Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-30
TOSTARTSOON
ON IRRIGATION
FORBIC TRACT
Trinity Farms Co. VIII
Build Canal Big As
Ship Channel; 1884,
900 Acres In Tract
Especial 10 The Herald

RAYMONDVILLE. June &a=LMn~
structcn work on the greatest irri.
cation project ever attempted lr
Texas Is scheduled 10 get under way
in this county within a month.
This IN the Willacy County IrriFay
ton District No. /, which has votea
81, 200 In bonds. for the ~iuStallar
ton Of an irrigation system to sups
ply 100, 900 acres OF land with wntrr1
Announcement was made tOdaf
that contract for the installation OK
the irrigation system has beer
awarded 20 the Trinity Farms Cons
struction company.
No definite total was see I'll thg
contract, the bid being based nn n
certain charge per foot or yard IVA
concrete and earth work. This to-
tai may vary. due tO charges in rr-
%ginecring plans which are not vcf
complete. However. mOSt of thf
ST.500.OO0 voted BY the district if
expected 10 he used In putting la
the system.
No Bids Asked
The contract was awarded without
bids. the statute providing that
contract may he awarded thus with
the consent OF more than half thd
persons who voted for the bonds
Such an arrangement was carried
out in awarding contract 70 this
company.
Plans are being rushed for the be-
ginning OF construction work, and
the contracting company has moved
three dredgcs 10 the district already.
"A number or additional dredEes.
half a dozen or more. VIII be moved
down within IA few weeks. aE soon HI
a construction Job near Fort Worth
is finished.
"A celebration ~ being planned Nv
the officers Of the district and Of
ficers OF the Delta Orchards COM
pany when construction work Il
started This celebration wnl hm
held in about n month. and will br
in the nature OF a Fet-toFether OF
persons interested IN the develops
ment Of the district.
Gigantic Main Canal
The irrigation system which ~ ~
be installed 20 irrigate the 10000
acre tract Is one or the most ex-
tensive and expensive ever attempts
ed III Texas.
A main canal which would serva
rs a ship channel AZ placed con-
veniently IS the beginning or tha
system. This canal will be about 29
miles in length. viii BE- 100 fect
feet wide at the top. 60 feet wide a.
the bottom. and ia feet deep. T1
will be concrete lined, and win rn,-
resent q large part OF the expense
IN the construction OF the system.
The canal will touch the river at
a point south and west Of IA Feria.
where the intake pumps of the dis
trict viii be located. This main
canal IS TO pass through the two
large drainage lakes or the system.
which are 20 be banked SO that they
will be ON n level with the canal
when IL Is fun. These lakes will
have storage capacity sufficient TO
hold 100000 acre feet or water. Nv
comply with provisions OF the state
board OF water engineers that the
district provide storage for two
acre feet Of water for every acre OF
land lin the district.
Salt Lake Abandoned
The plan 10 use the Sal del Rev.
a huge salt lake northeast or RAY
~ - AhA nAAE IA NAAE~E MNKNAMM
lakes was abandoned. Tests w tire
soil at the bottom OF the lake and
around IL convinced engineers that
the task Of washing II out and max
ing II possible 70 keep fresh water in
it would take too much time
This lake is 20 be- used. however.
as a storage lake. Drainage ditchtg
will extend along both sides OF fhn
main canal. and win empty tn ttris
salt lake. In this way Il will ha
washed free of salt eventually and
will be n great asset 70 the section
engineers believe.
The man canals throughout the
system are 70 De concrete. and moss
Of the laterals viii be concerted. tr
prevent seepage. Drainage Is 10 ba
provided along with the irrigation
system.
The legal battles of the district ara
considered az an end. IN the opin-
ion Of Davis +. Decker, attorney for
the district.
Decker said the opposition or 9TH
or irrigation districts in the Valley
Is no longer a consideration. sJxca
the Willacy district has secured ito
PNAAhANE HAh GEAAuAEN NAANh we TOW
have an open road. IL is simply a
problem for the engineers
Plan Huge Development
The other irrigation districts "a
the Valley opposed the WIlIacy pro-
tect, and may still take action
against IL.
Suits also we're filed By persons
living I'm the district. seeking 10 in
validate the bond issue. but thcss
were thrown out ON demurrers.
Decker estimated that III win re-
quire three years 10 complete the ir-
rigation system.
One Of the greatest developments
I'm the section To be- irrigated IA tr
be on a tract or approximately 6OOOg
acres owned by the Delta Orchards
company.
This concern Is headed by r.. C.
Clark OF Wichita Falls, other officers
being K. p. Harwell, Tulsa. Secrc-
tary: IT. H. Hardin, Waxahachir.
vice president and general mnaager.
and wv. A. Harding Of Raymond
vile. vice president and General
sales manager. Woodward az GRAY