Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-09-24
WANDERING ISLANDS.
Those Of the Rio Grande Made Trouble
For Us With Mexico.

The wandering islands of the Rio
Grande in their 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 perma-
nently attached to one or the other of
the rivers banks deprived them Of
fixed legal status as either Mexican or
American territory and brought about
their participation in many illegal ad-
ventures. which in turn led to misun-
derstandings between the two coun-
tries.
In no river is spirit more evident
than in the Rio Grande. Along its
sinuous route below Rio Grande City
1t pushes its way through miles OF
level sand in its final reach for the
gulf. twisting and doubling upon itself
like sea serpent. In 1S4S 1t was fix
ed upon as the boundary line between
the United States and Mexico. The
boundary was to be the middle of the
river. following the deepest channel"
But the river possessed characteristics
that had not impressed themselves
upon the trainers of the convention as
possible causes Of friction between the
people living along Its banks. In ad-
dition to It's eroding power. exercised
through long months Of low and mean
water. 1t could during flood periods
leap with torrential force across a
narrow neck Of land at the base of Que
Of its long loops and cut for itself a
new channel. Through such avulsive
action OF the river Texas soil would
sometimes become Mexican, and on oc-
casions plantation occupied by jacais
and Mexican citizens would overnight
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 be
was surprised when 22l acres Of Mexi.
tached itself to his ranch. An arrange
ment was effected by which he became
the owner Of this land Six years later
the river cut off a piece Of Mr.. Tur'
ner's land and took It to Mexico. Twen
ty-one years later the river made up Its
mind to repay the farmer for what |,
had taken from him and so carried
back into Texas a piece Of land faI
larger than the tract originally lost
a The Mexican owners claimed posses
:. sion, and new convention dealing
with the questions under dispute be
!, came necessary.
Brigadier General Anson Mills. u
:, s. A. appointed to represent the United
States. recommended that the "cutoffs'
be forever eliminated from the bound
airy line, all those occurring on tn,
right Of the river to pass to the juris
n diction OF Mexico, those on the left Il
~ that of Texas. The inhabitants, II any
n should retain their citizenship In th,
IL country from which they had been 8,
n suddenly and violently detached, o
they might acquire the nationality o
the country TO which they were nov
attached. Any cutoff exceeding So
acres In area and having a population
OF over 200 souls was not to be consid
:. cred banco, and the old bed Of tn
river should remain the boundary.
e. convention embodying his recommends
tons was finally ratified by both cour
tries. Thus the great turbid, silt bear
= ing river is left TO pursue its way uu
' trammeled. but the terrors so long syr
onymous with its name have throug
!" the operation Of this equable arrang'
,e ment become part Of the storied, rt
u mantle past