Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-29
TWO MILLION
EXPENDED ON
COUNTYROADS
Anniversary of Bond
Election Shows Paw
ing Incre a By
SSH Miles

One year ago today-January 20,
lszI-Cameron county voters went TO
the polls, and by a majority of 1926
70 BOO went OF record as favorinR the
~so.OOO,OO0 road bond issue.
mere was no question as to the
attitude of the Cameron county far
mers on the bond issue. The rural
precincts cast an unprecedented vote.
Inc farmers of Cameron county were
not deferred by the mud, which on
the day of the election made many Of
the county's roads impossible. They
wanted paved feeder roads; and they
emphasized their wish with their bal
lots.
There had been no delay on the
part OF the commissioners court and
q county engineering force in full
Milling the demands of the voters. Ii
was the general opinion az the time
the bonds were voted that the county
should mbsrk upon a ~three-year pro-
gram. and the first year has witness
ed the expenditure Of approximately
100000 of the road money. Pre-
sent plans Of the commissioners
! court are to continue along this basis,
providing no legal entanglements
arise to prevent the issuance Of the
remainder Of the bonds at regular in
tervals and halt the road building
program.
The present county valuations Of
~$51,1s3,1T0 the tax rate to carry each
100000 of bonds issued is % cents.
The tax rate this year is S1.06, the
lowest Of any county in the southern
part of the state.
What So 900 Bought
A resume Of the work accomplished
with the 100000 shows a total Of
551 miles will be paved when the pre-
sent contracts are completed, which
will probably be within two weeks.
II addition grading and structures
were completed on S7.3 miles
part of which has been paved,
dirt work and structures are un-
der construction on 75.S miles.
and bids nave be n received on 32.9
miles. at least part of which Will be
included in future paving programs.
All grades have been constructed
with a 30-foot crown; all cluverts on
main bridges have been constructed
Of concrete or creosoted pile.
The specifications for all having has
been for 1S-foot concrete with 9 inch
sides and 6 inch renter. reinforced
with Ia inch steel bars both latitud-
inally and t~ransversely. Daily tests
have been made on all paving and the
curing and general specifications arc
similar to those set BY the state high
way department. Through the ap-
plication Of the enforcement ratio
law q saving OF approximately S.
600 per mile has been made in the
quantity of cement used, averaging
less than five sacks OF cement per
cubic yard instead Of the six or six
and one-hslf sacks required before
the adoption of the ne. mix.
55.I Miles Of Paving
Contracts have been awarded for
65.1 miles of paving, all of which has
eeen completed with the exception Of
approximately three miles in the La
Feria section. The first contracts
for paving, awarded in June, included
the San Benito-Rio Hon6o road, TIC
miles; the Harlingen-Rio Hondo road.
81 miles; FL Jardia boulevard from
the Brownsville city limits 10 the
east line of the FL Jsrdin tract. SIS
miles; San Benito to Border high
wsy, 61 miles: and the La Feria-
SANTA hN>A Enals 10 mAAESs Inc lat
ter contract has since been extended
70 include the highway south from La
Feria TO the flood control levee near
the Arroyo Colorado bridge. All these
contracts, with the exception Of the
La Feria-Santa Rosa road, have been
completed and opened 10 traffic.
Additional contracts for paving
awarded in September included the
n---Zn- n - nauI Ewm-. Drn-----~NHa
70 the new town Of Los Fresnos. 10.6
road (highway No. 100 from Bar
reda TO the east lire Of the Los
Fresnos tract. "a miles.
Future Paving Program
The future paving program Is still
IN an embryonic form and will pro-
baby not be fully formulated until
the third million 81 bonds have been
advertised. and these cannot be adj
vertised and sold until the La Fsria.
Santa Maria. San Benito and Harlin-
gen irrigation districts are converted
into water control and Improvement
districts. Recent action taken BY the
boards Of directors of these districts
indicate the conversions will be made.
In the Brownsville precinct the Bor-
der highway, the Boca Chica road, the
Southwest road and the extension OF
Fourteenth street 70 Vermillion ave-
rue are being considered for paving,
with tke probability that the first
contract viii be let on the Border
highway for q distance OF nine miles
from Brownsville 70 the line Of the
San Benito precinct
In the San Benito precinct the Ia
Feria-B luetown-Santa Maria highway
from the Arroyo Colorado. where il
will Join the extension south OF Ia
Feria; the Browne tract roads, the
Rarrerville road h connect with
highway No. IL. and the Border high
way from La Palors to Santa Maria
are all being advocated FOR immediate
rsving. but Commissioner A. Y. Logan
has given no indication as 70 which
will Re designated in first contracts.
TAM H@-fSwrer district "a rorxsTa~-