Electric Cars Added in 1890: Used Boats Near Courthouse in Flood
The first horse-drawn street car in Clinton jogged down the bumpy rails onSecond street on December 6, 1869. Despite the fact that it was in thedead of winter, many of the people of Lyons and Clinton gathered to watch theprogress of this ultra-modern development in the dawn of a mechanized era.
That first line, organized as the Clinton and Lyons Horse Railway company,extended two and three-quarters miles from Lyons ferry to the corner of Eighthavenue, South, and Second street. Small tinkling bells attached to thenecks of the mules pulling the cars warned the people of the approachingspectacle.
Residents of the two cities first decided in 1868 that it was time for astreet car line to connect them. A large factor in determining this courseof action was the effort to have the courthouse moved here from DeWitt. ByAugust, 1869, the company was organized by David Joyce and the Rand company witha capital of $25,000.
First officers of the new-born organization were: David Joyce, president; R.N. Rand, vice president, and L. T. Sloan, secretary, treasurer andsuperintendent.
Within a short time the line was extended along Camanche avenue, making atotal trackage of four and three-quarters miles. Swampy conditions whichprevailed between the two cities at the time, however, proved a stumblingblock. During the flood of 1870 passengers were transferred in boats, nearthe courthouse, for nearly a week.
Service was also brought to a standstill during the blizzard days of1869-70. Further besetting the company with troubles was an epidemic whichswept through the stables in 1872.
Although there were sidings along the way for passing in opposite directions,drivers seldom used them. Instead they would plug right along, and whentwo cars met, one of them would pull off the track and go around the other. [Lookingclosely at the picture, you can see where the 'car' being pulled by the horsehas wheels like a train. These cars were built similar to train cars, butpulled along.]
As the late 70's and early 80's rolled on, David Joyce acquired controllinginterest in the company and built considerable extensions to the railway. The lines were several times rebuilt during this period.
About 1889, electric equipment having been developed as a method of rapidtransit in cities, Clinton became anxious to have the modern improvement. As a result, numerous efforts were made to put in electric lines. Whilethe Joyce people applied for a franchise, so did the Baldwin Electric company,which owned a line between Main avenue and Eagle Point park, the State Electriccompany, and one or two private individuals. These groups made applicationto the city councils of both Lyons and Clinton for the right to put in suchtracks as would be required to be used with electric equipment, together withoverhead privileges. The days of the old horse railway, therefore, passedinto oblivion in 1890.
The franchise was granted the new State Railway company, which eventuallyabsorbed both competitor companies. But not without considerableexcitement. Since the State Railway company was granted a franchise onSecond street, coincident with that held by the old company, there were somelively scenes.
Much work was done at night by artificial light and it became regular routinefor the workers to come to their jobs at midnight Saturday because injunctionscould not be issued on Sunday.
A group of Clinton men headed by E. C. Walsh, Sr., controlled the newconcern. Seven cars were in use and 10 miles of track added. Afteroperating the line until 1903, the company sold out to a new group.
In 1904, following and election granting them a franchise upon certainadditional streets, the "combine" reconstructed the line on modernideas. The old track was entirely rebuilt with 72 and 80 pound steel andnew equipment was installed making the road physically one of the best in thestate.
Also added at that time was a car even more novel than the rest. It wasan excursion car know as the "Meteor" and was used by private partieswho rented it by the day. An open air car, decorated with colored lights,it was a definite attraction for pleasure seekers.
All of the new electric cars were summer or open air style. However,because of the danger of sudden storms and the subsequent drenching received bythe passengers, the open models were abandoned on the general runs in the earlypart of the century. They were still used at intervals to take specialpicnic groups to Eagle Point park. The last run of a summer car was madeabout 1920.
In 1908, at the general election, the proposition of granting a franchise tothe newly incorporated Clinton Street Railway company was presented. Allthe then existing franchises, other than the perpetual one on Main and Secondstreets, together with some new territory, were granted the company for 25years.
A history of Clinton county, written in 1911, had this to say of the streetcar line:
All in all, the system of the Clinton Street Railway company seems to meet with the hearty approval of the people who dwell within the city and are so liberal in patronage of it, and it has seemed to be the aim and endeavor of the officers in control of the company, who are C. H. Young, president; Daniel Langan, vice-president; C. C. Coan, treasurer, and A. L. Schuyler, secretary, to earn the good will of the traveling public and make street car riding a pleasure as well as a necessity.
Service Expanded
The trackage gradually increased through the years, bringing more and morepoints in the two cities within service radius. Cars underwentimprovements and numerous safety measures were taken. In the early days ofelectric cars, passengers had to be careful not to sit too close to themotor. In addition they had to hang on for dear life so as not to bethrown out of the side of the lurching open cars.
Just before the beginning of World War I, the largest cars ever used by theline, the "Big Ben's" were installed. They were considerablylarger than their successors.
However, as automobiles continued to make inroads on street car business, asmaller type of car was assembled from parts of older ones, thus reducingoperating expenses.
SOURCE: Centennial Edition, Clinton Herald, Clinton Iowa, 18 June 1955
