NEW MURAL AT WELLS FARGO BANK TURNING HEADS

By Juan Montoya

If you happen to be driving in the vicinity of Central Boulevard and FM 802 (Ruben Torres Blvd.), do yourself a favor and stop the Wells Fargo Bank on the corner (910 Ruben Torres).

The good folks at Wells Fargo, following in the tradition established at other Texas locations like Victoria, etc., have unveiled a historical mural based on local events and people. (To get a full-screen view of the mural click on it.)

The elements in the mural includes the Cameron County Courthouse named after Oscar C. Dancy, who presided over the county commissioners court  for more than 50 years. Built in 1912, it was remodeled at a cost of some $25 million to return it to its former grandeur.

And just to the left eaves of the courthouse is the picture of Ruben Torres in his marine Corps blues. The picture of Torres dates back to 1948 when he was in the military. He later became a state legislator. His brother Rene is now a member of the Texas Southmost College board and his brother Ramiro is a former fire chief.

Serving as a backdrop to the Torres bust is a photo of the Charro Days Fiesta of 1942. The annual bi-national celebration by sister cities Brownsville and Matamoros started in 1938. Just to the left of the Torres portrait is a depiction of the parade celebrating the opening of the port of Brownsville in 1936, two years ahead of the first Charro Days. The photo shows a line of floats making its way down Elizabeth Street which is packed on both sides by local residents. 

Just above the port parade is a photo of Francisco Yturria, an early banker and partner of Charles Stillman, who founded Brownsville in 1849, a year after the U.S. defeated Mexico and made the Rio Grande the southern border. The narrative on Yturria states that he helped Stillman operate the river transports. It doesn't say that through Yturria's contacts in Matamoros, Stillman and his fellow wheeler dealers like Richard King and Mifflin Kenedy used transports flying the Mexican flag to evade the Union blockade on Texas ports during the Civil War and became millionaires in the process.

In the narrative on Stillman (on the lower right hand corner of the courthouse), it is stated that he "provided" the land on which Ft. Brown was built. Local historians would take an issue with that statement since the ownership of the land was disputed for years after he laid legal claim to it. Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Stillman would have to pay $60,000 to at least 16 other claimants, most of which Stillman himself set up as straw purchasers to muddle the title to the property. In the end, Stillman never paid anyone – including the original owner Miguel Salinas – any of the money. His progeny, mainly James, went on to amass a huge fortune and founded CityBank.

On Stillman's left (and your right) a donkey-driven delivery cart from the Edlestein's Better Furniture company is shown making its way through a dirt road in the city. Edelstein remained a fixture of Brownsville economy until the family sold its interest to the FAMSA furniture conglomerate of Mexico, which operates the stores now. One Edelstein, Ruben, went on to become the mayor of the city.

Another element on the mural (lower left) depicts a railroad engine of the St. Louis-Brownsvile and Mexico Railway from about 1900. The 200-mile line ran from Brownsville to Gulf Coast Junction near Houston. This same railway company established the Brownsville Matamoros Bridge Co. which built the first bridge over the Rio Grande south of Laredo. Local often refer to it as "El Puente Viejo," which only until recently reverted to Mexican ownership.

Over the railroad engine there is a picture of the Brownsville-Matamoros Ferry Landing from the 1890s, before the bridge was built. Ferries were used to cross the river as early as 1818 and continued in use by locals until 1829.

Overlaid over the ferry picture and the Yturria bust is a map showing the Rio Grande River and the boundaries between Brownsville and Matamoros. There is also a photograph of Charro Days revelers and performers right behind the Stillman bust. To the left (your right) is a group of women standing before more modern railroad cars dating to the 1930s. Peppered throughout the mural are an ad for Wells Fargo services for Spanish-speaking customers dating back to 1886, a letter delivered by Wells Fargo from Guaje, Mexico to Mexico City in July 28, 1896, and a flier from 1918 announcing that Wells Fargo now had 10,000 office from "Ocean to Ocean," and "From Over the Sea."

Even though the mural leans toward the commercial and financial aspects of Brownsville and Matamoros, the local history it does contain makes it worth to stop and have a look-see. We're sure Wells Fargo officials would just love to have you and just perhaps, make use of their services.