Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-12

u vi a. " W&An
Yates said, adding that he believed
the committeeman should make ~
thorough canvass Of their respective
communities and ascertain publAe
sentiment as closely as possible.
The motion carried without q dis
senting vote, and announcement was
made that the committee reports
would be received at a mass meet
ing in Brownsville Tuesday night,
September 25, the meeting TO be
in the high school auditorium.
History Of All Harbors
Colonel Thomas H. Bali declared
that history was merely being re-
peated in the Lower Rio Grande Val
ley, and there Is no harbor on the
Texas coast which was not az first
confront with the same opposition
as that encountered by the BRACES
Santiago project. ma.
The place to build a port Is
where a port belongs" Colonel Ball
said. "The place for . Valley port
is at Brazos Santiago, a project that
has received the unanimous approval
of the U S. array engineers and the
recommendation OF the rivers and
harbvrs committee Of which ] was
a member when in congress. That
is the only government project on
the Texas coast; that they had en-
countered opposition Of selfish In
terests," and that practically every
navigation district had extended art
er the original organization.
When the puolic realizes the
berefits Of deep water they are al
ways ready to aid in improving the
port and its facilities Colonel Ball
declared after citing the fact that
I practically every navigation district
had expanded after meeting the
/, government requirements.
Urges Port First
! "Don't talk about ship channels
now" was Colonel Balls advice.
Meet the governments require
. ments at Brazos Santiago; dredge
, your harbor, and then if ship chan
/ nels are deemed necessary, build
: them"
! lie asserted he is confident that
\ IN view Of the excellent highway
4 ard railroad connections the Brazos
Santiago port will have IL will serve
Z the entire Valley, stating that the
day Of the OK cart and barge for
short hauls has passed, and that
trucks and trains can deliver short
haul tonnage far more cheapiy ana
expcditiously.
Il know every port on the Texas
coast" Colonel Ball said, "and /
wish to say that the Lower Rio
Grande Valley has greater possibili-
!. ties than any part of the United
. States. Deep water will give this
; section a decided advantage over
!. California; il will give you lower
: freight rates, an opportunity 70 mar
ket your products at minimum cost
. | predict that Harlingen will, even
tually, come into the Braxos San
: tiago project, the Only project that
has received the approval Of the
, army engineers and for which an ap-
: preparation has been recommended,
All towns will get the benefit OF
/ the rates the port will establish;
| and every section Of the Valley VIII
! share equally in the benefits"
Colonel Ball also emphasized the
fact that the rivers and harbors bill
carries a Recommendation of $780,
900 annually for maintenance, stat
ing this item was of greater Import
ance than the 81, 900 construc-
ton appropriation. He declared that
every Texas port had found main
, tenance expensive, and that several
ports would have ceased to exist IL
il had not been for government
maintenance during their first
years. The maintenance item for
the Brazos Santiago port, he point
ed out. is permanent.
Want Valley to Participate
, II was the consensus Of BROWNS
vile speakers that as the entire VAL
ley will benefit equally with BROWNS
vile. the port should be a Valley
! wide project, but that in the event
the rest of the Valley. through a
misunderstanding Of the situation,
should refuse 70 join, Brownsville
should go ahead with the project,
? vote the necessary bonds and con-
struct a channel from Brownsville
to Brazos Santiago.
!, Captain c. r. Tyrreli. head Of the
! Port Isabel Co.. stated that "ff
|, Brownsville desires to become a
!, Houston. Point Isabel ~ willing 70
be a Galveston, and there will be no
controversy on that feature"
: Colonel Ball suggested thai
! Brownsville instead Of building q
channel TO the city build the city
? to the port. "Brazos Santiago IN the
natural location for the Valleys
deep water port" he said, @and
9 port there will serve every need OF
the entire Lower Rio Grznde Valley,
Plan Mass Meetings
Representatives from San Benito
- - E~-t- ~A~4-l 49, .~~-~-~I
10 hold q series of mass meetings in
their respective communities. and
/, definitely ASCERTAIN public opinion.
"San Benito has never Jagged on
! n Valley project" Frank Robertson,
manager Of the San Benito water
district. said. Personally. I am in
favor Of San Benito going into the
district. believe the benefits
would be far in excess Of such tax
as may be imposed. but I cannot
/ speak for the entire community"
Similar orinions were EXPRESSED
by y. r. Bell. secretary OF the San
: Benito Chamber Of Commerce and
J Judge +. Q. Louthar. Al Parker was
the only representative from La
Fe~is present.
, Belief that there IS still n nossi-
[ bility Of "redceming" lIarlinren
was expressed by Mr.. Robertson,
: who urged that a committee he ap-
|. noirted TO confer with Harlingen
} leaders 70 ascertain definitely their
stand unon the Valley project.
All plans in connection with the
Valley port will be discussed in the
community mess meetings. ard the
taxpayers cf the respective COM
munities given the opportunity "a
express their opinions. At the
meeting IN Brownsville the bonn
daries Of the district will be def
nitelv fixed ard organization OF the
district nnshed with All nnssihln