Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-21

lection OF the harbor entrance. The
cost of ~exeavating the channel, which
will be approximately III miles in
length. with o bottom width of 100
feet and q depth Of 10 feet is esti-
mated at $4,000, the channel to
have a top width at sea level OF 200
feet, the long slope Of the sides as
surfing minimum maintenance cost.
The turning basin. which will be
1000 feet square is estimated at
$4,000. Cost Of all rights OF way.
including 400 acres st the turning
basin, IL estimated at $4,000. A half
mile right of way from the turning
basin 10 BRACES Pass will be secured,
and several Of the land owners have
agreed to deed the land to the dis
trict without cost, Judge Yates said.
Construction OF the channel and
turning basin will neccssitate the
moving Of approximately 100000
cubic yards OF dirt, according TO en-
gineers' estimates.
Provide Straight Channels
The plans Of the district contem-
plate a channel straight from the
turning basin, approximately five
miles northeast OF the city, TO BRACES
Santiago Pass. running about a mile
south Of Point Isabel. All Of BrnEos
island, the tip of Padre, and BraZos
Pass are included in the district.
Relative to taxes, Judge Yates
stated that upon present county val
untions the district tax rate would
be approximately rs cents on the 500
valuation. He said the government
appropriation might be available in
in July, 1929. which would require
sale of the first million Of bonds. In
that event the first tax payments
would be due in 1880. it is very prob
able the government will not call
upon the Valley for its part OF the
construction fund before 1880. which
would make the first tax payment IN
1851. It is very improbable that pay
ment of tax on the full amount OF
the bond issue will be made before
1882. he said, adding that by that
time development Of the city and
contiguous territory would doubtless
reduce the tax rate very materially.
Mexican Development
Construction Of the Brownsville
ship channel and port will bring i'm
mediate development in the mining
and agricultural sections OF north.
eastern Mexico. Judge Yates pre-
dicted. He pointed out that there
Is o gradual down grade from the
Monterrey mining region 10 tidewa.
ter near Brownsville, and that ore
from the Mexican mines could be
delivered here at 30 per cent Of the
cost Of transportation from Monter'
rev to Laredo. and that from the
latter point they havo q long raj
haul to Corpus Christi or Calves
ton.
None but the high grade ores are
sent cut" he said. due to the high
transportation cost. The Browns
Vile port Will provide an outlet fol
| ent cost and will assure develop
ment Of the mineral resources Of
Nuevo Leon and Tsmsulipas."
He also predicted that a railroad
down the coast TO Tampico would be
constructed as soon as the harbor j.
opened.
"Deep water is needed to round out
the many advantages Brownsville
possesses" Judge Yates said. "Tht
Laredo fields supply Us with natural
gas, climatic conditions are ideal, IL.
Dor II abundant, and there is no rea'
son why, with water transportation
and low freight rates, Brownsville
should not become the most impor-
tant industrial and commercial Gen.
ter on the Mexican border. We have
everything except the port and low
freight rates, and IL is the objective
Of this navigation district 70 provide
these"
Urges Heavy Vote
Judge Yates appealed 70 the voters
10 turn out enmasse Saturday and
vote for the district and bonds. He
said that certain interests are oppos-
ing the port project. They are try
ing to kill IL from the inside" he
said. "They dare not work openly.
The only thing that can hurt US is
an inside job. The way to meet this
opposition is TO return a vote for the
district and bond issue that will
prove beyond question that the peo-
ple Of the Brownsville navigation
district are for the ship channel and
port"
q. L. Hunter. manager Of the e.