The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-01
PURCHASE OF FORT BROWN.
An Effort to Settle n Claim that Has Bee,
Running Nearly Half a Century.

Running Nearly Hair n Century.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 80 Shortly before the
holiday adjournment the House passed a bill
appropriating $4,000 for the payment Of all
claims arising out OF the use by the United
States Of the Fort Brown reservation at
Brownsville. Texas. and for acquiring a good
title thereto.
The bill has a history. Tho use OF the land
on which Fort Brown stands goes back forty
six years. to its occupation by Gen. Taylor at
tho outbreak OF the wal with Mexico. Since
then the question OF payment for 1t has from
time to time come IN. In the year 1875 a
Board Of officers examined the subject, and
reported that the reservation. at u fair valua-
ton. was worth $4,000. This report had the
approval OF Gen. Augur. Gen. Sheridan. Sec
Rotary Belknap. and President Grant. and ac-
cordlugly Congress appropriated that sum to
pay for 1t. It was found. however. that the
title was in dispute: besides. the owners de-
clined to receive that sum in compensation.
The appropriation act having expired by Its
W limitation. a long time interviewed before
Congress passed another. But at length. In
1885. under the urgency OF the counsel for the
owners or claimants. 1t made another appro-
p~riation. which proved to be 100000. Be-
tween these two acts q bill had been introduced
Into the Fiftieth Congress making $4,000 the
sum available for the extlnguishment Of all
claims. but it was not finally acted upon.
After tho approximation OF 100000 was
made the claimants disputed with each other.
and the War Department withheld the pay
ment OF the money. The old question OF the
title was, also. examined in this dispute. and
that at one time Congress had only proposed
e pay ser e 600 for The NJ same am All IS 66i and shortly
sum for extinguishing all claims.
When the subject. accordingly. was again
excited spirited discussion, Adou is" was se even n
raised as to whether the Government wanted
n + p 1850 e d eSr! s BsG 2 # h al ad a Ess s shSf 4 The tSe
Ss%nee6TsS q. the no.t site ahou we're Re. : not satisfed With
Considered that while Fort Brown had an irmee
fR%ined Sn II dSeins S SRE9nsih,s sd H sast %Ssh and %d G0n-
yet the site had no more strategic value than
any other mile on, the lower Rio rande." Tho
question by tho. discovery TINT the river va
Brown was afflicted with yellow fever, and
s Ssn o Stsr nband In ms aahH Ia e G aayif sSe ITS
dan wrote to Gen, sherman that Fort Brown
t 9 S am%ssScesneS et SSes as M Safss"%s post an "a
Brownsville" and further, that The old post
s aas s @ore money ats eSr Dn #. TE Ms s hoint hot Spend bsea
left behind by Forts Mcintosh. Duncan. and
Further testimony on the subject afterward
came In In n report Of surgeon. General Moore.
which put down Fort Brown MS the unhealthiest
post In the country, Malaria. which as a dis
abling factor was put at an average Of II per
thousand throughout the army. showed 2672
Ct Fort brown. the nearest approach to this
matism and other Diseases there was q similar
prominence at Fort Brown. The lack OF proper
sanitary conditions was ascribed to old build
ings. with rotten woodwork. deficient %ventila-
ti3n and light. and the proximity OF browns
Vile and Mntamoras.
Still. it was recognized that. should n de-
cision be reached AS to holding Fort Brown.
its sanitary condition could be improved; aud
come from Gen. STANLEY in favor OF retaining
the nost. lie declared it TO he IAN absolute
necessity not only AZ a strategic point Of OBJ
seTvation opposite Matamor9s, but for its
value as n check upon Smuggling: whilo there
was also n cemetery on the site. whore 5000
Union and Confederate soldiers were buried.
Gen. Sheridan sustained this view. and de-
clared that. while a large force was not neces-
sary at Fort Brown. IL would be well to keep
two or three companies there for emergencies,
] aincA trOopa cnuld not readily be Assembled.