Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-07-23
IN OUR
VALLEY

~ a Joint meeting of the Rotary ana
Kiwanis Clubs of Brownsville, at the
Country Club Wednesday, that Execu-
tive Viee-President III. R. Stafford of the
Gulf Coast Lines has agreed to under
take an experiment in beautifying the
railroad right-of way in the Valley de-
served the approval that it received
The experiment will be undertaken
along a stretch of track near La Ferla,
and if it proves successful the plan Oh
Identification will continue until 1t has
covered all right-of-way from Raymond
Vile to Brownsville and from Harlingen
to Mission.
Miles of palms along the railroad
right way are certain to establish at
once, in the mind of the visitor VINO ar
riyes by rail, the fact that he has ar
rived in a quite unusual country.
Perhaps the railroads undertaking
will be the signal for similar action on
the part of the counties of the Valley
in lining the main highways with palms,
There is no reason why the railroad
ripht-ofway should be more beautiful
than the main automobile highways.
The announcement from San Antonio
that the Southern Pacific Will file
supplemental application with the Inter
state Commerce COmission asking per
mission to build feeder lines up and
down the river from its proposed south
ern terminal at Hidalgo, 55 miles up the
river from Brownsville, is a natural
consequence.
President w. R. Scott of the Southern
IN, cyII
weeks ago, intimated that this step
might be taken.
1t was, of course, unthinkable that
the Southern Pacific would attempt to
build into part of the Valley without
also making bid for the additional
tonnage of future development to the
east of the line from Falfurrias through
Edinburg and McAllen to Hidalgo.
Just what route the Southern Pacific
proposes to take remains to become
known, but apparently its most easter
ly destination is Brownsville A map
printed about 1910, and copies of which
are still extant here, show the San An
tonic & Arkansas Pass line as extending
from Falfurrias to Hidalgo, thence
down the river and in close proximity
thereto, to Brownsville. However, that
map was designed on the basis of the
Valley ms it existed at the time the Sap
first intended to build in, over a score
of years ago. Since then all the de-
veiopment has taken place, more than
a dozen new towns established.
what the Interstate Commerce Com
mission will do about the matter re-
mains to be seen. If it considers that
the Southern Pacific request for per-
mission to build feeder is a parallel
line, the consideration will be based
on the fact of the San Benito Rio
Grande, Gulf Coast Line subsidiary,
which is now building from Santa Maria
up the river to connection with It's
track from Haiera to Monte Christie,
the Gulf Coast Lihe from Brownsville
to Sam Fordyce, and the Raymondville-
Monte Christie line. The last named
is now before the |. c. c., however, and
! is yet to be built.
If the additional permits are granted
there will be four tracks across the Val
ley, running east and west, three OF
then owned or controlled by the Gulf
Coast Lines and one by the Southern
Pacific.
It's an interesting situation any way
you take it.
The Esch- Cummins act gives the |. G.
C. mighty powers. The commission
might even throw the Valley open to
all comers.
Talking iabout railroads, do you real
ize that Brownsville would be no small
punkins" as a rail center, if the South
ern Pacifi9 comes here?
1t would. as a matter Of fact, maze
our fourth line. Two are not nov
profitable, IAe National Lines of Mexico
to no: telfey, and the Rio Grande rail
road to Point Isabel. But with eertaif
devt lopments- harbor at Point lsabe
and great oil field at Aliamas- .acf
would be large factors in the growth
and development of Brownsville and th'
Who'll. Valley.
Don't disregard that Aldamas OF
fcl' Geolooists are firmly convince
that under the surface of the earth /.
III vkinitv lies the worries Preates
oil pool. One test we'll is now being
INwxvA