The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-10-11

eron County we viii have an election
for S28O.000 worth of drainage
bonds Brownsville is already dis
cussing organizing d boat line and
if we can get help from your de-
partment we can go TO work because
we know what is coming. Since
1887 we have not got a dollar Of
appropriation We should set in
line a new sugar mill in this sec
ton has been organized to cost 81
600 900 The Gravity Canal Co, is
capitalized at $4,000, 10000. In
Brownsville we viii have $4,000
more invested in a sewerage system.
The international bridge at Browns
vile viii cost S350,000 Laredo
shipped 240 cars of iron ore and
other merchandise to New Orleans.
If we get BraZOs Santiago, there
would be a railroad built in six
months from Laredo to Brownsville,
and we would be 176 miles from La
redo instead of 500 miles With
BraZOs Santiago railroads wiz come
to Brownsville, as it will be to their
interests. I like the railroads be-
cause they help build up the
no,, Htry: l don't want waterways to
fanr do1pu the railroads but to help
build them up. ii 1868 in Calves
ton we only had one railroad. I9-
day look at her and Houston. Gal
weston is the second port of export
in the United States and with the
increase of prosperity in this sec
ton there are no figures that can
tell what she will do"
Ultimate Cost About S1O,OO0,O00.
Judge James b. Wells at this point
asked Capt. Cakes if a previous re-
port had not been made or this sub
ject Capt. Cakes said Capt Richie
had made one on an estimate Of
eighteen feet over the bar, which
called for d harbOr through BraZOs
Santiago some years ago. Several
other estimates had been made all Of
which showed the proposition prac-
ticable Capt Cakes said the cost
OF work in this vicinity had not been
determined as everything seems to
cost more than was at first intended,
fer protection work, more room for
the harbOr, etc. However, the pro-
babia cost would be three or four
million dollars The ultimate cost
would be about zen mill
lion dollars so rs 10 rank with
Galveston and have q depth OF
twenty-five feet. Mr. CObolini said
Mai Evans report in 1887 said that
Brazos Santiago was the most Ieas-
ible place on the coast for deep
water harbor and that it wouid cost
$l,150.00V Tor two jetties and eisu-
teen feet of water.
When asked what were the steps
necessary 10 pursue, Capt Cakes
said:
Your congressman has taken the
first step by introducing q bill 10
have the Engineering Department
make this preliminary eXaminati ton.
[ viii recommend in my report that
the project is feasible, and ii the
Board of Engineers approve ILL., The
survey VIII be made and an estimate
OF cost VIII be prepared After this
is done. and If approved by ne and
the Board OF Engineers agrees with
me. it is taken up in the next Eiv-
ers and HarbOrs BILL as Congress
apnropriates all the money for such
work The general principle is
whether such projects are good in
vastment for the United States. and
commensurate with the good derived
by the different localities. There is
no question about the good that viii
result from the improvement OF the
pass, but it is a question whether
it is advisable for the United States
to invest their money there.
Mr.. Cobolini said Galveston had
save S2O,00O,000 and here it would
amount to s25O,0O0 d year alone, to
which should be added the trade tri-
butary to this section.
Capt. Cakes said Galveston had
repaid cue Government for its invest
ment there as freight rates had been
reduced, as the railroads make rates
along the most economical lines.
With Brazos Santiago the territory
is more limited than Galveston, al
though BrazOs Santiago would handl
all of Southwest Texas and Northern
Mexico.
Railroad Development.
Mr.. r. n. MagilI, secretary of the
Lower Rio Grande Valley CONNER
ciaI Club said:
Railroad development is one that
is bound to come as a commercial
necessity resulting from our geo
graphical location. A line of railroad
bril+ 5Ov-D tho Gulf Coast of Tevac