The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-05-27
IRRIGATION
EXPERT HERE
DIR. PORTER, CHIEF OF U. S. IR-
RIGATION BUREAU
Accompanied BY W. L. Rockwell.
Manager of Bureau for Texas,
Visits Valley Points-Aim to Make
Water Go As Far As Possible.

eThe object of the government ir-
rigation bureau is to make a cubic
foot of water go as far as possible
and bring as great returns as possible
to the farmers" is the statement of
DR.. S. Fortier. chief of the United
states irrigation bureau of the De
partment of Agriculture, who was in
Brownsville yesterday.
Dr. Fortier, whose headquarters
are at washington, D. C., and W. L.
Rockwell, irrigation manager of the
bureau of irrigation for Texas, ar
rived in Brownsville Tuesday even
ing from Mercedes. where they spent.
one day looking over the canal of the
American Land and Irrigation Com
pany. They spent yesterday in this
vicinity In an interview with a Her
aid representative yesterday after
noon, DR.. Fortier stated that he visit
ed the coast country about five years
ago, stopping at Corpus Christi
where at that time they We're just
starting irrigation projects. At that
time irrigation was in its infancy in
South Texas and DR.. Fortier admitted
that he was very greatly surprised
at the wonderful development that he
has seen during his short stay IN the
valley of the Lower Rio Grande.
Sneaking of the Mercedes canal, he
said he had been surprised at the
large amount of money that has
been invested in that great enter
prise. that the company seems 10
have spared no pains or labor IN
building the canal, and that 1t is
about as good a canal as one VIII
find in any of the irrigated districts
of the country. While some mis-
takes appear to have been made IN
the construction of this canal, he
said. yet the company was trying TO
rectify the errors as rapidly as time
and Circumstances would permit He
also stated that L. n. Hidinger, the
government drainage expert, who mas
been stationed here for some time,
has been making surveys and giving
advice to individual farmers and If
rigation companies in this section
as to the best manned of drainage of
wet soils.
From what Mr. Hidinger says
continued DR.. Fortier. the wrong
impression prevails as to what drain
I age really is. Most people. Mr. Hi
dinger states, seem Ii look upon
drainage as a mere withdrawal OF
waste water from the surface where
as in reality it will eventually consist
of a system of deep drainage canals
and the laying of drainage tiles from
Az to 5 feet deep, below the surface
in all of the low lying portions As
I have said, we have to deal with the
proper use of water and the object OF
the government irrigation bureau IS
TO make a cubic foot of water go as
far as possible and bring as great re-
F., turns as possible to the farmers
Il have learned since arriving here
that there is some question as to the
amount of water in the Rio Grande
being sufficient to supply properly
all of the lands that viii soon be
placed under irrigation in this valley.
AS yet. we do not know what the
condition of the river really IS, but
we have instructed Mr.. Rockwell TO
collect all available data pertaining
TO the flow of the Rio Grande in Tex
as. When these data are compiled and
also an approximate estimate made OF
the land about to be irrigated, we
shall be in better position TO Judge
as to how far it may be safe to eX-
tend your present rapid development
For ten years our Office has collected
information as to the amount OF
water required for different crops
under different conditions. and haV
ing estimated the amount OF water
required for this district. it VIII be
comparatively easy matter to de
eide the total area of land that car
be irrigated by the available watei
supply in the Rio Grande- The high
est development of this portion o
! the state will come through the us'
of water for irrigation.
! DR.. Fortier also stated that TN
people of this section have a splendl'
: opportunity for cultivating the va
= rious kinds of truck. He had bee
informed also by Prof. E. c. Green o
the South Texas Gardens that sugar
cane will be one of the staple crop
i 4