Ripped from the Pages of the Bronsbil Estacion Facebook

I use a li'l Nikon Coolpix L830 with a built-in zzom lens that let me take this from the front of El Hueso de Fraile which is near 8th street so we're looking down four blocks here.  The Radio Shack sign was there originally but faded out black and the crown and flag are also Photoshopped with additional treatment to make this look like it was done with a heavier camera.

This is an original logo from a local family-owned and operated gas station business that was big in the RGV during the 1950s.  I removed "Cisneros" family name and retrosized it biggtime.  I even made a t-shirt from the design.  See some great Cisneros Rocket gasoline ads and photos by clicking ---> THIS LINK <---

 Here's a small segment of a  1900s postcard of E Elizabeth St  in front of JL Putegnat and Willlman's Pharmacies 

What's of interest is that we've posted shoeshine boys before.  They are icons of many stories I've heard ol' timers talk about but they had come from era of El Jardin or Missouri Pacific Railroad depot where they would shine shoes for passengers or hotel visitors.  This photo is much older and shows part of a Texas Confectionery (candy store) sign and hanging ornament sign which is called a mortar & pestle which was used by an apothecary who would drugs into fine power or paste.  The building is a "Botica" which translates to Drug Store or pharmacy.

 I took this with my phone camera which works better than my camera sometimes.  It was enhanced to brighten dark interiors.

 Roy Hess did an excellent story on the Voice of Brownsville Hank Hollingsworth which was in this past Father's Day issue of the Brownsville Herald.  <----  This was just a KBRO tribute to the living legend I had the pleasure of meeting for a Bronsbil Estacion exclusive on KBOR's Voice of Brownsville story.  Roy's story last Sunday righteously packed a slew of sports highlights most appropriately as opposed to the more biographical story we did.   

 Tile on 8th from E Elizabeth being renovated by Parra family interests and there's potentially a story worth reading here unless someone else does it first.  

Two hand-painted signs at the Parra building were discovered last week which made for some interesting photos sent by Ernie Lopez and Leroy Lopez (no relation).  A li'l research revealed that the lot was once the location of the First Baptist Church since early 1900's and by 1930 it was a brick structure with split to be occupied by several store businesses which eventually became one furnture store.  It was also the location of Mac's Toys store for many years which many still living today can recall.

Same corner - early 1960s (Mac's Toys photo courtesy Don Mc Fetteridge)

June 1988 marked the 49th anniversary of the Tienda Amigo disaster.  We thought it would be interesting to point out that its original location was across the street which is shown from this photo taken from top of old Miller Hotel which stood on same location which Tienda Amigo of 1988 was. 

The Little League Queen at center waving to the camera is Sandra Lee Peeples, age 12, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C.H. Peeples s at 364 Scott St.  Her two attendants were Phillis Ann Merrill, 10 and Judy Margenau, 12.

1957 Cotton Carnival children's parade from a collection we shared on our sister page we're calling the Delmar Kuebke- Fisher's Cafe family collection which were graciously shared by Mel's Antiques & Collectibles of Olmito, Texas.  In this particular photo we see a lot to talk about such as the Ft Brown building No.1 which was headquarters building for police station after the fort closed in c1947.  That's the Gateway bridge and a beautiful red fire engine with convertible 1950s chariots in a row.  That "Crossroads of the Hemisphere - The New Gateway to Latin-America+ sounds is a testament to Brownsville's former greatness and future potential?  

Another slide image which came out much better than expected as this slide was fairly damaged looking but the scanner was able to capture the sharpest image possible with a li'l clean-up work.

 You never know what you'll see downtown.  I call this one the Mexican Cousin It. 

Proverbs 26:13

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Come back and check on Bronsbil Estacion and please feel free to share your love of Brownsville with a link to this blog.  Thanks

Social Justice Warrior (a.k.a. the Rock Hater) Strikes Out Again

by Javier R. Garcia

The social justice warrior (SJW) strikes out again - emboldened by support from his fanatic cult-like followers.  He likes to use my name to gain publicity but that doesn't always work well for him.  Last year he called the police on me for "tagging" him on Facebook ONE TIME and the Brownsville Police detective actually called me on the phone about it.  Antonio likes to exaggerate (lie) and beg for sympathy.

For any sane person to understand what has transpired to get to this point of ludicrousness, they'd have to turn in all their marbles.  I don't ask that of anyone.  His post was made May 29 in response to a comment I made about him on April 12th.  Just read on from this point and I'll insert a word here or there but don't expect it to make sense (or scroll down to confederate flag with that Cheezmeh guys head in it then bounce back here).  No I'm not sorry for the confusion.

I meant to say liberal apologists for lack of better words known to me.  These left-over hippies from a forgotten drug-crazed generation cling to him like flies on sh*t.  His other followers are jobless video-game playing post adolescent millennials, abortionists and atheists (the type that promote chaos) and new brand of Chicano activists who identify themselves as native or indigenous Americans who want to separate themselves from "white-American" society and reclaim lands lost after War with Mexico.  In my opinion - a  bunch of crackpots!

So his li'l friends chime in to show support and don't seem to notice their wise leader didn't have the wisdom to set his page's private settings.  Mind you, this was on Veteran's Day and the SJW is a veteran.  I do not know or care what division of armed forces he joined but to be called a coward on his own page and not respond proves my point.  He should have proved his claim about me harassing him.  I only called him out in the past after he went after me and tried to shame me by calling me a neo-Confederate sympathizer because I didn't agree with his racist attack against several people.

Not once did he comment to explain himself.  He insinuated I harassed him and his family but doesn't show proof - just this "paper trail" bullsh*t he started with.  Hey Tony - everything we write online can be scooped up and gathered like a piece of dogsh*t in a New York minute if there is any investigating needed to be done.  I thought he knew - so he has nothing to fear from me as I never threatened him but he's good and making little things seem worse than they are.  I just wanted to have a word with him.  That's all - online or in person - to ask him why he called the police on me rather than speak to me about it like a man would.  I never threatened him.

More supportive comments from his valiant friends but not a peep from him.  To understand the SJW just pay attention to what he says.  If he calls you a racist, he is really the racist.  If he says someone is obsessed with him, he is really the one who is obsessed etc etc.

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We should backtrack a bit to April when there was a local election going on and Erasmo Castro - The Cheezmeh guy who needs no introduction here, was being targeted by the cowardly Antonio through an online publication, NETA.  Antonio wrote an article to undermine Castro's bid for public office - something Antonio aspired to when he returned to Brownsville with his agenda to remove all references to civil war or presidents who owned slaves (i.e. Washington Park, Jefferson Davis memorial stone there and other such nonsense).  
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By the way, NETA was the source of a controversy recently when two female social justice warriors attacked a popular artist well-known and respected in the historical and art community of Brownsville but that's another story.  The source, NETA, like Antonio and the two self-proclaimed Chicana artists that used it to attack another artist from Brownsville, has biggtime issues with skin color and their Mexicaness and the "white" oppressors they imagine are making life hell for them.  I know it sounds crazy but that's the way I see them so if that makes me crazy too so be it....

Anyway I "warned" the Cheez and thought that would end it until two other Facebookers insinuated themselves into the banter which is what causes all this Facebook drama we all hear about.  What I wrote about Antonio is the truth:  He likes to cause controversy over the stupidest things that offend him and like-minded fools.

Online controversy attracts more controversy and the SJW is no different.  Mar is a local attorney obsessed with Castro  (I do not know the reason) and Serrano is the former owner of B.A.M. (Brownsville Arts & Music) which closed it's location downtown.  Both begged for attention so I'm letting them have it here.

Never get between a dog and his bone.

If you'll recall, the SJW tried telling readers of our local newspaper in a opinion piece that the majority of people in Brownsville were "mestizos" which is a racist category the hypocrite uses to get his point across which never makes sense.  In closing, this is my paper trail sample of the SJW's latest idiocy.  I wont be spending too much time worrying about him or his fanatical followers unless he begs me to.  

Click on this ---> "Mestizo"  to see my bisection of the essay he wrote to local newspaper.

**************  UPDATE  ***************

Here's an addendum to this wasteful blog entry.  The SJW has irritated others with his racist attitude.

 It seems that Raul has been in disagreement with the SJW and was probably a target of Antonio's manipulative method of playing the victim and making others seem "like the bad guy."  I have never met Raul but he saw Antonio's post on Antonio's FB page targeting me and reposted and "tagged" me to alert me and two others so we had some fun at the SJW's expense.

By contacting me, perhaps Raul alludes to the proverb that states "enemy of my enemy is my friend" which would apply here if the SJW was a threat but it seems that the SJW's antics have finally wore thin and he is no longer successful at stirring up discontent and support from his local followers who had on a few occasions joined him in his hatred for the confederate rock memorial in Washington Park.

Antonio also tried to shame "Mike" but again, people are starting to see what a coward the SJW is.

The next line is shocking, weird, repulsive and ridiculously funny at the same time.  Maybe I should ask for these "inboxes" that prove it.  No one is bashing gays here -- just the thought of Antonio teaching gay sex to children.  That just seems odd but I guess he wants that.

Hopefully the SJW will go away and stop harassing people and playing victim.  Until then, I reserve the right to defend my character from the stigmas he tries to attach to me and to reciprocate without the need for a direct retaliatory act against him.  

1929 thru the 30's: The Great Depression & Illegal Immigrants

by Leo Rodriguez

Can you imagine the difficulty the early settlers in San Benito were facing close to the end of the 1920's? In 1929, the Great depression was just showing its big ugly head. Communities were hit hard, especially those that depended on heavy industry, construction came almost to a complete halt. Farming and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by approximately 60%, and of course San Benito was the primary hub for shipping of farmed goods.

Sam Robertson (San Benito Historical Society)

As if Col. Robertson didn't have enough headaches, in the Fall of 1929 official word was received that the U.S. Government was about to come in and deport all undocumented immigrants. The immigrants that were to be rounded up were offered special inducements in the form of cheap land and financial aid in Mexico. Additionally, their household and farming effects would be allowed to enter Mexico, duty free.

In 1929, the federal government required Mexicans to obtain visas in order to enter the United States.

But hold your horses. Col. Robertson and the leaders of our community and the RGV wanted no part of this. The farmers throughout the Valley were too dependent on the Mexican labor workers. An emergency meeting was held, and members of the American Legion, and community leaders, attended, the only item on the agenda was to formulate a plan to protect the Mexican citizens, and their deportation.

A committee was named and formed, and financing a central bureau was one of the items that was to be quickly implemented.

Major J.P. Galbraith & Col. Robertson made stirring addresses at the meeting, in which they predicted irreparable damage to the valley, unless the Mexicans were given protection.

Major Galbraith informed the attendees that that if deportation occurs, that the general population in the RGV would be decreased by 15 to 20%, and our section will be placed in a serious condition.

Col. Sam Robertson continued making the circuits, addressing various organizations to garner support of Mexican citizens being deported. In July of 1929, he addressed the San Benito Kiwanis club, his opening statement was "the territory we took from Mexico in 1847 by conquest should be exempted from provisions of the Box Immigration Bill". Col. Robertson suggested this as a compromise measure to prevent the Box Bill from having such a drastic affect on the border section. He went on to say "our people can not do the hard work which is necessary to be done, and the only people who can do it are the Mexicans". He went on to say that he had worked with the Mexican workers for over 25 years, and he had found them to be loyal, faithful, & extremely hard workers.

The Great Depression had now set in, the stock market and the U.S. economy crashed, and not a single region, or community was immune from the devastating effects. In the 1930's Americans were really hurting, one in four workers were unemployed and many families hungry. Many soon begin to accept the ideology that deporting illegal residents was not an outrageous idea, due to the severe shortages of jobs and food.

Robert Runyon postcard of San Benito c1916

In the early 1900s, Mexicans poured into San Benito and the Rio Grande Valley, welcomed by farm owners and the railroad, who needed their labor. Until entry rules tightened in 1924, they simply paid a nickel to cross the border and get visas for legal residency.

The majority were here legally, because it was so easy to enter legally, if that makes any sense. U.S. officials then tightened visa rules, reducing legal immigration from Mexico to a trickle. They also discussed what to do with those already in the U.S.

The Depression hit the Mexican immigrants just as hard. Along with the job crisis and food shortages that affected all U.S. workers, Mexicans and Mexican Americans had to face an additional threat: deportation. As unemployment swept the U.S., hostility to immigrant workers grew, and the government began a program of repatriating immigrants to Mexico. Immigrants were offered free train rides to Mexico, and some went voluntarily, but many were either tricked or coerced into repatriation, and some U.S. citizens were deported simply on suspicion of being Mexican. All in all, hundreds of thousands of Mexican immigrants, especially farmworkers, were sent out of the country during the 1930s--many of them the same workers who had been eagerly recruited a decade before.

As you are reading this, keep in mind that the U.S. Border Patrol was not formed until 1924 (I always thought it had been created way earlier).

The creation of the Border Patrol was an event which would have a significant impact on the lives of Mexican workers. Though the public did not immediately view Mexicans as "illegal aliens," the law now stated that undocumented workers were fugitives. With the advent of the Border Patrol, the definition "illegal alien" is born, and many Mexican citizens north of the border are subject to much suspicion.

In San Benito, the city was facing various issues of disarray. In May, 1929, the city terminated the Police Chief and ALL Police officers. The Chief was accused of irregularities (later legally cleared), and our officials knew the issue of the unemployed and the economy had to be addressed. November of 1930, the SB City Commission met to discuss the issue of the unemployed, drifters, and panhandlers in the city. Work or jail was quite simply the sense of this meeting, if you wanted work, and were able, a program was outlined to assist. The commission agreed to provide city jobs for at least 25 men on a daily basis, cleaning up city streets, brush pickup, etc, for a rate of $1 a day. A communication was sent to housewives, instructing them to refuse handouts to those coming to their house to ask for them, but to direct them to the police station where they would be given an opportunity to go work, or be jailed as vagrants, and forced to leave town.

The deportation of Mexican laborers in San Benito, and the rest of the U.S., came to be known as The Repatriation. The Repatriation period is not widely discussed in American history textbooks, most American history textbooks do not mention the Repatriation, although it is reported that at least one devoted more than half a page to the topic.

The life of an immigrant worker migrating to the Valley, and to the rest of the U.S, to better their lives, seemed dismal during this time period. Fortunately, the situation for them would improve between the period of 1942 and 1964, millions of Mexicans would again be called upon by U.S., as "braceros" under the Bracero Program, to work temporarily on contract to United States growers and ranchers. We will cover this program in a later chapter.

Small farm owners and their Mexican laborers in San Benito struggled to survive in desperate conditions. Bank foreclosures drove small farmers from their land, and large landholders cut back on their permanent workforce.

Immediately after Christmas, in 1932, SB Mayor E.L. Barmore, whom had been elected just months before, rolled out an extensive program to assist the unemployed in San Benito. This program, named the "Stagger Plan", employed up to 250 citizens, with strong efforts and focus to first and foremost hire those with dependents. This group was rotated with another group, and so on and so on, thus the name "the stagger plan". A similar plan was launched by the local Red Cross sewing room, 33 women were employed, working 3 day shifts, also rotated. This program was funded by the state Reconstruction Finance Corporation, as a means to assist the local communities during the depression.

In the depression era, as expected, our citizens and community leaders in San Benito rose to the task, local farmers donated tons of vegetables to be shipped to drought stricken and deprived areas. The Red Cross agency and our Chamber of Commerce coordinated numerous rail car shipments of goods to our northern friends. Additionally, in March of 1931, 2 five tons trucks left SB, loaded to capacity with carrots, beets, cabbage and citrus, destination Orange, Texas, in response to an appeal by the chamber there. How can one not be proud of our forefather's efforts and kindness, amazing. I am sure the Lord smiled down on our farmers, during this time period the cities of San Benito and Weslaco led all valley cities in the number of vegetables and fruit shipped out of the RGV.

Young Mexican-American women as farmhands in Texas

A difficult as times were, our city leaders tried in vain to keep the morale of the citizens high. On September, 1931, hundreds attended the inauguration of our brand new San Benito High School. The principal addresses were made that day by Mr. James C. Bowie, and by Mayor C.M. Cash. The library and the gymnasium at the new high school were considered to be the best of the best during this time period. The Rivoli was full to capacity in the weekends, and the San Benito Saints were looming as a powerful baseball club in the league. Some old established businesses were closing their doors during this decade, but many more were opening up.

A Mexican migrant family looking for work in the peas  with tire trouble alongside a California roadway February 1938 Dorthea Lange

1948 Smuggling Mexican Migrant Workers from San Benito to Chicago

by Leo Rodriguez

In 1948, Chicago police conducted a raid on a 4 story building on the city's west side, where they apprehended 39 illegal Mexican nationals. This raid made national headlines, primarily because the apprehension depicted the horrible ordeal the immigrants experienced as they made their 5 day journey from San Benito to Chicago, all crammed in on a false compartment under the truck.

The Mexican nationals, 38 men and one woman, ate nothing but cantaloupes, and had little drinking water throughout the journey.

Reynaldo Sanchez, age 30, and his wife Victoria, age 25, both of San Benito, were found to be the ring leaders of this smuggling attempt.

Exploitation of Farm Laborers in the Rio Grande Valley

by Leo Rodriguez

Generations before us would work hand in hand with the Mexican government to insure Mexican labor employees working in the U.S. as seasonal workers were not mistreated, or underpaid, firm contracts were signed.

In the early 1900s, Mexicans poured into San Benito and the RGV, welcomed by farm owners and the railroad, who needed their labor. Until entry rules tightened in 1924, they simply paid a nickel to cross the border and get visas for legal residency.

The majority were here legally, because it was so easy to enter legally, if that makes any sense. The depression era was beginning to take it's toll, U.S. officials tightened visa rules, reducing legal immigration from Mexico to a trickle. They also discussed what to do with those already in the U.S.

The Depression hit the Mexican immigrants just as hard. Along with the job crisis and food shortages that affected all U.S. workers, Mexicans and Mexican Americans had to face an additional threat: deportation. As unemployment swept the U.S., hostility to immigrant workers grew, and the government began a program of repatriating immigrants to Mexico. Immigrants were offered free train rides to Mexico, and some went voluntarily, but many were either tricked or coerced into repatriation, and some U.S. citizens were deported simply on suspicion of being Mexican. All in all, hundreds of thousands of Mexican immigrants, especially farmworkers, were sent out of the country during the 1930s--many of them the same workers who had been eagerly recruited a decade before.

As you are reading this, keep in mind that the U.S. Border Patrol was not formed until 1924 (I always thought it had been created way earlier).

The creation of the Border Patrol was an event which would have a significant impact on the lives of Mexican workers. Though the public did not immediately view Mexicans as "illegal aliens," the law now stated that undocumented workers were fugitives. With the advent of the Border Patrol, the definition "illegal alien" is born, and many Mexican citizens north of the border are subject to much suspicion.

During and after WWII, the U.S. again courted the Mexican workers, via the "bracero" program. The Mexicans were needed to plant and pick the cotton crops, and assist farmers rebuilding their ranches. In a few short years the Mexicans were once again rounded up & deported, though many managed to avoid the border patrol.

There are solutions to fixing the immigration debate, but unfortunately politicians come to the table determined not to bend or concede on their perspective party's stance.

2017 0513 Mels Antiques & Collectibles finds Fisher Cafe memorabilia

I just returned from Mel's Antiques & Collectibles in Olmito, Texas to find he just acquired a large collection of memorabilia from Fisher's Cafe which was once near corner of E Elizabeth and 10th St. across from the Majestic Theater.

There's the cafe sign with the downtown H-E-B behind it.  This photo is not part of the collection.  Take note of the steel mesh parapet and we'll have a quick look at the merchandise.

 The pieces may range from pre 1950s before Mr Del Mar Kuebke came to Brownsville and opened Fisjher's Cafe which lasted decades into the the 1970s.  Somebody please write to this blog and let us know more facts to include here.

Fisher's sponsored several baseball teams from West Brownsville Little League.  Mel & Del Trevino have several 8x10 photos and some have names written on the back with phone numbers.  Most of these boys might be in their 60's by now.  There were several large framed photographs of historic scenes from Brownsville but the photo on the left is of the cemetery at Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

 Here are a few bowling teams photos and certificates.

Many of these pieces were removed from the cafe when it closed.  Here's a Department of Health Permit for the cafe.

Stacks of photo postcards were included with several uncommon cards not usually found on Ebay or posted on internet are in the collection.  I grabbed a few to share with Bronsbil Estacion.  Two photographs (top right) show steel mesh parapet being installed.

Here's the building today with steel mesh still on it.

There were plenty rare photos of Port Isabel and South Padre Island so hurry in before all that stuff disappears into another collector's hands.