Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-12

poATu TeuuCeu 10 3uU 1eeL. 1Ae uiNl-
sion engineer also recommended Q
s2,O00,000 appropriation and $780,
600 annually for maintenance. but
the board reduced the appropriation
TO 100000 and increased the
maintenance to $4,000 annually. in
dicating that the government Is
satisfied the project can be con-
structed for 1000, 900.
THE Valley can regard the inelu-
sion Of the appropriation in the
rivers and harbors bill as a GER
tainty." Mr.. Creager said. 1T is
possible that the bill may not be
passed at this session, in which
event ii is certain 70 pass at the
short session beginning in Deem
Der. | doubt il this would mean
serious delay. as il Is very probable
the appropriation will not be avail
able before the early summer Of
1929"
Mr.. Creager then urged the Valley
to take immediate steps to meet the
conditions set out in the recon-
mendations of the army engineers,
stating there is much worE to be
done. a great mass of details to be
worked out. and that the only logi-
cal way to handle it would be through
the organization Of a navigation
district.
WoEld Employ Experts
The speaker advised the Valley to
secure the best legal and engineer
ing talent available, calling attention
TO the fact that organization Of a
navigation district presents numer-
Gus features with which the average
attorney is not familiar, and that
the engineering work connected with
harbor construction Is a distinct de-
partment Of engineering and re-
quires highly specialized ability.
II am not satisfied with a 16-foot
channel at Point Isabel and would
not he in favor Of meeting the con-
ditions OF the government III ! we're
not certain that construction Of the
l6-foot harbor would be followed By
the deepening Of the channels TO %
or so feet Mr.. Creager said. "A
l6-foot harbor will not give US the
full measure Of relief. From the be-
ginning ! have felt that il would be
impossible 20 get 25 or 80 feet OF
water on the initial project. We
cannot at present show the tonnage
to justify it with the board Of engi.
neers. The i6-foot harbor is simply
the first step toward a % or 80
foot harbor, and the second step il
inevitable. A l6-foot harbor will
prove Of immense value to the Val.
lev, but the full measure Of relief
Will come with a 30-foot harbor. ]
am convinced that before the appro.
priation for the 16-foot harbor is
expended we will get n bill through
for a 20 or 30 channel and that the
dredges will not stop work"
Requests Prompt Action
Mr.. Crcager asserted that the VAL
ley should determine right away what
to do. He added that to raise the
money BY public subscription was
out Of the question and that the only
feasible way IL the organization Of a
navigation district. He suggested
that the four Valley counties, Hidal-
20, Cameron. Willacy and Starr. be
included, and added that as the law
provides only two counties may form
a navigation district. a special act OF
the legislature would be necessary
TO validate n four-county district. He
stated the suggestion had been made
that two districts of two counties
each be formed. later 10 be combined
BY legislative enactment.
These are matters 10 he worked
out. merely part Of the great mass az
detail 10 will be necessary for the
Valley 70 work out, and upon which
work. the Valley should he prepared
e start as soon as possible" Mr..
Creager said.
In discussing the various phases
or organization, Colonel Thomas Ball
Of Houston. former congressman and
nationally known navigation attorney,
was suggested as attorney for the
proposed district. and the names Of
General Lansing Beach and General
Harry Taylor, former chiefs Of the
board Of VI. s. army engineers. we're
mentioned as engineers whose ser
vices might be secured.
Mr.. Creager closed his discussion
by cOngratulating the port commit
tee upon the work accomplished, stat
ing that never in the history Of the
Valley had any committee achieved
50 much in so little time. II believe
the Valley appreciates the work the
port committee has done and will do
IN the future" he said.
Accepts Conditions
All Parker Of La f'eria declared
that the port at Point Isabel is the
Valleys greatest need, and then
moved that the meeting 70 on record
as favoring acceptance OF the condi-
tions recommended BY the board OF
U. s. army engineers and also in ia
vor Of the organization Of a navigao
tion district.
J. r. Chamber. chairman Of the Ar
royo navigation district. called atten-
ton a. the fact that the Harrington
section rs organized as a navigation
district and that the district Of which
ne IS head would cooperate In every
way possible.
"A rising vote was called on the mo
ton Of Mr.. Parker and IL carried
unanimously.
O. u. Dancy, Cameron county judge,
counseled the committee to secure
the most expert advice on legal and
engineering phases Of the harbor
project. stating the Valley SHOULD
profit from the experience OF others"
he called attention to the fact that
practically every harbor was started
as a shallow harbor. and that he II
confident the Point Isabel project
will eventually be ~dredged to a so
foot depth.
judge A. W. Cameron Of Hidalgo
county pledged support Il the harbor
project as did also W. u. Chaddick
Of Mercedes, members Of the Hidalgo
county commissioners court.
Meeting Representative
;. Finley Ewing. mayor OF Harlin-
gen. stated that the meeting was full
~ representative Of the sentiment Of
the Valley, and that in accepting the
conditions recommended BY the en-
gineers they bad voiced Valley sen.i-
ment. He moved that the chair be
empowered to appoint a sub-commit-