The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 94, July 1990 - April, 1991 Page: 579
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The Mexican Commission
difficult to find corn and grain for them. One of the (observation) posts built by
Mr. Diaz was found destroyed."
The promised escort, commanded by Capt. Donaciano Frutos, finally
arrived October 4, joining the section in Nuevo Laredo. Jimenez re-
mained in the area about a month performing his astronomical duties.
Prior to leaving Matamoros and traveling to Nuevo Laredo Jimenez
received new instructions from Salazar ordering he continue up the
Rio Grande to Guerrero near Fort Duncan. In responding Jiminez ex-
pressed several concerns. He professed no knowledge of the river be-
low El Paso and was quite concerned that he would be unable to find
the necessary resources to continue above Nuevo Laredo, given the
difficulties he was experiencing at the time. Since he was also the secre-
tary for the Mexican commission, he was concerned that the additional
work would make it impossible for him to reach Mexico City by March 1,
1854, when the Joint Commission had agreed to meet. He was also con-
fused over Salazar's reference to "Guerrero." The only Guerrero he
professed knowledge of was located between Matamoros and Laredo.
Jim6nez requested clarification of his instructions, pointing out that he
would be in Nuevo Laredo toward the end of October and if Salazar
still intended for him to work upstream, he would do so if resources
were available.55 When Jim6nez, who did not appear too anxious to
continue, did not receive further instructions from Salazar, he con-
cluded he need not work any farther upriver and instead returned to
Matamoros.
On November 21, 1853, while camped at the confluence of the Mier
and the Rio Grande rivers, Jimenez received word from Radziminski
that the survey work was complete and in compliance with Emory's in-
structions wished to finalize the border. Radziminski stated that he had
compared his surveys with the Mexican maps and found them "appear-
ing to agree." He, therefore, enclosed copies of a statement of the
agreement "anticipating" Jim6nez's concurrence. Jimenez responded
favorably to Radziminski's request, completing the lower Rio Grande
survey.56 Radziminski's statement about the Mexican maps certainly
proves viable and competent work on the part of the Mexican Commis-
sion, credit that is deserved and has never been acknowledged.
54Ibid., 41. Emory made a similar observation about conditions in the town. Emory, Report,
I, 67.
55Emory, Report, I, 36-37. The Colonla Guerrero Salazar referred to is on the Rio Grande
downstream from Piedras Negras and is located within a mile or so of the famous Spanish mis-
sion San Juan Bautista.
55Jim6nez, Diario-Memoria, 83, 84 (quotation), 85, Kajencki, "Charles Radziminski," NMHR,
LXIII (July, 1988), 232.579
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 94, July 1990 - April, 1991, periodical, 1991; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101214/m1/657/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.