Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-09
Pharr District Is
Example of Valley
Irrigation Progress

I the lowest in the United States,
has been maintained for seven years,
and was recently fixed by the board
as the 1928 rate.
Reorganize Departments
A. Van Dresar was appointed gen.
eral manager Of the district in 1922,
and his first work was to completely
reorganize all departments. Chester
A. Posey, who had been with the
system since 1916, was placed in
charge OF the engineering depart
ment, and the department Of water
distribution was turned over to r. E.
Elmer. frederick Ruecking was ap-
pointed assessor and collector for the
district, and Edward Kreidenweiser
was given charge Of the repair de-
partment.
The general managers instruc-
| tions were to bring the various de-
partments up to the highest eff
| ficiency possible, and these instruc-
tons have been followed. rev
changes have been made in the
personnel. Two of the present az
rectors have been retained yea af-
ter year. Employees who have proved
their worth are retained, and an
organization has been perfected that
has proved a factor Of greatest i'm
portsnce in reducing operating costs
and in building up and maintaining
efficient service. The district pro-
vides homes for the ditch riders and
the employees at the pumping plants,
and has found this feature very
valuable in retaining desirable en-
ployes.
District Assets Increase
Despite the fact that the district
has maintained exceptionally low
rates for seven years and has never
voted bonds except the original is
sue to purchase and rehabilitate the
system, the increase in assets has
been almost phenomenal, and is in
dicative Of the high efficiency in
every department. The districts
bonded indebtedness is now $780,
600, and its assets, according to the
auditors report completed in Sep
TENDER are $~2,142,143. The audit,
however, is based upon the cost
value and does not take into con-
sideration the extensive improve
ments made in the canal system
and pumping plants, which have
been financed by the flat rate, nor
the increase in value of property
owned by the district, including real
estate and the office building et
San Juan. The actual assets of the
district are co~nservaticely estimated
at $4,000 0 more than double the
bonded Indebtedness.
New equipment is constantly be-
ing added, and the district has al
ways been able to meet these costs
without increasing the rates. A
large $4,000 dredge was purchased
last year, and three years ago the
district bought an $4,000 dredge,
which has been operating almost
constantly on canal extensions and
improvements, and other work. Gas
burners are being installed at both
the river and relift pumping plant
at a cost of $4,000.
Efficient Pumping Plant
One Of the features of the Pharr-
San Juan district is the high ef-
fieiency Of its pumping plants which
are now being operated on the low
ratio Of one-half barrel Of fuel oil
TO each acre foot Of water pumped.
This makes the pumping cost APP
p~roximately so cents per acre foot.
The original steam installation is
still in service, and every unit can
be put TO work in an hours time.
The average water lift for the dis
trict is approximately "A feet. The
lift at the river in 26 feet, and q
feet at the relift, making q fotaI
OF 50 feet for all water that goes
onto the second lift lands which
form the major part Of the district.
The engines at the river pump have
n total Of 340O h-organower and drive
two 36-inch and two 60-inch pumps.
At the relift the engines have $500
horsepower and operate two 36-inch