Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-25
MINIMUM
GIVES VALLEY
AN ADVANTAGE
Traffic Manager Re-
plies to Crit m
About New Rate on
Citrus Fruit Crop

Citrus Fruit Crop
The Lower Rio Grande Valley
shippers Of citrus fruits have a de-
cided advantage over those Of Flor
ida in respect to the car minimum
established in connection with the
new citrus fruit rates which went
into effect November 2, according
to {. II. Guion. freight traffic man
ager for the Gulf Coast Lines and
the international and Great North
crn.
The Valley minimum, formerly a.
600 pounds. has been increased to
the attitude Of the bureau i'm re-
gard % toll bridges. lie reiterated
the hope that "the use of federal
aid funds in payment Of a part Of
the cost Of important bridges would
be continued and said these funds
offer an avenue Of escape from the
dilemma which confronts the high
way departments Of many OF the
states which are torn between the
desire to erect bridges which must
be expensive and the desire 70 give
some Improvement to long stretches
Of roads IN rural districts.
Taking advantage Of this hesita-
ton, private promoters have been
busy acquiring exclusive franchises
% build bridges az commanding To-
cations on tho publicly-built high
ways. and IN compensation therefor
TO levy toll upon the annually in
creasing number Of travellers"
The bureau found that. on October
81, 1927, there we're 42i toll bridges
in operation, under construction or
proposed, or which al7 were on the
federal highway system. In the
last congress bills were introduced
10 authorize construction Of i22 toll
bridges. and 81 were authorized.
Practically threc-quarters are or
will be operated by private inter
ests. This bureau has eliable in
formation that such interests have
sought by various means TO obstruct
the construction Of free or publicly
operated toll bridges al command
ing locations. They have sought to
cnjoin the construction Of public
bridges IN the courts; and they have
attempted. and in some cases have
succeeded in blocking Legislation au-
thorizing the construction Of public
bridges.
Aid Bridge Construction
Originally the law prohibited use
Of federal funds for roads which
serve rs immediate approaches 70
toll bridges. Congress recognized
that this might al times be desir-
able. and authorized federal appro-
priations in payment Of half the cost
Of public bridges. the states portion
Of which is 10 be met by bonds re-
payable from ton collections. This,
says Mr.. Macdonald, has nroved a
feasible solution. and such toll
bonds command an active market
and more favorable terms than those
placed By private interests. Public
building also assures open COMPETE
tion ia construction bidding.
In consideration Of these and
other facts says Mr.. Macdonald.
"the bureau generally OPP ses the
construction of private toll bridge,
and fayors construction under pub
lie auspices whether or not IL IS
necessary 10 resort 10 tolls as a
measure Of finance. II has recon-
mended against the granting Of iu-
thority to private interests IN nu-
merouS eases. when congressional
bills have been submitted for is
consideration; but in many cases its
recommendations have not been fol-
lowed. The facts in its possession
we're placed before 20 its
last session; and u is hoped that a
careful consideration OF these facts
viii lead that body NJ extend the
legislative support needed and car
Mostly desired BY the highway ad- |
miniStrative authorities OF the gov |
eminent and the states in dealing
with this difficult problem Of ma
Jor bridge construction
Mr.. Macdonald also comments on
the advertising s~ignboards which
often carry misleading information |
and hide publicly placed guides or
confuse travellers. lie continues:
"Designcdly placed whore they will
receive the utmost attention. they
frequently obscure or mar attractive
roadside views and SO detract fr,
the p~leasurahle use Of the highways. |
Accustomed as we arc to their IN |
wanted presence in ordinary sur !
roUndings, 70 come upon these blat- |
commercial appeals high On the
face Of a majestic cliff. marring a
mountainside. or completely obscur-
ing "A particularly beautiful vista
stlll awakens a sense If their utter
,-congruity. N practically all
these roadside advertisements
repeat in the same form an
ado quite properly through
.encies. Their Disagreement
landscape j. q national dis