HLRGazette Archives

AS TIME GOES BY

Wood County History

By LOU MALLORY — Chairman Wood County Historical Commission

The arrival of the railroad in the Alba area

In the early 1880s, the Missouri, Kansas and Pacific Railroads began laying track from Greenville to Mineola.

As news of the planned railroads spread, men came from the surrounding areas to cut ties to be used in construction of the rail line. Issac Gunter moved from his home at Gunter, Texas, to establish a tie camp for the railroads. The tie camp was located on a creek and was called Gunter's Crossing. Mrs. Ike Gunter cooked meals for the "tie whackers" for 25 cents a day.

Many of the tie whackers left their families at home and took rooms in the boarding houses of Simpkin's Prairie, near the site of present-day Alba. These so-called boarding houses were actually the homes of the residents who set up extra beds to accommodate the boarders.

By the first of July, 1881, the MKT railroad had completed laying tracks to Mineola. The first car pulled over the track was a box car which was used to house the first telegraph office. One of the first messages was one telling that President Garfield had been assassinated.

After the completion of this rail line many of the tie whackers moved on but some stayed because Alba was still a prominent town in regard to other railroad construction. Many ties were still being cut for ongoing railroad construction and rail repair. Although several saw mills had been established at various points in Wood County, most to the rail ties were still hand-hewn.

During this time, Alba was known primarily as a tie camp and had a population of some 40 inhabitants.

Another important event at this time was the laying of the town lots of Alba by George W. Cowan. In payment for his work, Mr. Cowan was awarded a corner lot in Alba. This lot was sold to I.J. Gunter and was the first real estate transaction in Alba.

In 1882, Ike Gunter and Henry Thrasher built a store building on the lot and stocked it with goods, largely groceries. Also in 1882, C.E. Hayes and John Lacy built a little house and put up what was known as a commissary. It's primary purpose was to supply necessary goods for the tie whackers. The commissary remained open for business well into the coming period of the coal mining era.

In 1887, the first depot was built in Alba and John Wilson Loyd served as the first stationmaster.

Up until the time the first depot was built, the community was known as Albia. However, the superintendent of the railroad company had a son named Alba and he petitioned the post office department to have the name changed to Alba. His request was accepted.

The MKT made two, and occasionally more trips through Alba each day. This traffic consisted of both passenger and freight trains.

In 1901, another rail line, the Shortline Railroad, was built between Alba and Grand Saline. Coal was being mined in Alba and the new rail line furnished the means to ship the coal from the mines. The Morton Salt Company used coal at that time for heating purposes.

Resident of Alba and Golden often rode the train from there to Mineola. Adeline Bright and her sister told of taking the train to Mineola to go to the Select Theater to see a movie. Also, two aunts of our family played basketball at Mineola High School and when they played Alba, the team went there by train. Some years later, the MKT discontinued service to the area.

In the next edition of this column, we will look at the history of coal mining in the county at Alba and its impact on the area.