The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-29

)wned and Operated ny United Traction ana
Electric Company. ON ca ~ Westminster b
The advantages ana importance a. we'll
Is the future growth a prosperity OF
nary degree. upon its facilities and means
Of transportation both as to its connection
with the outside world, - well as Its IN
ter-urban and suburban means OF trans
portation. In this particular Providence
aud surrounding territory have no reason
10 complain, being provided with one OF
the best equipped and most ably managed
street railway systems in this or
any other country. The first street car
run IN Providence made its initial trip
over the Olneyville line on the 22d OF Feb.
1865, Az methods Of conveyance previous
to that trrs being by means Of: various
omnibus lines. This service was inaugu-
rated by the Union Railroad 20. which
represented the consolidation OF several
other compsnies that had obtained fran
chises, the Union Railroad Co. at tbIa
time having a capital stock OF s7)0,C COO
which was distributed among tho stock
holders Of each company absorbed In pro-
portion to the number OF shares held by
each In those companies, Amasa Sprague
being the first pres. OF the newly organized
compang the entire equipment OF the com
pany, comprising at that time 80 cars and
200 horses, aud the mum Der OF passengers
carried in the first complete fiscal year OF
the ~company's history was 2, 1863, 26I. The
growth in traffic was something ex raor-
binary during the next year. Additional
facilities, such as waiting rooms, etc, be-
came imperative, as well as a plan by
which all lines would radiate from some
common center. Accordingly in 1867 the
company obtained permission to build q
public waiting room and office building
at the great bridge, which structure was
destroyed by fire in Feb, 1865, 'and the
present station was.erected. In 1870 au-
thnrfty uva nhtainad from tha rffy IN lo.y
tracks on Broad ST., On Friendship ST.,
on Beacon st., on Eddy ST., on Thurbers
av. in 1871 on Point ST., and in 1872 on
Richmond and Smith sts., and Prairie
ave. in 1873 on Elmwood av., on Public
st. and on franklin st. In 1875 on Mill
Charles, Orms and Smith ST., on Federal
and Bradford SITS. ano Atweils and Acad-
envy avs. in 1876 on Brook, Meeting,
Thayer, Hope, Governor, Waterman, Gano,
Angel, ana Wayland SITS; in 1881 on Obey
ana Camp SITS. and Branch and Douglas
sves., in 1888 on Tockwotton, Gano, and
India SITS. TO India Bridge, in 1884 IN Man
ton av., Hospital and Bassett sta. One
year prior to this last grant the company
was authorized to run a line to and from
East Providence and from Olneyville to
Thornton in 1892. During the years 1871
and 1872 the company carried on all OF
their lines 4, 1897, 7S2 passengers. In the lat
ter year they absorbed the Providence,
Pawtucket and Central Falls lire, which
was the only independent road doing
business in the city al that time, The
stock of which was obtained by purchase,
the company being authorized by the
Assembly during the same year to In
crease its capital stock to Il, 900, 900. Such
in brief has been the progress made by the
company in the extension OF their lines
and they now form q perfect network OF
tracks which cover all parts, OF the city
and surrounding towns radiating from,
the central station or waiting room to all
points of the compass. In 1892 the As
sembly authorized the company to issue
first mortgage bonds amounting to not
over 90, 000, 600, and a special exclusive
franchise IN the streets was granted by
the City Council for q period Of 20 years.
Through the bonded privilege now vested
in the company they mortgaged their
property, power, rights, privileges and
franchises, TO the Industrial Trust Co., In
the form of 4 per cent. $1,000 dollar bonds
payatle in 20 years. The above Preparations
were made in accordance with plans which
| had been made for the introduction OF
electricity instead of horses on all their
lines, but 1t was not until May, 1891, and
then only after great opposition from the
citizens, as well as many hearings and ar
guments.. that the City Council gave per-
mission to equip the Pawtuxet route with
electric POWERS, this being intended as an
experimental one. The first trial trip was
ing made on Dec. rs, and was put In tut
operation as an electric road Jan. &c, 1892.
Soon otter this ell OF the company's lines
throughout the city and adjoining terri
tory were equipped with electricity 40 q
method OF power. The last pair OF horses
TO draw q street car in this city was
sent to the barns on April "a, 1884, The
cable read, which was organized In 1881
by local business men. aud was bought BY
the Union Rail- DAD Co. in 1891. being the
last to be equipped with electric propul-
sion. In March, 1893, the Union Rail
road Co. and its allied properties was
told 10 the United Traction and Electric
Go. and organized with Nelson W. Aldrich
Gs pres. VINO succeeded Mr.. Jesse Metcall
of the old Union Railroad Co., and
change was made in the Offices OF pres.
and vice pres, all the other officers 70
msining. There were many beneficial I'M
movements made in the service, until to
day il stands without question as thu
model sti eet railway service In TIL
country, in point of excellence OF equip
ment, efficiency in management, as wei
as accommodations in service. such wa
the success of the old Union 10. that II
stock was sold al prices varying from S2O
TO 800 Ger share, and bur few share
for sale even at these figures. In order 4
secure control of the valuable stock o
the old Union Co. the United Traction
and Electric Co.. paid IS, 900, COO, beside
yDe HtlOuh Bhih ~ ~
tenn, in addition to which they have ex
pended in electrical equipment and ex
tension OF lines nearly as, 600, 900. BY tn
introduction of electricity IS q motiv
power many costly improvements an
changes were found necessary in order I
furnish the required facilities and accom-
modstions for the many millions OF pas
sengers which they carry over their line
annually. A model electric power hous
was erected In 1893 on Eddy ST., wntc
EXPERTS in street railway t~ransportatio
have declared to be the model one OF II
Kind In the world, and which furnishe
newer at a less cost than any other sira'
Jar Plant ever built, in some instance
showing las has been demonstrated to IA
writer) a saving of from 80 to 20 per cen
in mower over that OF the other cities. j
addition to this, immense electric ca
houses have been erected In various par
OF the city, the principal and largest on
being al Olnevviiie, which has a capacft
of $50 cars. All OF these improvements an
additional facilities rere found necessar
IN order that the citizens Of Provideps
ana vicinity should be provided with II
best system of street railway TRANSPORT
zion thai money COuld secure or In yentlN