Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-03
COMMITTEE

COMMITTEE
Continued From Page One)
miles closer by highways to the
important shipping points of
Brownsville and northern Mexico,
than If the port be located at Point
Isabel, and five miles closer to the
other principal shipping centers on
the Texas side Of the Rio Grande.
Second: Strategic location as to
railroads: The port at Brownsville
will be "A miles closer by rail to
all the territory served than a port
at Point Isabel.
Third: Saving to shippers: The
annual saving to shippers through
location of port at Brownsville in
stead Of Point Isabel is shown in
detail in Exhibit "A" to be as fol-
lows:
Exports from Rio Grande
valley S343, OUU
Imports to Rio Grande-
Valley $4,000
Total .$491 900
Exports from northern
states Mexico .$250,OOO
Imports into northern
Mexico 100000
r.
IOCal .S45O,00O
Total Texas and northern Mer-
ico-$941 600.
Fourth: Safety of port: Browns
vile in all the years Of its history
has never been visited by a disas-
trous flood, whereas much Of Point
Isabel has been inundated during
the severe tropical hurricanes that
periodically visit the Texas coast.
THE elevation of the land in the
vicinity Of the proposed turning ba-
sin at Brownsville will be Is feet,
assuring a land-locked harbor at
this location, which will afford ade-
quate protection to shipping and
commodities stored at the terminal.
whereas the general elevation of
the proposed turning basin at
Point Isabel is such that terminal
facilities located there unless arti-
ficially raised will be subject to
calamitouS overflow.
Fifth: Maintenance of Turning
Basin: The turning basin at
Brownsville will be free from silt
ing, with consequent minimums of
expense for maintenance. Point
Isabel, on the other hand, has al
ways required constant mainten-
ance.
Sixth: Adequate rail connec-
tions: The Port of Brownsville will
be served by two trunk line rail-
roads, the Southern Pacific and
the Missouri Pacific railroads, with
over 400 miles Of railroad In the
four Valley counties, whereas
Point Isabel is only served by one
privately owned railroad.
Seventh: Roads: The Port of
Brownsville will be connected bv
q concrete highway with the $40
miles OF first class highways in the
Rio Grande Valley, $50 miles of
which are Of concrete construction.
AS yet Point Isabel has no first.
class highway and is served by one
olrt road only, which is virtually
impossible in wet weather.
Eighth: Banking: Brownsville
mas adequate banking facilities
with five large banks combining as
sets In excess of $12, 200, 900. repre-
Sentlng forty per cent of the as
sets OF the thirty banks in the ter
rltory. Point Isabel has no banks.
Ninth: Future expansion of port
facilities: The possibilities for FL
ture expansion Of port facilities at
brownsville are practically unlim-
tied and can be made at nominal
expense.
Tenth: Stevedoring: Brownsville
with a population Of 25, 900 can flIr-
nish adequate labor for stevedoring
and general freight handling. Point
Isabel has a population Of less than
1000 people.
Eleventh: Warehousing: Browns
vile has adequate warehouse IA
cilities for the storage Of imports
and the accumulation of careoes
for export at such time as the mu-
nicipally owned terminal facilities
at the turning basin prove made
quate. BY actual survey this avail
able warehouse space exceeds $780,
600 square feet. Point Isabel has
no warehousing facilities.
Twelfth: Fresh water: Browns
vile has an adequate fresh water
capacity Of 100000 gallons OF fiji
tered and 100000 gallons of n
filtered water in reserve, insurinp
at all times ample supplies for
bunkering ships.
Thirteenth: Electric light and
power: The City Of Brownsville win
extend the municipality owned pow
er line to the turning basin to fur
nish lights for night work and to
operate freight handling machinery
at the terminal. The fact that the
power plant is municipality owned
guarantees abundant power at low
price.
"Fourteenth: Proximity To Mex.