Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
p. & L. Utilities
Play Huge Part In
Valley Prosperity

the Valley up to i,54s. A total Of
approximately $50 miles OF rural
electric line is now operated in the
Valley. Rural lines viii continue
to reach out to the farmer and life
on the farm will be made easier
and happier.
Ice Investment Huge
The company's policy Of provid-
ing for the present and future re-
Quirements OF the communities /.
serves applies not only to its cleo
trio development but to all other
departments as well. A great pat
Of the company investment IN the
Valley Is devoted to the furnishing
Of ice both for domestic and ccm-
merc.al consumption. Some few
years ago the company took over
the small isolated plants scattered
throughout the Valley which were
endeavoring TO care for the demand
as well as they could. An obliga-
ton vas assumed at that time u
properly supply al Valley demands
for ice. Unified control assisted
materially because II enabled the
plants which once stood alone ~
coordinate their efforts and assist
one another. Supply and demand
we're watched closely and ice plants
were enlarged or new ones wee
built at strategic places IN order
that the supply Of ice would al
ways meet the demands Of a rapid
ly growing territory. Economies
affected by centralized control in
creased production and modern
equipment have been passed on TO
the vegetable shippers and al other
users Of ice in the form of reduced
prices.
Ice Facilities Extended
II order to supply vegetable ship
pers with al the ice they will need
during the coming season the com.
pany has started construction on a
new $50 ton ice plant at Mercedes
to serve shippers at this communt-
~ and surrounding territory. Plans
are drawn and work will start soon
on a 60 ton ice plant at Elsa 10
serve that territory.
Various improvements have been
made recently to the company's
ice plants such as the rebuilding
and Identification Of the Mercedes
No. / plant building. and the Don
ma plant building. the reworking OF
the vault and cold storage rooms o.
the Mission plant. and the remodel
ing OF the Edinburg plant TO i'm
prove the quality Of ice. A new re-
tail ice station and refrigerated
vault was built at McAllen in the
residential district to make Ice
easily available. A similar station
and vault has been erected at Har-
lingen. Ice retail stations have also
been built at Rio Hondo and Sc
bastian. A 6 a fire proof garage
was erected at McAllen to nous:
ice delivery trucks.
Additional retail delivery trucks
have been added wherever neces-
sary to properly serve the nome ard
store. All ice deliverynen have
been equipped with new uniforms
and all plants have been equipped
with ice scoring machines which
assure customers a standard size
block Of ice Of correct weight.
In its study CT the ice require
ments OF the Valley the company
has also had cold storage demands
uppermost in mind. At the present
time 1t has cold storage facilities
available fer local use at Browns
Vile, Harrington. McAllen, Alamo,
Mission, Mercedes and la Feria.
Recently 1t employed the services OF
an expert to completely analyze
and study cold storage problems
in the Valley. AS a result Of this
investigation 1t has been decided 70
erect a large cold storage building
Of 100 per cent capacity at Harlin-
gen for the use OF the entire Val
ley.
The completion OF the Harrington
cold storage plant will enable VAL
ley residents to enjoy an all the
year round consumption OF its own
products. Fruits and vegetables
will be available locally and will
not have to be imported at high
prices. The large summer egg pro-
duction will not all be dumped on
the market at one time but surplus
eggs can be stored for winter use
Butter, poultry and other products
will be handled similarly and IN
such manner as to sustain summer
prices and materially lower winter
prices. IN addition, the new cold
storage facilities will enable ma
tional concerns handling pertshaole
products not produced in the Va
ley to keep a supply Of their pro-
ducts on hand ready and available
for Valley consumption
New Water Plant Built
In the water department the
company has kept pace with tn
Valleys growth by the erection OF
new water filtration plants, the
enlargement and Improvement OF
old plants, and the extension and
Improvement Of local water distII-
button systems. A new water IL
tration plant having a daily capaci-
Nv of 100000 gallons IS now under
construction at Rio Grande City
where the local distribution system.
has lust been rebuilt. At San Be-
nito a new 1000, 900 gallon daily q
pacity filtration plant was con-
structed. The filter plant at Nc