Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-03-17
Contracts Now Being Let
For All Material And
Supplies For Is Miles
OF Track.
TO HURRY CONSTRUCTION
Once Started, All Arran-
gements lave Been Com
pleted To Push Work
To The End.

ID. a. O'Bricn announced today that
preparations are being rapidly conplct.
ell 10 begin actual construction Of the
railroad from Brownsville To tidcwatcr.
Contracts for material and supplies for
twenty five miles of track are now being
consummatcd. aud il j. the expectation
Of the promoter 10 begin work on the line
early next month The road must bc com
plctcd and IN operation from Brownsville
10 the coast by April |. 1919.
As heretofore stated ID has been the
intention of the promoters. -. \. ol'iicn
and others, to begin work on The line in
April, and Indications now are that work
on the grading vill bc ;.tually under
way before the first week of April has
passed. The survey of the line has been
completed, aud the surveyors are now
preparing To break camp. having com
plctcd the biggest part Of the work.
Mr.. OBricn said today
"Obstaclcs that al times appeared to
be insurmountahlc have been overcome.
i am in receipt of news today which -
sures me that the efforts of certain pco-
pie To prevent the building of this road
have fallen flat The details necessary
before the beginning of work on this line
from Browns,ilcl Ia the gulf are rapidly
coming To "A head and early next month
We will have begun actual construction
of the railroad.
Contracts are now being closed for
the material to bc used in construction of
the road and ~ soon ~ work j. actually
started arrangements have been per
fccted To complete the line within the
shortest passihlc time.
Asked as To right of way. Mr.. o'Brien
said:
Condemnation proceedings will now
probably bc necessary in TWO cl>c.
However. this j. small matter and has
bccn anticipated by the promoters ever
since opposition 10 the construction of
the railroad appeared on the surface. We
are not vet ready to make definite AN
nouncemenis ~ Ia terminus. exact route,
etc. but these matters probably Will
come out before the end of the week. In
the meantime We are proceeding with
the intention of starting work at the
coast end of the line early ~ April II
was announced some time ago that the
line would run to laguna Vista. a short
distance north of Point Isabel
Mr.. O'Bricn said that the road bed
will bc first class i'm every RESPECT rO"k
and gravel being used extensively. The
use of mesquite ties secured n the Lower
Valley has been considered. hut u ~
probable that this material will bc oh
tanned from the forests in East Texas.
Steel rails will come from Galveston.
New Orleans or Mobile. All material
will bc shipped to Brazo> Santiago har
hor bv water from One uf the three ports
mentioned.
The matter of rolling stock has not yet
been considered. aud probably viii not
before the line l. well on is Way 60 com
plction.
The promoters of the railroad hav,
been yer, active during the past several
weeks. making all arrangements for The
beginning of work nn the line y 4
we'll known. people of Brownsville have
signed bonus notes amounting ~ ~lw'.uo'
which have been given 10 the promoter
Ia influence the building of the road
These notes are PAYABLE unl. II the line
j. completed aud IN operation =, Apri
1. 1918. They are also PAYABLE "a th'
amount of 90 per cent nf their face value
al that time.
The proposed railroad will hc a facto
in the arguments that will IT, prr>rntr'
by Louis Cobolini. >c,rctar, nt The vi
tcrway committee ~ the Chamber ["
Commerce. before the United state
board of engineers in urging an appro
priation for the improvement ot Brazo
Santiago harbor. The harhor nov IN
a nine foot bar. and II J. proposed =" =
tahlshi line of schooncr>. with a "apa'
itv of a. much a. hHl tons hrlwcc
Rrazos Santiago aud Galveston ju>i a
soon a. the railroad i completed an
ready Ia handle traffic between Hrcwu'
Vile aud the harhor.