The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-10
WHEELSRAN WRONG
!, WAY WHENPREM|ER
TRIP WAS STARTED
Was First Trolley Line Operated
for Any Length of Time
in North Dakota
SERVICE STARTED IN 1903
M. J. Mickey o'connor, Ro-
mantle Operator, Hauled
Millions to Capitol
SERVICE STARTED IN 1908

Thoughts of the good old days
filled the minds of a score of Bis
marck residents recently as the cap
itol street car, put out OF business by
legislative enactment, said good bye
to the scene of which it had been a
part for the last q years.
In its last trip. rs in its first. the
veteran street car was chaperoned by
M. j.. Mickey" O'Connor, whose gen.
iality is known to most of the folks
who have eve conducted business at
the state capitol building.
The last trip of the faithful old
conveyance was just the same as the
last trip at the close of any other day,
but the first trip was an event.
Mickey was a romantic figure
then as he stood at the helm of the
new electric steed, and the passenger
list included Frank White. then gov
ernor, and a number of other persons,
among them D. J. McGillis, E. j.
Taylor, r. D. Hoskins and Billy Laist.
Charley Foster. engineer who had
charge OF the work of installing the
street car line and the capitol power
plant also was a passenger.
Motor Pulled Wrong Way
Hoskins accompanied the engineer
when he went to the railroad yards to
unload the a and put it on the
track.
1t happened. he said, that the mo-
tors governing the rear-Wheel drive
had been wired in wrong and when
the a was started the front and
rear wheel pulled in opposite direc-
tons.
Had the recent closing event been
more widely heralded, there would
doubtless have been many old-timers
on hand to take the last trip in the
car, for sentiments sake. Taylor, a
former superintendent of public in
struction, intended to ride in the car
on its last journey. but missed the
opportunity. He did, however, get to
ride in 1t On the last day. as did
many other old-time customers.
This was the first street car line
operated for any length of time in
North Dakota and "a the only state
ONllCO llllC Ia VIC SOullGlS. ~ W0o
built during Governor Whites ad-
ministratlon.
Under a law passed in 1903 and
printed in the session laws as H. B.
22l. the board of trustees of public
property were authorized to construct
a single-track electric trolley line
from the state house to the down.
town district, and to install an cleo !
trio plant of sufficient size to run
the car and furnish light for the
capitol building. The sum Of SIC. 900
was appropriated for that purpose.
The same legislature also author
lied construction of the north wing
of the capitol building, and that wing,
together with the electric light install
lation and the car tracks, were COM
the following year.
O'Connor Was Conductor
In 1897, six years before the capitol
vas built, Mickey" O'Connor
started, as a state employee, to haul
passengers between the city and the
in a Studebaker Wagonet.
That was under Governor Roger
administration. when less than
40 persons were regularly employed
the state house.
That little carry-all, like the old
capitol, q 0 outgrew the needs Of the
state. and in 1904 O'Connor took con-
troll Of thu new street car. which was
capable of moving a much heavier
volume Of traffic.
How many persons O'Connor has
hauled to and from the capitol since
he entered the states passenger car
rying service 33 years ago y is hard
TO estimate, but the figure doubtless
into the millions.
1t vas the original intention of the
to extend the carline from
10Th street to the state p%enitentiary
and back to the capitol via 9th
street, thus forming a loop which
would be used, not only for trans
passengers, but for carrying
fuel and other freight. The loop was
never completed, but the grade built
Tor the purpose on 9th street is still
n existence.
The Two Street Cars
The first ear, built for the state by
he st. Louis Street Car company,
vas of sufficient power and tonnage
% pull tram cars loaded with coal, in
to handling passengers. AS
many as 100 persons were often car
led by that first al
A movement was set on foot dur
ng Governor Sarles' administration
finish the car loop and work ac-
;ually was started on the grade. Two
1ears later. after John Burke had
,een elected governor, the legislature
passed a bill appropriating $4,000 to
inish the job: but the bill was vetoed
N the ground that the money had
'een appropriated from the wrong
und.
The first big street car cost $500.
t was kept in continuous service
Until nine years ago, when its mo-
ors and other parts were found to
'e so badly worn a to b, beyond
epair at a reasonable figure. The
tate thel. purchased a much lighter
ar from the Grand Forks Street Car
ompany at q cost of only $3.50.
This last car was said to be eight
ears older than the state Of North
at the time 1t was put into
at Bismarck; but in spite Of
-