711.12155/131
The American Commissioner, International Boundary
Commission, United States and Mexico (Curry) to the
Secretary of State
El
Paso, June 26,
1925.
[Received July 1.]
Sir: Enclosed find copy of Minute No. 61 of a
meeting held at the offices of the Mexican Section, Juarez, Chih., at
ten A.M., June 23, 1925, for the purpose of taking final action on the
petition of the City and County of El Paso, Texas, presented through
their attorney, Major Richard F. Burges.
After a careful review of the report of Engineers L. M. Lawson,
representing the United States and Salvador Arroyo, representing the
Republic of Mexico, together with the report of the Consulting Engineers
of this Commission, it was decided that these proposed cuts in the Rio
Grande which extend from the cities of Juarez, Mexico and El Paso,
Texas, for about eight miles down the river will have the effect of
protecting the cities of El Paso and Juarez and valuable farming land
from flood menace.
The plans of the engineers representing the two Governments, in which our
Commission heartily concurs in provides for a continuation of the work
of straightening the river, building levees, et cetera, through the
entire El Paso valley, which on the American side is composed of the
counties of El Paso and Hudspeth, and on the south side, the
municipalities of Juarez, Guadalupe, Porvenir and San Ignacio.
[Page 575]
The expenses incurred in this work on the American side will be paid by
the city and county of El Paso, and on the Mexican side by agencies of
the Federal Government as their local municipalities are unable to bear
the burden incurred by the proposed river cuts and levee system.
The Consulting Engineers of our Commission state that the bed of the Rio
Grande has risen so high that unless there is some immediate measures
taken there is great danger of a disastrous flood which will do great
damage to a part of the cities of El Paso and Juarez and to the farmers
below the two cities.
In view of all the circumstances I earnestly request that you approve our
recommendations authorizing the proposed cuts in the Rio Grande, with
the understanding that the expenses incurred so far as the United States
is concerned will be paid by the city and county of El Paso, and that
the proposed cuts shall be made under the supervision of our Commission
through our respective Consulting Engineers.
I am [etc.]
[Enclosure]
Minute No. 61 of a Meeting of the International
Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico, June 23,
1925
Meeting called for June ninth, nineteen hundred and twenty-five, as
set forth in Minute number fifty-nine having been postponed, was
held by the Joint Commission at the offices of the Mexican Section
at ten A.M., June twenty-third, nineteen hundred and twenty-five.
The object of the meeting was to receive the written statement
presented to the Commission by Mr. Richard F. Burges, representing
the City and County of El Paso, Texas, and Hudspeth County
Conservation and Reclamation District No. 1, in regard to the
proposed flood control works in the Upper Section of the Valley of
El Paso as presented by Engineers L. M. Lawson and Salvador Arroyo;
also to render a resolution on the aforesaid project. Written
statement was read and
Whereas, Mr. L. M. Lawson, representing the Government of the United States
of América, and Mr. Salvador Arroyo, representing the Government of
the Republic of Mexico, have formulated and presented to the
International Boundary Commission, certain plans dated April 25,
1925, looking to the rectification of the channel of the Rio Grande
in the Valley immediately below the cities of El Paso, Texas, and
Juárez, Chihuahua, looking to the elimination of the flood menace
caused by the silting up of the bed of the river;
[Page 576]
Whereas, the said report has been referred
to the Consulting Engineers of the International Boundary Commission
who have approved the same, with certain recommendations concerning
the acquisition of title to areas to be cut off from one bank to the
other of the river and also with recommendations as to the
maintenance of the proposed works;
Whereas, certain levees have been
constructed at the expense of national and local governmental
agencies, and the extension and completion of such works in that
portion of the river covered by the report of Messrs. Lawson and
Arroyo could be speedily effected by carrying out the
recommendations of the said report.
Whereas, the rectification of the channel
of the Rio Grande and the corresponding defense works, as proposed
by Engineers Lawson and Arroyo, will not cause damages to either
bank of the river and on the contrary, they will directly produce
immediate benefits, bettering seepage, public health, etc. and
Whereas, that said works are intended to
stabilize the River avoiding gradual or sudden changes of the
boundary line at this region;
The Joint Commission Resolved: That the
recommendations concerning the rectification of the Rio Grande
Channel and the construction of necessary structures covered by the
reports of Engineers Lawson and Arroyo and of the Consulting
Engineers are hereby approved, and recommendations are made to the
Governments of Mexico and the United States to permit the execution
of these works, and that the Engineers for flood control works,
representing the Governments of Mexico and the United States be in
charge of the general direction of said works under the direct
supervision of the International Boundary Commission through its
Consulting Engineers. It is absolutely necessary that works be
carried out simultaneously at both banks of the river, otherwise
serious consequences might be expected from performing works
partially. It is also necessary that these works be considered as
the first part of the general project for flood control works in the
Rio Grande between El Paso and Fort Quitman, Texas, and that once
the works are under progress they will continue until full
development of the project is reached.
The Governments of Mexico and the United States will determine what
agencies will carry out the works; the manner and date of their
execution, how the corresponding expenditures will be made, and the
resulting works maintained. Recommendations are hereby made to both
Governments, that acquisition of rights-of-way and portions of land
passing from one bank of the river to another be
[Page 577]
made by the agencies authorized to
carry out the work. Parcels of land segregated from one side to
another must be marked by monuments by the International Boundary
Commission, and their jurisdiction will continue to be the same they
had before their segregation, until the Governments of Mexico and
the United States resolve otherwise. Attention of the Department of
State of the U. S. A., and the Department of Foreign Relations of
Mexico be called on the future convenience of changing the
jurisdiction of the small portions of land segregated from either
country, as a result of the rectification of the river channel.
Meeting then adjourned subject to call of either Commissioner.
George Curry
American Commissioner
J. Harrie Cloonan
American Secretary
Gustavo P. Serrano
Mexican Commissioner
José Hernández Ojeda
Mexican Secretary
