Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-01
new WATER
SYSTEM READY
AT PT. ISABEL
DID Time Aguadores
And Rolling Barrels
Disappear Before
March of Progress

FONT ISABEL. Dee. IA dozen
sErsdoiss gathered with their bur
res and rolling water barrels today
90 tha tsn-mlllion gallon res
efseil 70 see Point IsabeTs new wa
yer systsn put iato service.
FER 1T years the rolling water
Barrels. drawn by burros with small
Boys pereked on their backs, have
ofeszkt Point IsaheI's water supply
csMn the trails from shallow wells
~ the brush. Today water direct
AFom the RIO GrAnde is being pumped
Ahtenxa an elght-Incn maln nine
.1ses 70 tie new seservoir and tnen
1eFwea . the city mains al pres
s1ttt Mp 70 l%5 pounds.
for 1onr months Ine Point Isabel
4e~nsiss a. Development Company
hss been pulling down the old nils
ena fAiing up the low flats Of this
Snetsnf flahing village and seaport.
ass kn1sis on whlcn the federal
@xnay eAmped 10 the close Of the Civil
HAk hAse been pulled down by drag
tsnn dF2oges TO fill holIows. Old
EeGses whieh had hung together ia
The Gulf bfeexes for a hundred years
hAvs been showed or torn down and
new streets graded through from
water front 70 waterfront. smoothly
nsfscwed lCts replace the old-can-Iit-
t1fso corners. The whole face Of
kelnt Isabel has been changed and
n saftcd into a modern picture but no
kn@nKe has 50 greatly impressed the
$50 tnhAb1tants as the installation
~ Z modern water system.
old way Of bringing water In
fcslfnE casks. At each head Of the
cnsk q abort axle was fitted. "A looped
rope passed ver each axle and for
ward around a buFros neck. A small
boy perched himself Just forward OF
the buFEcs tail and failing tee beast
with n mesquite club ambled 70 the
SHALLOW wells with the cask rolling
behind At the wells along a riage
kcuth Of Point Isabel men bailed an
ths water from the pits and filled
me casks. When a cask was filled
ths bung was pounded in firmly. the
boy mounted the bIrro and dubbed
MIN toward town again. In 1own the
water was delivered at homes and
10 serni-public cisterns.
Some OF the old timers can't UNDER
stand Jet that real water. fresh
water. can DC obtained By the turn
szg Of q hydrant. Their wives nave
realized the Improvement more quick
Az and rose gardens are being set
cut BY the dozen IS water Is avail
able for the yards. Some Of the old
or inhabitants had never seen rub
Der garden hose before a stock OF il
was laid in by a local store. They
waited TO buy 10 in hundred and
two-hRndred fooA lengths and carry
water from hydrants set near street
10 their gardens.
With the mains completed the dis
trlbution aystem IL being laid as
rapidly as possible and water il be-
inE made available 10 all lots. Resi-
denees and business buildings are
being piped ard the system is being
sxtended almost a. fast as the cleo
trie lighting system.
just . little while ago ice was
hauled in from Brownsville and to-
day Point Isabel has its modern ice
plant. part Of the CeAtral Light s.
Fewer Company system. and cleo
frse refriTeratoTs are operating in
stores and in homes. In four short
nonths Point Isabel has gained all
n modern utilities Of any Valley
fnun except q gas line and that has
NOT yet reached the ~seacoast.
while the Point Isabel Townsite
and Development Company Is putting
mere fresh water through the town,
che federal government Ia putting
more salt water in the bay In front.
shrDnRh operation Of the dredge "Ab-
Rcron.~ The 16-foot harbor is rap
idty nearing completion and back in
Brownsville Commodore Coholini and
hts committee are preparing the cam
raiKn fer continuation Of harbor m
Fyosenaent 20 a 30-foot depth.