Tunnels or underground passages in SA? (Howe, Edgewood: power lines, neighborhoods, tenant)

[huckster]

Why not? I know of some Tunnels in northwest San Antonio, at the Internatnat'l Gun Club out FM 1957 past 1604. I used to work in them in 1969 or 1970. I would think the tunnels are still there. There was a lot of bird death involved alright but there is nothing mysterious or ghostly about them however.
The family had just moved to the far northwest side back then. After answering a classified ad in the newspaper for a part-time job, I showed up and was hired. Down into the concrete tunnels I was shown- only TO feed live pigeons into chutes from illuminated underground rooms built off these tunnels- it was an actual live pigeon shoot. @ $1.25 hourly wages. This job classification was not described in the ad, of course.
Whod've thought?
The birds were driven down inside these tunnels, in small square cages, stacked on pallets, by forklift. We would extract the pigeons from these wooden cages, load the birds one at at time into the opening of an 8" diameter pipe pointed straight up overhead, close the bolt on the pipe ; pull a lever on the wall, and compressed air would then fire the hapless bird out and up, over our heads into the air and also directly in front of guys waiting with loaded shotguns and so.....
As the bird gathered itself to fly away above, guns would fire and wagers were won or lost. Our job was to keep on loading and firing away birds from these tunnels. The quill feathers were so thick in the air, that it was difficult to breathe even with exhaust fans down in there. Was it miserable? Yes.
The old Texas Gun Club is still there under a new name but I think live pigeon shoots are no longer legal in Texas.
It does still happen in the States, where, is highly secretive. It is still legal in Mexico however.
Do I have pictures,no ,but It did happen. Who could make this up?

[hockley91]

Awesome! Never knew they shot out real pigeons! Poor creatures...

[musing_thalia]

Originally Posted by wCat

There are more tunnels under San Antonio than most people know about. Some are just pedestrian tunnels under streets. Some are private access tunnels between buildings and parking for employees. Some are hospital access to underground storage and/or outside emergency/delivery access.
Some are tunnels used by CPS or Saws....and many are historical mazes that connect a lot of significant sites....some now blocked off or are a dead end because of new construction.

I have some recorded tapes by John Leal who was a noted San Antonio historian as well as Canary Islander descendant. In his tapes, he talks about some of these tunnels and locations. Many involved the missions and early churches. Some were on private property and served as safe houses or prison cells for whatever noble or nefarious reason.

There are many that are not publicised.

The Cave on Nacogdoches is called "Robber Baron Cave". It has been famous and infamous for centuries. Google the cave and there are some interesting stories about kids exploring that cave. At one time, a couple of kids followed it SW about three miles and came upon an underground lake (Under Alamo Heights). They frequented the lake often as it was pure spring water. Their swimming disturbed the clear flowing water to a number of residents wells and one area farmer had the entrance to the lake blocked.

A later resident sealed the entrance off Nacogdoches altogether for liability reasons. In the 50's Leland Busby purchased the land to develop "Oak Park" and kept ownership of that parcel of land. He later donated it the Texas Cave Management Association. Volunteers and spelunkers have been working tirelessly to re-open and restore safe access to that cave. Here's an article about this past year. It's open by appointment or special arrangements for touring groups.

Tourist attraction turned dump, Robber Baron Cave reopens today ([url]http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Tourist_attraction_turned_dump_Robber_Baron_Cave_r eopens_today.html[/url] - broken link)

In the 1930's a local businessman was very concerned about the natural water system that feeds the San Antonio area. He managed to gain enough interest to test the waters to see how far reaching the waters from the Robber Baron Cave extended. They dropped dye packets in the water and offered a reward to the first person or furthest person to bring back samples of water containing the same dye. One of the reports came as far away as Goliad.

The most fascinating tunnels are the historical ones dating back several hundred years. Information about them are spotty at best.

The largest tunnel and absolutely the most impressive is the flood water overflow channel that prevents the city from ever flooding downtown again. It was completed sometime in the 90's. Here's a link to more extensive information about this wonder of this city. It's worth the read to truly comprehend the enormity of this tunnel that sits below this city. Incredible!
Regional Flood Management—Damms ([url]http://www.sara-tx.org/site/flood_control/SACIP/SAR_Tunnel.html[/url] - broken link)

Hello,
I am very interested in any information I may acquire regarding the tunnels under downtown SA. I am working on a research project about the tunnels and their history.

How may I contact you to get more information.

Thank you very much.

MT

[musing_thalia]

Originally Posted by Buffyfan

I did an intership at the San Antonio State Hospital during college. There are tunnels underneath the grounds of the hospital many do not know about. VERY creeeeeepy. They used to give tours down there (from what I understood a loong time ago), but boarded them up because it had a stigma attached to SASH being called the "lunatic asylum" when it was first opened in the 1800s. I remember seeing pics of the tunnels in the patient library (WHY they placed these in the patient library is beyond me), there were even chains on the tunnel walls. They placed the more aggressive patients in these tunnels.

Hello,
I am very interested in any information I may acquire regarding the tunnels under downtown SA. I am working on a research project about the tunnels and their history.

How may I contact you to get more information.

Thank you very much.

MT

[Unknow_x]

I'm actually in the cave rn trying find a way out been lost since 11

[ranchodrive]

Originally Posted by Unknow_x

I'm actually in the cave rn trying find a way out been lost since 11

Take my advice and stay down there. You’ll be better off.

There’s too much violence all over the world now.

Also the rainy cold, flu and allergy season will soon be here.

Wait til next year around Fiesta time in April to come up.

[PCodrington]

Camp Bullis has a large complex that sits just north of 1604. Look for "Bible Study Fellowship" (drive out to it sometime and notice the cameras, all sidewalks and parking are fully covered from overhead imagery). On Google Maps, look about 1,500ft northwest of the Fellowship campus. You will see seven pumps pump pads spaced about 500ft a part with 8-12" dia pipes.


That is up on a hill and not connected to any water cachement, lake, reservoir. That is clearly a sump/drain system for a complex in the area. All around Camp Bullis and Stanley- especially on the west border (Ralph Fair Rd), there are numerous very small concrete pads, stand alone sheds all over the area. Ventilation perhaps.


Also, go to 29.716667, -98.619972. There is a structure with full fencing around it- in one section double, and is built into the hillside and has an upperdeck parking pad that leads into the structure. The structure also has a narrow raised column- akin to a the top of a large elevator shaft's motor/hoisting equipment room. Very odd.


There are discussions and even open news articles about water testing, chemical seepage from WWI and WWII weapons- it's a cover in my mind for equipment needed to support a subterranean operation of some kind. Could just be weapons and supplies- nothing goofy like Area 51- could be FEMA backup but there is without a doubt a large subterranean facility at the western/south section of Camp Bullis.


I believe that the "Fellowship" center is leased to a legitimate religious organization but the factility is very, very odd and looks very similar to Mount Weather and other FEMA/redundant command and control fall-back facilities.

[PCodrington]

Seriously- drive out there. Take Loop 1604 to Huebner and then take the long, narrow road out to the facility. It is more like driving an electric transmission line easement right of way. On your right there is very dense hill country vegetation and a subdivision barely butts up to it. On your left, you see the "right of way"- it's not a normal road or land plot for a church or business.


Next, you'll notice (on my two drives during the day) numerous vehicles- coming and going. A church, unless it's hauling church camp kids, doesn't use a lot of 16 passenger vans, pickup trucks, and SUVs. Most I saw had males in their 30's-50's. Most churches have single passenger vehicles. I know they do some minor publishing there, but this Fellowship is not a big name or a TV mega church.


When you get up to the area, it has video cameras on a wooden post and gate. Then it has a two way entrance that has controlled pass code electric gates and ANOTHER camera. That's not a typical for any church of any denomination I've ever seen- ever. Even inner-city. You don't need that stuff for a church that is already way, way off the beaten path. Unless it's the surface cover for a secure facility.


San Antonio is hot and sunny, but I've never seen how extensive the covered walkway system is- every single sidewalk, even with adjacent trees is covered by a raised-seam metal roof- that's no small amount of money. Perhaps protecting hi-res imagery from identifying people or number of people at the facility. Car parking spaces are similarly covered.


It's also interesting that this 'church' is literally on the south fence line of Camp Bullis. The main gate of Camp Bullis is about 1/2 mile away as well.


Lastly, all along the entire North Loop 1604 corridor, there are numerous, major aggregate pits operated by Martin Marietta Materials (they operate those right near Camp Bullis) and others. Their excavations are often 100ft down in open pits. It's a great cover for past for large-scale subterranean material movement. As far as personnel leaks about the activity, there were numerous large tunnel projects around San Antonio- your typical crew would've never needed to even be briefed into a compartmented program- would've just said "water and flooding control work" and then off to watch the Spurs, fire up the smoker pit and open up some Shiner Bock.

I'm fascinated by the existence of a large underground facility at Camp Bullis- again- nothing top secret or spooky- no aliens- no weird spacecraft- just a large supply facility built to survive an attack or prolonged domestic or international conflict. Thanks!

[TXsurburbanmom]

BSF isn’t a church. It’s an international bible study organization that holds classes in interdenominational Christian churches worldwide. I tried it once but with small children at home at the time it was too intensive for me. The location on Huebner is the headquarters. On their website they offer tours if you’re interested. It looks like it moved from CA to SA back in the 80s when there wasn’t a whole lot in this area other than cattle, cactus and Camp Bullis. Maybe they use the vans to transport people who cannot drive themselves to a class due to age or financial hardship.

I know Camp Bullis a training base mostly for National Guard. We hear machine guns and mortar rounds regularly. It’s certainly not a bad place to expand into something more secretive as we are very used to seeing helicopters and hearing “goings” on over there. There’s a lot of respect and support for the military in SA and especially in the area around Bullis so most people aren’t going to question much.

[resonator]

There's two of these "interesting" organizations.

The one off Huebner, that is a private road with warning signs. A sheriff deputy working his off duty job will crack your head if you use this road. He posted on here a year or two ago with that warning and expressing his delight at nailing trespassers.