, 1934-12-30

proposal Tor a ship channel leading
TO a turning basin near Browns
VILE.
That motion was passed.
First Concrete Move
And 1t marked the first concrete
move in a series Of events which
have Led up to the present day-to
the beginning of actual construction
of a s5,000,000 seaport at Browns
vile.
That motion marked the begin
ming OF six years OF hard work on
the part OF the port leaders. back
ed by the citizenship Of Browns
vile.
MI. Rentfro went to washington.
He talked with the u. S. army en-
gineers, and made a report upon his
return TO Brownsville.
He reported that the army en-
gineers we're not antagonistic to the
proiect-that they had formed no
oplnion, and would be glad to study
the project II ii was formally pre-
sented to them.
From that dav forward events
began TO move rapidly leading up 70
the final approval of the project,
and its Ultimate financing.
The Brownsville Navigation dis
trlct was formed. as explained el5e-
where In this edition of The Her
aid. voting bonds in the sum of So
100000 first. and later an addition
al 81, 500. 900 TO finance the dredg-
ing of the channel and construc-
ton Of the port facilities.
Application was made to the War
Department for approval OF the port
project. a hearing was held in
Brownsville. conducted by Major
Milo p. Fox. then district engineer.
His report. although agreeing with
the Brownsville people on the many
advantages this section could offer,
was adverse to the Brownsville pro-
ject.
The Brownsville people then APP
pealed TO the U. s. Board OF Army
engineers. and a hearing was held
IN Washington.
Those who attended the hearing
we're r. B. Rentfro. John Gregg. Fl.
L. Yates. z. A. RoSetnhal. G.. c.
Richardson, w. z. McDavitt. j. F.
Blanton, r. ]. Cummins. and ]. M.
Stein.
After a hearing before the en-
gineers, then headed by Lytel
Brown. the engineers reported adj
versely as to the 25-foot project
sought. although tentatively agree
Ing TO a 16-foot project. Acting on
the advice OF their engineer. Mr..
Cummins. the local people refused
to accept the 16-foot project.
They returned without the engin-
eering approval.
But before they returned they dis
cussed the matter with their con-
gresham. John n. Garner. who urg-
ed them TO continue working for
their 25-foot project. After they
left he also worked on 1t.
Later in that year, 1929. a dele
cation OF Valley people including
MI. Rentfro. w. z. Anderson and
Frank S. Robertson OF San Benito.
and r.. 3. Creager OF Brownsville
was in Washington on the matter
OF flood control.
Representatives OF the Port Isa-
bel-San Benito navigation district
we're in Washington at the time.
and the port project vas once more
taken up. approval Of the U. S. army
engineers finally being secured 70
q Is foot project on which the gov
eminent would finance the jetties
and dredging Of the outer channel.
while the two districts concerned
would finance their respective chan
nels.
This bill provided a channel should
extend from the pass IN a direct line
TO Brownsville, 10 be financed by
the Brownsville district. and that the
Port Isabel district should finance
O channel 10 Port Isabel, joining this
channel.
Approval Of the Rivers and Har-
hors Committee was also given. and
the bill passed. II was signed by
the late Speaker Nicholas Long
worth on June %, 1880. and by
President Hoover on July 8, 1880.
The Brownsville Navigation dis
trict commissioners had not sold the
bonds of the district up TO this time
because they did not want 10 sell
them and impose an obligation on
the district until they had approval
OF the u. S. engineers and assurance
that the project was to be built.
When this approval finally was
secured the depression had already
struck, and 1t va impossible to sell
the bonds.
Thus the project remained until
January Of 1888. when an avenue of
hope doomed with the possibility Of
a loan through the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation. AT that time
an application for a loan of $1,000
900 vas made. after voters Of
Brownsville in the December. 1882.
election had given the commissioners
a vote of confidence. r. B. Rent
frC and z. "A. Rosenthal were sent
TO Washington to work for the r.
r. c. loan.
But the r. r. c. was in a state
Of transition with the new president
about to take office. and IL was diff
ficult TO push the project through.
Approval OF the legal and engineer
ing committees. and finally tentative
approval Of the financial committee
we're secured. but banks began to
close their doors then. and the pro-
ject could not be put through.
Then anne the Public Works Ad-
m~iniStration.
An application or transfer Of the
Brownsville project TO the PWA was
made by the Brownsville Navigation
District. represented in Washing
ton BY II. l.. Yates. attorney.
The matter again dragged along
during the summer and early fall
Of 1888 until the hurricane came.
Then Judge Yates was sent back TO
washington again. and once more
started wor kto obtain approval OF