Research Papers

Research Papers

Today is:

A. Fun & Entertainment

Fun on the Ice – Jan 16, 1891
        An evening in mid-January 1891 the temperature was about 0 degrees
        A crowd of young people were skating on Kearney Lake.
        They had a bonfire on the shore for warmth.
        “The electric cars did quite a good business carrying skaters to and from the ice and were a great convenience.”

Baseball – Aug 1, 1891
        ---Base ball makes street car business lively, and the electric cars have completely knocked out the ten cent hacks that used to do such a thriving business.

Labor Holiday Observed – Sept 7, 1891
        Labor day parade started at the court house
        3 electric cars holding Prof. Draper’s band and electric company employees
        At 24th street it turned west to the school grounds where the speeches were held.
        No mention if the street cars made the turn

B. Routes
1. Central Avenue and West -
        From the courthouse to the Midway Hotel on corner of 25th &Central

        West on 25th to Kearney Lake but somewhere near the lake turned north one block to continue down 27th street to put the streetcars in line with the power house where they were housed. (through door on south side of the building)

        From south of the power house it was extended west across the tailrace bridge, then southward on a curve to 24th St. to the Frank House – this added about ½ mile, half way to West Kearney.

2. Kenwood Addition
        South from 25th on 8th Ave through Kenwood Addition

3. East Lawn

        East on 25th to Ave E, north to 27th St.; then continue east on 27th through East Lawn to Grand Avenue.

        Plan then was to follow Grand northeast to 35th which put it out to Ave Y; then turn west back to Central.
        Don’t believe that was all completed since Central dead ended at 31st.

C. The End of the Streetcar Business – When did they stop running?

    Timeline
        1887 – Horse drawn streetcar

        1889 – Summer – Plans for electric streetcar

        1890 – May – construction began
                   July – first ride from Midway to railroad down Central
                        To courthouse about 3 weeks later
                   Sept – eastern route determined
                   Oct – construction of eastern route
                   Oct 26 – extended west as far as Geo. W. Frank’s residence.
                   Nov 17, 1891 – George Frank, Jr. took over management of the Kearney Electric Company.
                        1. Implemented an improvement in the way the cars were heated.
                            The heat was produced by a current of electricity running through a cast iron tube
                                6” wide x 2” thick 2 ½ feet long
                                It was hollow, and filled with some fibrous substance like asbestos
                            Four heaters per car, placed under the seats.
                        2. Adjusted the payment scale for the electricity to operate the cars [and heaters?]
                        3. A pass system - $1 per month, ride on the electric cars as many times as he likes
                                Averages 3 ½ cents per day.
                                A radical change.

        1893 – June 14 – Street Car company dispensed with conductors on the streetcars
                                  As a result, four men lost their jobs
                                  Also a system of collecting fares in a box was adopted

        Rare mention of the streetcar after this:

        1894 – Sept. - Mr. Gow, living on West 27th St. waited in front of his residence 3 hours one morning for an approaching street car that he had sighted out at the end of the line.
            [He usually walked to work but today his corns hurt so he thought he would take the street car.]
            After 3 hours it suddenly occurred to him that he had seen the same car in that same place for about 30 consecutive days…
            [with several words his pastor would not approve of, he walked to work, arriving just as the noon whistle blew.]

        1894 – Dec. – Moving a Heavy Building – A 30x70 feet iron structure in the yard of the former Kearney Stone company was to be moved to a site adjoining the power house.
                It was to be placed over the wheel pit and tracks laid so the electric cars could be run in under cover during the winter storms.
                The cars had been left out in the weather ever since they stopped running [date not given]

        1895 – June ---“The electric cars will carry passengers to base ball park tomorrow afternoon.”

        June 7, 1897 – A Runaway
                While out driving Sunday, W. D. Oldham met with a serious accident.
                On Central avenue near Seventeenth street the horse made a quick turn.
                The buggy struck the street car track and turned throwing Mr. Oldham to the ground with great force.
                        [He was bruised but not seriously injured.]
                The horse ran off to a nearby barn, and entered, dragging a large part of the wrecked buggy behind him

There were apparently four streetcars although original plans had been for six.

After closing, the cars possibly went to Boulder, CO – That is the unconfirmed story

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Revised: 02/04/2018