Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-05-12
PURCHASE OF CANAL SYSTEM TO
BE DECIDED BY PROPERTY
OWNERS NEXT JUNE 8.
EXPECTED THERE WILL BE NO
OPPOSITION TO BIG ISSUE
WHICH MEANS PROGRESS
(Staff Special To The Herald

the matter of a bond issue of S75O.OOO
for the purchase by the district Of the
Donna canal system from its present
owners, the Donna Canal Company, and
its improvements and extension.
The notices calling the election were
posted today.
The following election officers were
appointed by the directors:
Presiding .Judgc-N. b. Vertrees.
Associate Judge-A. Lissnrr.
Clerks. l.. Wilnroth and W. a. Do
bic.
The election will be held in the Of
flee Of \. LisSncr.
The action of the directors in fixing
the amount of the proposed bond issue
at S15O,OOO created more than a mild
amount of surprise here, as il was gen
orally expected that the issue would be-
for $500 900. The reason for fixing
upon the smaller amount il said To be
that owners Of certain large tracts in
Guided in the district offered TO bear
the expense Of building l~aterals to the
portions OF their tracts not now under
ditch, ii the amount of the bond issue
was made s150.0O0 instead Of 100000.
This. the directors agreed 10 do, IN the
expectation. rs one of the Board eX-
pressed IL. that the interests IN ques-
ton will do the construction work nee
essary when the proper time comes.
Ii is the opinion of the directors. how
ever, that the amount decided upon will
be sufficient To take Over the canal sys-
tenn and also To make all the improve
mcnts aud extensions necessary AT this
time To pat the system in first class con
dition.
OF the amount TO he raised by the
bond isSuc. S.}25nOn Is To be paid for
the canal company holdings and the
remainder is to be- expended for i'm
provrmcntS and extensions.
Thosr who are pushing the project
for the purchase of tine canal system by
the district feel very hopeful regarding
the outcome Of the election.
The leaders of the district movement
believe that there will BE- %inauguratrd
an era of progress both in town and IL
country that will PIT Donna right mp
among the leading Valley propositions.
As AN example of what benefits are
10 come from district ownership and
management of the canal. the directors
point 10 what has been accomplished
since January 20. when they took over
the operation of the canal system un-
der a lease. There have been cleaned in
~, .,,. H., I'll. IA ..., .,.l.
and twenty-thrcr miles of laterals. all
Of which were badly siltcd up. This
work was done by hand labor al the
extremely low price of . cents a cubic
yard, probably the cheapest dirt work
that has been done in the Valley. The
task system was used on this job. a task
in this instance being thirty feet in
length. ten feet IN width, and one foot i'm.
depth for which one dollar was paid.
Most of the work was done when the
soil was wet and heavy. and consequent
ly difficult 10 hove by teams. Some
team work let out in comparison with
the shovel work cost L. cents "A yard.
Not only has the canal been improved
but likewise the pumping plant at the
river has received needed attention. y
new Corl.iss engine of 3I2 III. T.. a con
denser. a new dinky cngiI !. new smoke
stacks and new boiler tubes are being or
have been put in place. When these
additions are completed the plant will
include two thirty-inch pumps. each i'll
separate unit, operating Independently
of the other.
All tho wooden canal Gates that are
not in good condition are being re-
placed with the California system of
iron gates. fitting into corrugated tubes
Of which a hundred have been purchas
I'd. As a result of these various inn
provemcnts. the water furnishing capa-
city of the canal has been increased
fully o~ne-third, and the supply of Wa
ter now greatly exceeds the demand.
Crops Under Irrigation.
The crops under irrigation this sea
son are. approximately, as follows;
Corn. 3.400 acres.
Sugar cane go acres.
Forage crops. alfalfa. sorghum and
Sudan grass. 800 acres.
Truck. ls5 acres.
A much larger planting is promised
for next season.
With the canal as il is AT present,
eighteen thousand of the forty thou
sand acres included in this proposition