Annual cost_. COST AND ADVANTAGE TO 100-ACRE LANDOWNER Acres irrigable at present use (0.811), 62.7 acres; acres irrigable at 0.60 use, 84.7 acres; increase in acreage, 22 acres, at annual average net income of $30 per acre, increased net income to grower TABLE 7.-Operating revenue and expenses $337. 660.0 Mr. RABAUT. Is this item budgeted? Mr. KILGORE. Mr. Chairman, here from La Feria Irrigation District is Mr. R. M. King of Harlingen, president of the board of directors of the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District. Mr. RABAUT. Is this a budgeted item? Mr. KILGORE. Yes. STATEMENT OF MR. R. M. KING Mr. KING. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is R. M. King. I am president of the board of directors of the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3. I am a farmer and have farmed in the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District for the past 40 years. I am here to request and to urge the Committee on Appropriations to include in its ap propriations the $500,000 recommended by the Bureau of Budget and the Bureau of Reclamation for the La Feria division, lower Rio Grande rehabilitation project, Texas, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1960. The Bureau of Reclamation made a recommendation for this rehabilitation project known as "La Feria division, lower Rio Grande rehabilitation project, Texas." The State board of Texas water engineers and the Governor both approved the project as feasible, and the majority of the qualified voters in the district voted to enter into a contract with the United States of America for a loan of $5,750,000 to be repayable over a period of 35 years. In order to properly prepare ourselves for this much needed proj ect, we have spent and obligated ourselves to spend an estimated $40,000, and there is now in progress a soil-evaluation project which the district is paying for that is being handled by the Bureau of Reclamation in order that the engineers might properly design and make plans for the rehabilitation of the distribution system of our district. At the present time we have an urgent need for four engines: two on the Rio Grande and two on the second lift pumps, that will cost an estimated $125,000. Now that we have entered into a contract with the United States of America we have no other means of getting these pumps since all of our assets are mortgaged to the United States. This appropriation is for a loan, not a gift, and we have already entered into a contract with the United States of America for the loan. The contract has been approved by the courts and validated by our State courts without opposition, and we have relied upon the terms of our contract and made certain expenditures which were necessary on our part. May I add that we cannot get money from any other source at this time because we have entered into the contract with the United States of America and all of our assets now are pledged to the United States for this loan. We feel very strongly that this rehabilitation project is a necessity, and now it is an immediate necessity in order to conserve and to preserve water for irrigation purposes. We feel that Congress should carry out the terms of the contract based on the recommendations of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Budget and appropriate the $500,000 for this loan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1960. I cannot overemphasize the necessity for immediate relief in the matter of money for our pumps. In the event that the pumps are not installed, and in the event that they break down and we have a dry year, it will mean disaster among our farmers in our district and, remember, our means of financing the purchase of pumps are limited by virtue of the contract that we have entered into with the United States of America, which contract has now been approved by the State courts as a binding and valid obligation not only upon the part of the district but also the United States. In conclusion, we respectfully request and urge the committee to include in its appropriation the $500,000 as recommended by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Budget. We are relying upon this appropriation and need it for this year. Our board of directors has passed a resolution urging this appropriation and I attach it hereto with my statement. RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LA FERIA WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, CAMERON COUNTY No. 3 Whereas the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3, entered into a contract dated December 7, 1959, with the United States of America (Bureau of Reclamation), for the rehabilitation of its facili ties in the total amount of $5,750,000; and Whereas said contract has been approved and validated by the courts of the State of Texas as of February 1, 1960; and Whereas there is a definite, urgent need for rehabilitation of the distribution facilities in the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3, in order to maintain adequate distribution of waters for irrigation of lands within the district; and Whereas there is an urgent need at the present time for the installation of engines and facilities to pump water out of the Rio Grande and for the second lift pumps in order to properly distribute water throughout the district; and Whereas there is a request for appropriation of $500,000 made by the Bureau of Reclamation included in the Bureau of Budget's recommendation for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1960, on said contract between the district and the United States of America; and Whereas the board of directors of said district desire to urge and respectfully request the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, 86th Congress, to appropriate the sum of $500,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1960, for the rehabilitation project known as La Feria division, lower Rio Grande rehabilitation project, Texas: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the board of directors of the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3, does hereby request and urge the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, 86th Congress, to appropriate the sum of $500,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1960, as an advance on the contract between the La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3 and the United States of America (Bureau of Reclamation) as recommended by the Bureau of Reclamation and included in the Bureau of Budget's request for appropriations. R. M. KING, Chairman. GEORGE D. SHIMEK, Secretary. CERTIFICATE THE STATE OF TEXAS, County of Cameron, SS: I, George D. Shimek, secretary of the board of directors of La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3, hereby certify that the above resolution was duly passed at a special called meeting of the board of directors held on April 4, 1960, in the office of La Feria Water Control and Improvement District, Cameron County No. 3 in La Feria, Tex. Witness my hand and seal of said district this the 4th day of April 1960. GEORGE D. SHIMEK, Secretary. This has been approved by the State board of water engineers and the Governor and we think it is an absolute "must" that we be rehabilitated. Mr. KILGORE. There was a request for time on the part of Mr. Murray Godfrey, chairman, and Mr. Alfred Bonn, Secretary, of the Taxpayers' Committee of the La Feria Water District in opposition to this project. Mr. RABAUT. I know about it; do you have the telegram? Mr. RABAUT. You may read it into the record at this point. APRIL 6, 1960. DEAR SIRS: We regret we are unable to accept your appreciated invitation to above hearing. This letter is being written to portray a true picture of local conditions. As in the case of any unpopular and unmerited movement this project has been given as much sparkle and glorification as possible. However, it still remains the same hideous and monstrous scheme in the eyes of the everyday farmer who will eventually lose his holdings in his efforts to pay for it. Many of the proponents of this project are losing grounds financially. Apparently they want to saddle us with an unbearable indebtedness and take us downstream with them. Being the younger farmers we are of a progressive nature and have a clear understanding of our capabilities and realize it would be impossible to repay a loan of this magnitude. However, we can still fight our way out of this dilemma if this appropriation is rejected. There are the undisputed facts that will interest this committee. A $6 million debt is far too great to be placed on this small acreage. Even the expenditure of $6 million will leave much of the most important work untouched. This loan is being discussed when the returns from general farming are so poor that this loan cannot be repaid. Labor troubles are worsening daily. Water shortages have occurred only once or twice in 40 years and this was caused by general drought. ། Although the bond election was defeated once, it carried the second time against the wishes of the farmers when the city vote and especially the vote of the aged was solicited by the proponents. Of course, the salaried people and the aged expect to pay very little of this debt. If this loan is approved instead of being a bonanza will prove to be the greatest catastrophe ever to befall this section. Therefore, the only way you the members of the Committee on Appropriation can help the farmers is to reject and rescind the bill containing the $6 million appropriation to the La Feria Water District. Murray Godfrey, Chairman, and Alfred Bonn, Secretary, of the Taxpayers' Committee of the La Feria Water District. THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1960. GULF INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, PORT OF ARANSAS-CORPUS CHRISTI WATERWAY AND BRIDGE AND TRINITY RIVER WITNESSES DALE MILLER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE INTRA- HON. JOHN YOUNG, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE DUANE ORR, DISTRICT ENGINEER, PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI JOHN W. CARPENTER, PRESIDENT OF THE TRINITY RIVER IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION R. S. READING, MAYOR, CITY OF CORSICANA, TEX. R. L. THOMAS, VICE PRESIDENT, OAK CLIFF CHAMBER OF COM MERCE W. G. RITCHEY, COUNTY JUDGE, SAN JACINTO COUNTY, TEX. W. C. WINDSOR, JR., DALLAS, TEX. JOHN M. STEMMONS, DALLAS, TEX. 0. P. LEONARD, VICE PRESIDENT, TRINITY RIVER IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION C. ALLEN MCDANIEL, TREASURER, TRINITY RIVER IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION JAMES BERRY, VICE PRESIDENT, REPUBLIC NATIONAL BANK OF DALLAS JOHN DUNLAP, VICE PRESIDENT, FIRST NATIONAL BANK, DALLAS, TEX. DAVID BERNARDIN, VICE PRESIDENT, MERCANTILE NATIONAL BANK, DALLAS GEORGE THOMPSON III, FORT WORTH, TEX. EDWARD M. GRIFFITH, DIRECTOR, TRA JOHN M. SCOTT, TARRANT COUNTY WATER COUNCIL AND IMPROVE MENT DISTRICT BRUCE SMITH, KEMP, TEX. GUY C. JACKSON, ANAHUAC, TEX. T. S. WATSON, JR., FAIRFIELD, TEX. W. C. KENNEDY, CROCKETT, TEX. DICK WEST, ASSISTANT EDITOR, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS JULIAN WAKEFIELD, CENTERVILLE, TEX. FRANK LANGSTON, EDITOR, TIMES HERALD C. VICTOR THORNTON, PRESIDENT, FORT WORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHARLES W. FISHER, LIBERTY, TEX. HON. LYNN GEHRIG, MAYOR, CITY OF ENNIS, TEX. PAUL H. CAUTHAN, JR., DIRECTOR, TRA MILTON T. POTTS, DIRECTOR LESTER HAMILTON, PALESTINE, TEX. HON. WILBOURN S. GIBBS, MAYOR, HUNTSVILLE, TEX. H. S. MILLER, VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, TIA ROBERT N. THARP, SECRETARY-TREASURER, TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS JAMES A. COTTON HOUSTON HILL, VICE PRESIDENT, TARRANT COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT JOE E. BUTLER, PRESIDENT, TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF MARTIN HARRIS, AUSTIN, TEX. H. R. NORMAN, HOUSTON, TEX. THOMAS A. McCANN, MAYOR, FORT WORTH, TEX. L. A. (BUDDY) WAKEFIELD, PRESIDENT, MID-TRINITY VALLEY ASSOCIATION J. C. SMITH, JR., PRESIDENT, TRINITY VALLEY ASSOCIATION HON. LEWIS CUTRER, MAYOR, CITY OF HOUSTON, TEX. MASON LOCKWOOD, HOUSTON, TEX. VICTOR BOULDIN, HOUSTON, TEX. ELGIN B. ROBERTSON, MAYOR PRO TEMPORE, CITY OF DALLAS, TEX. HON. JIM WRIGHT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS HON. BRUCE ALGER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS L. A. WAKEFIELD, PRESIDENT OF THE MID-TRINITY VALLEY ASSOCIATION HON. CLARK W. THOMPSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS HON. OLIN E. TEAGUE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS Mr. RABAUT. We have before us the Intracoastal Canal Association of Louisiana and Texas and a representative group. Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman, my name is Dale Miller. I am executive vice president of the Intracoastal Canal Association for Louisiana and Texas. It gives me great pleasure to appear before you again. I have a prepared statement. It is quite brief and I will file it for the record, first because I know it is the practice of this subcommittee to pay careful attention to written testimony, and, second, to save the time of the committee. I would like to yield what time I can, and associate myself with the remarks of Mr. Duane Orr of the port of Corpus Christi who will |