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2020-4 Remembrances Special Edition1 City of Schertz Remembrances Special Edition 2020-4 Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee NOTE: The information reported in this article was drawn from the book by Hugh Hemphill titled: Southern Pacific Railroad in San Antonio and South-Central Texas and should be credited to Hemphill as the contributor. Galveston, Harrisburg, San Antonio Railroad History In 1850, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos and Colorado (BBB&C) Railway was chartered. This important step marked the beginning of Texas’ Railroad Age. The BBB&C was the first to begin operations in Texas, the first component of the Southern Pacific open for service, and the second railroad west of the Mississippi. Needless to say, the BBB&C was an important milestone for the history of railways not only in Texas, but also the United States. The first locomotive that ran was named after Sidney Sherman, a key figure in the Texas Revolution and one of the original owners of the railroad. In 1853, the first 20 miles of track were opened from Harrisburg west, and Sherman’s train was ready to leave the station. The Harrisburg, as the BBB&C was commonly referred to, extended its rails to Richmond on the edge of the Brazos in 1856. By 1860, the BBB&C railroad track extended 80 miles to Alleyton, near the east bank of the Colorado River. The onset of the Civil War halted construction of new tracks. In 1867, two years after the Civil War ended, the BBB&C extended its business over the Columbus Tap track, which helped the company cross over the Colorado. The BBB&C eventually faced financial troubles and was sold in 1868 to Col. William Sledge for $13,000. Col. Sledge kept a 25 percent interest and sold the rest to a group that included Thomas W. Pierce. This group reinvented the Harrisburg, and they bought new locomotives and cars, which had not happened since before the Civil War. Facing difficulties with bridges and the Brazos River, however, the BBB&C had trouble staying efficient enough for business. In 1870 it was sold again, this time for $25,000. Pierce became president of the company and merged it with Columbus Tap and the Brazos Iron Bridge. The name was changed to the Galveston, Harrisburg, and San Antonio (G.H. & SA) Railway. Pierce set his sights on extending the now named G.H. & SA rail line toward San Antonio, Texas. 2 Harrisburg did not develop into the major city on Buffalo Bayou as the first backers had originally hoped, but the railroad was still successful. The G.H &SA was to become a major part of Southern Pacific’s transcontinental Sunset Route, which stretches from New Orleans to Los Angeles. It handled heavy freight traffic as well as Amtrak’s Sunset Limited west of Houston. On February 16, 1877, rail service began in San Antonio. City leaders knew the future of the city depended on the railroad. The decline in San Antonio’s population had been precipitous. Over 8,000 people turned out to welcome the arrival of the G.H.&SA. The marching bands of the 10th US Infantry, plus the US Cavalry and the Alamo Rifles also took part. It was noted during a speech that San Antonio was perhaps the largest city on the continent that had remained for so long without rail connections. The appearance of the railroad across southern Texas stimulated agricultural production and the growth of small towns as well as new towns wherever the railroads build a depot. The number of farms in the area quadrupled. Wool production alone climbed from 700,000 pounds in 1870 to 7,000,000 pounds by 1884. Factor in livestock, fruits and vegetables plus other production, and the South Texas economy witnessed explosive growth, mainly created and supported by the railroads. The original San Antonio depot was constructed by G.H. & SA. In 1903, the G.H. & SA Railroad decided to build a new station depot in San Antonio which it named Sunset Station in honor of what was then the “Sunset Route”. The first train to arrive in Schertz and San Antonio in 1877 was called the Sunset Limited. G. H. & S.A. train at Guadalupe River. By July 1881, the Southern Pacific Railroad had officially acquired an interest in the G.H.& SA. The G.H.& SA was officially leased to the Southern Pacific Lines in mid-1889. On March 1, 1927, the G.H.& SA was leased to the Texas & New Orleans Railroad Company, which had become Southern Pacific’s main railroad division in Texas. At that point in time, G.H. & SA actually controlled 1,345 miles of track or 40% of Southern Pacific’s holding in Texas. 3 G. H. & SA train crossing the Guadalupe River in February 1877 The history of the G.H. & SA Railroad Line and a tribute to the iconic caboose railcar has recently been memorialized by the County’s restoration of the caboose that sits at 1052 FM 78 (Guadalupe County Service Center site), Schertz, Texas. Tours of the caboose can be arranged by contacting Dean Weirtz, 210-651-0394.