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History in
a Pecan Shell
Blewett,
is perhaps an improvement over the original name of Carbonville.
Originally a consortium of investors from New York opened a bitumen
mine in 1888, but failed to find a market for the product. They even
tried handing out free samples at local grocery stores, but no one
knew what it was and no one was interested. Enter John BLEWETT Smyth,
a man from the Beaumont
area who realized the limestone rock asphalt would make a good paving
material when blended with petroleum-based asphalt. He started mining
it in 1912 and by 1926, there was enough asphalt being produced to
justify a railroad spur from Cline, Texas
(just west of FM 1022 on US 90).
John Smyth’s son George oversaw the Houston
operation which employed 150 men and paved many important Houston
streets including Bissonett, Reisner and Westheimer. Their office
in Houston was at Baker
and Cedar Streets.
The town/ mine produced over a million and a quarter tons of high
grade asphalt rock in 1927 alone. The population ebb and flow was
directly tied to production. Fifty residents were reported in 1940
and by 1948, there was little more than “scattered dwellings”. The
Missouri Pacific discontinued rail service to Uvalde
(city) in 1966, but kept trains rolling to the mines. The Handbook
of Texas states that in 1990, there were 25 residents listed. |
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1940s
Marion Electric Shovel
Photo courtesy of Raul Nolasco, Jr., 2012 |
MY HOMETOWN
OF BLEWETT, TEXAS
As I remember it from 1948 through 1969
by
Raul Nolasco, Jr.
Back in the 1950's and 1960's, at the junction of Highway 90 and
FM 1022, there appeared a large sign that read, "UVALDE ROCK ASPHALT
COMPANY.....THE LARGEST MINES IN THE WORLD." This mine was indeed
the largest rock asphalt mines in the world. Exactly three miles
south on FM 1022, where Turkey Creek goes under FM 1022, one can
see the site of the mining town where the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Mines
employees lived. On that site from 1911 to 1969 the mining town
of Blewett, Tx. existed. In the late forties and early fifties there
were as many as fifty homes inhabited. I lived here the first twenty
years of my life. The town had a company store that sold tools,
groceries, meat market, gas pump in the back and, clothing. This
is were my parents would buy my school clothes at the beginning
of each school year. This is where my parents got me started on
Wrangler 13MWZ cowboy cut jeans. These jeans sold for $3.00 a pair.
They were very stiff and could practically stand up by themselves.
Also, in the store was the office for the Uvalde Rock Asphalt Plant.
The town also had at one time a clinic/infirmary, a two story, horsehoe
shaped hotel where at one end was the post office. Blewett also
had a school house. I remember ringing the bell that was outside
the front door. This town also, had a cemetery, and it is still
there. I had a great childhood! Raised on 10,000 acres! I was raised
with a rifle in one hand and a rod and reel or a cane pole on the
other. Below our house was Turkey Creek. Turkey Creek was full of
bass, catfish, perch, turtles, frogs, snakes and, ducks. I have
fond memories of my childhood and into adulthood. I can describe
it by saying that it was PARADISE! I truly miss Blewett. I am a
third generation Blewite. Early family members were great-uncles
of mine, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Out of this town of Blewett
I have two cousins thar are physicians. One graduated from Harvard
Medical School, the other from Baylor. I received a B.A. degree
from Southwest Texas State University and a Mortuary License from
the Dallas Institue of Mortuary Science in Dallas, Tx. Approximately
one half mile from the town of Blewett were the Uvalde Rock Asphalt
Mines.
ABOUT UVALDE
ROCK ASPHALT MINES:
This mine started
in Blewett. There still exist a big pit a few yards from our house.
Later, a new site was started for the mines approximately one half
mile from the town of Blewett. Some of the early shipment of this
asphalt went to pave streets in San
Antionio. Also, shipments of this asphalt went to Cuba. My father
was a supervisor there. He worked at the mines for over 30 years.
In the beginning, the mines were producing so much asphalt that there
were three big mixing plants. These plants were operating 24/7. There
were many days where as many as 65 or more railroad cars full of asphalt
were shipped out. The summer of my junior year and the summer of my
senior year at high school, I worked at the mines. My job was to sweep
railroad cars. These cars had to be cleaned out before they could
be loaded with asphalt. This was very, very, hard work. Imagine out
in the hot sun, working inside these metal cars. I never complained.
I enjoyed it. My parents taught us kids some good work ethics, which
are hard to find these days. I was saving my money to go to college.
I put myself through college, never got a loan, graduated debt free.
In th 1970's Uvalde Rock Asphalt Mines was bought by Azrock Industries.
In my early 30's I was offered the position of buyer for the mines.
My job was to see that there was minimal interruptions in production
due to breakdowns in equipment. I ordered replacement parts for the
plants, equipment, and anything else that needed to be ordered. It
was also, my duty to weigh the railroad cars before they left the
plant. After more that 80 years of the mines being in operation we
were bought out by White's mine. Later, they were bought out by Vulcan.
I clearly remember the day that we got bought out. It was a sad day,
I was there. The day was a Friday, June 14, 1984. We were told that
the mines were sold to White's mines and, that they were not hiring
anybody. We were told not to return the following Monday. We were
all laid off. |
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1920s
Truck Cab
Photo courtesy of Raul Nolasco, Jr., 2012 |
Photographer's
Note:
"No town to see but the mines in the area are still active. A
Blewett Ranch sign and an intersection are about it for Blewett. Not
much to see at the end of the road at Dabney."
- William
Beauchamp, June 22, 2012 |
A
view of the mine
TE Photo, April 2001 |
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A view from
FM 1022
TE Photo, April 2001
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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