Appendix B: A Letter from Rafael Pardo to G. Blalock and G. T. Ingram on January 13, 1903.

From the documents which I have had before me, it appears that there might arise the question as to whether the lands called "Mesillas de Barrientos," belong to the farm of "El Chamal, " which in part correspond to the Congregation of Nuevo Morelos, established by the decree of the Legislature of the State of Tamaulipas under the date of October 19, 1860, and in another part were adjudicated to Don Francisco Narvaez by the Government General Canales.

If the information of private source which I have been able to gather is to be taken into consideration, it can be sustained that the lands of "Mesillas" belong to the Hacienda de "El Chamal", since according to said information the Congregation of Juevo Morelos is with in the perimeter covered by the primitive concession; but as the plan approved by the Fomento Department and the boundaries mentioned in the deed of adjudication to the Bank, set forth as a West limitation of the lands of "El Chamal", the Nuevo Morelos Congregation, there is reasonable ground for doubt as to whether the sitios of the "Mesillas, " belong to the farm in question; and this doubt it would not be possible to decide without a hard and perhaps a long delayed study of the titles of "El Chamal."

However, in view of the documents which I have examined, I consider that the title deeds to the Hacienda (farm) of "El Chamal" can be considered as legally good and that they do not contain serious loop holes of defects, which might in some way endanber the ownership of the lands as against the actual possessors.

                                                                         Yours truly,

                                                                         (Signed( Rafael Pardo.