Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1919-08-28
FIRST TRAIN IS TAKEN
INTOFORT BROWN OVER
NEWLY FINISHED SPUR


Grande & Southwestern Railway" as
Colonel Sayres dubbed the new spur
track leading to the big warehouses
and hay sheds, which are rapidly be-
ing completed at the post, was COM
pleted several days ago and the first
train was run over the track yes
terday afternoon, the occasion being
celebrated in befitting manner by
the citizens of Brownsville and the
officers and men of Fort Brown.
An engine and three cars had been
secured through the courtesy of the
officials of the Gulf Coast lines, and
were scheduled to leave the Rio
Grande depot at four o'clock.
Promptly at the hour a big crowd
congregated Mt the Rio Grande de-
pot, but the train did not arrive un-
I'll nearly five o'clock. The Sixteen
tn Cavalry band was present and
their music prevented the wait from
becoming monotonous. When the
cars, arrived the entire crowd clam
bered aboard, and Colonel Sayres,
standing beside the cars, delivered
an address, in which he heartily COM
mended the spirit of cooperation
which existed between the military
and civil authorities of Fort Brown
and Brownsville, and cited the as
sistance which had been rendered by
the business interests of the city. the
Board of City Development. the ito
tary Club and others, in maN:ng 4
success of the project to give Fort
Brown direct rail connections. He
stated he was confident that the CO.
operation would continue to exist and
that Fort Brown and the City of
Brownsville would mutually benefit
thereby. Colonel Sayres' talk clearly
denoted the great interest he is tax
ing in the progressive movement in
this city and in which he has been
IN important factor in the period he
has been in command of this dis
trict.
Mayor A. Albert Browne replied to
Colonel Sayres, expressing the great
appreciation of the people of Browns
vile for the energy Colonel Sayres
has displayed In making Fort Brown
the model military post of the border,
and also for the interest he has eaken
in the general development of this
section. Mayor Browne called at
tention to the fact that in the twenty
three years a military post has been
in existence at this point the greatest
harmony has almost invariably exist
ed between the military officers and
the people Of the city; and he also
called attention to the fact that no
commander Of this district had ever
taken more interest in the general
Improvement than has Colonel Sayres
or has there been one who has ac-
complished so much for the benefit
Of both Fort Brown and the City
Of Brownsville.
G. L. Jessup, president of the
Board Of City Development, which
organization has worked unceas-
ingly with Colonel Sayres for the
naturalization of the improvement
projects at Fort Brown, was called
upon for an address. Mr.. Jessup
stated that the completion of this
spur was more than an Incident
that it was an epoch-marking the
completion Of the first of the va
rious Improvement projects upon
which the people of Brownsville are
now working. He referred to the
Rio Grande railway, which is soon
to be standardized, and brought out
the prospects of that railway for fu-
ture extension-a standard gauge
from Point Isabel to the heart of the
richest section Of Mexico, and an
other line to San Antonio-all con-
Meeting with the deep water harbor
at Point Isabel.
Mr.. Jessup paid a fitting tribute
to Colonel Sayres for the accom-
plishment of this project, which he
termed the railway which would link
Fort Brown with deep water at Point
Isabel. thereby giving this post ship
ping facilities such as no other bor-
der post can possess. Mr.. Jessup
also expressed the opinion that with
Brigadier General F. c. Marshall as
district commander and Colonel Say.
res as post commander, the cooper.
alton between the city and Fort
Brown would continue indefinitely
to the benefit of each.
Train Pulls Into Fort.
The Sixteenth Cavalry band wa:
given seats in the front of the frs
car, and with the other cars loaded
to their capacity the train pulled
into Fort Brown, with the band play
ing. Colonel Sayres then proceeded
to point cut the various Improvement.
which are now under way at the
post-the kmense warehouses, ha!
sheda laupdry and, other buildings
and ave- ~ credit to Captain Jules
Mark(l, DIS in hrge of the con
structpn Thk. fSe Colnel stated
that all the railroad building projects
the government has under way OF
the border this is the first to be com
Continued On page 81