Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1922-03-15

1 Inc liftttn mtFhDtfs OF the DodFd Oh
directors Of the Chamber of Commerce
this morning signed an appeal TO the
public Of the entire Lower Rio Grande
Valley, urging that every possible as
sistance be given in the :. o. y. cam
paign 10 complete the railroad and chan
mel funds.
The appeal il signed BY the follow ing
members Of the board: W. G.. whitman
president; G. l.. Jessup. secretary; =. q.
Tucker. W. Il. Clint. J. bennett. J. s.
Rowe. Sherwood Bishop. Il. vi. Lamber-
ton. Louis Cobolini, ]. Gregg. A. Wayne
Wood, X. Il. Creager. w. Z. McDavitt,
Z. B. Camiade and +. n. Howard.
The appeal follows in full:
ITO the Public: Realizing the great
benefits that will accrue to the people
of the Lower Rio Grande Valley BY the
establishing of rail and water transpor-
tation for this section. and believing the
time has come that the entire citizenship
of the Valley should unite in one faith
full and heroic effort to raise sufficient
funds To complete the railroad and har-
bor project. this organization calls upon
not only its entire membership, but upon
every man, woman and child in the VAL
ley To aid both morally and financially.
the :. O. :. campaign that is now being
carried on to raise sufficient funds to
complete this great improvement"
Addressing the Rotary Club as a body
today for the first time, d. A. O'Bren
said that ever since Brownsville Ro-
tarians pinned a little badge on me in
recognition of some small service | had
rendered Brownsville ! had resolved
never 10 appear before the club until
could come TO them and tell them that
| had secured a new railroad and water
transportation for the Valley.
I But ! am coming before you now,
he said, Ito appeal 10 you all for the
sake Of your families, yourselves and
| God, 10 get out and help put this Rio
Grande railway and deep water propo.
sition over 50 that il may bring a. the
great blessings that il is destined TO
bring as"
Stating that this was no time for per-
sonaiitieS, Mr. O'Brien said he wanted
10 take the opportunity to clear the re-
cord of Point Isabel man whose name
had been referred to al previous meet.
ing of the club as opposing the railroad
and harbor projects II want to say, .
he declared, that no one has done more
7 for this railroad and port project than
| has this man. until he was influenced BY
others who are fighting this proposition.
He came 10 Brownsville fully intending
TO facilitate the entry of the Rio Granda
railway into Point Isabel, but he went
away without doing so. lie had been in
fluenced otherwise"
Returning 70 the campaign subject.
Mr.. o'Brien said:
1T was on my recommendation and on
information and statistics had gathered
that the St H., B. and VI. railroad put
this bridge across here. When the mat
ter was fresh ! stated that there would
be no change In the volume Of traffic
over this bridge except in the possibil-
ity Of deep water at Point Isabel. which
would tend 10 increase the traffic. And
the then officials Of the road said: We
will have il fixed SO that they can never
open that harbor
If we do not complete this project
that is now before u, Brownsville will
never be greater than she now ~, and
in all probability will be smaller.
We have the opportunity 70 reduce
freight rates in the Valley approximately
one million dollars year under the
present status Of business. Every cent
| Of this will 60 into the pockets Of the
people OF the Valley.
How can ! 20 up the Valley and ask
the people there to contribute 70 this
fund when the people Of Brownsville.
who will be benefited a. greatly as any.
are not behind the thing to man?
Every one knows that if this promo
sition goes through. Brownsville will be
| the commercial center of the southwest
/ And yet the Gulf Coast Lines are boost
! ing the Corpus Christi harbor project.
San Antonio Is for the Corpus Christi
harbor. and Laredo j. for IT, Even in-
terests in Houston are fighting the hars
hor nj Point Isabel.
1T was stated in a Houston papcr that
| III deep water was secured here Browns
Vile would be a base Of trade for Hous-
ton. When deep water T. secured here.
/ Brownsville will be her own trade base.
and the base Of trade for all territory
/ between here and Robstown.
We have only 10000 feet uf dredging
70 do at Point Isabel 10 give " one ~
the finest harbors on the coast. while
sixteen miles of dredging will be neces-
sary to give Corpus Christi seaport.
And all dredging here will be in pro-
tccted area.
No one can be neutral in this propo-
Sition." You either are for II or
against IT, II YOU wear one of those
little ribbons All know where you stand.
/ II you do not wear one your position il
uncertain in the eyes Of Brownsville.
i y GLnlL .-n r.aaLn tk-. .nttrt - .-.L a.---.