Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-29

PAOb4d9o tAC CITY SO ana
comprehensively as it was in that
year. Matamoros. the second Of the
twin cities, is also fully described.
Lieut.. Chatfield ELECTS respect for
the thoroughness Of his detailed
booklet.
In explaining Why he offered his
pamphlet TO the public, he SAYS that
the constant and steadily increas-
ing demand for facts and figures
as 10 its history. commerce. weather
statistics. climate, lands. soil ard
products from many portions Of the
country" was responsible. The
supply Of information has heretofore
been meagre, consisting mostly Of
occasional private letters and the
distribution of a limited number OF
copies Of the local newspapers"
During my tour Of duty at Fort
Brown, covering a period OF TWO md
a half years, ! became fully convinc-
ed that the people OF this section
should not hide their light under
a buShel, on the contrary. they
should proclaim 10 from the house
tops, loud enough 70 be heard
throughout the whole wide world
AAL NAANl0 III AID AAAA~AANNLNAEA4s Lit
land was rich in natural resources.
but poor in capital with which to
work 1t, he said.
Brownsville in 1893
What size town was Brownsville
in 1893? In population ii was small
with fewer citizens than Matamor-
oS, across the river. However, IL
was literally supplied with mer-
chants, including Mexican and An
erican business houses. They are
listed in detail.
Looking over this rather long list
oneo of course finds many industries
now extinct. We now do not have
sugar mills, bookbinderies, ferry
companies. steamship lines and riv-
er navigation lines.
When an outside newspaper COM
menJed on the Valley. natives in
variably saved clippings. 1t was
rare, and the fact that the section
was a natural beauty spot and had
an excellent climate was unknown
north of Rio Crande CITY.
The Twin Cities" prints an ex-
cerpt from the San Antonio Express.
The garden spot of Texas is sit
uated near Brownsville along the
Rio Grande River was the surpriS-
ing statement made yesterday to a
reporter for the Express by Frank
Moore who has Just returned from
a business trip to that section. 1t
is a part Of the country totally UNI
like any other section OF Texas and
reminds one of the rich tropical
lands Of Florida. There has been
a severe drought in the lower Rio
Grande county, but the recent rains
have revived vegetation and every
thing Is now looking prosperous. SO
far as those owning land In the
Rio Grande Valley are concerned.
Where irrigation is carried on the
growth of tropical fruits and vege-
tation Is simply grand. There are
great opportunities offere the in
dustrial and practical farmer or
fruit grower along the Rio Grande.
Land can be purchased very cheap
ly and by irrigation as fine products
can be raised as are grown any
where in the United States. Grapes
are now grown along the Rio Grande
and ripen q month earlier than
those grown in the FL Paso dis
trict.'"
Nautical Again
Sounds like a page from a 1880
advertising booklet. doesn't IL? EX-
actly. Same arguments and every
thing.
BY the way. it also mentions
B~roWnsville's latitude and longitude.
Lieut.. Chatfield goes as far as 70
include even this in his book. Here
we have II: Latitude 1888 degrees.
Longitude 1925 degrees. II IS now
time for US to begin TO speak IN
nautical terms.
Here are some more statistics for
the statistically inclined.
Mean temperature for various
months from 1876 10 1898
January. $50. February. 63-3.
March, $50: April. 1856. May. 785;
June, 1913: July, 1873. August. 1874
September. 1913. October, TAP. No
vember, ell: December, Ole.
Which aren't SO bad.
The iRo Grande railroad. still II
operation. Is given several columns
of praise. A brief history Of the road
follows.
The first locomotive on THIS pio-
neer railroad Of the border rolled
over the narrow-gauge tracks IN
1873. When steamers ana sailing
vessels landed their cargoes at the
wharves of Brownsville. this means
OF transportation was considered
adequate and met the demands OF
commerce until the lower river be-
came practically u~nnavigable, when
this traffic through the mouth Of
the river was gradually diverted TO
the harbor Of Brazos Santiago and
thence overland 70 the city.
The large amount OF freight had
10 be hauled over the roads. many
times very bad. by c and
wagons pulled BY mules. The rail-
road company vas organized Nov
ember /. 1870.
The road was built with Ne spe-
cific purpose Of connecting Browns
Vile with the nearest seaport. and
lhere was no prospect OF business
eoming to il from any other source.
The railroad experienced hun
yreds OF difficulties. the ~submerging
Of tracks and seriously damaging
of ties and rails in storms and
heavy rains not being the least. The
flood OF the Rio Grande in 1873.
che OF the most serious in the Val
ley's history. ruined the road and
caused an expenditure OF $4,000 70
be made before operations could
continue. Again in 1875 flood ruin
ed tracks and trestleS 10 the tune Of
s20r00 A third storm IN 1880 ruined
p steam livh'er belorging 70 the
r~-1ranv. v-hich was valued al s25.-
oco. A flood in 1888 carried away
considerable portions Of track max
the aggregate loss around $780,
600 for the first few years Of the
ec-.Darv's life