Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-06-22
BOUNDARY
PROBLEM WAS
SETTLED AT LAST

Especial Correspondence Of Herald.)
Washington. ID. c., June 2-Mrs. Al
bert :. Burleson, wife of the Postmaster
general, i'm a communication Ia the Ma
tional Geographic Society, AT Washing
tom. ID. C., describes the wandering
islands Of The Rio Grandc, whose migra-
tons from side To side of the water
course have caused wears If diplomatic
correspondence and discuSsion between
the United States and Mexico.
THE refusal Of certain small bodies Of
land Ia remain permanently attached 10
one or the other Of the rivers banks de-
pri,ed them to "A fixed legal status n
either Mexican or American territory
in many illegal and uprighteous advcn-
lures. which turn led Ia misunderstood
ings between the two Countries writes
Mrs. Burlcson.
In no river is spirit more evident
than in the Rio Grande. Along lis sinu.
Gus route below Rio Grande City il
pushes its way through miles Of level
sand in its final reach for the Gulf.
twisting and doubling upon itself like
a sea serpent. In 1915 il was fixed upon
as the boundary line between the United
States and Mexico. The boundary Was to
he the middle Of the river. following the
deepest channel But the river possess
ed characteristics that had not impress
oil themselves upon the farmers of the
convention as possible causes of friction
between the people living along its
banks. I'm addition 10 its croding power.
exercised through long months Of low
and mean water. il could during flood
periods leap with torrential force ac-
ross a narrow neck of land nj the base
Of one of its long loops and cut for il
self a new channel. Through such ayul-
siye action of the river, Texas soil would
sometimes h. Mexican. and ON occasions
"A plantation occupied by jacals and
Mexican citizens would over night find
itself Il 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 III acres of Mcxiraa
land camc over and attached itself L. his
ranch. An arrangement was effected by
which he became the owner OF this land.
six years later the river cut OF "A piece
icL Iwenty-one years later tue river
OF Mr.. Turner'S land and took i; Il, Mex.
made up its mind To repay the farmer
for what il had taken from him and so
carried back into Texas n piece Of land
far larger than the tract originally lost.
The Mexican owners claimed possession.
anu a new convention, dealing with the
ssrv.
TO the fine discrimination patience
and tact Of Hrigadicr General AuSon
Mills, Y. :. A., appointed TO represent
questions under dispute. became ncces-
the United States. We owe the final solu-
ton Ia the problem. lie recommended
that the cut offs be- forever eliminated
from the boundary line. all those occur
ring on the right Of the river Ia pass Ia
the jurisdiction of Mexico. those on the
left 10 that Of Texas. The inhabitants.
il any. should retain their citizenship
IN the country from whsh they had been
80 suddenly and violently detached, or
they might acquire the nationality II
the country 10 which they were now at
tached' Any cut off exceeding go acres
IN area and having a population of over
100 souls was not Ia he considered a
banco and the old bed of the river should
remain the boundary. 4 convention EN-.
"iying his recommendations was final.
~ ratified hy both countries. Thus the
great tnrbid. silt bearing river il left
To pursue lis way untrammhlel: but
the terrurS - long s~ynonomous with
is name have through the operation Of
this cquablc arrangement became a part
Of the stcricd. romantic past