Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-04-09
IN OUR
VALLEY

= its readers on subjects of ptorost
to the people of the Lower Rio Crande
Valley. These may cover a wide r.,,oo
of subjects, the papers only reouest :.
ing that letters be made not more than
200 or 800 words
Along this line, The Herald is glad to
give space to letter from Geo. J. SAINT;
Cruz, Donna, Tex.
Mr. Santa Cruz is somewhat concern.
ed about the attitude of the railroad
system toward the harbor at Point Jsa.
bel. and says:
The writer has been reading, with
very much interest, your news items
concerning proposed development of rail
lines for the Valley. 1t would appear
that various interests are maneuverint.
for position, to share in the golden
transportation harvest that is being
reaped in this Valley, and when they are
all set, the growers, the actual develop
els. will be benefited only to the ex-
tent that assures against breakdown
in transportation, if indeed it does not
come before.
The interesting thing to the grower
is the cost of marketing his produce
well as the cost of Transportation,
upon material and supplies, necessary
to contipued development. Is there any
thought given to this feature in the
scheme of rail development? AS a gem
eral proposition, rail lines fight each
other for position, where the harvest is
rich, but they stand together for maxi
mum rates.
"To the writer's mind the salvation of
the people in this Valley lies in the
success Of the governments projected
development of Point Isabel harbor, and
an outlet to the sea. thus assuring COM
petitive transportation that means some
things to them in dollars and cents.
The situation in this Valley is such
as to lead to the conclusion that rail in
terests will discourage the Point Isa-
bel outlet, and therefore the people Of
the Valley must look to their vital in
terest"
But, Mr.. Santa Cruz. are the railroads
discouraging the development of har-
Dor at Point Isabel?
It is difficult to believe that they
are when we consider that w. L. FL.
bridge of Sugarland, Texas, who year
ago became Interested in the Rio Grande
railroad between Brownsville and Point
Isabel. financed it's Standardization and
equipped it at an outlay estimated N
5000 900.
Mr.. Eldridge iias secured an amend
ment to the charter of the Rio Grande
permitting it to build three branches
with one branch to extend through tn.
Valley and up to San Antonio.
Mr. EIdridge believes that the ulti-
mate success of his railroad depends
upon the success Of the harbor develop
ment Point Isabel.
Up at Houston they have developed
Buffalo Bayou into a harbor. Great
ships from all the seas travel the Hous-
ton Ship Channel for distance of 80
miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Great
industries have developed along the
channel
1t was back about 1906 that Houston
began the development of the Ship
Channel The city voted bonds to the
amount of about S1.50OO0O and the fed
eral government matched them. Con.
struction started. The channel was
opened to sea going vessels.
But it was 1919, on 13 years after
work started. before Houston began
really to realize on it's investment.
When that development started there
were IL railroad in Houston. or just as
many as there are today. Seventeen
railroad must have been able to WELD
a great influence.
But did they stop the development of
Houston Ship Channel? They did NOT.
regardless of what may have been their
desires in the matter.
IL you have seen the Arroyo Colorado
and have noted its normally shallow and
still waters, you will have an idea Of
what Buffalo Bayou was before Hous-
ton undertook to bring ships up 50
miles from the sea.
Some day when you visit Houston 60
out to San Jacinto battle-ground, 20
miles out of the city. Take bench
somewhere in the park. Face the Ship
Channel Wait little while, ana
(Continued on page 2l