Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-08-07
TAMP|CO LINE
Underway IN
FOUR MONTHS
IS STATEMENT.
RAILWAY men

Equallng in Importance the announce
ment that Brownsville and Matamoros aS
an international gateway for freight and
passenger traffic. and meaning more TO
the two border cities than the present facil
tiles offer. l. the announcement that con
struction of the Tampieo Matamoros
coastal line is scheduled To begin within the
next four months. made semi officially by
n member of the party of railroad men that
Yesterday visited Brownsville. Not only
is construction Of this road that will con
meet the Tampico oil fields directly with
brownsville and eastern points To begin
within four months. but the intentions are
and the money i up-to hurry the con
struction up and have the line in operation
within year
Seven wears ago work was started on
the Tampico- -MatamoroS line. and about
forty miles of this line has been graded
and ready for the rails. Work was then
held up because of tle Mexican revolu-
ton. but il was resumed on q small scale
early in 1913. and again held M when the
Carranza revolution beean To assume pro
portions. Since then no work has been
done on the line. II i said in railway err
cles that fund of $40. 100000. financed
about ten yearS AGO for this line. has been
held intact. awaiting the time when con
Struction Of the road could he resumed.
Its construction now appears to he mat
ter of comparatively few months.
Reports that this line would not tonch at
MafamoroS hut would cross the Rio Grande
about sixty miles west of Brownsville are
not true. according 10 this source. II viii
he operated directly 10 MatamoroS. al
thongh ii NAV come into the 4naky o. The
preseu3 Matamoros- Monterrey line. tonch
ing il about ten miles west of MatamoroS.
The Matamoros- Tampico line will open
UP a vast ranchine and farming country
much hike that I'm the Brownsville country
on the American side of the line. but most
important is the fact that il will give the
Tamnico oil fields rail transportation to
the United States, not now available be-
cause of the roundabout route via Mon
terrev and Laredo To the United States. A
branch line probably will connect with Vie
ioria. the capital of Tamaulipas. opening
mp n rich farming and orchard section.
Probably thirty Brownsville businessmen
and bankers attending the meeting at the
Board of Citv Development yesterday NJ
which President J. s. Pveatt of the Gulf
Coast Lines and c. ]. Boothroyd Of the
Cons.itutionalist Lines of Mexico explain
ed the great necessity ahead of Browns
vile in the matter of competing with Lar
edo and EAGLE Pass FOR Mexican traffic
and trade. Mr.. Pveatt suggested traffic
manager who understands both English
and Spanish to tour Mexico in theNinterest
of this port. and to conduct the promotion
of warehousing and brokerage facilities.
The suggestion was accepted and a. Albert
Browne moved the appointment Of com
mittee to obtain the services Of traffic
manager Chairman A. Wayne Wood oi
the Board Of City Development. who pre-
sided nj yesterdays meeting. will name the
committee later
The diffcrcniial came mp for con~idera
ble discussion. and the attention Of Mr.
iPveatt was called bv members OF the aud
ience 10 the fact that il was difficult for
Brownsville TO compete with Laredo and
Eagle Pass. both common points. The dit
E 1sftFtial Has HiNbN~ HfPH ~ -'I' -l''A WIN
wholesalers here. rs well a retailers. and
il was pointed out Ia those present that
when the Brownsville road begins 10 show
net profit per mile Of operation then II
will be possible for Brownsville Ia appeal
10 the railroad commission To make this
city n common point. Until that can be
done. il was pointed out. il would he use
less Ia urge it. President Pyeatt went 81
far a Ia promise that aS soon rs this con
diion in the railroads affairs Is reached
the railroad itself probably would urge II
and IL il Is not reached. some arrangement
could be made for a rebate on all good.
shipped here at the RobStown common
point rate. and later exported To Mexico.
The immense volue of business done by
the Gulf Coast lines in 1916 due TO tn
national troop movement for the first IN n
history made that road net profit. i
Mexican business To equal that volume cal
be obtained. it was pointed out. il will b.
but a comparatively short time when th
dlffsrentia will be removed
Brownsville business men are especiaS
I appreciative of the efforts of Director Gen
eral Felipe Pescador of the Constitutional
ist lines to increase the importance of tn
Brownsville -Matamoros gateway by equal