It was developed by Uriah Lott and businessmen of San Antonio as a direct route from the city to Aransas Bay on the Texas Gulf coast.
Uriah Lott, a transportation entrepreneur, engaged his friends Richard King and contractor Mifflin Kenedy in development of three railroad lines in Texas to improve connections from major cities to smaller ones, and to trading areas in Mexico.
[2] (After damaging hurricanes in the early 20th century, the US Army Corps of Engineers designated Corpus Christi to be the deep-water port in this area.)
Augustus Belknap became president of the company's board of directors, all of whom were also the primary investors, which included William H. Maverick, Edward Stevenson, Edward Katula, Daniel Sullivan, A. J. Lockwood, and George H. Kalteyer, all businessmen based in San Antonio,[3][4] George Polk was the surveyor.
Southern Pacific lost the lawsuit and was compelled to divest itself of ownership of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway.