Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-08-07
MAYOR TELLS
OF need FOR
WATER PLANT
City Faces Emergency
Which Must Be
Met at Once

Urgency of the need for a new fill
ter plant is put forward BY Mayor
r. B. Rentfro in explanation Of the
$4,000 bond issue which Is 10 be
referred TO the voters of the city
Friday. The issue, he declares, is
an emergency and not part of the
general expansion program.
The condition OF the bond market
at the present time makes a larger
issue than is absolutely necessary
inadviSable, Rentfro suggests. His
statement follows:
1T should be remembered by the
voters that the present call for
$50. 900 filtration plant bonds is in
answer to an emergency. and is not
intended as a part of the general
extension and development program.
Plant Inadequate
We are using at this time a fill
tration plant built many years ago.
and intended for the use Of a COM
munity much smaller than the
present city of Brownsville, which
is totally inadequate for our present
needs without considering at all the
rapid rate at which our city Is grow
ing. While our water IT this time
Is absolutely pure, IL is not possible
with our present facilities to prop
erly treat our water for the length
Of time recommended by water n
gineers and chemists.
The State Board of Health has
urged the construction OF a new
filtration plant for NOR than two
years, and in July made a demand
upon us that this plant be construct
ed without further delay. AS here
tofore stated. this issue of $4,000
bonds should not be confused with
the general extension AMI improve
ment program. 1t has been stated
and urged by some Of our citizens
that $3.50. 900 bonds at this time are
not sufficient. This undoubtedly Is
correct. Our city is in need Of GER
tain Improvements and extensions
in keeping with u rapid develop
ment, but owing to the condition
Of the bond market at this time.
and upon recommendations Of bond
BUYERS and our local financierS, it is
considered inadvisable TO offer a
larger issue OF municipal obligations
just now.
Warrants Discussed
1T is for this same reason that
it is not considered advisable at
this time to refund our present war
rant Indebtedness. A considerable
amount of our indebtedness at this
time is in six per cent warrants.
Owing to the condition Of the sec
urity market II very likely would
be necessary to refunC this indebted
ness in five and one-half per cent
bonds, or five per cent bonds. Un-
doubtedly the refunding bonds
would have to be discounted, and
the actual saving TO the tax payer
would be very little. If any.
1T will undoubtedly be recogniz-
ed that the proper course is being
pursued at this time, and it should
not be overlooked that the need OF
this water filtration plant IS para
mount. and it Is hoped that the is
sue OF $150,000 bonds will carry by
such a majority as to encourage the
very best price possible.
In connection with this bond
issue we are also submitting a small
er issue for $4,000 for certain street
improvements, which consist 4 the
correction Of the cutters on our main
streets. as we'll as the connection OF
Seventh street with Paroles Line
Road. the old Point Isabel road and
Lincoln Boulevard and Thirteenth
street. We feel these improvements
are sorely needed, especially the
correction Of the cutters on our
downtown streets, and we hope that
this issue will carry by the same
large majority asked for the FL
tration plant bonds"