Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-05-11
IN OUR
VALLEY


" have been enjoying themselves in
the matter of building railroads between
San Antonio and the Valley, with ter
mini at Rio Grande City and Browns
vile.
Also. they have, more latterly, figured
out. at least to their own satisfaction,
who is going to fight this project and
favor that. etc.
. The other day they outlined how W.
T. Eldridge, now owner of the Rio
Grande railway, proposes to fight any
plan of the Missouri Pacific to acquire
the S. A. u. & G., and rumored plans
of the Southern Pacific to extend to the
Valley.
That was all right so long as Mr.. Ell
bridge was in New York. But Mr..
EIdridge returned to Texas, and on his
arrival at Houston promptly issued a
from San Antonio indicating him as op-
posing these projects was "the bunk, "
to use a revealing expression.
I'm formal statement Mr.. Eldirdge
declared that the San Antonio item was
without his knowledge or procurement.
He said he had not opposed the acquire
ment by the Missouri Pacific of 80 per
cent of the stock of the San Antonio
Uvalde & Gulf, and that he felt hi.
minority interest of 48 per cent ought
to be benefited by the carrying out Of
thn contract of sale.
Far from being opposed to the Mis-
souri Pacific. Mr.. Eldridge pointed out
that he had helped secure a hundred
per cent endorsement of the Missour.
Pacific program in the Valley.
! Instead of being opposed to the South
ern Pacific program, Mr.. Eldridge said
he had favored the merger by which the
San Antonio and Arkansas Pass became
part of the Southern Pacific.
Further. Mr.. Eldridge said no one had
any right to connect his operations in
the Valley with the Santa Fe. He said.
however, that he would be very much
pleased if the Santa Fe would arrange
to enter San Antonio and the Lower
Rio Grande Valley.
He also indicated that his recent pur-
chase of the Rio Grande railroad, be,
tween Brownsville and Point Isabel, and
the Rio Grande City railway franchise.
Rio Grande City to Samfordyce, were
entirely independent and not related t.
s.uv>other projects.
The Houston Chronicle. in which
paper these statements of Mr. Eldridge's
originally appeared, quotes him as fol-
lows.
"There has been much speculation for
several months by the interested public
on the Valley transportation question
especially has this been the case in San
Antonio and Brownsville, where news
papers and other mediums of publicity
have featured the potentialities of the
situation. L have not felt heretofore
that definite statement was desirable
or necessary. However, the Associated
Press item referred to might have the
tendency to create antagonism, hurttui
alike to the transportation and to the
public in the San onio-Brownsvilie
section. Hence I wish to clear up the
situa ton in this formal fashion.
. All clear enough. Mr.. Eldridge has
his own plans to work out, and means
to convey the fact that his plans have
nothing whatever to do with the plans
of any other railroad in the country
south and southeast of San Antonio
In the meantime. we can all go rlght
ahead with our speculation One guess
is as good as another. and every now
and then the San Antonio newspaper
reporters can start something new
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