Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-06
PT.ISABEL TO
Be INCLUDED
IN HOUSE ACT
Port Plan Proposed by
Schley Is Favored
BY Army Board; In
crease Maintenance

A recommendation that an appro-
priation of $1.00O,OO0 for construc-
tion and s150.O00 annually for main-
tenance of the Valley harbor aH
Point Isabel be passed BY congress
was submitted by the chief OF tbs
u. :. army engineers. General Edwin
Jadwin. to the rivers and harbors
committee Of the lower house Sat-
urday afternoon.
A telegram from Congressman
John N. Garner to X. B. Creager.
chairman OF the Valley port COM
mittee. conveyed the information
that the appropriation would be in
cluded in the pending rivers and
harbors bill for submission nc the
present session.
The report Of the engineers recon-
mends that the Valley interests be
required to contribute the sum 90
100000. This would provide a to-
tai of s1.600,000 for the extension
Of the ietties and dredging of tho
channels. They also recommended
that the Valley be required TO pro-
vide suitable terminals at Point
Isabel. and donate certain areas on
Brazos and Padre Island with an
office site on the mainland.
Favorable action by congress
upon the report Of the engineers
will definitely commit the govern
ment TO the project and funds will
be provided to construct the project
in accordance with the report" Con-
gresham Garner stated.
The project approved BY the board
OF army engineers Is practically the
same as recommended BY Col. y.
l.. Schley. district engineer at CAL
weston. The Schley report recon-
mended that S2.000.000 be made
available and 100000 annually for
maintenance. contingent upon the
Valley contributing 100000. The
4 board of engineers took the report
under advisement, and recommend
ed that the project could be finance
I ed with an appropriation Of $1,000.-
600 and S15O.000 annual mainten-
ance. providing the Valley contribut-
ed 100000.
In his telegram to Mr.. Creager.
/ Congressman Garner stated:
THE rivers and harbors commit
| tee have just received the report or
Y the chief of engineers concerning the
Brazos Island project Point Isabel.
After reciting the history of the.
proposed improvement, the board in
section No. z Of the report recon-
mends that "the existing project be
amended 10 provide for the improve
ment by the United States Of BraEos
/ Island harbOr by constructing m
( jetty channel rs feet deep and 500
! feet wide through the entrance and
I dredging a channel is feet deep "a
\ mean low water and 100 feet wide
at the bottom from deep water I'm
Brfzos Santiago pass To the end OF
! the wharf at Point Isabel with
| turning basin 500 feet square and
| 10 feet deep NJ che wharf. at an
/ estimated cost OF $l.60O.O00 for con-
struction and Sl50.a00 annually for
maintenance. provided local interests
] contribute the sum Of 100000, fur
nish suitable terminal facilities at
\ Point Isabel open 10 All on equal
\ terms, donate 20 the United States
I the north end of Brazos Island from
a due east and west line 1000 feet
south Of the old United States coast
| guard station on BraZos Island, tho
south end Of Padre Island from =
due east and west line 500 feet north
Of the quarantine station on Padre
Island. and for an office n satis-
! factory piece OF land approximately
200 feet square on the Laguna shore
az Point Isabel convenient u the
terminal
''The board adopts substantially
the prosect as recommended by tho
district engineer, only changing the
estimated cost. The report COM
mits the government TO the Valley
project and funds will be provided
BY congress TO construct project in
accordance with the report"
Will Extend Jetties
The project outlined BY Colonel
Schley, which apparently has met
the full approval OF the engineers IN
everything except the estimate o.
cost, provides for the extension of
the present jetties from Brazos and
Padre islands TO the 1s-foot depth
in the Gulf. The Padre island jetty
is now 100 feet long and the Brazos
jetty 1900 feet, terminating IN q feet
Of water at low tide. To reach tho
rs or 20 foot contour in the Gulf
the Padre jetty will be extende,;
$500 feet and the Brazos j,tty 1900
feet, making N total of 4,10O feet ~
construct.
| Practically the only change I'm the
plans recommended by Colonel
Schley Is in reference to the outer
channel between the jetties. Colonel