Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-05-25
BY JACK RuTLEnGE

various sections. and a good i've
cent cigar.
Brownsville needs street signs.
house numbers and a population in
excess Of $4,000.
These things are daily topics OF
conversation, and occupy prominent
positions on the front pages Of The
Herald and other Valley newspapers.
What was happening in this sec
ton fifteen and thirty years ago7
What were people writing home
about7 What was making men curse
and women faint. (In those DAYS
women tainted, believe II or not)
What was the press raving about?
With this In mind. the editor
commanded: Look in the files and
find out
Laughs and Tears
Old newspapers and magazines
are always interesting. Some people
look at them and laugh. Those pc
culiar women. built like oversize
es they sniker. These things on
wheels-are they automobiles? And
that advertisement there, telling
about the excellent qualities Of Bud
weiser Pale Lager, what is it all
about?
Others are fascinated by them.
Yellow. brittle. musty. TO be hand
led with extreme care. they to
breathe romance. Old newspapers,
In particular. are interesting. News
papers are always so full Of vigor.
so alive. And an old newspaper al
most breathes. although n knows
that It's life is over. The persons
figuring prominently in the days
news are sometimes dead, some
times gone. Events that were so vital
in days past are nov SO insignifi-
cant. Predictions. so optimistic when
made. one knows with the added adj
vantage Of years rolled by, were
false and unfulfilled.
Pompous. bombastic persons who
are so cocksure Of themselves should
read an old newspaper once a week
70 regain their mental balance.
Two Months Chosen
After wading through the files of
thirty-eight years OF Brownsville
Heralds. two months were chosen at
random. Away back in the '80's and
COS the paper was called the Daily
Herald. later Brownsville Herald and
now The Brownsville Herald. Early
Heralds are decidedly smaller than
the present day paper. and the front
pages are smothered with advertise
ments. Reading matter was partly
the front page, but mainly inside
out.
And there were no advertisements
or automobiles. for the simple rea-
son that in those days automobiles
hadn't begun 10 compete with hors-
es as a means OF transportation.
Advertisements dealt mainly with
the latest in whiskeys and hats.
The merry month OF May begins
IN Brownsville May 1, 1893 with the
sunny admonition: The coffin
manufacturers having formed a
trust, people must consider expenses
when they commit suicide"
Brownsville citizens were having
with nearsighted moss backs
who were hindering the growth of
the community. What Brownsville
striving for in 1893 was mainly
n railroad. and after that the ambi-
tious wanted irrigation. and immi-
grafton. A very satirical article in
the Daily Herald reads something
like thisi
What Do You Think?
An argument between Enterprisc
and Mossback:
E.-"well. what do you think OF
the situation7"
M. B.-"What situatione5
E-"Our present need OF q rail-
road. system of irrigation, and I'M
migration"
M. B.-"what do we want frnmi-
grants for?
e. immigration means more
PEOPLE to till the soil, and enhance
the value of the lands more people
to buy groceries and other neces-
carries of life: more freight, which
means more commerce and a gener-
nj advance Of values.
M. B-"We bought our lands a.
10 cents an acre 20 years ago. ano
they have increased in value 20 s.
Der acre without immigration. WI
don't want your enterprising people
to burden us with heavy taxes, form
railroad commissions, and otherwise
dictate to us how we shall govern
our affairs. We who are in the
manor born. want to be left alone"
Big Things Happening
Big things were happening In the
city. People were coming and 60
ing. The editor of the Daily Her
aid consclenti0Hsly recorded hap
penings for p~osterity.
M. I'm Ssley came h from
Rockport Saturday"
MFR. and Mrs. S. w. Brooks took
4 trip to the coast Sunday"
~The students of St. JoSeph's col
Iege will give a picnic tomorrow"
a good many business men at
tended May Day festivities at thc
public school"
@Mr. Charles Bosworth, the -
vial engineer of the Steamboat Be-
sic, Is spending a week on the coz
for the benefit OF his health"
@The baseball game yesterday be
tween the town boys and soldier
resulted in a victory for the for
mer of q TO T."
We've corrected the topographic
errors. The paper, set by hand.
full of them.
Reading further, We find thu
Bloomberg and Rapharl have Jus
received by the last steamer, a fu
line OF French figured sateer.
Also q fine asSor Alent of ladies,
gents and misses fine black host
erR SPECIAL imported. Every pair