Year: 1865

rooms and uninvitng in appearance and then fire.
auently during the nerning would sell TO his swarihy
customer from the river bill amounting 10
hundred thousand dollars receiving his pay in gold and
silver which he placed for safe keeping in his chest
for banks unknown aud he regarded paper money
as equal in value corresponding piece of tissue taken
from the shelves Success in business was not
only incentive 10 energy and activity which ac,n
atcd the Brownsvean. The peculiarities and excite
ments of border life where especially among popula
like this composed OF anagonistical races the
strants of the law but little felt the rights of pro-
pcrty little respected, and but small value placed upon
human life, kept him constantly active ard watch
ful, and prompted him 10 depend much apon his
shrewdness and physical strength for that protection
which in more favored country the law affords II was
not unusual for some desperate ancheo To ride into the
and shoot down citizen who had excited his
vengeance and on several occasions the inhabitnnts
pabe OF bearing arms have turned out pro-
ect themselves the threatened attack of some gang
of desperadoes who openly avowed their intention to pill
iage and destroy the town.


With the opening of the new and gigantic
element OF success to Brownsville. The large of
cotton raised in the State ranging from one hundred
thousand to three hundred thousand bales per annum,
was shut out from its natural outlets at Galveston and
through the Red river and could only reach the
werd by being transported in wagons the country
TO the Rio Grade distance of eight hundred thou
sand miles thence II was taken into Mexico and
down the river to Bagdad whence it shipped to Eu
rope These wagons carried eight bales to- the load and
frequently many fifteen hundred reached the vicn


y of Brownsville at the time and discharged their
precious freight upon her levee With no impernent
custom house Official to interfere, the cotton quietly
crossed over the river and goods of every
possible description many of them contraband of war,





into the interior and the Mississippi to the heart
of the conledclacy Large quantities of supplies were
In this way furnished to General Lees army and up TO
the time OF its occupancy by General Banks in Novem
ber 1868, Brownsville second only to Wilmington.
in importance 20 the rebel government trade of as
tonishing magnitude carried here, and almost
fabulous fortunes were amassed. Though thus import
ant TO the conedcracy it was, account of its remote
position impossible to defend irfrom any attack OF the
Unonsts and upon the approach of General Banks the
fow rebel soldiers stationed here evacuated the place
after destroying Fort Brown and the elegant buildings





Most, II not all, of the prominent merchants had pre-
vousy removed their goods across the river and but tte
the buildings remained when the Union army took
possession As has been previously stated no material
difference in the amount of cotton transported the
The wagons continued their long Journeys dischargng
their loads at points higher up the river, where 1t was
impossible for our army TO interfere.


In August, 1854 under Grant S order for the
traton of troops the place evacuated, and immed
atey thereafter the cotton again began TO flood in This
continued until after the surrender OF General Kirby
Smith and the occupancy of the place more by
forces At the present time Brownsville is comparatively
deserted merchants scattered their closed
occupied by the army suffers; vessel save
sonaly government transport be at its levee,
and every thing pOrrays the desolatng effect OF


COTTON EsIMArEs


The year 1861 produced the largest crop of cotton in
Texas known in the State 1t estimated by those
best capable OF judging that three hundred thousand
bales were raised in that year After the occupancy Of
New Orleans and other portions of Louisiana by the ede
raj forces large numbers of negroes taken into Texas
and set 10 work the cotton plantations To such
extent this the that the amount of labor in the
State greater than il had been for previous years,
Notwithstanding the drain upon the population caused
by the Much of the labor, however, which had
been devoted TO the raising of cotton during the
years OF 1862 and 1863 engaged in producing grain and
the cotton crop in those years was in consequence
smaller The number OF bales raised is estimated at
three hundred and fifty thousand for the two years In
1884 the army worm destroyed by far the greater pro-
portion Of the CROP and not than seventy five thou
sand bales raised in that year Owing to the low
state Of the the entire crop Of 1860 had been
taken from the State at the outbreak of the war; and
there was probably at the time the usual outlets were
closed by the national government, fifty thousand bales
of the crop OF that remaining In addition TO this,
there was brought into the State of Texas from Louisiana
during the four years Of the at least twenty five
thousand bales, thus making in all an aggregate OF
eight hundred thousand bales raised, or brought
for expectation, into the State OF Texas during the
The energy displayed in getting this 70 the Rio
Grande and into Mexico unparalleled and the
commensurate with IT, From the immense ranches of
the Texas plains thousands Of horses mules and
were taken for this purpose while every portion of the
State searched for wagons and every wheelwrght
busiy engaged from morning till night in construct
ing them The immense distance over which the cotton
trains compelled 10 travel and the length Of time
required 20 reach their destination (iX months often in
tcrvening between the loading and unloading OF the
wagons) made the cost OF transportation enormous and
high sixteen and seventeen cents the pound was
paid for It's delivery the banks Of the river but cotton
had reached the astounding price of thirty eight and
forty cents at Brownsville and the transportation could
be paid As the result 0f this energy which
is represented amounting mania the part
of the dealers il il estimated that at the time Of
Kirby Smiths defiant proclamation there remained in
the State not than two hundred thousand bales





hurry the cotton from the State and 1t is well understood
that the position Of Kirby Smith taken for the pur
pose Of enabling the wealthy cotton spectators to close
out the stock which remained The rapid march Of
events and the unexpected energy displayed by the M
tional government in preparing for Texas campaign
caused press Of public opinion which compelled Smiths
surrender and prevented the execution Of the plan;
and not more than twenty five thousand bales
reached the river between the time Of the surrender
of General Lee and the occupancy Of this State
by the national troops. II will thus be seen that
after the surrender OF smith and the arrival
NJ tba md in
State about hundred and thousand bales
This estimate Is regarded by few persons in posi-
satisfied, after careful inquiry, that it Is not far from
correct


crop Il the negroes continue their labor ss usua-s qass
tion which still remains IN doubt


MATAnoRoe


This city situated upon tbs opposite side OF the river
from Brownsville the great depot for cotton upon its
arrival within the domain cf Maximan; and its pros
perty was increased to an almost fabulous extent there
by, rather sould say the prosperity Of it's citizens
for In poor distracted Mexico the prosperity Of Its peo
pie is not the prosperity OF the State While the Mexi
s inherently patriotic and loves his country, the
constant state OF insecurity in which he lives makes him
Indifferent to every thing but his immediate success
and the citizen takes interest in extending and beau
tifying his city, and the agrculturis II content with
raising the little necessary for the immediate sustenancc
OF himself and family and cares not TO improve his
land from which any moment he may be driven forth
A. the natural result OF this Mexican cities
are low, mean and dirty In appearance and in
fact; and .tbe greater portion Of the farm lands



chaparrsl and prairie Previous 10 the close OF
the war large amounts of goods of every description
brought to this city in anticipation Of its connu
ance and IN consequence the arrival of our troops,
the market the American side being closed, the sup
ply far exceeded the demand and goods fell below the
Wholesale prices in New York The presence OF large
body OF troops in the vicinity has again increased these
prices 20 the old standard though more in consequence
Of the anticipated market than Of present sales


The city II occupied at present by about three thousand
inperialst troops, some three hundred of whom are
Ausrians and she remainder natives Though thus pro
eceu Mnnmoro Is virtually beseiged by three OF four
hundred lhera said to be commanded by the notorious
CoF,ina, who circle about the city killing capturing
every living thing which moves ont niercfrom When
pursued by superior force they ec 10 the chaparrals
low, thick, tangled woods-wh whose devious vindIng
paths they perfectly familiar and where IL u npOs
shle pursue thcu MamurOs s thus shut out from the
other portions o the cmpirv save by water nc liberals
are extremely audacOus m their movements, and last
evening sharp skrmlshing took place between them
and the nperasts the outskirts Of the city ~ ~
Tunocd that the troops are TO be Withdrawn from This
point, m which the liberals would Of course take
poss ssion IN speaking of is fact little interest
IL manifested by the citizens and they seem perfectly