Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-12-27
NO SETTLEMENT
YET IN CANAL
AT SAN BENIT0
CITIZENS COMMITTEE is L0ATH TO
ACCEPT CONTRACT AS 1T HAS
BEEN COMPLETED.
JUDGE SAMUEL SPEARS FOR THE IR-
RIGATIOE COMPANY OUT WITH
INTERVIEW ON MATTER.
Especial TO The fieralc.J

- AtNATs = - AAA1 -
still no settlement IN sight IN the PROPOSE
ton by which the property owners in the
San Benito district hope to own and con-
troll the irrigation line. of the San Benito
Land q Water company. The San Benito
Irrigation company, controlling the Browne
lands in this community. and which lands
il = making an effort To have included in
the proposed district, has submitted a con
tract to the citizens committee which ii IL
understood l. not satisfactory entirely tn
the committee.
Judge Samuel Spears. representing the
irrigation company has given ont the fol
lowing statement III connection with the
matter:
AT a conference in Houston On Decem-
ber -. al which were present MesSrs.
Foley, Shafer and Haywood OF the citizens
committee, and attorneys for the commit
tee. the bondholder- and the san Benito
Irrigation company. owner of the Browne
land, certain matters were referred for
further consideration ~ the committee and
the irrigation company. An the meeting M
San Benito Of the committee and repre-
sentativeS Of the irrigation company. IN
agreement was reached concerning most of
the subjects referred To them, bui the com
mittce required that the Browne interest.
also agree.
conference between the Browne inter
estS. the committee and the irrigation com
pany, resulted III a meeting at Houston III
the attorneys for the committee. the bond
holders, the Browne interests and the lrri-
CATION company. During the past two
weeks these attorneys held numerous con
ferenceS. and they drew UP u contract en-
hndying the results of their work. a. the
execution OF which the Brownies gave their
consent.
with respect "a the matters considered
III the Houston conference, and the Sub~c-
quent meeting between the committee and
the irrigation company IN 10 the matters
referred at the Houston conference, the
irrigation company agreed that the land IN
the $4,000 acres should have priority III
- far a. appropriation was concerned over
the Browne land. il being agreed that no
change should be made with respect To- n
parian rights. The engines 10 be con
structed were ~ ~ internal combustion.
burning crude oil, and the bulkhead- were
To be OF brick laid in cement mortar, and
water boxes were 10 be Of vitrilied pipe. Oh
cement girders and fumes across re~acas
III ~ VI cypress W red wood banded, and
that the rates should be S3 per acre per
year on all land. and nj per acre for each
irrigation.
1T will be- observed that these were
not carried into the contract IN the cN-
act form agreed upon. the attorney for
the Browne interest taking the position
that with respect to pri0ritie>. he did
not want anyone To give up anything ~
favor Of the Browne land. and the
Browne interests were not willing To
give upanything i'm favor Of others. In
other words. that whatever the priority
rights are they should remain as they
are. That il would DC unwiSc a. max
definite specifications in the contract
about the kind Of pumps. engines. etc.
and material Ia he used in construction
and that il was better 10 50 frame the
contract that Il definite kind or just rs
good l-uuld bc used. and that the con
tract az framed permitted that. With
respect To the rates. the position was
that If 4 rate was higher than the con
sumner could afford. he would he unable
to pay for his land and water rent. and
therefore such i provision IN the coIi-
tract would To suicidal. a. he did not
believe the farmer could afford a. pay
more than -. ~ and so. according to
crops. and live.
There are perhaps other items in the
contract probably not IN accord with
the committees views. but il H. under
Stoc.' that these were not within the
scope of the matters referred a. the
Houston conference for consideration.
1T il understood that the contract as
drawn docS moi meet with the approval
Of htc committee. Judge Carlton. attor-
ncv for the district. has written the
committee fully with respect to this
proposed contract. tbs letter TX
plains many letters in connection with
the water controversy which has been