Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-01
QUALITY URGED
BY ENCLEMAN
Valley Needs More Work,
Less Water, Developer
Tells Guests
Especial 70 The Herald)

AIAIEA kAAF L. AAttAC WaACA
and a lot Of work" Is the prescrip-
ton Of j. G. Engleman, Jr., de-
veloper Of Engleman Gardens. for
the success Of the citrus industry
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Quality product is the only thing
that will assure success for the
section, he declares.
This prescription was given to
Valley business men. chamber Of
commerce executives and newspaper
men In an address made by the
developer OF the largest citrus de-
velopment in this section, Tuesday
night following a barbecue served
on the lawn OF his club house To
the more than 150 guests.
Preceding the barbecue a drive
OF about Is miles through the thou
sands Of acres OF orchards served TO
educate the members of the party
on what has been done on the H.
600 acre tract In a little more than
two years.
Mr.. Engleman during the course
Of his talk revealed his plans for
irrigation and for the complete de-
velopment Of the tract.
"A reservoir with capacity suffi-
Gent TO supply a 4-inch watering
for $500 acres has been completed
and a second such storage Is to be
provided. With the second reser-
voir completed sufficient water can
be stored to irrigate the entire
tract for eight months without tax
ing any water from any other
source, his guests were told.
MI. Engleman told OF a water
permit which ne has secured from
the state board OF water engineers
for the use Of two acre-feet Of
the unappropriated waters of the
Rio Grande' for the tract.
This permit Is exactly the am
kind OF a permit as is held by all
the districts in the Valley O D
Grating and II the permits now in
use r good then the permit for
this tract is good" he said.
Off course in the time of dan
gerously low water my permit
would be secondary 70 those which
were issued before 1t. but so long
as there Is sufficient water in the
river I am entitled to use IL ex-
actly the same as all the other dis
trict.
This permit requires that I con-
struct a canal system and prepare
20 pump the water from the river
or make q contract with Some dis
trict now operating for the amount
OF water needed.
So you see we have all the wa
ter rights held by any district In
the Valley, and we have additional
facilities.
"A drainage system has been con-
structed through this tract and into
the Donna district. This system
Is draining off the surplus water
from the Donna district and *
providing all the water we need for
the present. I am willing to extend
the ditch on into other districts
thus helping solve their drainage
problems n securing an additional
supply OF water for use on this
tract"
Mr.. Engleman said analysis OF
the water In the drainage canal.
made by the state chemist and by a
Houston laboratory. revealed that
the water in the drainage canal was
better for irrigation purposes than
the water taken from the river az
certain times.
It Is the intention Of the developer
10 launch within Is months a pro-
gram for paving every mile Of the
l3S-miles OF road on the tract. he
said. Unless my property owners
defeat my purpose, every foot or
road on the tract will be paved.
He said also that 1t was his inten-
ton to build an airport, a golf
IcourSe and provide other entertain
ment and recreation features on the
tract.
He also has mapped out a pro-
gram OF marketing the products Of
the enormous orchard which in
cludeS establishment Of packing
plants, canneries and sales organiza-
ton.
There are more than 1000 acres
Of the tract planted in citrus trees
and when paintings are completed
between $500 and 10000 acres will
be IN trees. The orchards now
front on 20 miles OF roads.
The tract, from which the first
brush was cleared only q little more
than two years ago. today with its
hundreds Of thousands Of fine cit
rus trees planted in symetrical
patches over the many miles In
every direction form the club house
presents q beautiful sight. The Wis
itors were given an opportunity to
view the development from the top
Of the four-story observation tower
and expressions OF admiration burst
from their lips as they gazed out
over the splendid layout.
The trees, which never have been
irrigated from the day they were
set out, are in uniformally healthy
condition. rank In color and in ro-
bust health. The first trees planted
have made an unusual growth. The
orchards r being watered from
wagons at present but it is intended
eventually to provide q concrete
lined canal system for this purpose.
A corps Of experts are employed in
giving the best OF care to the or
chards.
J. ". kirkpatrick. Hidalgo county