![]() When the ship exploded, Mikeska was killed, along with many others present on the docks. After learning of the initial fire on the first ship, Henry Mikeska, Hugh Moore's successor as the president of the TCTRC, went out to the docks to supervise the attempts to contain the flames. The terminal and the port were heavily damaged. Then in 1947, two ships filled with ammonium nitrate exploded while they were docked in the Port of Texas City. Rail traffic through the terminal continued to increase through World War II and the post-war economic boom in the United States. The 1930s ushered in the beginnings of Texas City's petroleum industry, and both the Terminal Railway and the Port of Texas City benefited from the increased shipping needs that this industry brought to the area. Moore remained president of the TCTRC, and under his leadership the company proceeded to build an additional 40 miles of stronger railway track and to improve the facilities at the Port of Texas City (Benham, 1993). Peabody sold the utilities as well in 1927. Peabody conveyed the holdings of the company to the Texas City Terminal Company, which was subsequently bought in 1926 by three railroad companies: the New Orleans, Texas and Mexico Railway Company, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad Company, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company (Werner, n.d.). In 1920, the Texas City Transportation Company went into receivership and was purchased by Augustus Peabody on behalf of a group of bondholders. At this time, the terminal also provided electricity and water services to the City of Texas City. The Terminal also ran a gasoline car called a jitney that carried passengers and mail from Texas City to Galveston (Benham, 1993). For a while, an interurban passenger train ran between Texas City and Texas City Junction, with an accompanying ferry service out of the Port that ran between Galveston and Houston. Passenger ServicesĪlthough the railway mainly carried cargo, the terminal did offer a few passenger services in its early years. This increased traffic to Texas City, making the Port of Texas City accessible to industries from the western United States (Benham, 1993). Railroad track connecting to the port was extended by a little over two miles in 1907, allowing it to reach all the way to the Terminal Junction on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway. The Terminal Company continued to operate the endeavor under a lease agreement with the Transportation Company. In 1904, the Texas City Transportation Company was chartered, and it bought all property and franchise rights owned by the Texas City Terminal Company. In 1905, Wolvin brought Hugh Moore to Texas City to manage the Texas City Terminal Company Moore remained in this role through several changes of company ownership until one year before his death at age 70. The Texas City Terminal Company was responsible for all activity relating to the port, the docks, and rail, while the Texas City Company was responsible for activities involved in developing the townsite. He decided to split the company into two divisions, The Texas City Company and the Texas City Terminal Company, which was chartered in 1898. Wolvin served as the CEO of the company until 1910 (Texas City Terminal Railway Company, 1993). Wolvin reorganized the company and renamed it The Texas City Company, Incorporated. Wolvin, who was one of the original investors in the Texas City Improvement Company. It was ultimately bought by a group of investors including Augustus B. The Texas City Improvement Company went into foreclosure and was sold in 1897.
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