Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-25
RAPS
name CHANGE
AT PT. ISABEL
Passing of Old Land
marks Mourned BY
Local Attorney;
Lack Appreciation

To The Herald:
At a time when our Valley cisi-
zens, under the f~nt0xication OF
prosperity, or blinded by the achieve
ment Of success, have become indif-
ferent 20 the dissertation Of u his
torical landmarks; at a time which
can be properly described as "thc
passing away Of our landmarks" u
seems 70 me an imperative duty that
someone shall write ar epitaphy to
the memory Of those names which
have heretofore been regarded as
sacred In this part Of our beloved
state.
The Good Book, which has been
the mainstay of u Anglo-Saxon
civilization, teaches: Remove not
the ancient landmarks which thy
fathers have set; prov. 22:28) but
notwithstanding this injunction,
when people are rich and prosper
Gus. when their hearts are filled
with pride and vanity, they seem 70
look 10 our 'sold landmarks" like the
newly rich do or their poor reia-
tions."
When our commissioners court
sometime ago passed a resolution at
tempting TO change the name Of the
old military and Telegraph Road
10 the "Border Highway" | protest
ed with all the vehemence at my COM
mand, II brought about n feeble echo
of protest. Now, when q second at
tempt TO wipe away the most sacred
and important landmark to-wit: the
changing OF the name OF "Punta
Isabel" as the Spaniards named Il IN
honor of their most Catholic sover-
eign of Spain. who made IT possible
for Columbus 10 discover America
and of "Point Isabel as said name
was consecrated by the immortal
Zachary Taylor in his messages 20
Washington in 1916, into Port lsa-
bel" as u prosperous lam COM
panies desire TO call il, ! confess that
] have almost lost faith in human
gratitude.
The rapid rise OF CALIFORNIA; his
toric importance is due to the intel
ligent sympathy of its settlers since
the Civil war. These we're recruited
chiefly from the early centcrs 81
American colonization In the eastern
states and down the Atlantic sea-
board. They brought with them 70
the western al Dorado" an appre-
citation of and craving for tradl-
tion. This furnished inspiration for
the founding Of the Landmarks club
Of California, which has established
q marvellous record Of achievement.
Travellers enthuse over the beauty Of
the traces left Of the Spanish CO.
lonial era. These still exist and have
been made accessible and marked
because they have been conserved.
Nothing has been changed or re-
anoAnAI DrrA&m Trok.N 80 n.trt
Isabel. has been for well-night a
century one OF the most interesting
spots in this vicinity. Its name Isl
familiar all over the United States
with the descendants of the men Of
those armies who encamped there
during war. That Of TAYLOR and later
the confederate and federal troops
during the Civil war. The name Of
Point Isabel has blazcd 4 way Ia the
records Of the war department, also
in the treasury, for the u. S. rus
tom house for this district had its
headquarters at Point Isabel through
the SOS and until it was moved to
Brownsville during the Civil war By
the Confederate government.
We fail 10 see how a change to
Port Isabel will lend a commercial
value. The great ports az the world
number few bearing the prefix Of
sport" Deep waters and tonnage are
the two sole and only necessary con-
ditions that determine the location
Of a seaport and its resultant pros
perity. We have no Port New York
or New Orleans. or San Francisco
or Galveston. The coast OF Texas
is now provided with a sequence Of
ports of local Importance, Port La
vaca, Port O'Connor. Port Arkansas
and SO on.
Among places Of interest on the
American seaboard there are two
redolent Of a quaint and picturesque
past. Old Point Comport on the At
lantic and Point LIBEL on the Mex
lean Gulf. II would seem a pity 10
those appreciative Of local history
were the name Of Point Isabel re-
placed by n banality.
| a add nothing TO the forego-
ing remarks except to remind those
who are engaged in the unholy work
or destroying u landmarks in our
Magic Valley, and especially those
who want to change the name Of
Point" to sport" Isabel that our
first presidential candidate who Wis
tied this Valley in 1876 was the per
son who changed the Spanish word
~Punta" into the English equivalent
Of point" and that the place where
on Point Isabel now stands sis holv
ground" to those who love America.
J. 7. Canales.