Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
BROWNSVILLE
Is PROFITABLE
PORT FOR US.
Customs Receipts Are
Gaining; Expected
To Break Previous
Records This Year

Brownsville IN one 0f The few PORTS
pf entry along the Mexican border
proving profitable tO the federal
government. and last year broke Rll
previous records at this port NV col
Letting revenue t0talinr S~5l.l1T.25.
according 40 the records uf the local
custom office. This was an increase
of approximately $1,000 over the RE-
ccipts of 1924. and in 1928 the total
revenue collected was $la.2S-.gT.
Receipts for the first eight months
Of this year were S19 .55I.63. indicat-
inE that the total fer the year will
exceed $4,000
The Brownsville customs district
extends from Mercedes t0 the mouth
Of the Rio Grarde and north t0 Ray
r~1ondville. Brownsville being the only
port of entry I'm the district. William
Neale Is deputy collector Of customs
In charge, and the personnel includes
five mounted river guards. SIX in-
s~pect0rs, one inspectress and one col
lector deputy and clerk During the
past year the customs made NJ total
of 245 seizures within the district,
consisting mainly of liquor, drugs
and other struggled c0ntrAband-
1T NHE early NAA@ Was
one OF the most important points of
entry on the Mexican border, large
consiEnments crossing at this point
for shipment INV boat from Point
Isabel. Following the completion of
the Laredo railroad tho Importance
~ the port wancd. and only in recent
years has the volume cf business
shown "a material increase. I'm
ports through the port are showing IA
steady increase. and tine value WI ex-
ports last year reached %l,l27,9 1900.
Exports this year will mot show IA
material gain. due tO the business
depression throughout che southern
republic.
Vegetables shipped I'm
The major part XXI the imports pas
sing through the Brownsville port
consists 0f tomatoes. beans, water
melons and other vegetables. part Oh
which so onto the local market and
the remainder Are shipped 20 the
northern markets. The movement nf
commodities from Mexico for the
first eight months off this year total
ed los cars.
Among the important imports ara
wild birds and animals. Thousands
OF quail, captured hy the bird
hunters az central TAmMulipns and
NucvO Leon, are shipped tO The
game preserves uf the United States
through the Brownsville port. and
hundreds III parrots also Are received
here. These are shipped t0 all parts
On the United States. RMttleBnakes
and other reptiles, to supply ATneri-
can museums and shows nre also
shipped In.
Until recent years shipment of eat
tie formed the principal business 0f
the Brownsville port, but these ship
mentS have been almost negligible
since the revolutions following the
regime of POrfiri0 Diaz. Many 0f
the herds which once rOmmed Che rich
pastures of TamAulipAs and Nucv0
Leon nave been slaughtered nr driven
tO other pastures. During the World
War great quantities OK lead. silver
and other r.-M-.-AA Aormed the prfn-
eipal imports. countless millions of
dollars worth VII these metals pas
sing through the port.
William Neal, who was appointed
deputy collector uf customs in charge
Of the Brownsville district I'M Sept
ember. 1921. has been AZ member cf
the customs service lB years, having
entered the service as AN stenogrnp-
pher. His promotion was rapid. and
he was eventually rendered the high
est position in The district.
Many Departments Represented
Practically alI important depart
nents and bureaus Of Che federal
government are represented in
Brownsville. The Border Patrol, of
which D- P- Gay Avn inspector in
charge, hAs itH district headquarters
in the city, and district headquarters
! for the N.Y.. ~. immigration Service,
with ID WI. Brewster in charge. nre
also located here. The Department
Of Justice Nm represented by ~. H.
: Parker and the U. KY. Public Health
Service Nv DR. G- D- Fairbanks. MI.
Al. HinoioSa. clerk Of the U. NJ. Court.
has hi office in the federal building,
, and the Department 0f Agriculture
IN represented NV several inspectors
with ~. D. Deputy in charge. INV. E.
Dutrn, assistant veterinarian. repre-
Eents the Bureau 0f Animal Industry
on the United States Department 0K
Agriculture. and WI. W. Barber iB IVA
charge uf the departments cnt0m0-
/, logical laboratory. The Navy Depart
\ ment ~ also represented and main
tMins a recruiting office in the
federal building in charge pf marine
n sergeant ~. ny. Dale. and iH also in
Y charge 0f Che naval radio me- Fort
\ Brown. The WY. NJ. Weather Bureau
maintains IA station in charge Of O.
L- Schnuybush, and M hMs proved in-
4 valuable to the agricultural inter-