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'Mercedes-Weslaco Irrigation District Showing Progress (Bpsdal to The Herald.) MURCEDE8, May 1—With com pletion of 19 mile* of concreting or diis year’s program, the work or ftu Mercedes-Weslaco * Irrigatte District is making a considerable •bowing. Two gunite machines are how at work, and a third machine 9s expected soon. Drainage too fc making great strides, for when t drainage gets to work, the dirt be gins to move. On Jan. 1 the newly created Mer cedes-Weslaco Irrigation Distrid took over the maintenance and op eration of the system formerly oper ated and owned by the Americar Rio Grande Land & Irrigatior Company, comprising almost 82,00( acres of land. The Board of Di rectors of the District selected Mr R 8. Fessenden, an engineer ol many years’ experience in irriga tion work in the southwestern Unit ed States. Since that time other en gineers. experienced In varioui lines of work, have been added tc the force, with * view to expediting as much as possible the construc tion program. Lining some of the canals was started shortly aftei January 1st, and excepting foi delays occasioned by unseasonable weather, has continued steadil; since that time. Some concrete pipe has been laid In .connection witi this lining program, but the great er portion of the work has beer in the nature of lining th4> canali with gunite. For the benefit oi those to whom the name ‘‘gunite’ may not be familiar, we will state that gunite is one form of concrete composed entirely of cement and sand which is thoroughly mixed and then, still In a dry state, car ried by air pressure through a hose to the point of application, where F is mixed with water and shot into place by pneumatic pressure This results in a very dense form of concrete, and when reinforced with wire me*h. makes a verj strong form of lining. Method In most of the work one bank of the earth canal is split open then trimmed to a seml-drculai form, after which the wire mesh Is placed in position and the gunit? lining shot against the moist earth so as to get a lining at least on? Inch in thickness. It would seem surprising that one bank of th? canal when Opened up this wav would give a canal large enough tr irrigate the same amount of land but It must be remembered thal the water will run much fastei in the concrete lining, due to th? Smoothness of the lining, and th? absence of weeds, and also that 11 is not necesaarv to provide excesj capacity in order to take care ol seepage. Then too. the earth can als have not been used to then full capacity as the irrigators, be coming more accustomed to farm ing by irrigation, are using lea and less water all the time. ( Mr. Fessenden states that h? hopes during the present year t< »®ne one hundred miles of canal or over one-third the total mileag? of canals on the system, and thal this lining, together with th? drainage program under way. wil take care of the more press ins needs of the system. This work ol lining is In line with the develop went of irrigation work through the Valley, where the people ar; beginning to realize that a we! equipped irrigation system able tc supply the necessary water is Jusl as necessary as is un-to-date equip ment on the farm, and that the*; developments must come to the Val ley. Drainage Drainage is one of the Important problems in the Valley, and on the Mercedes-Weslaco irrigation dis trict they are tackling It with both hands. Four dragline excavator: are owned by the District, which also owns a Ruth dredger, which 1: used In cutting small local drains In addition to this, they have con tracted with the J. D Georg; Construction Company of Donna for the use of one dragline, so thal there are six machines now at work on the drains, and since Januarv 1st they have re-cut almost twentv miles of old drain and in additior tc this, have cut fourteen miles o! new drains. The District is parti cularly fortunate in that two larg? main drainage channels cut acros: the Distrltct. thus making it much easier to secure outlets for th? drainage than it is for some of th' other systems in the Valley. A dragline is not a • thing ol beauty, nor does it cut a prettj ditch with smooth sides and a nice Aren pile of dirt, alongside th» ditch lilt when it comes to a proposittor Of working in mud or water wher: a self-respecting machine wouldn’t go, the dragline wades right in and i pulls out the dirt or the mud or even the “soup”, and the only cotn ' plaint it makes is for its Diesen en i gtne to bark a little louder. > By the time 1931 rolls around, the t Mercedes-Weslaoo district should , have one hundred miles of concrete lined canals .and should be one of ; the best drained systems in the Val > ley. In years gone by this system has consistently shipped about one third of the produce raised in the Valley, and with these improve ments. the other Districts should > look to their laurels, or we will have to write that one-half the produce in the Valley comes from this 82;000 acres. .." PV i Mission Chamber Names Committees (Special to The Herald) MISSION. April 30—The Mission Chamber of Commerce appointed ’ the following committees at their meeting this week: Geo. Brooks. , 8. M. Hargrove, M. D. Cavasos and O. E. Cannon, finance; 8. L. Hardin. E E. Marburger Bill Morris, Earl Stewart, Louis Rogers and Ray Landry, entertainment; Ty Cobb, Ralph Bray. Mrs. T. 8. Moore and 6. L. Harbin, advertising and pub licity; Geo. Brooks. Jr, H. L. Starr. 1 E. V. Sprowl Dade Heiater and John Waite, industrial; W. R. Parrish. Hill Cocke, A. H. Strahle and John H. Shary, building; 8. M. Hargrove, R. T. Daniel. Jim Lockhart and A. L. Brasher, agriculture and live stock. W. B. Splawn, O. W. Shaver and R. A. Dlmlck were appointed the committee on transportation and highways; J. P. Ewers, W. R. Bla lock. Roy Buckley and J. Q. Henry, i legislative committee: Drs. M. Smith, Barrera, J. W. Jeffries, C. D. Epp right and T. J. Caldwell, health and sanitation; Ed Sydnor. H C. Jeffries. B A. Sipes, Homer Smith. T. B. Sammons. Marvin Goodwin and L. Htnojoea community service committee. Pennsylvania Picnic Plans Being Made HARLINGEN. April 30—Plans are being perfected for the Pennsylvan ia Day picnic here May 3. The af fair is to be a basket picnic, with coffee and ice water to be provided by the Pennsylvania organisation. All former resident* of Pennsyl vania are urged to attend. It is estimated that there will be more than 200 present. In order to assure a complete Valley-wide representation, the gen eral committee has selected the fol lowing representative committees to function in th.'- respective com munities in bringing out all former Pennsylvanians to this meeting: Brownsville, A. J. Rose. L Schumm. San B#nlto, Mrs Alex Kerr F. W. Leitenberger; Harlingen. C. B. Rich ; ey: La Feria. H L. Grove, Merced es. Sam Elliott; Donna, Oertha Wil son; Alamo. Mt. Hawthorne; Mc , Allen, MT*. R. M. Schmuck. K. D. McCandless w. C. Russell: Edinburg Dr. C. J. Hamme: Raymor.dville, K:. and Mrs. Nat Wetzel; Lyford, J. Mark Wentsel: San Perlita. Henry Mover; Rio Hondo, George W. Row land; Santa Rosa, R. G. Schrock; Point Isabel. Jimmy Carson. Harlingen Women To Plant Cacti Bed (Special to The Herald) HARLINGEN. April 30—Many varieties of cacti will be planted in Fair park here, according to plans of the Business and Professional Women’s club. Cactus donations can be left with Mrs. L. H. Catfield, 117’* E. Monroe avenue. The idea of the club is to have this unique bed of cacti not only as a curiosity but as a collection of i the Valley s flora. Persons coming to the Valley as tourists or newcom : ers 111 find these cacti. The club will present a large hand painted picture to the person do nating the largest collection. — Osteopaths Meet Reports from the 30th convention of the Texas Osteopathic associa tion were made at the Lower Rio Grande Valley Osteopathic meet ing Monday at the home of Dr. H. E. Dye’s parents, near La Feria. The next meeting will he in La Feria Mav 26. Dr. and Mrs. Harry ! E. Stahlman attended the meeting. TIME SAVER When spring cleaning, If you , line up all articles of furniture , that needs the same kind of treat i roent and then do all of them at s1 once, it saves time. APACE For more than a quarter century the Merchants’ National has served this section and has aided in the commercial development of the community. As its financial needs have multiplied and become more diverse, so this Bank has grown to meet the enlarged demands of its customers. We offer you the same friendly and efficient co operation that has been our policy in the past. Call and discuss your financial problems with us. Capital Stock Originally paid in $100,000.00 Increased from earnings 150,000.00 $250,000.00 Surplus Fund, earned • • nir » »-»?■•«?« « 275,000.00 merchants L NATIONAL BANK ^ ^ O W.N S_V * ^ ^ ^A.® * 9 1032-34-36 Elizabeth. Street - - - Brownsville Fill Your Spring Needs Here And Benefit by the J. C. Penney Policy Of I Correct Style»~Dependab&e Quality-Low Prices Slip Smartly Into New Spring Dresses K s Each' Irt smart silk' dresses Kke these that stretch your budget into admitting a Swagger coat and chic little hat and even the accesso ries to go with them. Blithe spring shades and rollicking new prints . • • in sizes for women, misses and juniors. AB Smart Touffi WBI Waar Tfcata Silk Dresses Bar Am body atk frocks ire u Sonet on As kaks sad caorts, as Aey treca As uwiuy dob patch or at As tts tsklo « • • wbenmr cool baby pastels tod gay fresh pnnta stb fmazxi v*tp iiecrw, oow^ fiooncas, ripples, tiers, toduags • • • sod earns styles wiA bo slams at i & *9.90 XTemea, sum sad bahts will wsat several sc Am lasipeariwt frees • • • uid. save enough to SHEER DRESSES in Prints Airy ehiffoni tad fluttering georgettes that use all the charming little trick* of fern* inine fashionl Ripples, floun ces, bows, ruffles ... and some even have little jackets . to doff while you whirl ? through the dance. The prints " are the essence of rammer col* Sr ora. Sizes for women, misses I and juniors. r ‘ _*14.75_ Choose Your Summer Hals » for aaefi costume * • • a WrHyn Wr« Getting the right hat for each costume is Very smart, and very important this summer . . . and not at all difficult at your J. C Pen ney store 1 Leghorns, Milans, hair hats, com- M binations of hair and straw, Felts, too—all Mmm w in the new light, feminine styles! Dress and coat shades. Other Smart Hat*, $1.98 and $3.98 ! : Yov ffcrfll to . W#W mIT Wtfr ► a v ffyle-right SOLAR STRAW Slightly swagger . • - and so matt... this zephyr-weight patent Milan 1 Under the hottest son, the wearer is c-o-o-L In three shades* • * • natural, sand L E T~* U S • B E * Y O U R HATTER Women’s Bathing Suite One and Two Piece Styles *2.98 t > _ ^ K- --I_J nCTj* wTO wiui CUifUl tranks are amncipaaied by n^A aTtij-wT-# rTmrruuf Airti. nsfxidiiicBnrunsnfiu sntrx^«» • suits in all-one-color • « • suits with snnbarcks , . , suits in two-color combine tions. Blithe colon that srtH lock very attractive on the sands 1 J Bathing Suits FOR MEN *2.98* / Spaed model and refulatior cut amts made of port merited. Blurt ttnpea ... alternation ttnpts . . . aojjd colon . • . every type of tmt at a price that cokes -it well words your while to teelc year • _| a. ' “ twtmmmg ntccx Uftt. ... — -- _. — Suits That Combine Style Appeal with Thrift-interest _ _v A JWl Wl Yomg‘Men *19.75 r * fhifcil li nn Dma I <0fH *'•T*tv The ' Be*erfy yocymcnware found in* this smarts two-bottom ih^gle-bBeteted».peak-lapd.TDodcL Fashioned of andicolorings. You. most see*these suits first hand to recognize-their octstandmg value. The ^Atnbossodbr^ Weight-for Warmer Days, hi GtmmetaiCotf. h ,r.t , v % | ' i " Men’s Hose ♦ In New toil Fancy, ! Patterns ' 49c Exoeltet quality hast uf tCk Usd rsyen mixtures. Mereerisod toes and heels for extra areas. Rayon plaited topa Come is a great teketke of attractive ~ ~ ~ ~ ■ Men's Shirts Woven Broadcloths Printed Broadcloths Woven Madras tfcwty patterned shirts in rtripefl fetid figures. Every shirt is a fine value that you cannot afford to overlook. They are nude with oollars attached and in neckband style with separate collar to match, Plain colors are also included a| .fids price. .All virea. „ .