Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-04-27

them know who they were voting
for. The Mexicans. who numbered
possibly the majority OF voters,
could neither understand the points
in question nor the municipal az
fairs.
In the year 1876 the two parties
still existed. but in some inexplic-
able manner had changed names.
Filibustering bothered Browns
vile in 1851. The revolution in Mex
leo started in that year by General
Carabaial brought the filibusters to
the little border town, which was
then in its infancy.
Most Of them were men Of des-
perate character and fortunes. they
made our city their refuge from
danger. and their citadel whence
they sailed forth like buccaneers
Of ancient days. and made their
onslaughts on the loyal and PEACE
full inhabitants of BUR neighboring
city Of Matamoros," william Neals
relates.
The peaceful and orderly citi-
zens Of Brownsville were utterly
powerless TO remedy or prevent
such shameful acts Of aggression.
for such they were. and the mar
auders took good care not to render
themselves liable to the interference
Of the military force Of the United
States or Of the United States
militia"
This period Of filibusterinE strain
ed the friendly relations between
Brownsville and Matamoros. and
business conditions as a result were
critical. II Is said that business
houses failed, closed up. or left. and
that few came to replace them.
This condition existed for several
years, and then IN the year 1857
Brownsville's first devasting fire
occurred.
II began at a store on the levee
Tin those days the water front was
the busiest section) next to Still
mans brick building on the corner
Of Levee and ~ street, and spread
to Elizabeth street.
Much Powder
In those days large quantities Of
powder was kept in the city storel
away in various stores. The powder
was kept in kegs, and some stores
kept as much as 400 and 500 of
these kegs.
The powder vas sold 10 Mexi-
can ~revolutionists and soldiers. and
Brownsville was a regular arsenal.
After the first alarm was turned
in. the fire spread so rapidly that
It was impossible to remove around
300 kegs that yer stacked in TIE
shelves of the store, along with TIE
dry goods and groceries.
None OF the persons who were
within those premises were ever
seen again. except one. a clerk. who
was seen amidst the fire and ruin.
apparently blind. staggering and
cropping against a side wall Of the
store. He was rescued and recover
ed from his terrible injuries"
The whole of the 300 kegs ey-
ploded at once. driving a lurid
sheet OF flame and everything be-
fore IL across the intervening alley
way. through the store of a Mr..
Alsback. and out into Elizabeth
street.
A Mr.. Miller was. standing in the
countingroom Of the Stillman build
ing. adjoini-g the burning store.
and at the time Of the explosion was
hurled head first through an 1S-
inch brick wall. Mr.. Miller miracu-
lousy survived but two other I'M
fortunate citizens who were blown
through the same wall we're both
killed instantly.
You may ask how l know he
went head first" Mr.. Neale said.
He must have gone through that
Wayne other part Of him could
have withstood the shock. and !
know that the quality and sound
ness Of his head had been proven
previously ... Another proof Of his
having gone through the wall head
first was. that II his head was not
broken. the bricks were. and several
were extracted from under
his scalp at different times during
several weeks after by DR.. Watson.
and ! got these facts from him"
Mr.. Neale said that my friend
Henry was the only one in he
crowd who could stand it. the 9TH
ers being killed"
The actual number OF lives lost IN
the fire. which spread all over the
business section. has never been
definitely ascertained. The loss OF
property, also, was never estimated.
Epidemic
The following year, 1883. brought
one Of the worst, II not the worst,
epidemic the city has ever known.
the possible exception Of the
influenza epidemic in comparative
" recent years.
Yellow fever was discovered here
early In the year, and spread like
wildfire. The epidemic lasted :cr
four months. during which time
of Americans and Mexi-
,ans died like helpless animals.
Nothing could be done for the VIC
TINS but bury them decentIy. and
the latter stages OF the cpl
1emic even this was impossible be-
cause OF the lack OF collins, and
the absence OF able bodied men 10
30 the work.
AS was related In q previous ar
ticle, the river flooded at the same
lime. and the dead had TO be carried
10 the cemetery in rowboats.
The corpses could not be buried
at times, and several Of
he dead would be thrown together.
md dirt would be placed over them.
The citizens Of both Brownsville
and Matamoros were panic stricken.
naturally.
There were no hospital facilities.
Ind few doctors. However, the few
SECTORS u-hn u.arn ~ Aha h..a.- |