Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-21
PORT PLANS
BROUGHT OUT
AT HEARING
santa Maria, Boyd
Tract and Part of
La Feria District
Protest Inclusion

An order for an election on or
ganlzation of the Port Isabel-San
Denito navigation district with the
submission of q bond issue in the
amount of $4,000 o was passed by
the Cameron county commissioners
court Wednesday morning following
approval Tuesday afternoon OF the
petition for organization Of tho dis
trict.
The district as approved by tho
commissioners court included all
territory contained in the original
petition. Commissioners j. ". Lo-
gan, 5. II. Bell and Constant La
roche voted in favor 81 the petition,
Commissioner j. l.. Baughn Of HIar-
lingen not voting.
Two petitions for exclusion from
The district were filed BY the Santa
Maria and BOYD tract interests, and
a petition OF Los Fresnos residents,
who formerly contested inclusion in
the Brownsville navigation district
was presented by A. l.. Montgomery,
san Benito attorney, requesting in
clusion in the Port Isabel-San Benito
district.
Boyd Tract Protests
The Boyd tract, owned by the
Dixie Development company. COM
prises approximately II 900 acres Of
coastal lands on the south end Of
the Buena Vista tract about Il
miles northeast Of Point Isabel. APP
p~roximately 1000 acres are included
IN the Santa Maria section which
sought exclusion from the district.
Judge Mitchell Of La Feria. repre-
sentlng the La Feria irrigation dis
trict, also requested that approx
mately 1000 acres Of that district,
which have been included in the San
Benito navigation district, he eX-
cluded, stating that the additional
tax would seriously handicap the
Improvement program proposed by
the irrigation district.
Witnesses for the Santa Maria
protestants asserted that a port at
either Brownsville or Harrington,
both Of which have organized dis
tricts. would prove more convenient
for them than n port at Point Isabel
Representatives of the Santa Maria
irrigation district stated that the
additional tax would seriously han
dicap this work.
At the close Of the testimony
Judge J.. Q. Louthan stated that
Santa Maria district provided the
connection with Hidalgo county, and
that in the future that county
would doubtless desire 70 aid in the
port development program.
To this argument ". +. Carlton,
Harrington attorney representing the
G-a4. AnWsn en%nNpaHa enid that n
was the intention OF Hidalgo coun-
~ TO aid In the development Of the
proposed port on the Arroyo Colo
RADIO az Harlingen, and that county
would not be interested IN any plans
OF the Port Isabel-San Benito dis
trict.
Major 4. ". Putram. former Z. s.
army engineer In charge of tine Chi
cage district provided some inter
esting developments IN connection
with the port plans. He stated that
he considered y port sufficient
for the Lower Rio Grardo Valley
and that the port should be located
at Point Isabel, where, he stated,
shipping would have easy acces 20
deep water. He said he had made
a thorough inspection Of the project
and suggested that the charmed he
cut direct from Brazos Santiago pass
TO a point near the south side Of the
TOWNSHIP. where a sheltered harbor
could be secured. well protected
against "%northers" ard the prevail
ing southeasterly winds. He suE-
cested n channel at least 200 feet
IN bottom width Instead of 100 feet
as proposed BY the project plans,
adding that the channel eventually
would be widcned TO SEQ feet, the
same width as that through the pass.
He also urged that it lie dredged 20
a depth Of Is feet.
The former army engineer assert
ed that the Lower Rio Grande Val