MILEPOSTS: The post-Civil War/Reconstruction period brought increased prosperity to San Antonio, particularly due to the cattle drives that originated in this area, as well as the continued military presence and an increase in tourism. During the last three decades of the 19th c, the city enjoyed a population and building boom, gained electric street lighting and telephones, and witnessed the arrival of the automobile.

LAW ENFORCEMENT : According to the Texas Ranger History, by 1875 the biggest threat to Texas was lawless Texans. The growth of San Antonio as a center for commerce (particularly cattle drives and military-related business) and tourism led to new law enforcement problems. The cattle trails connected the Texas cowboys with the saloons, gambling and dance halls of Kansas. So many cattle made cattle rustling so much more attractive. Ex-soldiers and deserters from the Civil War, along with local and family feuds begun during Reconstruction, continued to cause problems. The 1870s to 1890s were the period of famous Texas outlaws such as John Wesley Hardin and Sam Bass. In 1879 Texas Governor Oran Roberts told the legislature that the "amount and character" of crime in Texas was "entirely unprecedented" in the United States.

1870:	* POPULATION of San Antonio = 12,256.
1870:	* Reconstruction Texas Governor E.J. Davis set up a State Police force under the Police Act, with authority to operate anywhere in the state (known as the "Davis Police").
1872:	* Police Act overturned. Texas Rangers re-instated.
1872:	* Reconstruction era ends in San Antonio with the first City Charter Election. * The new Mayor is F. Giraud, and the new Marshal is L.H. Karber.
1873:	* Colt issues its classic .45 Single Action Revolver, which soon became the sidearm of choice for Texas lawmen.
1873:	* John Dobbin is appointed Marshal on 1/20/1873, and remains in that position until 1/13/1879, the longest term to date. During Marshal Dobbin's term the Police Department began to change from a frontier, cowboy-type group into an organized, uniformed police department.
1874:	* San Fernando Cathedral receives a new stone French Gothic facade, towers and a larger nave, in preparation for the naming of San Antonio as a diocese by Pope Pius IX.
1874:	* Texas Legislature creates two special Texas Ranger forces to deal with widespread lawlessness. Between 1870 and 1900 a series of "Black Books" of wanted fugitives were issued to Texas Rangers. the books served as blanket arrest warrants; crimes ranged from theft (hog theft was a felony) to rape and murder. The 1878 version contains names of more than 3,000 wanted felons.

1875:	* Marshal Dobbin begins upgrading his police force: - San Antonio police officers are issued standard uniforms. [Gray was the color ordered by Marshal Dobbin and City Council, but it appears that the first uniforms that arrived in 1875 were blue. Gray uniforms eventually arrived, and were the official uniform until 1903.] - Police officers were required to wear a shield. - Police officers were required to conceal their firearms under their uniform coats.
1876:	* The new Texas Constitution goes into effect.
1876:	* Barbed wire, invented in 1873, is introduced to San Antonio. Its widespread use led to "fence cutting" and range wars.
1877:	* Railroad service finally reaches San Antonio. * San Antonio's first street car, pulled by mules, goes into operation.	San Antonio Police officers wearing grey uniforms and visible shields, c.1900. Shield on right is the larger version introduced in 1896 (see below).

1879:	* Telephone service is introduced in San Antonio by Western Union Telegraph Company.
1879:	* US Army Quartermaster moves from the Alamo to the newly constructed military post on Government Hill, later named Fort Sam Houston.
1879:	* Phil Shardein becomes City Marshal on 1/13/1879, and remains in that post until 2/22/1893.
1880:	* POPULATION of San Antonio = 20,550
1883:	* San Antonio continues to grow: - SA Electric Light expands electricity to entire city center - City is connected by rail to San Francisco and Monterrey, Mexico. - City Ordinance restricts "Chili Queens" hours of operation to evenings only.
1883:	* The State of Texas buys the now-deserted Alamo, and gives custody of the building to the City of San Antonio.
1888:	* San Antonio hosts its first International Fair, held at Riverside Park. * Famous actress Lily Langtry performs in San Antonio, attracting "Judge" Roy Bean to come from Langtry, TX to attend.
1890:	* POPULATION of San Antonio = 37,653
1891:	* City Council establishes a paid Fire Department (previous fire fighting was done by volunteer companies).
1892:	* Completion of the new San Antonio City Hall, in the center of Military Plaza. * City Hall will house Police Headquarters until 1915. * Construction on the red granite Bexar County Courthouse is begun in 1892.
1893:	* W.D. Druse becomes City Marshal 2/27/93. * A new "Police Station", with 4 mounted officers, is set up on Alamo Street.[This appears to have been San Antonio's first "police substation".]
1894:	* Burnet Green is hired as San Antonio's first black police officer. * Alderman Mackey proposes a resolution to hire San Antonio's first police woman (to be a matron for female prisoners).
1894:	* An early Police Auction: City Marshal Druse announces an auction that will include a horse, a steer, and 3 cows.
1896:	* A new police shield is introduced (see photo below), somewhat larger than the earlier shield.
1897:	* Phil Shardein returns as City Marshal 2/22/1897, and remains in that post until 2/20/1901.
1898:	* Teddy Roosevelt trains his "Rough Riders" just south of San Antonio, before they depart to fight in the Cuban arena of the Spanish-American War.
1899:	* The first automobiles arrive in Texas.

RIGHT : Police shield in use c.1900. LEFT : San Antonio Police Department c. 1900, on steps of the new City Hall.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on aspects of this early era, you may wish to visit the following sites (NOTICE : YOU WILL LEAVE THE SAPD HOMEPAGE. USE THE "RETURN" BUTTON TO COME BACK TO THIS PAGE.):

The Chisholm Trail : History of the Trail, Maps, Links, Present activities. Texas Rangers : Information on Texas Rangers from the DPS Homepage. Rough Riders : Recruitment & Training, written by Theodore Roosevelt.

More detailed information on this period of Texas and San Antonio history is included in: