Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-12
Valley Prepared to Cooperate
on Port

The Lever Rio 6rsnde Valley is prepared TO or
ranixe o navigation district and will vote bonds 70
finance terminals and other facilities in the event the
federal government viii cooperate in the construction
Of q thirty-foot port at Point Isabel. was the state
fment made by R.. B. Creager to the U. S. Army Ensi-
neers ut Point Isabel Friday.
Influential citizens from all parts of the Valley
we're present Mt the dinner rendered the engineers fol-
lowing the inspection of the harbor site. and they
were unanimous in extending the assurance that Mr..
cresger's remarks represented the sentiments of their
respective communities.
The decision of General Jadwin to complete the
original project-an 1s-foot outer channel and a ~
foot inner ciannel-indicates that before many mont
the Valley will obtain some relief from the preseD ex-
cessive freight rates. But Mr.. Creaeer and other
speakers emphasized the fact that development Of ton
mage in the Valley makes a thirty-foot harbor essen
tiaI, and that the present project is regarded merely as
a step toward the thirty-foot goal.
Mr.. Creager's assertion that the Valley is prepared
to organize a navigation district and nd issue
10 finance the Valleys share of the projeu Tas made
advisedly. Ever since the meeting in Mercedes last
November, when the Valley port committee was or
ganizd, a strong sentiment in favor of a navigation
district has been forming. and this sentiment has been
crystalized by the recent action of the Interstate Com
rerce Commission which further postponed enforce
nnent Of the order Of June 2, 1927, which would have
given the Valley some relief from the excessive rates.
The action Of the commission will cost the Valley over
q million dollars this season. and there is apparently
no relief in sight from that source.
In discussing the situation with the engineers the
fact was pointed out that by the time a t~hirty-foot
channel could be completed Valley development would
practically assure the loading of one ship per day dur
ing the season from November to June. with cotton
and other losdings during the lull in vegetable and
fruit shipments. 1t was also pointed out that Point
Isabel will be the logical concentration and shipping
point for the great mineral areas Of Monterrey and
Saltillc, Mexico. from which an immense tonnage would
be available. Commodore Cobolini brought up the re-
port Of vegetable shipments on February s, showing
that 1873 cars had moved from the Valley, sufficient to
load a 1000 ton vessel and asserted that development
Of eastern markets under the stimulus Of low water
rates would double and treble the production Of vege-
tables.
1t is the consensus of Valley leaders that the agri-
cultural and business interests of this section, after
operating for years under the handicap of excessive
freight rates. will be practically unanimous in sup
porting any plan for the organization of a navigation
district. They are fully cognizant Of the fact that
profitable development depends upon transportation
rates which will permit them to widen the Valleys
markets, and it is very obvious that those rates can
never be secured until the Valleys port is opened.