Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1919-07-30
RIO GRANDE MUST 4
FLOOD COURSE DIvERTEO|

Building levees will not relieve the
annual flood stages Of the Rio
City Manager Anderson told
the members of the Rotary Club at
their meeting this noon. He stated
that the water mark this time had
reached a point four inches higher
than that of 1918, and that the flood
period of 1918 showed a.-hriAht ex-
ceding that Of 1917 by three and one
half inches. He recited that an aver
age again Of three inches annually
had been recorded in the rivers rises.
To relieve this condition he recon-
that the natural water ways
to the gulf be equipped with control
ling devices so that the flood waters
could be diverted to the sea without
the lowlands Of the Val
ley. The Arroyo Colorado il the larg-
est of these channels that could be
used in these emergencies.
The city manager pointed out with
emphasis the fact that building le-
wees here to a great heighth just
meant that those living up the Val
ley would be compelled to build high
er levees and then no relief would be
found. He stated that the only thing
that saved Brownsville from a good
wetting this year was the fact that the
river levee broke in several places up
the Valley on both sides, thus re-
lieving the strain of the current.
William Burnett Of the Board Of
City Development called attention to
the fact thta just such a report was
made by the state engineering depart
ment some time ago, and that the
levees could not permanently relieve
the condition because the volume Of
water coming down the stream could
not safely pass through the channel
provided.
After Fences
Rotarian d. L. Spero made a short
talk on the subject of the city clean
up campaign. lie urged that all un-
slightly fences in the city be removed.
In pointing out the Improvement to
in the city hy the removal
Of fences he cited the home Of Rus
sell MeChesney on Levee stree. which
he stated had been beautified in this
manner.
1t was pointed out that the city
pound master was in n position to
care for all stray animals in the
city. and that the need Of fences
within the city had passed. In this
connection IL was urged upon the city
that the pound master keep the clos
est watch for animals estray so that
the removing Of fences will be en-
President A. Wayne Wood notified
the club that at the meeting next
week a special program would be
arranged and the subject Of promoting
the Boy Scout movement in Browns
Vile would Nc the principle topic.
Billy Burnett told OF his trip to
Dallas. and sounded warning that
Brownsville had the eyes of the coun-
try upon her from Nh industrial stand
point. He said the channel PROPOSE
ton was being discussed freely in
the north Texas metropolis.
Rotarian Henry Williams explain
cd" his fishing trip to Corpus Christi.
Rotarian Spero started the fun in
the gridiron part of the noon pro-
gram when he read proclamation
signed by Rotarian Sherwood Bishop,
which accused Rotarian western
Union" Reed Of spreading informa-
tion that he, Bishop. was bolsheviki
propagandist Reed Immediately took
the floor and backed up his alleged
statements by saying that Bishop was
guilty OF distributing such bolsheviki
literature as "The Black Cat"
'Snanpv Stories" and other highly
colorcd printed matter from his print
shop. Bishop challenged Reed to
duel with the usually American wea-
pons. boxing gloves. and the bout was
staged. In the bout Reed had the
advantage in the first Of the only
round until he started fighting at long
range, when Referee Burnett declar-
ed the printer the victor.