The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-10
STREET RAILWAYS
A System Which Is Not Excelled by
That Of Any Other City in
the Country.
Seventeen Miles Equipped With
Electricity and Power for
All Demands.
A Sketch Of ths Inception and Growth Of
the Business From the Pioneer
Main street Line.

No city in the United States, taking into
consideration its population, has AZ com
plete and well-e1uipped a street railway
system as Helena. She has, or will have
before the month closes, seventeen
miles Of street railway operated by
electricity. and equipped with cars Of the
latest design. The various lines are owned
by two companies. the Helena Electric Rail
way company and the Rapid Transit COM
pnny. Each company has q most complete
plant, with sufficient power and cars to take
care of al the people who may attend the
conventions that will assemble here this
year.
The pioneer street railway company was
Incorporated under the name of the Helena
Street Railway company. It was . horse
car line and had a franchise to operate on
Main street to Helena avenue, and east on
the latter to the Northern Pacific depot.
The first car was run September 26, 1886,
carrying that day 35 passengers. The
president of the line was G. w. Cannon.
H. L. Walker being secretary and treasurer.
The fare was ten cents and there was no
economy in buying tickets, because there
Was nc discount of any consequence. This
line did a good business from the start,
and was a great factor in building up that
position of tho Sixth ward in the immediate
n~eighborhood Of the Northern Pacific sta
ton. May 25, 1890, Col. @. A. Broadwater
ran the first electric car in Helena over the
line he had constructed from the corner Of
Main street to the Broadwater hotel, a dis
tanoe Of three and a half miles. August 1,
1890. the Broadwater and the Main street
lines consolidated, the title of the new COM
pany being the Helena Electric Railway
company. Dec. 80 Of the same year the
Main street line had been equipped with
electricity, and on that day the horses we're
taken off and the motive power ever since
has been electricity. In the same year the
Main street line was double tracked its en-
tire length, making it. with it's equipment
the best line in the city.
Originally the Broadwater line was run
by an eighty-horse power engine. When
the two lines were consolidated this was
increased to 100, and now it is 800, he
power being obtained from the Helena
Electric company, a kindred corporation.
G. w. Cannon was the president of the COM
pany until the last annual meeting q
month ago. when G.. K. Wells vas elected
in his stead. Fl. L. Walker, the present
secretary and treasurer, has occupied that
position since the road first started. Rob-
ert J. Turnbull, superintendent, has held
that position since July. 1890, coming to the
road from the Montana Central. The big.
gest DAVIS business yet done by the COM
pany was on August q, 1891, when 1928
passengers were carried. A year or 80 ago
the company built a loop running up state
to Davis street, down Davis to Seventh AVE.
nue. and thence to Main street. The COM
pany also has u line runningt to the. Montana
Central depot. BY buying tickets the fare
now is G4 cents. The present mileage is
as follows: M""
Main street line. double track ...........1a mile.
6fOauW8Cer llL6
Davis street .......... .. ............1
Montana Central depot line..... ....... u "