Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-08

SYSTEM Will
Be CONCERTED
e. Jardin District Is
Planning Extensive
Improvement Pro-
gram During Year

Concreting OF several miles Of
canals and laterals and providing
~sab-surfare drainage for various
areas are included in the plans or the
II Jardin irrigation district. which is
now engaged in the most extensive
drainage program ever undertaken in
South Texas.
10 effort will be made at this time
20 concrete all canals and laterals
~ the district. officials state. EN-
haustiye surveys have been made OF
the entire tr.-t, the points Of heavy
seepa-c determined, and at these
points the secpage will be stopped by
lining the canals.
The drainage program, started dur
inG the summer. Is now about 20 per
cent complete. engineers Of the dis
trict report. and approximately four
months will be required to complete
tire opcn drain work. The open
bitches in the eastern and northern
sections Of the tract have been vir-
tualiy completed. and the work in ex-
tending 10 the central and southwest
eFn pars.
The drainage program includes APP
rroximately 100 miles OF open bitches
ranging from 3 to IS feet in width
~ the bottom and with an average
depth ar { feet. The open drains will
he supplemented by sub-surface
drains constructed with the Kilefer
.Gophe-.' a deep tilling and drain
line machine which the district has
ordered for tests. Directors of the
district are confident the utilization
Of this machine will dispense with
the more expensive thing in several
localities where the open ditch drains
VII not be adequate 20 provide prop
er drainage for the land.
Can Finance C~oncre.ing
The district viii be in shape TO
finance the coRcreting OF a number
81 the canals and l~aterals. Z. l..
Hunter. manager Of the district stat
ec. The district last year voted
bonds in the amount Of 100000, Of
which $4,000 has been delivered and
the district now has SlS3,000 in bonds
in its treasury with cash on hand
amounting TO $139,7I6. This will leave
sufficient funds q provide for lin
ing the seepage points on a number
Of the canals, but the extent of the
concreting program cannot be def
init6ly announced until the drainage
work is completed.
The original estimate of c. p. Will
IiamS, reclamation and drainage engi-
neer. who made a drainage survey OF
the $4,000 acres comprising the Fl
Jardin tract, was that Sl,l00,00O
would be required for the project.
His estimate provided for the laying
Of drain pipe In approximately 30
miles Of drains for which the dis
trict has substituted open drains
The principal saving has been eff
fected by substituting open drains
FOR the pipe drains provided in the
Williams estimate" Mr.. Hunter
said. We realize that the pipe
drains would be more desirable, but
the district was unable 10 finance
them. The drainage plans finally
adopted By the district. which fol-
low very closely the Williams survey.
were approved by the best drainage
engineers in the country. We secured
an excellent contract from the Trim
10y Farms Company. and they an
giving the Fl Jardin district a drain
age system which will prove highly
efficient"
Results Of the drainage are already
very apparent. Large screages which
q year ago were designated as salt
ed" will be brought under cultiva-
tion this year. and production in Fl
Jardin. OF both vegetables and cotton.
10 expected 10 greatly exceed all
former records.
Install Electric Motor
One OF the improvements made dur-
Ing the year was the installation OF
an electric motor at the river pump,
and complete electrification OF the
system Is contemplated during the
coming wear. This Is expected 10 be
accomplished al little cost BY trading
the present oil engines for motors.
The district now has . 220-horsepower
motor and a 200-horsepower oil en-
CINE ~ its river pump with two 100
horsepower on engines at its second
lift and secondary river pumps.
The income Of the district the past
year averaged 1891 per acre, and the
rest OF providing irrigation was S2.97
Per acre Of which 81 cents was for
depreciation Of the plant. The op-
erationx Of the district showed a
profit of 70 cents on every acre un-
der irrigation. According 10 the
auditors report the operating cost Of
tire various departments was the fol-
loving percentages Of the total eX-
rendit1Tes for operation;
Canal operation ............. .265
Pump nr piant .240
Administration 1875
Auto and truck ............ .0n4
Engineering .020
Telephone .n06
General .o55
Geplarrmcnts and
-nr-rnan+trr Oh