Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-08-13
GARNER VISITS
VALLEY ON DEEP
WATER PROJECT
Plans to Secure New Survey
for Deepening of Channel
to Permit Entrance of
Boats of Deeper Draft

engineers with the object of dredging
- or 30-foot channel to connect Point
Isabel with the Gulf. and providing for
other improvements of the Valleys port
and channel. is the objective of Con
gressman John y. Garner. who arrived
in Brownsville yesterday and will re-
main in this city and at Point Isabel
three or four days. securing data in re
gard to harbor Improvement.
Congressman Garner is fully cog
infant of the value of deep water port
at Point Isabel. not only for the Valley
hut for all Of South Texas and northern
Mexico. and is confident that when the
dredging. which will start in a few days.
il completed. the necessity Of deeper
channel. which will permit the entrance
Of the largest boats 10 the harbor. will
be apparent that congress will have
no hesitancy in ordering the necessary
improvements.
The present contract between the
federal government engineers and Cap
tain jacobson Of Galveston calls for the
dredging of an lS-foot channel over the
bar between BrazoS de Santiago and
Padre Island. and a lGfoot channel and
turning basin from the bar to the wharf
mt Point Isabel. This channel will be
adequate to accommodate practically all
the largest boats plying out If the Gulf |
ports. but will not be adequate for the
boats in the European trade or many
of those in the Atlantic coastal service.
To accommodate shipping " this char
acter n - or 30-foot channel will be
necessary. and as the cost of dredging
and jettying would be slight in conpari- !
son with other Gulf port projects. Mr. !
Garner expressed the opinion that no
difficulty will be encountered in Secur
ing an order for the survey and funds 1
for the work.
The first 1ing the Valley must do i
To secure the deeper channels" Con
gressman Garner said. is 10 prove 20 1
the federal government that the port I
will be utilized. The channels now con
tracted' for will soon be completed aud
boats will be coming into Point isabel
in few months. If the deeper channels
are to be secured there must be sui 4
ficient volume of business to warrant
them. IL we can show congress that
deeper port is necessary in order to
handle the products Of South Texas and
northern Mexico there should be mo- diff !
ficulty i'm securing funds necessary for 4
port development. Congress, however.
is not going to spend money on any i'm
provemcnt until il j. convinced that It
will be utilized"
Congressman Garner expressed the
opinion that the port would prove its
value almost n soon n opened, but sug-
gested that arrangements be made for
the routing Of freight through the
port. and that the maximum tonnage be
shipped BY the Point Isabel route in
order that the business cf the port be
built up to the point where il would
Justify additional expenditures by the
government.
The people of the Valley realize the
opportunities for Development they
know that the opening Of the port will
increase the Tonnage shipped from the
Valley; that il will be tremendous
fsctor in the future development not only
of the Valley but for all of South Texas.
and they have no apprehcnsions regard
ing sufficient volume Of business 20
Justify deep water port which would
accommodate the large boats in the At
lantc coastal traffic" Congressman
Garner said but congress Is not
aware Of the possibilities Of the Valley,
~ we are. In making appropriation
for harbor Improvements they demand
facts and figures. aud the best argument
the Valley could offer would hc large
volume of business through the port n
soon as the present channels are com
pleted."
Congressman Garner j. firmly con
vinced that the opening of the port AZ
Point Isabel will be the beginning Of a
new era for the Valley and South Texas.
and that IL will to great extent solve
the transportation problems Of this sec
ticn. He is equally convinced that with
in few years the channels. whrh will
soon bc dre,ged. will prove wholly IT,
adequate for the volume of business /
going through the port and that u deep \
er cha i aud greatly enlarged facil 1
tiles will be necessary ~ handle H.
The congressman will remain here 1
until "Wednesday or Thursday. gathering 4
all data possible. aud will make an f. /
fort at the next session of congress 10
have the survey made with the object of \
securing the deeper channels.
There j. no place on the Texas coast \
which offers better opportunity for the
development of n deep water harhor.-
Congressman Garner said The dis
tapce from the bar M Ernzns d. Sanii
ago To the deep water on the Gulf Is 4
shorter than at any other place along
the coast available for 4 harhor, and the
cost If constructing u deep water port
here would he far less than any other
point on the Texas coast"