Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-01
cooperation Of federal engineer. :.

assured
On the Point Isabel project the
Is-foot outer channel will be com
pleted early in January, and an ef-
fort is being made to induce the
government to complete the inner
channel to a depth of IS feet.
Plans for the organization Of a navi-
cation district to cooperate with the
government in the dredging OF a
30-foot channel and harbor are ex-
Pected to materialize shortly after
the first Of the year.
The development Of Point Isabel
as a port city and recreation center
Is proceeding rapidly. Grading of
streets. installation of a water sys-
TEN, planting of thousands of palms
and ornamentals, and the erection
Of a number of modern buildings
have been mons the achievements
at Point Isabel during the year.
Advertising the Valley
The Lower Rio Grande Valley re-
ceived more publicity during 1927
than in any previous year. Both the
Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific
lines are advertising this section ex-
tensively, and the various chambers
Of have also extended in
valuable aid in publicity work. The
exhibit ear, operated over the Mis-
souri, Pacific lines. the publicity mat
ter sent out by the railroads and
various development organizations in
the Valley. has attracted thousands
Of homeseekers. The results Of this
extensive publicity is shown in the
rapid development of new sections,
the ever-increasing number of tour
lists and the growing demand for
development of recreation centers
along the coast.
Railway officials and others in
close contact with the trend Of tour
ist travel predict that 1928 will wit
ness IN unprecedented influx of tour
lists and homeseekers as a direct re-
suit Of the extensive publicity the
Valley has secured.
Airway Development
One Of the features Of the last
six months of the year has been the
concerted movement Of Valley cities
TO secure airports. The recent flight
of Colonel Lindbergh has placed
Brownsville on the map as the pros
pective international airport of the
future, N an election to vote
100000 In bonds TO construct 4
port is expected to be called early
in the year. Harrington and McAller
are also developing %airports which
are expected to play a leading role
IN future aerial activities Of the
Lower Rio Grande section.
Development of ~recreational fea-
lures has been one of the detectives
of several Valley communities. Golf
courses at Brownsville, Mercedes
MeAllen and Edinburg have been e..
tablished or improved. The opening
OF several country club projects and
pools for water sports nave been an.
nounced. and extensive plans have
been made for recreational develop
ment Of the coastal regions. with al
least two projects, Point Isabel and
Holly Beach, we'll under way.
The Citrus Industry
One of the most remarkable phase:
of Valley development during 1922
has been the steady increase in cit.
rus paintings. All records have beer
broken, and the acreage now set [,
citrus trees is approximately 10,
per cent greater than in 1925. With
over $4,000 acres Of trees 70 com,
into bearing within four years. IN,
Valley is obviously destined 10 even
tually rank with Florida and Califor
mia in citrus shipments.
To handle the increasing produc.
tion a large citrus packing plant hal
been erected by the Mercedes co
operative. the third large plant 70.
the Valley, and plans have beer
formulated for the erection Of addi
tional plants in 1928. Three planting,
indicate that citrus will become III,
major money crop of the Valley. am
that the fruit packing industry will
eventually assume a position OF ma.
jor Importance.
Industrial Growth
The industrial growth OF the Val
ley the past year has been rand
Several large canning plants hav,
been established to handle surplu.
vegetable and fruit production. tn,
plant at San Benito being the larg
est vegetable cannery in Texas. Free
ton of a cotton mill at Harlinger
Is well under way, and large COLI
storage plants have been erected a
Edinburc and Weslaco, with another
large plant projected at Browns
willie.
The completion Of the natural "a.
line from the Miranda gas fields I,
the Lower Rio Grande Valley. pro
vidi,s the entire Valley with eco
n0mical and efficient service. has al
ready denoted its influence in con
n~ection with industrial development
and il will be a very important fac
tor in the development of the future
One of the major achievements O.
the year has been the organization q
a cooperative marketing association
comprising units at practically al
principal vegetable shipping points
in the Valley. Though the organiza.
tion is handling a comparatively
small part of the total vegetable
production, IL has exerted consider
able influence upon the market stu.
alton. The association is heading =
Valley-wide movement to secure
lower freight rates on vegetables and
fruit. and officials are confident ma
terial reductions will be secured be.
! fore the 1928 shipping season.