Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-24
LAND ALONG RIO GRANDE
NOT At ALL Permanent
Mrs. Burleson, Wife Of Postmaster
General, Writes on Subject to
National Geographic Society.

Mrs Albert s. Burleson. wife Of the
Postmaster General, In a communication
to the National Geographic Society. de-
scribes 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 attached to
one or the other of the rivers banks de-
prived them Of fixed legal status as
either Mexican or American territory and
brought about their participation in many
Illegal and unrighteous adventures. which
in turn led to misunderstanding between
the two countries" writes Mrs. Burleson
I'm no river is spirit more evident than
in the Rio Grande. Along its sinuous
route below Rio Grande City it pushes its
way through miles of level sand in its
final reach for the gulf, twisting and
doubling upon itself like sea serpent. In
1913 It was fixed upon as the boundary
line between the United States and Mex
leo. The boundary wasto be the middle
of the river. following the deepest chan
nell But the river possessed character
istics that had not impressed themselves
upon the trainers of the convention as
possible causes Of friction between the
people living along its banks In addi-
ton tc its eroding power. exercised
through long months OF low and mean
| water it could during flood periods leap
with torrential force across a narrow
| neck of land at the base of one of its
long loops and cut for itself a new chan
mel Through such avulsive action of the
river Texas soil would sometimes be-
p or,@
tation occupied by jacals and Mexican cit
liens would overnight find itself a part OF
| Texas.
| Cites Interesting Example.
An example will serve to show both
the extraordinary actions Of the river
and the difficulties in the way of any
satisfactory adjustment of confiictfnr in
| terests. certain Josiah Turner began
to farm the Galveston ranch, on the
Texas bank Eight years later he was
| surprised when 221 acres of Mexican
| land came across the river and attached
| themselves to his ranch An arrange
| ment was effected by which he became
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 its mind to
| repay the farmer for what 1t had taken
| from him. and 80 carried back into Texas
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.
| To the fine discrimination. patience and
| tact of Brig. Gen. Arson Mills, u S. A.,
| appointed to represent the United States
We owe the final solution to the problem
| He recommended that the .cut-offs' be
| forever eliminated from the boundary
line. all those occurring on the right Of
| the river to pass to the jurisdiction of
Mexico. those on the left to that of
Texas The inhabitants, IL any, should
! retain their citizenship in the country
from which they had been so suddenly
and violently detached, or they might
acquire the nationality OF the country to
| which they were now attached. Any cut
off exceeding $50 acres in area and having
a population Of over 800 souls was not to
be considered banco. and the old bed of
the river should remain the boundary A
convention eTnbodying his recommen
tons was finally ratified by both coun-
tries. Thus the great turbid bearing
river is left to pursue its way untram-
meled: but the terrors so long synony-
nous with its name have through the
Operation Of this equable arrangement be-
como . part Of the storied, romantic
4 laakS