Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-12
PORTPROJECT
Is OUTLINED
TOENCINEERS
Valley Leaders Assert
Actual And Poten-
tial Tonnage Justi-
flies 30-Foot Port


'eiopment, winter vegetables. cotton
acreages, Mexico-and then more
'Sanage, were the themes Of on
'ersation with which the army engi-
aseIs were RECALLED during their re-
sent two-day inspection trip through
me Mo Grande Valley in connection
Win the Valley port project.
mat the Valley can produce ton
mage IN almost unlimited quantities
piosioing the growers can secure
reasonable freight rates was i'm
r,essed upon the visiting engineers.
iney saw Thousands OF acres planted
70 CABBAGE, potatoes, beets, carrots
and other winter vegetables, all of
which could find profitable markets
IN the eastern seaboard centers and
adjacent territory.
View Flood Control
10y viewed the Valleys flood
control works and the countless
thousands of acres of river land that
Is being developed as a direct re-
suit Of the combined efforts of the
valley engineers and the officials of
hldaigo and Cameron county. They
examined maps which outlined the
immense u~nirrigated territory which
IS rapidly developing and the huge
acreages that can be bought under
irlgation-all of which mean ton
mage and then more tonnage.
Ihey were surprised TO learn that
by 1882 the Valley will produce be-
tween 10000 and 10000 cars of cit
rus fruit, sufficient to load a ship
each day during the shipping sea-
o II all fruit were shipped by
water. They learned that the Valley
vegetable production now runs close
to 10000 cars annually and that this
could be doubled and trebled under
the stimulus of low water rates
which would open new markets for
Valley products. They also learned
that the Valley expects to open
large foreign markets for grape
fruit and winter vegetables. ard that
to accomplish this a 30-foot harbor
Is necessary.
Not a Boom" Country
Two members # the party, Col.
Moore and Col. Pettis, recently made
an extensive tout throug. southern
Florida. and Colonel Moore comment
ed upon the fact that the Valley is
not q boom country"
"The Valley is wonderful" was
his comment. "You are building for
permanency. There IL nothing flimsy
or temporary in the beautiful struc-
lures in the cities and towns. 1t is
very evident you people have i'm
plicit faith in the Valley and its flu
ture."
While the two members of the
board Of army engineers and Colonel
Ferguson of New Orleans. division
engineer. could give no indication as
TO what action would be taken rela-
tive to the proposed 30-foot har-
Dor, they left no doubt that they
were very favorably impressed with
the Valley and realized the value Of
such a port to the people of this
section as we'll as the millions Of
who would purchase Val
ley products. They expressed the
view that the Valley would find the
16-foot channel of great value in
solving some Of the transportation
problems in connection with both ia
coming and outbound shipments.
Highways Necessary
All members of the patty empha-
sized the necessity for completing
the highway from Los Fresnos TO
Point Isabel, asserting that ade-
quate highway connections are es-
sential TO the development Of any
port project.
"Your railroad has been stand
ardized, as required by the govern
ment," Col. Ferguson said, but il
is very necessary that the port have
adequate highway facilities"
All members of the party COM
mented upon the excellent highways
in both Hidalgo and Cameron coun-
ties and were greatly interested in
the programs under way.
Need OF Harbor Shown
r. B. Creager and Commodore
Cobolini were the only speakers at
the dinner rendered the engineers at
the casino on Padre Island Friday
afternoon. and each stressed the i'm
perative need of a deep water port TO
solve the Valleys transportation
problem.
1.-THE Valley met every require
ment imposed by the federal gov
eminent in connection with the har-
Dor project" Mr.. Creager stated.
He cited the fact the Valley has ex-
pended over s4oO,0 900 and is in no
way responsible for the present
status of the project.
He gave a brief history Of the
Valleys efforts 10 secure deep wa
ter, the sacrifices made by Valley
people, and urged the engineers that
every effort be made TO complete
the 16-foot project at the earliest
possible date.
Promise Bond Drive
"we realize the 1e-foot harbor will
prove If great value" Mr.. Creager
said, "but the Valleys goal is a 80
foot harbor. i can give you the as
surance we will organize a navigation
district and meet every requirement
of the government on a 30-foot pro-
ject."
Commodore Cobolini, who for over
half a century has been connected
with harbor development or the Tex
as coast. presented the Point Isabel
project as one of paramount i'm
p~ortance. not only 10 the people Of
the Valley but to the millions Of
of VALLEY products. He
cited the huge tonnage the Valley
could produce. the prohibitive freight
rates which have delayed develop
ment. and the benefits which would
accrue to people OF the Valley and
The nation. He touched upon the
fact that IL would virtually be an
international port and ould be an
ontlet for a section Of Mexico which
has great potential tonnage.
Roth Mr.. Creager and Commodore
robolini asserted the i6-foot harbor
uould merely be q step toward q
oo-foot harbor. and that they were
--E;d.r+ the army engineers would