill
Your unbounded faith in the
richness Of your farms, the merits
Of your Individual business-let it
be of whatever nature you are most
inclined and fitted-will profit you
nothing unless you back your faith
by action. Time is money, and con-
sequently the loss begins now, and
accumulates until it is beyond the
comprehension of ordinary, mortals
1t wLs faith and work that pushed
the construction of the St. Lotus,
Brownsville & Mexico Railway over
that vast sand area-that fs~now a
part of Willacy county-into the
fertile valleys of the Rio Grande ;
and ever since the advent Of that
railway ii has been faith and works
that has brought about the evolution
of a country which is now attracting
thousands of people to its lands,
cities and towns. So it will be faith
and works that will construct a
ship channel from Brownsville to
the open Gulf Begin this con-
struction now by preparing for the
actual worg and you have laid the
foundation for a Greater Browns
vile.
When you take into consideration
the real necessity for water trans
portation it becomes without argu-
ment factor in the upbuilding OF
the whole Rio Grande Valley.
The present established inter
national connection with Mexico at
Brownsville, the building Of line
down the coast to Tampico, thence
to Mexico City: the further building
of railroad from Laredo to Browns
vile, starts a converging of rail
roads towards Brownsville that viii
open a water gateway to the world
through which can be handled the
enormous tonnage originating not
only on the American side but or
the Mexican
Tonnage naturally seeks delivery
through lines Of least resistance
consequently who can judge to it,
fullest extent the value of a chan.
mel from Brownsville to the Gulf.
From the Atlantic Ocean TO tn,
Rio Grande river railroads are nov
spending enormous sums to reacl
water outlets that give connection.
with the world Ports are being en-
larged to accommodate them, and tn,
United States government when /
Is shown the necessity Of an outle
never hesitdtes ito Join with the
people who have established tn,
fact OF the necessity. Houston pre-
sents a most concrete example, ant
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