Madison County, Indiana - Chapter 42, 1897

Soon utter the discovery of natures great fuel at Anderson it became apparent that the population would greatly increase and that the cit}', in order to keep pace with other enterprising and progressive towns, would have to be supplied with a street railway system. Several individuals, as well as companies, had taken a survey of the field and discussed the matter both with private citizens and the city ofiicials, but nothing tangible resulted until August 19, 1887, when the City Council granted a charter to Seldon R. and D. C. Williams, of Lebanon, Tenn., through the efforts of D. C. Chipman, their associates, successors and assigns for twelve years, authorizing the construction and maintenance of a street railway in Anderson. Some time after the granting of the charter the work of constructing the track was begun. Meridian street was selected as the thoroughfare through which the railway should be constructed, the terminal points being the Big Four and Pan-Handle depots. The passenger depot of the Pan-Handle was at that time located on North Main street in the building now used as a freight house. Certain inducements, however, were offered the Messrs. Williams to change the proposed route of the road in order to accommodate the patrons of the leading hotels, and this was accordingly done. The track of the railway, as originally laid, extended from the Big Four depot north on Meridian street to Tenth, east on Tenth to Main, north on Main to Ninth, west on Ninth to Meridian, north on Meridian to Fifth, east on Fifth to tlie Pan-Handle depot. The point of transfer then as now was on Ninth street between Meridian and Main streets.

The road was completed on the morning of the (>th of September, 1888, and that evening street cars were run for the first time in Anderson. This was an occasion for much congratulation and rejoicing among the people, who turned out en masse to witness the novel spectacle - street cars running llnough the streets of Anderson I The rolUng stock of tlie company consisted of two c:irs with a seatintc capacity of about twenty people each. A span of diniinuti\e mules supplied the motive power. On the evening the road was opened for traffic tiie citv oflicials together w itli a number of prominent citizens and the Riverside Park Hand (the only' musical organization of its kind in the citv at that time) were invited to take the first ride over the road. The band occupied the first car, and as the wheels began to turn in response to the etTorts of the horses (for this occasion onlj-) it struck up an inspiring air, the small hoy shouted and the people generally who thronged the sidewalks along Meridian street joined in congratulation over the fact that Anderson was the first and only city in the gas belt provided with a street railway. The driver of the first car was Robert E. Burke, at this time a resident of Iowa. His uncle, Newton T. Burke, furnisheil the teams for the

Branches were subsequently constructed from the main line to the north -w est part of the city, Ilazelwood addition and the Crossing, but owing to inefficient service were not very largely patronized : in fact, the rapid transit " furnished by the '- mule system,'" as it w-as called, was regarded as being somewhat of the nature of a joke. It is related that one of the car drivers, who also acted in the capacity of conductor, was so exceedingly polite and humane that instead of employing his whip when the mules manifested a disposition to stop and take a nap while making a " run,"' he would urge them on with such expressions as, " I wish you would go on. Now, please do go "long." etc.

In 189l' the Anderson Electric Street Railway Company was organized, and on the 80th of May of that year the city council voted the company a right of way to the streets of Anderson for a period of thirty years. The Anderson Street Railway Company had. in the meantime, disposed of its franchise, rolling stock and other property to the electric company. Following the action of the council granting a thirtyyear franchise, the new company re-constructed the road. The old iron rails, of which the tracks were constructed, were taken up and heavier iron was put down; the system was enlarged by the extension of tiie old lines ; a large electric power house was erected ; new cars were purchased, as well as a complete eiiuipment of such electrical machinery and appliances as were necessarv for a first-class street railwiiv-

As the time approached for making a trial trip over the road with the electric cars great interest was manifested by the people, a majority of whom, perhaps, had never seen a car run by electricit)'. This interesting and important event at 2 o'clock p. ni., on March 12, 1892, and from that time on Anderson has boasted of a street railway system as good as the best in the country. In this, as in many other important matter.s, Anderson was the first city in the Indiana gas field to introduce electric cars. It is a fact worthy of mention that the Anderson Electric Street Railway Co. is composed exclu.sively of local capitalists. It is also proper to state that Philip Matter, of Marion. Ind., who is largely interested in Anderson real estate, and the Hon. C. L. Henry were the original promoters of the electric street railway system, and that they introduced electric cars and run them over the tracks of the old company before the city council granted them a franchise for the use of the streets. Mr. Matter subsequently disposed of his interest in the road to Mr. Henry, L. M. Cox, and others.