Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-13

The task has not been easy. IL has
been, on the contrary. NEST diff
cult. Only mistaken faith in this
project. the capacity TO grasp its
possibilities and loyal cooperation Of
many communities and individuals
could have advanced the ~intracoast-
vi canal TO its present stage.
Part OF National System
Everyone who has contributed %
bring the canal close 40 realization
should be proud OF having had n
part in n Of the great waterway
projects Of the nation, an undertake
ing approved by the soundest engi-
neering authority and certain TO DO
Of i~ncalculable benefit. not only 10
Texas and Louisiana, but TO the en-
tire nation. The -intracoastal canal
forms "A part ~ the waterway de-
yclopment based on the Mississippi
river and It's tributaries and tbs
Great Lakes region which will FRO
vide a large part OF the United
States east Of the Rockies with
cheap waterway transportation from
inland producing centers to the At
laHtic seaboard and the Gulf Of Mex
leo.
The Intracoastal Canal association
was organized IN Victoria. Texas. IN
1905. The first convention was call
cd w the president or the RssociR-
ton. III. II. VI. Holland. ~Inadequats
recognition finally came from con-
grcSS. which authorized AMI made
appropriations for n canal five feet
deep and so feet wide from The
Mississippi 10 the Sabine. on the
Texas border. This canal ia incap-
able Of meeting the requirements of
coastal ommerce.
Surveys Started I'm 1923
On March .. 1928. congress order
ca q survey made Of the canal pro-
ject from the Mississippi river At
or near New Orleans to Corpus
Christi, Texas" Almost to a day
in the following year reports of fed
erai engineers who recommended
the construction Of a canal nine
feet deep and 100 feet wide were
Submitted to congress. The estI-
mated cost was $4,000, 900.
The rivers and h=rbors committee
OF congress approved the project by
unanimous vote and ordered il
placed in the rivers and harbors bill.
subsequently, at the request of the
president. tho appropriation was re-
dueed to So, 900 and authority for
construction work was limited to the
section extending from Plaque-mine
locks on the Mississippi via Nor
gan City, La. 10 Galveston bay. Tn
1927 the entire project, as rrprov-
cd by army. engineers, was adopted
ind construction authorized.
Secure Rights OF Way
Since that time the canal aSsocia-
tion has been engaged in obtsiRing
rights of way. perhaps the most diff
ficult and arduous part Of its work.
Congress required local interest TO
provide all rights Of way free or
cost 10 the federal government. OBJ
Yiously, IL would not be easy 20 per-
suade property owners to donate
land for this purpose, although ey-
cry property owner along the canal
route will benefit By it's construe-
tion.
Mr.. Miller says that after loca-
ton surveys were made committees
Of the canal association spent many
months in obtaining rights Of ws%
from property owners I'm Louisiana
and Texas. Most WI the property
owners ccopsratcd willingly with the
committees, but others had to be
persuaded to grant rights or way.
The construction and rebuilding Of
highway bridges and the disposal Of
dredging soil were other problems
that had to be solved BY conference
and negotiation with property own
crs and public officials.
Ali these troubles. however, now
belong to the past. Mr.. Miller says
NH rights of way conecyanscs for
the Flaquemine route Via Morgan
City 20 the Texas boundary have
been obtained. Between the Sabine
and Galveston bay in Texas all
rights OF way have been obtained,
with the exception OF those in Gal
weston county. where good progress
is reported. Approximately $1,000
600 is available for construction
work In Louisiana. while $1,000. 600
has been allotted "a Texas.
See Completion in 4 Years
The location survey on the Harvey
route. between New Orleans and
Morgan City, has been completed
and sone rights of way have been
secured. As soon as the necessary
information is compiled rights of
way for the section between Calves
ton and Corpus Christi will be Sc
cured. ~ ~ believed that within
the next three or four years a land
locked. inland waterway from New
Orleans 10 Corpus Christi will be
completed.
II is stated that war department
approval for the section between
Corpus Christi ard pSInt Isabel has
rot get been given, but efforts will
be made by the canal association 10
convince Washington that the con-
struction RI this section in neces-
sary.
General Harry Taylor. former
chief or army engineers. who agreed
to complete the survey begun nv
General Goethsls and Interrupted Nv
General Cocktails death, strongly
recommends authorization Of the ex-
tension Of the intracosstal csnsI
from Corpus Christi to the Rio
Grande Valley.
This. then. ~ the present status
Of an enterprise that will add untold
millions e. the wealth of Texas and
Louisiana and forms part or a =
tion-wide waterway development
program. The prospect that the in
trarosstal canal will he completed
between the Mississippi and Corpus
Christi within = few years Is heart
ching to waterway advocates every