The Southern Pacific p.10 Port Barre 2

On the last page we covered the main east-west line, the The Colorado Southern, New Orleans & Pacific Railroad Co. To icing the cake, here's her words:

"The Colorado Southern, New Orleans & Pacific Railroad Co. purchased ROW’s in April, 1906 from Mrs. D.P. Saizan. The agreement was that the railroad would maintain three crossings and construct a freight and passenger depot on this 5.17 acre tract of land. This depot eventually became known as the Frisco Depot. The authors says that no one can say for certain what Frisco stands for. The Colorado Southern later changed its name to the Missouri Pacific RR Company".

Next, we'll look at the SP or Morgan's La. and Texas RR. Her words:

June, 1906, Morgan’s Louisiana and Texas Railroad and Steamship Co. secured right-of-ways through the property of Dr. J.P. Saizan and Mrs. David P. Saizan It was on Mrs Saizan’s property that the LARGE TURNTABLE was constructed where the engine of the train was manually turned around as the tracks ended near Bayou Courtableau. This turntable and the depot were located along present day Railroad St. There was a service track that ran along the bayou for loading cotton from the gin and lumber from the saw mill".

So, there was a cotton gin and saw mill probably along Railroad Street.

The fact that there was a turntable at where the SP rails ended at Bayou Courtableu brought a chuckle. I had previously said that there was a turntable at Simmesport. That fact was questioned by some, though the residents said it existed. The doubters said it was too expensive and unneeded. Evidently, the use of turntables was not that big a deal. Here's part of the historic drawing. Marked on it was, "Dark lines indicate the location of the Morgan's Louisiana&Texas Railroad turntable on Saizon land". Where I have "Bayou Courtableu" written, is where cargo could be transferred from boat to train. There appears to be a warehouse there, also.



Just past the pink house would be the location of the turntable. The warehouse area would be on the left. The depot would be southeast on Railroad St.



This is the overhead satellite shot. See the circle at the end of Railroad St. Bingo.



Here's the SP schedule. It is for train 605 and 606. I found this Public Service Commission request for 1914.



This is a 1926 schedule.



Next are a few pictures taken around Bayou Courtableu in Port Barre. I'm not sure of the date on this bridge. It seems to be the same style as the US 190 bridge just east of Krotz Springs, which would make sense. That was built in 1940.



This is from the north side of the bayou. I need a shot of the landing and warehouse area from the opposite bank.



A while back a reader, Tiny, sent this, "Back in the day, steamboats could chug up the Atchaflaya and then up to Port Barre. Believe it or not, the average depth is about 25 feet deep. Steamboats used to load/unload in P.B. right by the current bridge. That giant oak tree across from the grocery store was there then (my great grandpa used to tell me). There is a large branch on the tree with a big dip in it caused by countless 19th century children swinging on the swing they had on the tree".

Now, I know that steam boats were used into the 1900's. I don't know when Bayou Courtableu was cut off from the Atchafalaya. I would guess that it would have been after the great flood of 1927 when the Corps of Engineers started re-shaping the world as we know it. North of town, on into Washington, the bayou is no small waterway. We'll see that later.

Next, I'll shift us over to the west side of town where the New Iberia RR, after the cross track feud with the Southern Pacific was settled, came into town.

In early 1909, the New Iberia, St. Martin & Northern RR Company purchased ROW’s through the lands of Mrs. D. F. Saizan. This railroad had to agree to construct crossing on First St., Robin St., Second St., and Saizan Ave. as well as construct a depot to be known as the Port Barre Depot. This depot was to be constructed on the same location as the present day Port Barre Fire Station.

I constructed a map, comparing it to the one from the book, and marked each required crossing.



Starting from the bottom, the yellow line is the New Iberia RR. I would think the depot was on Saizon Ave., La.103, where the unfound fire station is. Moving north, it crossed Second, Robin, and First Sts. It next crossed the young Bayou Teche. The bayou starts just to the north and is a distributary of the Courtableu. It next ran north, crossing Rayne Road and merged with the OG, which is the next discussion. Click the map if it is not large enough.

The Opelousas and Gulf straddled the north part of Port Barre. It crossed the big Courtableu on what must have been a swing bridge. This is the 1906 plat. I can read this on the plat: "Plat showing right of way of the Opelousas, Gulf and NE Ry. Co. through land of John O. LeBlanc. May 12, 1906. So could the author.



The books description:

"December, 1905 The Opelousas Gulf and Northeastern Railway Co. purchased a right of way through the property of Valerian Langlois. It was 100 feet wide and 500 feet in distance on the west bank of Bayou Courtableau. It is now known as the “OG Track”.

I saw no road labeled OG Track on the west side of the bayou. That road is on the east side.

In June, 1906, J.O. LeBlanc sold a right of way through his property to the Opelousas Gulf and Northeastern Railway Co. The purchase price for this ROW was one dollar with the stipulation that the railway company locate, construct, and maintain a passenger and freight depot on part of his land. In the even the depot was not constructed, Mr. Leblanc would have the right to “claim a compensation of fifty dollars per acre for the five and one tenth acres in question”.

Another stipulation of the sale was that within two years the railway company was to be instrumental in securing an industry or industries adjacent to the railroad employing 20 or more employees. Craighead Lumber was started in 1908".

Indeed a fine depot was built. Notice the OG boxcar behind the depot.



This road sign is on La.103 heading out of town. To the east of 103, in a broad median, is where the depot was.



A while back I followed the OG to where it crossed Bayou Courtableu. There was a large fill before the bridge.





I took a shot out into the water, but, it was late afternoon and the sun was too much to show much. Later, I crossed over the bayou and took these shots from Rayne Road.



Climbing back up the bank:



This is some new road which I suspect sits atop the old OG bed west. I followed it to its end where it dropped off into some lowland.



Here'an OG Schedule, Click it to enlarge:



I've traced the whole line starting with the article "Side Tracks" and ending with the "Swampers" ride. The OG had to try hard to get to Melville. I suspect Crowley was a little easier.

Back on the north side of the Courtableu, near the school, is this old bank. I did't want to forget to show it, but almost did.



So, there you go, the picture in 1910.I'll repeat her conclusion.

"The OG remained in use until around 1951. [The T&P RR assumed those rails before 1951, I do believe.] The NI, St. M & Northern RR Co. abandoned its tracks in the early 30’s after the Stave mill closed. The Southern Pacific (M’s La. & Tex. RR& Steam) stopped all passenger and mail service in 1936. After that the train occasionally came during cotton season to load bales of cotton. All services were discontinued by 1940 and the tracks were removed".



Today:









Then, when looking at these seemingly shallow new pictures of commonplace rail settings, you see something. Something old and probably important to the history of the community. It happened in the Port Barre yard.




This one has been long and I won't do a similar one again. This will probably be the last railroad guided ride, also. I don't look up and see other stuff because I'm looking down at some bump or hump or pile of gravel or the GPS. I've lost the the "big picture" approach.

I have collected other files on places the Southern Pacific passed between Cade and Port Barre. I don't want to go back to the various pages and add them in. That would be too much work at this point. All of that will be on the next page, if interested.

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