Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-27
Old BUILDING
FAMOUS over
ENTIRE south
By H. G. JR,

By H. G. STILWELL, JR,
The transition from the old
Brownsville to the new Brownsville
may be said to have been completed
with the tearing down Of the old
federal building here and the be-
ginning OF construction on the new.
The old building was intimately
tied up with the Brownsville OF the
past forty years.
Its somber red brick walls stood
symbolical OF the stable. conserva-
tive city on the banks OF the Rio
Grande.
The new building, rising four stor-
les above the street level, VIII ypify
the progressive BROWNSVILLE OF to-
day and tomorrow.
The contrast is emphasized In
photographs Of the two buildings,
shown on this page, showing in front
of the old building two ORLEANS
pulling wagons, and In front OF the
new building a modern automobile.
One shows the era OF the wagon,
of mud streets, of isolation-the
frontier days.
The other shows the age OF the
automobile and the airplane, rapid
communication with all ether parts
OF the country-the days OF develop
ment.
Similar Efforts
But In many ways the two federal
buildings and the Brownsville OF
1888 and of 1928 are alike. This can
be seen in the way IN which people
OF Brownsville worked together in
1888 as they did in 1928 to get these
buildings.
The work OF razing the old federal
building was started several days
ago by the A. j. Rife construction
company OF Dallas. contractors on
the Job Of building the new building.
Razing OF the old federal structure
Is included as part OF the contract.
This work will require about 80
days, according TO r.. E.. Ray, super
intendent Of construction for he
contractor, which viii mean that the
old building will be gone by about
the middle of October.
The piling for the new building
will then be sunk, and construction
started. A little more than q year Is
expected to pass before this new
structure, costing close to S400 900,
IS finished.
The story Of the old federal
building in Brownsville is told by
local residents who we're active In
getting 1t, and by the Twin Cities
OF the Border" a Brownsville book
let published in 1893. Il
The Twin Cities declines to give
any one in particular credit for Sc
curing the building. Brownsville
people united in seeking 1t, just as
they did in seeking the present
federal building.
BENJAMIN KowaIski was postmas-
ter in 1888 when the agitation reach
ed the point OF accomplishment and
the correspondence concerning the
building was carried on between him
and Congressman w. H. Crane Of
the Cuero District. Postmaster
Kowalski was extremely active in
securing the appropriation, which
was originally $4,000.
Appropriation Made
This appropriation was made by
Congress on Oct. 2, 1883.
It was later supplemented by an
additional SIS. 600, making the final
expenditure on the building S65,OO0-
Considerable trouble IA exper-
fenced over the question Of q site for
the building. 1t appeared for a time
that the inability Of the federal
government to purchase a site at a
reasonable price would result IN the
project being abandoned.
The Brownsville city council
settled this matter by holding a
meeting and asking the federal gov
eminent to start condemnation pro-
ceedings with Brownsville paying for
the site. This resulted In the pur-
chase of the present site at a figure
OF $4,000.
This much settled.
But matters moved slowly In those
days, Just as now.
1t was 1891 before construction was
actually started. The contracting
firm OF Force a. Snyder Of Kansas
City was awarded the contract, aid
George Snyder came to Brownsville
to remain during the periods OF
construction, a little over a year.
s. w. Brooks of Brownsville was
appointed superintendent Of con-
struction for the government.
Snyder became SO pleased with
Brownsville that he later moved 10
this city, and lived here until his
death a few years back
The red brick which has done
much to make the old court house
here famous over the south was
shipped here from Kansas City. II
was packed In straw in barrels. and
came down the Mississippi and
across the Gulf OF Mexico in the
Morgan line boat Il. G. Harris"
This information comes from A.
Ashheim, who was assistant post
master at that time, later becom-
ing postmaster.
Rrirk Still Eood