Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13

Thousands of Fertile
Acres Opened to De-
~velopment by Rail
Extensions
RY d. 81. MAYn


of its opportunities ana facilities
for transportation. While the same
may he true az ail agricultural or
industrial territory, IL ia Gorhly sig
rificaut when En- connection with
the progress II a comparatively new
area IN which production IS con-
fined chiefly TO perishable commod-
tiles and the necessity OF regular
and quick transport 20 the consum-
ing centers Of the country.
For iris reason, If for none other,
the advent Of the Southern Pacific
lines into the Valley, and the con-
struction az their tracks into the
most fertile sections. represents q
development frau-ht with additional
possibilities for the people upon
Valley farms and orchards and for
the chain Of entrrprisinE and rap
idly growing ccnters Of commerce
and industry which have 30 quickly
grown upon the Valley opp0rtuni-
ties and accomplishment. The COM
ing Of the Southern Pacific has re-
suited, and will continue 70 dem
onstrate. the opening Of new areas
for cultivation, location Of new
towns, and the permanent prosperity
of the great ard promising territory
which has So ~attractively made IL
self an influence IN Texas and the
southwest.
MateriaIize Old Plans
The history Or the development Of
Southern Pacific Interests into the
Magic VALLEY" is too recent and too
we'll known 10 make many details
necessary. Twenty years since,
- - L. 4La 60 AmHAman
e. Arkansas Pass Railroad. q South
ern Pacific property, were built %
Falfurrias, the objective was the Rio
Grande and Brownsville. By decision
Of the Texas railroad commission,
the Southern Pacific was forced 70
dispose Of the s. A, & A. P. because
of the law which prohibited the
owning Of parallel lines, and the
smaller property, unable 70 finance
the Valley extension. was forced 70
end the project. and so the rails 20
Falfurrias marked the abandonment
OF the ambitious program originally
mapped out. and deprived the Valley
and its people Of the impetus and
advantages which would have fol-
lowed the contamination Of the
Southern Pacific project, for almost
q quarter on a century.
When the Interstate Commerce
Commission. under the terms Of the
Transportation. Act. gave permits
sion % the Southern Pacific 20 once
more acquire the property Of the
San Antonio & Arkansas Pass Rail-
road, the plan Of extension TO the
Valley and TO Brownsville and its
sister cities was Immediately re-
vived. Fortified with permission 70
build. granted by the Interstate COM
merce Commission. after various
and sundrv hearings, In which South
arn Pacific was enthusiastically
supported BY the resident Of the en-
tire Valley. the Southern Pacific
management. with the enterprise
and alertness for which Il Is noted,
lost no time in completing its prep
arations 10 build south and West
from Falfurrias.
Construction forces. under the
personal direction OF III. NJ LuIl,
then chief engineer Of the South
chr Pacific and now executive vice
president. and with the strong and
intelligent supervision Of the late
W. r. scott. president or the South
err Pacific az that time. we're put
into the field. and the transforma-
ton began.
Work Rushed ia Completion
There IS not much reason now TO
detail the methods employed, nor
the b of construction. II is
sufficient t0 state that the grass
was not permitted TO grow under
the feet WI anyone on tho work. The
organization created 10 push the
construction proved "a hc more than
adequate to thn task. and nn sooner
did the contractor throw up the
bank than it vus speedily occupied
hy the track las nG gangs. b. a b.
forces. aud the hundred and one
units common "a work az this char
acter. and ia addition 10 methods
past construction had proven effica-
c;cus. there WAS added a track lay
ing machine which represented one
Of the greatest aids 20 construction
and one Of the MO 2 economical de-
vices ever used fa Texas. Once
smoothly in operation. the line went
down ~ a rate of 5000 feet Of tics
and rails daily. spiked. bottled. and
upon which locomotives and cars
carrying men and material were pNt
In immediate service. Following the
ties and rails were long TRAINS of
ballast unon which the track was
ne oacc raised ard made secure.
And AZ the construction went IVA
without a hitch. without u halt.
splendid work which. when the lire
was completed FalfGrrias "a its first
objective. EdinhurE. had established
. worlds record IN speed and stabil-
itv of railroad construction.
The driving Of the silver spike n
Faifusrias took place on October 5th
% 1926. Prior 90 that date. since the
middle Of July. work on clearing the
ola right of way and ~ hank c1n-
struction had been steadily going or.
and when the spike driven hy Presi-
dent Scott had fulfilled its historic
destiny. nearly thrcc-fifths of tho
right Of way was completed and
fnrrtpcn miles az the sixtv-ftvc ~
Fdinhurg were ready for the steel.
"A little more than two moths later,
che rail laying n md hallas.
trains had reached EdinhurE end
track construction was PROGRESSING
- the direction ~ Harrington and
soward NcAiien. two additional ard
s~porfaut centerS Of contact.
Completed 70 Edinburg
January II. 1927. marked the driv-
,nv Of the golden spike az Edlnhurg
~ n. n. Luil. executive vice presl-
Senf who had succeeded the lament
- N. r. Scott IN charge Of the prop
e~tiex. The VALLEY towns and people
r-are earnest supporters II 2 ncca-
stcr ara the event sirnaiizcd potent
NJ the determination If the Southern
r.-;fir ~ huild and build righs and
L-~r~ ard ~ become en- actual and
sLse~raT force in VALLEY history ard
to-~I@rment The welcome ~ the
$500 ranrle was not lacking in any
1-rrae. III was 4 joining nf forces
80 the years &c come.
serhs first fruits Of the southsrE