Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-25

The designation by the Brownsville city commission
OF a site for the proposed municipal airport has placed
the matter squarely before the voters Of the city who
on Saturday. March 3, will vote on the proposition Of
issuing bonds in the amount of 100000 to purchase
the site and provide airport equipment
The site designated by the commission is three and
one-half miles. from the city limits on the paved high
way through FL Jardin. 1t comprises 4sS acres, is
cleared and we'll drained. and can be purchased at an
average price Of approximately $50 per acre, an ex-
tremely low price for land Of this character.
The land will, of course, carry the bond tax of FL
Jardin irrigation district Of which it is a part. 1t is
understood the district stands ready to eliminate the
flat rate, which it can do, as the land will be non-agri-
cultural; and will also place very normal valuation
upon the acreage and reduce the bond tax to the mini
mum The district manager has also given assurance
tina. the district will extend full cooperation in the
matter of drainage. and that the drainage program in
that section, now under construction, will be slightly
altered in order to avoid open drain bitches across
the tract.
The designation Of this acreage appears to have me.
the general approval of Brownsville citizens, and it
is believed the action of the commission virtually as
sures the voting Of the bond issue by an overwhelming
majority.
The acquisition of a first class airport by the city
of Brownsville will be the first step toward the de-
velopment Of air transport between the United States
and the countries south Of the Rio Grande. The fact
that Laredo has been designated as the border port for
the Mexican air mail will in no way affect the COM
mercial value of the Brownsville port. Mexican Off
Gals frankly admit that the designation Of Laredo was
due to political pressure brought by Saltillo and Mon
terrey; but the commercial air lines, which will not be
susceptible to political pressure, would never consider
the Laredo route. The Brownsville-Tampic route 10
the Mexican interior will be a low altitude sroute.
Planes on this route can transport freight and passen-
gers at approximately so per cent of the cost the high
altitude route by way of Laredo and Monterrey would
entail. The commercial air routes will be established
upon a basis of efficiency and low cost, and this fact
absolutely precludes the selection of the Laredo route
for regular schedule planes in the commercial service.
The Mexican government, which was responsible for
the designation of the Laredo route for the air mail,
admits that it is more or less of an experiment. The
American postal service, which is not so susceptible to
political influences and which desires to establish the
air mali upon a basis of efficiency, desired the
Brownsville route, realizing that planes flying in low
altitude could carry greater weight of mail than over
a high altitude route. American and Mexican airmen
predict that within a few months the Mexican govern
ment will reaelize its mistake and in the interests Of
economy be forced to change to the coastal route. It is
not improbable that by the time the Brownsville air
port is completed the Mexican postal officials will
be inclined to give more heed to the practical ayiators
and less to the politicians.
The air mail, however, is a very small part Of the
air traffic that will eventually be developed between
the United States and the Latin American countries,
and there can be no doubt that the main part of the
commercial traffic will pass through this port. The
one way to oassure this traffic is 10 vote the bonds
and construct a port which will assure the air lines
ample facilities and be prepared to meet every demand
which may be created by the development of the traffic.