The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-24
STREET R'WAYs OF. RICHMOND.
Brief History of How the Systems Here
Have Grown.

Is
Brief History of How the Systems Here
Have Grown.
Richmond is the only city in Virginia
which had a line of street cars in sue
cessful operation before the war. 1t
was also the first city in the world to
establish a successful electric street rail-
way system.
In the city of Richmond horse cars
were operating over an extensive ana
profitable route as early as 1859. Nor
folks first street car line was built IN
1866 but lit was short and lne service
was poor and for long time the road
did not pay Portsmouths first horse
car line was built in hs7. t1'hc first Lynch
rurc line was built ins1SS0 and electrified
in 1855 PctersbtiEg had no street cars
until 1885, and the line.Gwas not ctectrl-
fed until 1892. Charlottesville had cars
in 1857, but it was not until seven years
later that electricity was used as mo
tive power. The road in Danvilie was
built in 1856 and electricity was adopted
d year or two later. Roanoke frst
road was built in 1892. The Stanton
line was built i'll 1890 and electrified III
SOS other electric roads have followed
in other parts of the State.
The history of the street railway ser
vice in Richmond is known to teW= per-
sons and tho development Of the bilsl-
NESS and the introduction OF electricity
as a motive power makes an interesting
study.
Early in the ffties the city commenced
totfeel lie want of transportation ia
cilities OF, the streets beween the eastern
and western portions of the city. 10
meet thi; want a line OF omnlbuses SIM
iiarsto those which are used by the no
tels at tl,, present time was put on Main
S,.eet be;w cen Twenty-eighth and Nlhth.
some time in 1855 or 1853 a. line Of street
railroad was built on Main from 1 WentS-
eight street to Ninth Street and up Ninth
10 Broad. From time to time this line
was extended by the building of single
track 1p Broad to Adams. down Adams
Il. Grace, and cut Grace to the state talr
Grounds which was at that time located
at the present site OF Monroe PARK
~ DURING THE WAR.
During the wal, this railroad was taken
up and the iron used in arnor'nS the
cl,11boa is and for other uses to meet the
needs Of tho Confederate cause. a
IN lce Mr.. Burroughs, a Northern man.
re-esta bIished the old Richmond Railway
Company under an ordinance passed De-
cember II, 1850, and rebuilt the road on
Main Street from Twenty-eiGhthg to
Ninth. W, Ninth to Broad. out Broad to
Adams. aud up Adams Eto, Grace as it
VA before the war. Colonel john ID.
Richardson, well known as commander
of the Young Guards battalion. was SUI
perintendent of this road Tor several
4,ycars.s3Ins the course OF a3year aof#t"o
the company was reorSanlzefl, the track
down Eighth Street was built. that on
Grace street was taken up and "a line
run from Laurel STREET.-THE Hollywood
a At the death of Mr.. Burroughs the line
passed into the hands of Mr. Lawrence
Schoolcraft and was run under his adj
mjnistration for several years. untllEhe
became a. member of the nrm OF Camp
bell. & Company. who were then Interested
with him in the road Under this man
aeement General ]. Lindsay Walker was
superintendent He was succeeded by
Mr. Waterman. who had been in the&lecal
Chesa peake and Ohio of1ces.5S
| 55rrhrn1Iel1 aStlle 4C,ampbel1sg jora c.. NJ
Bolton. who married a daughter of Mr..
Parker Campbell, became q part
in the line, which was then extended TO
F,,Jton nv a,5single track and also to
the new Reservoir by a sls ie = er = iils
part of sthe line was used as a steam
line. and was not run in connection with
the street railways. The fare was re-
duced TO sfiyescents and A1ajo George Nor
ton. formerly an officer in the First n n
GINA Regiment, was made superinten-
dent.
INTRODUCTION. OF ELECTRIGI.TY1..s
me 6neXtEchapteT ol NY ~. , y. .s
enterprise has to do with the lntroductlon
Of electricity as a motive poWer.s.-
5SIn& 1857 Mr. ohm Il. Barry, OF Boston.
came5to Richmond and became impressed:
with the necessity for rapid 9communica-
ton between the eastern and western
portions Of the city,. Onsszl1iss returnsto:
the North he Interested Z o, NUM- Der OF
| Northern capitalists in street rail waye
enterprises in. Richmond, and organized
a company, of which Ma ors John Thonp-s
son Brown,sof the real estate firm OF
ent.seandS sllch well known citizens of
$Richmond zas Mr.. Charles II Todd. - r.
William ii. Scott, and Mr.. Valentinei
Hechler, Jr:, were members OF the board
of directors. 8,
| These gentlemen. in connection with
I the Northern gent emen wi HON Mr..
Barry had associa ted 81 imsel IS procured re-