Trolleys Of Our Past

[jon]

Rome New York

[jon]

NEW POWER HOUSE
FOR TROLLEY CO
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The Utica & Mohawk Valley Railway Intends to Generate All Its Power - New Station to Be Erected Soon[/size]


The Utica & Mohawk Valley Railway Company is considering the advisability of erecting anew power house in this city. The exact location of the station has not as yet been decided upon, but the management has several plots of land in view and one will probably be purchased in the near future.

[jon]

At the present time the company receives its power from the Utica Gas & Electric Company, and as is well known, the service is not always of the best. Delays have been numerous and the power for the street cars decreases considerably all that is generated at the Trenton Falls station. The company also has a power station at the upper end of Lincoln Avenue, but this is only used in case of emergency.

It is the intention of the company to erect a tower station which will be of sufficient size and capacity to supply all its lines with power.

The General Electric Company of New York City is preparing plans, estimates and specifications for the new power house and also the electrical equipment for the same.


UTICA HERALD DISPATCH - march 20, 1903

[Dave]

Those trees are beautiful. I had no idea trolleys ran as late as 1941. My mother probably took me downtown on the bus as early (as I can remember) as '47 or '48, not that many years after the trolleys.
Funny ... I never heard anyone in my home or neighborhood say they missed them. Maybe toward the end they became hard riding and/or often broke down.

[jon]

ROME AND ONEIDA
TROLLEY LINES
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Merging for Organization of Company Saturday at Verona - Right of way secured[/size]

Rome, April 20 - A meeting will be held in Verona Saturday for the purpose of organizing a company for the construction of the Rome and Oneida Electric Railway.

The building of such a road would be an important enterprise for this city. An electric road in operation between here and Oneida would be of benefit to every merchant and business man here. It would not only form a connecting link between the cities of Rome and Oneida, but would run through the thickly settled and prosperous farming community whose trade would naturally come to this city.

[jon]

The distance from Rome to Oneida is 13 miles and hourly service could be given each way between the two cities from 5 o'clock in the morning til 12 o'clock at night, with half hourly service between Rome and the custodial Asylum. Three express cars a day could also run each way. Such service would naturally be of great benefit to Rome. It is said that New York capitalists are ready to take hold of the road. To build and equip it would probably cost about $200,000.

Now that the right of way has been secured, the next thing to do is to organize a company and secure franchises from the cities and towns through which the proposed road is to run. This done there would be something tangible to offer to the capitalists who are said to be interested in the proposition.

UTICA HERALD DISPATCH - APRIL 20, 1905

[Dave]

The Rome trolley, above, seems like a good example of capital playing its part to build up the area.

[jon]

COLLISION OF
TROLLEY CARS
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EARLY MORNING ACCIDENT NEAR SAUQUOIT CREEK AT YORKVILLE[/size]
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PASSENGERS NOT INJURED[/size]
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Eastbound Whitesboro Car Struck Westbound Whitesboro Car on Curve - Mistake in Signals Evidently the Cause - Vestibules Smashed[/size]

[jon]

A collision occurred shortly after 8 o'clock this morning about 40 feet east of the Sauquoit Creek Bridge in the village of Yorkville, between eastbound Whitesboro car No. 58, and westbound Whitesboro car No. 78 of the U. & M. V. RR Co. The former was in charge of Motorman C. F. Powell and Conductor J. C. Griffin. The later was in charge of Motorman H. Stitt and Conductor Charles Heffron. Fortunately, no one was injured. The few passengers received only a slight shaking up. Motorman Powell ran back into the car first in time to avoid being caught by the collapsing vestibule of his car.

There were no passengers on the westbound car. Four persons were riding in the eastbound car, among whom was Miss Davis of the office force of the trolley company. The eastbound car was due in Utica at 8:22 a. m. The westbound car was due at the Whitesboro loop at 8:07 a. m. The accident was due to some mistake in signals. The blame has not yet been fixed. It is stated that the west bound car passed a car at the Yorkville switch, and was therefore entitled to go ahead. It is also said that the conductor of the eastbound car claims to have passed a car at the Whitesboro switch. Such being the case it may have been possible that someone failed to throw a signal light. The matter is being investigated.

[jon]

The point where the cars met is on the slight grade ans a curve leading to the iron bridge crossing Sauquoit Creek. the accident occurred so suddenly that neither motorman had time to stop his car. Both motormen reversed power on their cars. Powell ran back into his car. Stitt stood still, and after the smash found the sash of the front window hanging about his shoulders. He was somewhat unnerved, but escaped injury.

The vestibule of car No. 58 was completely smashed. The front platform was pushed down so that the controller dragged along the ties. The stove alone remained in position. The woodwork was crushed back nearly to the body of the car. At least a week or ten days will be necessary to again place the car in commission.

The upper part of the vestibule of car 78 was broken, The front and side windows were broken, but the platform remained intact. A few hours work will repair the car.

Superintendent Frank J. Gerdon, Assistant Superintendent Hugh W. Ross and Claim Agent Robert B. Hamilton were soon at the scene. Work car M was dispatched and picked up the broken fender and front vestibule of car 58. Car No. 44 drew car No. 58 to the Utica Park shops. Car No. 78 came to the shops under its own power. Car No. 58is a Stevens car, while No. 78 was made by the Brill company. The difference in the height of the vestibules no doubt added to the extent of the wreck. Traffic on the line was not interrupted, the wrecked cars being taken to the Whitesboro switch until they were brought to this city.

UTICA HERALD DISPATCH - FEBRUARY 27, 1905

[jon]

VERDICT OF $1,700
FOR MRS. FRONTERA
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For the Death of her Husband on the Central
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JURY WAS OUT ALL NIGHT

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Suit of Jeffery Donabue Against the Utica & Mohawk Valley Railroad Company Now on Trial - Plaintiff Was Struck by Street Car on Bleecker Street

[jon]

The jury in the suit of Mrs. Catarina Frontera vs. the N. Y. C. & H. R. RR. Co., after an all night's deliberation, arrived at a decision at 6:30 o'clock this morning. A sealed verdict was returned which was opened when court convened at 9:30. The verdict found the sum of $1,700 for the plaintiff.

Mrs. Frontera sued for $15,000 for the death of her husband, Peter Frontera, who was struck in the yards of the Central, near the Skenandoah Mills, by a car "kicked" back into a switch, unattended by a brakeman, while engaged in cleaning from the tracks some crushed stone. Negligence was claimed on the part of the railroad, in that they should not have abutted the cars into the switch unattended.

No. 52 was called at 10 o'clock this morning, Jeffery Donahue of Westmoreland vs. the Utica & Mohawk railroad Company. Matteson & DeAngelis represent the plaintiff and Kernan & Kernan the defendant. The plaintiff sues for $5,000 damages.

[jon]

The case arises from the collision of a street car with the plaintiff's wagon on Bleecker street on April 17. 1901. Mr. Donahue was delivering eggs on Bleecker street on the morning in question, and was on the left hand side of the street with his horse and wagon. It is claimed that the track was bad at the place in question and that the rails were the old style high ones, causing the rear wheels of the wagon to slide along and not clear the rails. The roadway was narrow and a repair tower being used to fix the trolley wire is alleged to have obstructed the road. The car struck the rear end of the plaintiff's wagon, overturning it, stripping the harness from the horse and hurling the plaintiff out of the vehicle, breaking his left leg in two places.

The plaintiff claims that no gong was sounded or other notice given of the approaching car and that the car was not in perfect control on the sharp grade exiting near the accident. The plaintiff is 49 years of age and, up to the time of the accident, had followed his trade as a blacksmith.

Jeffery Donahue, the plaintiff, was first sworn.

[jon]

He testified that previous to the accident he had enjoyed robust health and had been capable of hard work, earning $3 per day as a blacksmith, but since the accident he had only been able to do light work in his garden. At the time of the accident his weight was nearly 250 pounds.

Mrs. Julia Morris testified that the accident happened in the evening shortly before dark. She saw the car strike the plaintiff's wagon, dragging it and the horse some distance and throwing Mr. Donahue into the street. She said the car was running at a rapid pace. Mrs. Morris was standing in the doorway and heard no gong rung. The car went quite a distance after colliding with the wagon.

John Kline, at one time a trailer boy in the employ of the defendant's company, described the events immediately proceeding and following the accident, substantially the same as previous witnesses.


UTICA HERALD DISPATCH - JANUARY 28, 1903

[jon]

WINTER SCHEDULE

Beginning yesterday the street cars on the Floyd avenue line will run on the winter schedule. The morning cars, except at 7:15 and 11:20, and the evening cars after the 6 o'clock trip, are discontinued.


ROME CITIZEN - NOVEMBER 5, 1905