Special to El Rrun-Rrun
* Have a coke! In 1925, Thomas H. Sweeney, proprietor of the Coca Cola Plant invited the public to visit his new bottling plant. The facility was located where it still stands today, at Washington and Eleventh. The product at the time, was to be known as “Sweeney’s Soda Water,” and was placed in the market as such. This writer remembers walking by the plant and listening to the sound of glass bottles moving through a conveyor belt. The building with open doors and with plenty of windows invited you to see and hear the bottling process - a distinct sound you could hear from blocks away.
Then there was the stirring newsboy call familiar to everyone, “Extra! Extra! Extra! Read all about it...” The music brings the roar of the presses to the listener’s ear, the clatter of the typewriters and
teletype machines and the brisk activity of the editorial room.
* In 1850, according to the census, it showed that there were 53 slaves owned by 20 families in Cameron County. Most of the slaves were house servants of long-standing with the families. By 1860, there were only six owners of slaves. Total number of slaves seven, one of whom was a fugitive from a Louisiana owner.
* Who’s Who of Brownsville High School of 1964: Roy Zepeda, Eddie Vaughan, Donna McCabe, Laura Tobin, Judy Pate, John Marin, Kathryn Harrison, Jane Autz, Karen Brittain, Linda Davis, Scott Etchison and Rosie Garcia.
* The sound of the radio: It was December of 1927 that the Valley’s newest radio station hit the airways and the tower was located on top of the El Jardin Hotel in Brownsville. It was not five minutes into the Christmas program that a telegram from San Antonio was received saying that the station was coming clear and strong from there. A long string of calls from throughout the Valley followed. Just imagine hearing the voice of Santa Claus on the airways (yes, he was there!) he came in with bang to the accomplishment of sleigh-bells and a stamping of a reindeer.
* Riding the rails on a car: In 1937, the shuttle car automobile train which was operated by the Port Isabel and Rio Grande Railway Co. made daily trips between Brownsville and Port Isabel. The old piece of railroad equipment, serving as passenger and mail carrier, was a standard car, equipped with rigid steering and flanged railroad wheels.
* What was so special about 1915? It was the birth of the Brownsville Independent School District.![]()
Although the public schools were around since late in the 19th Century (1875), prior to this period, the school system was in control of the city government. The schools in 1915 included Brownsville High School, City Grammar School, the Black School, the Matanzas School, the Media Luna School, the Nopalita School, the Linerro School, and the West Brownsville School.
* In 1922, sports fans in Brownsville were discussing the proposition of making a park for football, baseball and other sports on the Chautauqua Park. The land was located near the West Brownsville school house. There were several blocks, and would only accommodate a ball park, but would
serve a city park as well.
* During late in the Depression, especially on July 10, 1937, the three major Valley newspapers, the Herald, Harlingen Morning Star and the McAllen Monitor were combined as one Sunday issue. The morning paper’s purpose, according to management, was to give the people of the Valley the best Sunday newspaper they could buy and to give it to them while the news was fresh. That idea lasted until 1942—as paper officials decided to go back individual publications.
* Mexican fliers contributed in our efforts to win WW II. Herald headlines read, “Mexican Fliers Ready to Fight.” The daily report stated the following: The first flying Mexicans destined to see actual fighting in WW II, the pilots of the 201 Fighters Squadron, trained in Brownsville. Only two weeks of a six-month training program was conducted at the Brownsville Army Air field for preparations for entry into Pacific aerial combat.
* In 1850, according to the census, it showed that there were 53 slaves owned by 20 families in Cameron County. Most of the slaves were house servants of long-standing with the families. By 1860, there were only six owners of slaves. Total number of slaves seven, one of whom was a fugitive from a Louisiana owner.
* Who’s Who of Brownsville High School of 1964: Roy Zepeda, Eddie Vaughan, Donna McCabe, Laura Tobin, Judy Pate, John Marin, Kathryn Harrison, Jane Autz, Karen Brittain, Linda Davis, Scott Etchison and Rosie Garcia.
* The sound of the radio: It was December of 1927 that the Valley’s newest radio station hit the airways and the tower was located on top of the El Jardin Hotel in Brownsville. It was not five minutes into the Christmas program that a telegram from San Antonio was received saying that the station was coming clear and strong from there. A long string of calls from throughout the Valley followed. Just imagine hearing the voice of Santa Claus on the airways (yes, he was there!) he came in with bang to the accomplishment of sleigh-bells and a stamping of a reindeer.
* Riding the rails on a car: In 1937, the shuttle car automobile train which was operated by the Port Isabel and Rio Grande Railway Co. made daily trips between Brownsville and Port Isabel. The old piece of railroad equipment, serving as passenger and mail carrier, was a standard car, equipped with rigid steering and flanged railroad wheels.
* What was so special about 1915? It was the birth of the Brownsville Independent School District.
* In 1922, sports fans in Brownsville were discussing the proposition of making a park for football, baseball and other sports on the Chautauqua Park. The land was located near the West Brownsville school house. There were several blocks, and would only accommodate a ball park, but would
serve a city park as well.
* During late in the Depression, especially on July 10, 1937, the three major Valley newspapers, the Herald, Harlingen Morning Star and the McAllen Monitor were combined as one Sunday issue. The morning paper’s purpose, according to management, was to give the people of the Valley the best Sunday newspaper they could buy and to give it to them while the news was fresh. That idea lasted until 1942—as paper officials decided to go back individual publications.
* Mexican fliers contributed in our efforts to win WW II. Herald headlines read, “Mexican Fliers Ready to Fight.” The daily report stated the following: The first flying Mexicans destined to see actual fighting in WW II, the pilots of the 201 Fighters Squadron, trained in Brownsville. Only two weeks of a six-month training program was conducted at the Brownsville Army Air field for preparations for entry into Pacific aerial combat.