| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | SA&AP, SAAP |
| Locale | Texas |
| Dates of operation | 1886–1934 |
| Successor | Texas and New Orleans Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
TheSan Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway first began operation in the U.S. state ofTexas in 1886. It was developed by Uriah Lott and businessmen ofSan Antonio as a direct route from the city toAransas Bay on the TexasGulf coast.[1] It was eventually absorbed in the 20th century bySouthern Pacific.
Uriah Lott, a transportationentrepreneur, engaged his friendsRichard King and contractorMifflin Kenedy in development of three railroad lines in Texas to improve connections from major cities to smaller ones, and to trading areas in Mexico. TheCorpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railroad connectedCorpus Christi andLaredo. TheSt. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway ran fromHouston toBrownsville through theRio Grande Valley and related stops.[2]
Supported by businessmen fromSan Antonio, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway was developed to connect San Antonio withAransas Bay on Texas'Gulf coast, where adeepwater port was being developed.Lott, Texas was named in the developer's honor.[2] (After damaginghurricanes in the early 20th century, the USArmy Corps of Engineers designatedCorpus Christi to be the deep-water port in this area.)
The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway Company was incorporated in 1884, to fulfill the need for a direct railway route from San Antonio to Mexico.Augustus Belknap became president of the company's board of directors, all of whom were also the primary investors, which included William H. Maverick, Edward Stevenson, Edward Katula, Daniel Sullivan, A. J. Lockwood, and George H. Kalteyer, all businessmen based in San Antonio,[3][4] George Polk was the surveyor. With no progress upon completion of Polk's survey, Belknap was replaced by Lott as president of the board. He gained support in the state legislature from RepresentativeMifflin Kenedy. Construction began in 1885, and the first train rolled out on the line in 1886. The railroad went into receivership in 1890. The receivership was lifted in 1892 after a corporate reorganization wherebySouthern Pacific acquired the majority of the stock.[3]
As Section 5 ofArticle X of the Texas Constitution prohibited common control of parallel railroads, in 1903, theSouthern Pacific Railroad was sued by theTexas Railroad Commission. Southern Pacific lost the lawsuit and was compelled to divest itself of ownership of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway. In 1924, a change in statutes allowed Southern Pacific to regain control of the railway.[3][5][6] In 1934, the Southern Pacific consolidated the San Antonio and Aransas Pass into theirTexas and New Orleans subsidiary road.[7]
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