Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-01
new VALLEY
Seen BY Man
HERE IN COS
Visitor In San Benito
Recalls Running
Blockade With Cot
ton During War

oxen from near Houston to Browns
vile il still vivid in the mind of
w. d. Cornett, ST.. although sixty
four years have passed since he
drove six yoke Of oxen over the ex-
hausting trail.
Riding in q luxurious automobile
with overnight stops at comfortable
hotels on his way to spend the
Christmas holidays here with his
son, Guy Cornett, the veteral tran
driver was deeply impressed with
the changes that have taken place
since he first passed through this
section more than q half century
ago.
i made the trip with IN OK train
from Hockey, in Harris county," Mr..
Cornett said. I'VE were running the
federal blockade which closed the
Texas ports and hauled a quantity
Of cotton to Brownsville where ii
was ferried across to Matamoros and
sold for 35 cents a pound in gold.
1t was selling for ten or twelve
cents a pound.
There were ten wagons in the
train" the oldtimer said, "each be-
ing drawn by from four to six yoke
of oxen. i drove six yoke myself"
Mr.. Cornett was sixteen years of
age when he made the long slow
journey. Youths older than himself
were serving in the Confederate
army.
"We covered about ten or twelve
miles a day and it took about four
months to reach Brownsville. The
trail wunm LAM ~uI hrk arA &Aa utaaro
got very thirsty. This side Of the
them. Payment was made at the rate
of n ~picayune Tor each yoke. It
was understood that each animal
was to be allowed to drink as much
water as he wanted"
Mr.. Cornett did not remember the
crossing of the Arroyo Colorado, the
number of streams being confusing,
but he distinctly remembers when
the train reached Jackass Prairie
IS the treeless expanse was known
even then. "From Jackass Prairie
1t was a long days haul to Browns
ville," he said.
"You could drive a team of oxen
over any part Of what IL now Browns
ville," his eyes tightening at thought
of the Transformation that has taken
place since his first visit to the Rio
Grande. "The oxen were crazy for
water. i remember one boy who
drove his team of four yoke to the
river to get a drink. The first yoke
stopped at the waters . edge and
started drinking but the hindmost
ones were SO thirsty that they push
ed the others into the river and
all eight swan across the river
ycked together. They begged down
on the other side and it was neces-
sary to 60 across and pull them out
and then swim them back across.
I'VE delivered the cotton al
Brownsville and carried back a load
OF goods for the firm of Jews who
were handling the cotton. Sure,
went across to Matamoros," in re-
spouse to q question. "Matamoros
was quite a city; not at all like il
is today. One of the leaders In rne
party bought a fine pony over rnsre,
paying $4,000 for it. ] was rather
the pet of the train, i don't know
exactly why. Anyway this man put
the pony in my charge and l remem-
Der wildly returning with il 70
Brownsville.
81 sat in the back of the boat
holding the rope as the pony swan
the river while the Mexican ferry.
mar pulled ut the oars.
I'VE were well along the trail or
the journey back, which also took
sbcdt four months, when we learned
that Vicksburg had surrendered
the surrender was made on July
but it was about the last Of the
month when the new reached US,
That was the only news we had
about the wal that was going on
We didn't see any troops in this
section, or much Of anything else
except brush, cattle and Mexicans
We didn't follow the route by Cor.
pus Christi but kept on an upper
road, passing the King Ranch, Bar.
tons Ranch and others.
The most important thing / did
on the trip was to buy q sack OF
green coffee-an almost unheard OF
luxury in those warswept days. ]
think ! paid about thirty-five cents
. pound for q sack weighing abou,
. hundred pounds. All sorts Of sub.
stitutes for coffee were used. Some
folks parched corn and made coffee
of it. A popular practice was 70
parch potatoes.
When ] got home word got around
that we had some real coffee and
the neighbors flocked in. NY moth.
er sold some Of the coffee for a
dollar . pound"
After his return to his home
Young Cornett joined the Confed.
crate Reserve Corps composed OF
boys and old men, both too young
and too old for regular service,
I'VE were called hail flies he said,
"You know how the hail flies bite
the cattle and make them run? Well,
our job vaa to look after things al
home. We saw to il that soldiers
didn't ~overstay their furloughs and
we kept after deserters. ! remem-
Der once helping capture quite a
bunch of dererters. We were hal
flies all right, for We surely put
them on the move"
Despite his 40 years, Mr.. Cornett
Is still erect and clear-eyed. He is
active and enjoys hunting and being
out Of doors. During his early ca
reer he followed trails over many
sections Of Texas and watched much
of its history in the making. He is
now residing ut Abilene, Texas. He
was born in Wharton county. An
elder brother, who was stationed
near Galveston with the Confederate
troops during the Civil War, is now
living In Arkansas.
aThis country down here seems
wonderful to you folks, / know" he
said, sbut you'd enjoy IL much more
II you could see Il IS ! do, re-
Numbering the way it looked when
] made my first trip through here
sixty-two years ago."
NEwCASTLE-0N-TYNE - This
city is considering . plan to build
$3.50 A. -.rf~va &ka Anumfw~ wk~~4