Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-14
Had It's Inception 20
Years Ago, But
Was Checked

tension from Falfurrias 10 Browns
VILE marks the naturalization Of a
vision which had its inception in
1900 when the Southern Pacific ac-
CURED control Of the San Antonio &
Arkansas Pass railway and amended
the charter Of that line 70 include an
extension from Alice 70 Brownsville.
Surveys were made and the first
section Of the exter sion was built
from Alice 10 Falfurrias. Suits were
then brought through the state rail-
way commission 70 prevent the
Southern Pacific from building a
parallel road. and in 1903 the extern
sion amendment was revoked, though
the Southern Pacific grade had been
constructed fifteen miles south from
Faifurrias.
The Arkansas Pass railway was not
financially able TO continue the work
and IL remained in that situation
until after the passing Of the Trans
portion Act and the grouping of the
railroads. On May /, 1925. the In
terstate Commerce Commission
granted the Southern Pacific a per-
nit TO take over the s. A. & A. p.
road, and on May ., 1925, the South
crn Pacific filed formal application
for permit 70 extend its lines 10 the
Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Organizations Intervene
Coincident with the filing Of the
Southern Pacific's application for q.
certificate Of convenience and pub
lie necessity for the extension Of the
San Antonio e. Arkansas Pass rail-
road from Falfrrrias south 20 Hi
dalgo and from Edinburg 10 Har-
lingen, practically every chamber Of
and civic organization in
South Texas interviewed in behalf of
the extension and filed interventions
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
The hearing on the application.
held in Brownsville, October 5 10 10,
1925. with Commissioner Thomas l..
Woodlock Of the Interstate Com
merce Commission presiding. opened
with = demonstration that has had
no parallel in Valley history. Every
Valley city was represented by large
Celega tons. and the federal court
room, where the hearing was held,
was packed 70 capacity during the
five days Il was underway.
The Edinburg and Brownsville
Chambers Of Commerce were the
first to file petitions OF interven-
ton in behalf Of the Southern Pa
cific extension. They were quickly
followed BIZ twelve other organiza-
tions. and the state Of Texas filed 4
petition. Organizations participant
ing in the hearing included the
Brownsville Chamber Of Commerce,
Dallas Chamber Of Commerce. Ed
inburg Boosters Club, Valley Cham
Der. Of Commerce. McAllen Business
Mems Club. Mission Commercial
club. City Of Edinburg. Ia Feria
Rooster Club. and the cities Of Wes-
laco, Pharr. Donna and Alamo.
Outstanding among the intervenors
was the petition OF the state OF Tex
as. the Texas railway commission
unanimously supporting the Valley
In It's effort 70 secure additional
transportation.
4. 4. &. Grants Permia
On July Y. 1926. permit was
granted to extend from Falfurrias
to Edinburg. McAllen and Harrington.
Work on the extension started inn
rcdiately, and on January III, 1927,
the lire into Edinburg was formally
opened. and the official train was
greeted BY thousands Of Valley res
idents.
On February 1, 1927, freight serv-
ice into Edinburg was established,
and on February &. the line between
McAllen ard Edinburg was completed
adm freight and passenger service
inauguratcd. on March 10 the
Southern Pacific began 20 operate
trains into Harlingen. completing the
extensions for which permit had
been granted by the interstate Com
merce Commission.
Formal application for permission
to extend its lire from Harlingen to
Brownsville was filed with the
Interstate Commerce Commission
October Fl. 1926. On December p.
1926. a hearing was held By Com
missioner q. y. Burnside at Hous-
ton, and On February I. 1927, Com
missioner Burnside recommended 70
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion that the permit he granted. The
permit was granted June Is. 1927.
Start Brow nsville Line
Grading work or the Brownsville
extension began June n. The first
steel was laid out Of Harrington on
July IL. and October q, one years
after the application was filed, the
NRAh AAAAA ENhtLE4 GEE EltX IL
and laid the track "a the de-
pot site. The first freight train en-
tered the city the following dav.
and the first passenger train from
Houston and San Antonio "a the Rio
Grande terminus 81 the road arrivea
morning. November 10.
The Valley extension Of the south
ern Pacific from Falfurrias ~ ~
IL $50 miles IN length.
exclusive Of sidiHgs and ward traeks
The McAllen-Edinburg line a eight
miles long. The cost OF the com
work was $4,000, 900. according
70 the reports Of the engineers. Dur.
in1 the construction Of the extension
the contracting firm employed a.
many as 1905 men in one day. using
e6S teams. A total Of 2.070.aS0 Spikes
used in fastening the S3s75
heavy all steel rails to sq3.424 ties.
The extensions required 4l3.7s6
yards of gravel for ballast:
1875 posts and 2-196,sS0 feet 81
wire 10 fence It's right Of way. More
than 100000 cubic yards Of dirt I
was moved IN preparing the right Of
Was Vision Of W. r. Scott
Extension Of the Southern Pacific +,
10 the Lower Rio Grande Valley had I
long been the cherished dream az the
ate w. r. Scott who for years. a.
president Of that railway. had guided
Is destinies. In an address before 4.
he Brownsville Kiwaris club on ,
October /, 1925, he spoke with pro-
,hetic vision Of the future OF the
asserting he was confident
.he Southern Pacific would eventual /.
extend its lines into this favored