Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-18
Texas And Louisiana
ederSTOBeNeeded
BY I~ntracOaStal Canal
Especial to The Herald)

004S@ ~ S444O4o4 l. July 1O."111E
htracoastal canal will be able to rem
der full service a. a part of the
great Mississippi river system only
after connecting feeders have been
developed in Texas and Louisiana,
Roy Miller, active vice president, de-
elares in a letter to officers, di-
Tectors and members of the Intra-
coastal Canal Association in which
he reports on progress of the project.
Construction has started on one
S7-mile stretch in Louisiana. con-
tract on another 42-mile stretch only
awaits approval of federal author
tiles and rights-of-way are being Sc
cured all along the route, Miller
says.
He predicts completion Of the ca
nal from the Mississippi river to
Galveston in three years and that it
will be extended to Corpus Christi in
another year.
The letter follows:
Construction work has begun on
the section from the Mermentau
river to the Calsaieu river in Louisi-
ana, a distance of 81 miles. The
work is being done by the r. P.
Clark Dredging Company of Miami,
Florida, whose bid was $3.50 per
cubic yard, the total excavation in
Volved being approximately $500, 900
cubic yards.
Abstracts Of title to rights of way
In st. Mary and Iberia parishes COW
ering the section from Morgan City
to the Vermilion river are in pro-
cess Of examination and it is eX-
pected that this section Will be ready
for advertising for bids within the
next few weeks. With the approval
Of this section. the entire waterway
from the Mississippi river at Pla-
ouemine via Morgan City to the
Texas line will be under contract.
Progress Satisfactory
Satisfactory progress is being
made On the section from the Sabine
to Galveston Bay. All requirements
from Port Arthur. to the Galveston
county line have been met, includ-
ing rights Of way and the Joint nail
way d1ld 11lSl1NdY DI1QSG ONLI IIlC
canal near Port Arthur.
"The question of the reconstruc-
ton Of the Santa Fe railway bridge
ove Mud Bayou along the route of
the canal between Port Arthur and
Galveston Bay has been determined
by a decision of the government
not to appeal the case to the United
States supreme court. The bridge,
therefore, will be reconstructed at
the expense Of the government.
Authorities of Galveston county
have assured Jul association that all
rights of way along Bolivar PENN
sula has been a most veXatious and
difficult one, 1873 tracts Of land be-
ing involved. MANY conveyances
have alreadv been obtained by pur-
chase and the commissioners court
has given assurances that condem-
nation proceedings shortly will be
filed against all owners who refuse
to accept offers of purchase now be-
ing made.
Necessary maps and data for Sc
curing rights Of way on the section
from Galveston to Corpus Christi
will be available in the near future.
Meantime committees to hanole
matter have been appointed IN the
various counties.
satisfactory progress is also be-
ing made in securing rights OF way
on the section from New Orleans to
Morgan City, known as the Harvey
Route. Practically all of the con-
veyances for Jefferson and La
fourche Parishes are in hand and a
change of route recently authorized
in Terrebone Parish is expected to
enable the authorities there to COM
plete the securing of rights OF way
in that Parish in the near future.
Funds Assured
Necessary funds to cover con-
1r..cts on all sections of the canal
as rapidly as they may be made
ready for construction by the COM
uletion Of rights of way work have
been assured by the chief OF en-
gtneers. Although delays far beyond
our expectations have been involved
IN the tedious task Of securing rights
of way, I think we may confidential
ly expect the completion OF the
canal from the Mississippi river to
Galveston bay within three years
and final completion to Corpus
Christi within less than four years.
'oThe ~intracoastal Canal will never
render its full measure Of service as
a part of the great Mississippi river
system until its various connecting
feeders in Louisiana and Texas
which are feasible Of Improvement
for water transportation have been
developed. It has been the purpose
Of our organization, when the con-
Et-uction Of the canal itself as a
main trunk line has been fully as
sured. to undertake to bring about
the Improvement Of these various
feeders which will extend the bene-
fetal services Of the canal far into
the interior Of both Louisiana and
Texas"