The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-03
THE WANDERING ISLANDS
OF THE RIO GRANDE RIVER

Mrs. Albert s.. B%urleson, wife Of the
postmaster general. in a communica-
ton to the National Geographic So
ciety, at Washington, D. c., describes
the wandering islands Of the Rio
Grande, whose migrations from side to
side OF the water course have caused
years Of diplomatic correspondence and
discussion between the United States
and Mexico.
THE refusal Of certain small bodies
Of land to remain permanently attach
ed to one or the other Of the rivers
banks deprived them of a fixed legal
status as either Mexican or American
territory n brought about their par
~ticipation in many illegal and IN
righteous adventures, which in turn
led to MISUNDERSTANDING between
the two countries" writes Mrs. Burle-
son.
In no river is spirit more evident
than in the Rio Grande. Along its
sinuous route below Rio Grande City
1t pushes it's way through miles Of
level sand in its final reach for the
Gulf, twisting and doubling upon itself
like a sea serpent. In 1848 it was fix
Oo 0HS&1 dc ~ DOdud0A y iAlC wv
the United States and Mexico. The
boundary was to be the middle of
the river, following the deepest chan
nell But the river possessed charac-
teristics that had not impressed them
selves upon the trainers of the con-
vention as possible causes of friction
between people living along its banks.
In addition to it's eroding power, exer-
cised through long months Of low and
mean water, it could during fiood
periods leap with torrential force
across a narrow neck Of land at the
base of n of it's long loops and cut
for itself a new channel. Through
such avulsive action of the river,
Texas soil would sometimes become
| Mexican, and on occasions a planta-
ton occupied by jackals and Mexican
citizens would owe night find itself a
part OF, Texas.
"An example will serve to show both
the extraordinary actions of the river
and the difficulties in the way Of any
satisfactory adjustment Of conflicting
interests. A certain Josiah Turner be-
gan to farm the Galveston ranch, on
the Texas bank. Eight years. later he
was surprised when 221 acres Of Mex
lean land came across the river and
attached itself to his ranch. An ar
! rangernent was effected by which III
| became the owner of this land. Six
years later the river cut off a piece
of Mr.. Turner's land and took 1t to
Mexico. Twenty-one years later the
river made up it's mind to repay the
farmer for what it had taken from
him and SO. carried back into Texas a
| piece of land far larger than the tract
| originally lost. The Mexican owners
| claimed possession, and a new conven-
ton, dealing with the questions under
| dispute became necessary.
ITO the fine discrimination, patience
and tact of Brig. Gen. Arson Mills, u.
s. A., appointed to represent h Unit
| ed States, we 1--WE the Anal solution
to the problem. He recommended that
| the tcut-offs' be forever eliminated
from the boundary line, all those oc-
curing on the right of the river to pass
to the jurisdiction of Mexico, those on
the left to that of Texas. The inhabit-
ants, if any,, should retain their citi-
zenship in the country from which
they had been SO suddenly and vio-
lently detached, or they might acquire
the nationality or the country to which
they were now attached. Amy CUTOFF
exceeding $50 acres in area and having
a population of over 200 souls was not
to be considered al banco, and the Did
bed Of the river should remain the
boundary. "A convention er1bodying
his Recommendations was finally rati-
fled by both countries. Thus the great
turbid, ~silt-bearing river Is left to
pursue it's way untranmeled; but the
terrors 10 long synonymous with its
name have through the operation Of
this equal arrangement become a part
OF the stprted. romantic past.
FEM BW 80