Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-03-19
THE PEOPLES COLUMN.
* X X X * * X * x * x
COOPERATION ABSOLUTELY
NECESSA

1t would have received no notice by the
present writer but for a statement
which / can not let pass unchallenged.
Among other things, the writer of that
article says:-"We have Mr.. Hallam adj
vocating the IntercOastal Canal, with a
branch from Laguna Vista to Browns.
Vile"
Now, / do not object to having any
proposition of mine criticised, when the
critic confines himself to a proper rep
resentation of my positions, but | do OBJ
iect to having them misrepresented.
NV positions lave been given to the
public in the press and | challenge any
man to find word, sentence or even hint
i'm all that / have written or spoken on
that subject, that could in any way be
twisted or construed to favor a channel
of any kind from Laguna Vista to
Brownsville. Every article written
or speech made by me on that
subject has advocated two things, VIZ,
the securing Of a deep water harbor at
Brazos Santiago, and a channel connec-
ting that harbor with Brownsville by the
route that the engineer shall determine
TO be most feasible. When our Browns
vile waterways association was organ
lied these two objects were set forth in
its constitution as the purpose Of the
organization. To this end two committees
were appointed, having been provided
for in the constitution, viz, the Brazos
Santiago deep water committee with Mr..
Cobolini as its chairman, and the
Brownsville ship channel committee
with s. G. Tucker as its chairman.
The Board Of Directors in their wis
dom. saw fit to use the means at their
disposal for pushing the work of the
first, and the good work done by that
committee is well known to all Ill the
presentation made by Mr.. CobOlini, be
fore the L. s. Board Of Engineers at
Washington. But the second object rep
resented by Mr.. fuckers committee was
always held as the ultimate object to be
accomplished. Mr.. CObolini and myself
have worked most tremendously al all
times for the accomplishment of both
these purposes. There has been no lack
of harmony here.
The writer of the article referred to
was present at and took a prominent part
in the organization Of the BROWNSVILLE
WATERWAYS Association and made no OBJ
lection to the constitution when it was
adopted setting forth these purposes.
For some reason unknown to the writer.
he never gave it any support after It's
organization.
Later, he has been prominent as one
OF the promoters Of another ship channel
project to be built by and under the con
troll of a private corporation. This IS SO
entirely foreign to the purpose of the
Brownsville Waterways Association,
which has received the endorse
ment and support Of our most
nromincnt citizens - our critic ex-
cepted - that if there is any lack of
cooperation. those who ~inaugurated this
private enterprise must he held resPoh-
sible for it. To show that this contention
is correct, | quote the language OF the
second article of the constitution OF the
WATERWAYS Association 1.-THE purposes
of this Association shall be o. TO Sc
cure deep water at BrazOs Santiago
Pass and a harbor for ocean going YES
SPlS, III 10 secure NdlCI hdhHDoI'"'ioH
and a water freight rate to Brownsville,
and 81 as a means thereto the creation
of a Navigation District in accordance
with the State law, for the purpose OF
dredging a channel from the Brazos
Pass through the Laguna Madre and
thence on the most direct line practicable
To the CITY Of Brownsville of such depth
and size as to accommodate any VeSscl
than can cross the bar at the pass.
II will be seen from this, that the Snip
channel advocated by me, and no one VIII
question the fact that | was the first 10
advocate such a channel, was not TO come
from Laguna Vista but from BrazoS san
tiago Pass: that it was to come on the
most direct route practicable, and it was
to be of such depth and size as to ac-
"commodate any vessel that can cross
the bar at the Pass. In other words dld
not advocate a twenty-five foot channel
when there was only nine feet of water
on the bar. That would look TO most men
like getting two or three carts before the
horse. But it did and does contemplate
that as the Government decpenS the Pass
SO can the channel be deepened, as the
business and the increase of population
would amply justify. 1t also c~ontemplates
that this project should be a public en-
terprise and not a private on; that un-
der the navigation district laws. 1T
should be built by the people for the peo-