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Beginning-(Continued from Page AV )handled by barge from the hastily repaired docks at Harbor Island to Aransas Pass, where it was pumped into railroad tank cars and snipped to points in westand southwest Texas as before.The owners of the Aransas Harbor Terminal Kailway were slow in rebuilding their damaged properties, and it was not until 1922 that the railroad wasrestored to operating condition.THE CORPUS CHRISTI DEEP WATER CHANNELCorpus Christi interests for many years had been trying to get that c.ty designated as a deep water port by the Government and had pressed their claims diligently. Many hearings were held by U. S. Government Engineers, and at these hearings the claims of Aransas Pass, Rockport, Harbor Island and Corpus Christi were heard. In 1922. by authority of the Rivers and Harbors Act of September, a deep water channel of 25 feet was authorized from Port Aransas to Corpus Christi, the channel to be dredged at the Government’s expense. Corpus Christi agreed to build docks and a turning basin, and to provide all necessary port facilities. This new waterway was completed in July, 1926, end the port of Corpus Christi was opened to commerce. This rival port, with its many rail and highway transporation facilities, and its numerous sites for docks and industrial installations at waterside, killed Port Aransas as a harbor for the handling of general cargo and farm products.THE FIRST PIPE LINE AND OIL TERMINALSHowever, also in 1926, the first oil pipe line was built to Port Aransas from Piefugio. This was the beginning of the movement of crude oil through pipe lines to Port Aransas that later made it the largest station for loading crude oil inthis country.The Humble Pipe Line Co., in 1927, bought from the State a dock and tank farm site on Harbor Island and constructed one of the largest oil terminals in Texas. Later on, the Atlantic Pipe Line Co purchased from William Morgan, the builder of the first pipe line from Refugio, the latter's interest in that pipe line, enlarging its terminal to such an extent that the combined loading capacities of the Atlantic and Humble companies by 1948 placed Port Aransas in the front ranks of the large ports of the country in point of tonnage. But oil loading operations require few men, and so the port has not benefited to the extent that would have been the case had oil refineries also been located on Harbor Island.The establishment of the terminals of these big oil cc mpanies on Harbor Island changed the fortune of the Aransas Harbor Terminal Railway and the Aransas Dock Channel Co. The terminal and tank farm of the Atlantic Company is located on the land of the Aransas Dock i Channel Co , and the rentals received by the Dock Company make a steady source of income for that corporation.THE FIRST CAUSEWAY FROM ARANSAS PASS TO HARBOR ISLANDAnother development occurred in 1926 that was destined to play an important part in shaping the future of Port Aransas. The difficulty in reaching that place by automobile had always been a serious obstacle to its growth as a pleasure resort. To overcome this obstacle a train consisting of fiat cars, capable of receiving automobiles, and drawn by an automotive truck, was placed in service. At Harbor Island this automobile tram connected with a ferry boat which carried the automobiles across the channel and landed them on Mustang Island. From there the cars could travel down the Island as far as Corpus Christi Pass, a distance of 20 miles. A year or two later a bridge was built across this Pass which opened the entire beach of Padre Island to motor traffic.In 1931 the automobile train service was superceded by the construction of a causeway from Aransas Pass to Harbor Island, this causeway being capable of sustaining motor traffic.
Newspaper Details
Aransas Pass Progress
Aransas Pass, Texas, US
Wed, Jun 09, 1965
Page 18
Full Page
Clipped by
Max B.
USA 14 Jan 2019
Other Publications Near Aransas Pass, Texas
Aransas Pass Progress
