Dubuque Electric Railway, Light and Power Co.

Product Details

$100 to $150

Historical Context

The Dubuque Electric Railway, Light and Power Company was started in 1889 by the Allen and Swiney Company. In 1890 the company entered a three-part bidding contest with the United States Electric Lightand Power Company and the Dubuque Street Railway Company for a contract to place between 35-70 electric lights at intersections within the city limits of Dubuque. Although U.S. Electric won the bid, it was unable to complete the work within the set amount of time and the work was given to Dubuque Electric. Many of the city's businesses were first illuminated by incandescent lighting on July 11, 1890. On October 25, 1890 the first permanent electric lights were turned on at fifty traffic intersections. These replaced the gas lamps that had been used since the 1860s. Electric lights became increasingly popular and the number of lights around the city expanded. While lighting was a priority of the company, so was the construction of streetcar lines. The Dubuque Electric Railway, Light and Power Company brought electric streetcars to Dubuque. The first car to operate on the Allen & Swiney line made the trip from the power house to the race track on May 27, 1890. Passengers on that historic trip were T. O. Swiney, partner in the firm; Dan McGugin, track contractor; a reporter from the Dubuque Herald; and five workmen to clean rock off the track. The objective of the trip was to test the automatic switches; they all performed perfectly. All that remained was to complete the track from the power house to 8th Street and the installation of the insulated crossing. Both of these were scheduled for completion on May 28th. The electricity was to be turned on with transportation possible for everyone in one week.

The popularity of the new streetcars was proven when the company announced that it had carried 5,121 passengers on Sunday, June 15, 1890 with the primary destinations being Linwood Cemetery and the Dubuque Shooting Park.

Streetcar track was laid to Stewart's Park (later Union Park in the fall of 1890. Poles were erected beginning in April 1891 with trolley wire to be installed immediately after all the poles were in place.

In September 1891 the company was faced with an angry city council. The firm was ordered to build their line on South Dodge within thirty days or their charter could be revoked. The company agreed to lay track during the fall with all parties realizing that everything could not be completed. Operating street cars on the site would also require heavier motors. This did not satisfy the city council which held on October 5, 1891 the first reading of an ordinance to revoke the company's charter. In December, the company was rapidly working on Dodge under a council resolution that work had to be finished in two weeks.

In 1892 the creditors of the Dubuque Electric Railway, Light and Power Company applied for the appointment of a receiver. This came about after a meeting in Chicago in early March 1892, at which it appeared there had been great financial mismanagement of the company. An accountant called in to inspect the records found that in the previous two years $100,000 had been spent without vouchers. It was charged that Allen and Swiney had appropriated $95,000 in company funds. Dr. Allen had since returned to the practice of medicine in Davenport, Iowa and T. O. Swiney was a bookkeeper for a cigar manufacturer in the same city.

Dr. Allen denied there was $95,000 missing and pointed to large bond holders who holding $250,000 in company bonds were opposed to the receivership. At a meeting of the directors held in Dubuque, it was unanimously decided to oppose the appointment.

Litigation continued on April 8, 1892 when suits were filed in court on three notes with a value of $13,500. An attorney for creditors in Chicago holding claims of $40,000 had been in Dubuque for several days. Defenders of the railroad claimed that the company had paid operating expenses during the winter and had also paid off some of the debt. On April 21, 1892, $40,000 in judgements were levied against the company in favor of the St. Louis Car Company, Edison General Electric Company, Thomson-Houston Company, and the Heine Safety Boiler Company. In pressing for a receiver for the company, the petitioners used the suits as evidence. Judge Oliver Perry Shiras expressed himself strongly in favor of judgment creditor having a receiver appointed, but took the paper to consider the case. It was reported that the Thomson-Houston Company would purchase the line if it were sold and that $50,000 in improvements would be made.

On May 11, 1892, Horace Poole was appointed a receiver for the Allen and Swiney company. One of his first actions was to standardize the number of runs to Stewart Park each day at ten cars each way with more for special occasions.

The company was put up for sale on January 12, 1893 effective in March on a cash basis. The order of receiver was made on the application of the Bay State Trust Company, the trustee of the first mortgage for $200,000. The company did most of its business in the summer months, but it was thought there would not be enough equipment to handle the new business in the summer of 1893. It was estimated to provide this new equipment would require between $40,000 to $50,000. In November the company reduced its service to cut costs by withdrawing four cars from service which reduced eight motor conductors and as many attendants.

On March 1, 1893, the company was sold for $225,000 to the Old Colony Trust Company of Boston, Massachusetts. It was the only bid made.

The company was later reorganized as the Dubuque Light and Traction Company.

Related Collections