Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-06-26

mat portion OF LyfOrd on the west
side of the track was under from
two to two and half feet of wa
ter this afternoon, and water was re-
ported rising and finding its way
across to the east side. Business
houses have raised their stocks out Of
danger.
The water in the Lyford area com
es from the flood of yesterday in
the Mercedes district. This il the
first time on record, according 10
older residents Of Lyford, that wa
ter has reached that town.
Railroad service extended south
only as far as Raymondville today.
The last train out of the Valley was
that which left Brownsville at 4 80
o'clock Sunday afternoon, and the
last train in from Houston and San
Antonio was No. /, arriving in this
city last night at 1915 o'clock. No.
2. due to leave Brownsville at 3 5:40
this morning, started north, but was
turned back on advices from the Sc
bastian district that the tracks could
not be crossed there.
The levee workers protecting the
levees between the Harlingen and
La Feria pumping plants and those
on the levee TO the northwest Of
Harlingen, which is protecting from
1000 to 10000 rrres Of cotton, to-
day were fighting what they believed
was their last battle with the Rio
Grande flood. If the levees hold out
this afternoon, a telephone message
from Harlingen this afternoon said,
the battle will have been won and
thousands of acres Of cotton will be
saved.
Mayor Joe Roberts Of Harlingen at
noon today sent in a call to Browns
vile for some men to assist on the
levees in the La Feria and Harlin-
gen districts, and the local post Of
the American Legion got together
one truck load, which left at 2
O'Clock, and were recruiting men to
go on later trucks.
In the Lyford district il il feared
that virtually the entire cotton crop i'll
the half az The county west Of the rail
road is destroyed by the flood waters.
The water there is said 10 be higher than
" has ever reached before Houses IN
Lyford never before reached BY flood
waters. and supposed 20 be on what there
was considered high ground. had about
two feet of water about them today.
The highway bridge over the Arr
Colorado. and the only structure acr...s
that stream for vehicular traffic. today
was reported menaced by the waters.
The arroyo has risen probably two feet
since yesterday. and the approach on
the south side was reported being eaten
under by the waters.
People were not being allowed 10 col
lect on the bridge today. but this after
noon il was considered as still safe for
general traffic.
Rio Hondo. which yesterday sent out
a call 10 San Benito for two hundred
men 10 assist in lcvce protection. today
reported that some farm lands were in-
undated by a break. but il was believed
the water was under control without
extensive damage TO croys. The town
itself was declared 10 b. safe. The lcvccs
there are new and were found difficult
TO hold.
Mercedes today was awaiting the fall
Of the waters there to begin n thorough
cleanup Of the town. which will be nee
essitated because of the great amount of
silt that as deposited by the flood. The
electric light plant IN still operating. and
the telephone system is in good working
order. The main difficulty is one Of
great Inconvenience TO the populace.
The cause of the inundation nf n
large section of Mercedes. according "a
brownsville workers who returned from
there. was not break in the levee.
but rather the fact that the waters
poured over the tops of the construc
ti"n. Had there been more sacks. they
said. the lcvees coud have been raised
Int that wouIdh ave endangered the
lives of the workers as the leves might
hav toppled over after reaching a Ger
tain height The sacks of dirt were
being placed in single rows
llarlngen now j. fighting waters
from two sides, with levees hclding
everywhere.
The crest Of the flood n proceeding
slower and slower n il approaches the
mouth Of hte Rio Grande. according for
the fact that its most serious effects
have only today become anparelt m
Cameron county. The general opinion
here Is that the great amount II wa
iers being cared for by the Arroyo Co
lorad" AMI those y inG ont on the M-x-
lean side will result II the San Renito
and Brownsville districts being not Sc
riously affected.