By Steve Hathcock
Special to the PRESS
Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications,
compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, offering a look back at the history of the Rio
Grande Valley. Steve Hathcock is a local historian and a regular columnist for the Port Isabel South Padre
Press. He has spent many years collecting and sharing the history of the Rio Grande Valley, as
well as treasure hunting and formerly owning an Island-based bookstore.
Permanent Levee Possible At Brownsville
The piles which were driven by the steam pile driver, to make the levee works, and which were
wrenched out of their hold by the flood, brought up with them unmistakable signs of the strata of earth
into which they were driven. We saw one good sized piece of red clay, which was as hard as a brick,
and which came up sticking to the point of one of the removed piles. The knowledge of this strata in
the bed of the river fully demonstrates the practicability of building permanent levee works. The only
thing now required, is to continue the work as commenced, only building it high enough to be above
high water mark, thus obviating the buoyancy of the piles and cross ties, which operated to virtually
pull up that portion of the work which has been destroyed. (Daily Ranchero (Brownsville Texas) Oct 4,
1868)
Lost Fortune Found-Lucky Find!
The Aberdeen Examiner of the 10th inst., says: Our young friend H. A. Knowles, is the hero of the
“biggest streak of luck” of any man we know of. Last Tuesday he drew four $1000 bills from the
bank and started home with them but had not proceeded far before discovering their loss. Well, on
Wednesday evening a young freedman brought one of the bills to Mr. John Walker, at Murawski’s
store, and ignorant of its value, exchanged it for a dozen marbles, giving Mr. Walker a cue which he
actively followed up, recovering the whole amount. The little boy had picked up the bills and they
were surrendered, we are informed, without hesitation. (Daily Ranchero (Brownsville Texas) Oct 4,
1868)
Yellow Fever Kills Two In Matamoros
Brownsville, Tex., Oct. 17 — A strict quarantine has been established at Port Isabel, Mexico, against
all vessels arriving from Vera Cruz and other places infected with cholera. There have been two
deaths from yellow fever in Matamoros during the last twenty-four hours and one death here. The
cases of fever continue. now existing are few and obscure. Surgeon Murray, just in from the Gordon, reports all well along the line. The weather is pleasant. (Kingston Daily Gleaner 27 Oct 1882,
Kingston, Jamaica)