1948 History of Local Transit Corporation from Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac On April 14, 1859, the State Legislature granted Wilkes-Barre and Kingston Railway Company a charter to haul passengers by horse car from Public Square to Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Station (now DL&W Station), Kingston. However, the Civil War occupied time of the organizers and it was not until April 21, 1866, that the company became a reality and started actual work on the line. A single track was laid except over the old Market Street Bridge, where, by arrangement with the Susquehanna Bridge Company, a double track was permitted. The first car to carry passengers reached Wilkes-Barre from Kingston on June 25, 1866. The company laid tracks on the four sides of Public Square and then petitioned the borough council for additional franchises. By successive ordinances of the borough, permission was granted to extend the line over East Market Street to Canal Street (now Pennsylvania Avenue), to double track North Main Street to North, run on South Main Street to Dana Street (then the southerly boundary of the borough) and over Northampton Street to the original Lehigh Valley Station. By an Act approved February 13, 1868, the Wyoming Valley Passenger Railway was incorporated. Original plan of the incorporators was to run a line on North River Street and thence to Pittston. Permission to bridge the Susquehanna River at Pittston was also granted and the return trip down the river through West Pittston to intersect with the existing line at Kingston was authorized by the charter. The plan failed when it was deemed unwise to operate the line with horse cars, and construction was held in abeyance until the further development of electricity. Development of electricity also held up actual operations of the Shawnee Railroad and Bridge Company, chartered in 1869; Plainsville and Wilkes-Barre Railway Company, chartered May 18, 1871; Wilkes-Barre and Inman’s Hill Passenger Railway, incorporated June 2, 1871. The only railway that operated in this period, in addition to the Wilkes-Barre-Kingston line, was the Coalville Passenger Railway Company, whose charter was dated April 18, 1869. The charter of the company gave it the right to install a single track on South Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre to Hazle Street and on the latter thoroughfare to the Lehigh and Susquehanna Station (now Central Railroad Station), in Ashley. On December 20, 1869, the road was opened, but South Washington Street residents raised objections against having tracks in front of their properties. The line then left Washington Street at South Street and followed that street to South Main Street, where its city terminus was located. In 1874, the company erected a building at Hazle and Douglas Streets (the latter now High Street). The lower portion of the building was used as a car barn and a section of the upper floors for an office. Rest of the building was rented for hotel purposes and was known as the Charter House. In 1883, a brick building on East Northampton Street, which had originally been occupied as a public market, but which had been in use for three years as an armory for the newly organized 9th Regiment, Pennsylvania National Guard, was purchased. This building was later a car barn for the traction company, finally being razed in 1937 after being used for several years as a garage and parking station. In 1887, an electric railway line was built in Scranton and this attracted the attention of local interests, including Henry H. Derr, who was then promoting the sale of a number of lots in the 16th Ward. On September 21, 1887, Mr. Derr, with J.W. Hollenback, R.H. Carpenter, William B. Dow, A.C. Robertson, Edward H. Chase, and W.E. Shupp, were granted a charter for the Wilkes-Barre and Suburban Railway Company. J.W. Hollenback was named president of the company. In October of the same year, construction of the line was started, a power house being erected near Pennsylvania Avenue and Chestnut Street. Engines of the power house were turned on for the first time on March 19, 1888, and an electric car made its first trip in Wilkes-Barre. The car proceeded up Pennsylvania Avenue and when the curve at Chestnut Street was negotiated, the trip was deemed successful. The car then proceeded over Chestnut Street to a point near City Hospital (now General Hospital), where heavy ice, encountered on the tracks, deferred until the next day completion of the round trip. Some 30 or 40 breaker boys were guests of the company on the initial trip. The line was formally opened on March 31, 1888, and shortly extended its service to Plains. In 1891, the company leased a large tract of land to establish the first recreational park in the community. The tract, first known as Suburban Park, was subsequently deeded to the city by its owner, J.W. Hollenback, and now is known as Hollenback Park. Opening of the North Street Bridge on September 1, 1888, gave impetus to another line, which after various delays, was chartered as the Wilkes-Barre and West Side Railway. A power house, now used as a garage by the transit corporation, was erected on Pierce Street and the road started operations on December 7, 1889, with cars running every 30 minutes to Vaughn’s Corners and to the Bennett Street Railroad Station. With advent of electricity, no change was made in the horse cars themselves. Motors were installed, trolleys hung, horses unhitched, and the same little four-wheelers buzzed along at the unheard of rate of 10 miles an hour. It was not until 1892 that cars were lengthened and the now standard eight-wheel trucks installed. The first air brake was installed on the Dallas line on May 13, 1897. Automatic signals and switches were installed in 1912. Various other lines were chartered in the Valley and in 1891, G. Mortimer Lewis started the consolidation of the many separately managed units with the purchase of the Coalville (Ashley) line. On February 9, 1891, the Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley Traction Company was formed and authorized an issue of $5,000,000 capital stock. By gradual stages, this company acquired the leases or stock of other lines and, with capital furnished largely by outside interests, started a wide development of traction possibilities. The next independent line to be constructed was the Wilkes-Barre, Dallas and Harvey’s Lake line, organized in 1894 with John B. Reynolds as its promoter and first president. The new company met much opposition in obtaining rights of way and in 1896, the charter was changed to that of a steam railroad under the name of Wilkes-Barre and Northern Railroad Company to obtain the privilege of eminent domain. In November of that year, the line was completed to Dallas. The cars were drawn by small steam locomotives, connecting at Luzerne with the older system. In June of the next year, the line was opened to Harvey’s Lake as was the Oneonta Hotel, near the line’s western terminus. The road was brought into the electric class in July 1898, with the opening of a power house at Luzerne and when the original charter of the company was resumed. On June 1, 1899, Philadelphia capitalists, headed by John B. Riggs and Robert N. Carson, announced they had obtained control of Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley Company. John Graham continued as general manager of the system. Ten years later, on November 26, 1909, the Wilkes-Barre Railway Company was chartered with control of the whole service reverting to local ownership. Abram G. Nesbitt was president and Thomas A. Wright general manager. This company leased, for a period of 800 years, and at an annual rental to cover interest and dividends on securities of the older company, all its rights and privileges. Some 18 lines were included in the operation. Traction company service was suspended by a strike of the employees from October 14, 1915 until December 15, 1916. Wilkes-Barre Railway Corporation along with its subsidiaries, Wilkes-Barre Railway Company, Wyoming Valley Autobus Company, Wilkes-Barre Trackless Trolley Company, and Wyoming Valley Public Service Company were merged with the parent company on June 20, 1947, with more than 80 per cent of the stockholders approving. In July, 1947, the Federal Court approved the plan and the Public Utility Commission of Pennsylvania gave the green light to create the Wilkes-Barre Transit Corporation and finally lift Wilkes-Barre Railway Company and its subsidiaries from bankruptcy. The new corporation has a capitalization of $1,201,500 in bonds; $300,000 par value of 3 per cent preferred stock; 16,000 shares of Class A common stock of a stated value of $160,000 and 16,000 shares of Class B stock of the same value. During bankruptcy of the company, R.W. Voris of Scranton and Ellsworth S. Keller, Forty Fort, were trustees. Many of the early cars bore fanciful names. “Anthracite” was an elaborate “parlor car” in which officials made inspection trips throughout the system. It was furnished with wicker chairs and couches and had tasseled window drapes. Another, Number 300, served as a funeral car. The back and front of the car opened to admit caskets and the mourners rode with the deceased to the cemeteries. The first bus in the traction company set up made its appearance in 1924 when a route to Kingston was started. The first bus route in Wilkes-Barre was the North Pennsylvania Avenue line, which started on December 24, 1929. The first trackless trolley made its appearance on the Kingston and Courtdale lines, December 18, 1939. At present (i.e., 1948), trolley cars are running on the Nanticoke, Edwardsville, Larksville, and Hanover lines. Plans are being readied to replace these with other means of transportation as soon as possible. The following table shows when the first electric trolleys ran on each line and when the buses or trackless trolley coaches took over. Dates shown are when actual operation started on each line. Line Trolley Car Bus Trackless Trolley Ashley Mar. 24, 1898 Sept. 7, 1946 Nov. 6, 1946 Avoca to Hughestown Oct. 20, 1909 Abandoned April, 1937 Avoca to West Avoca Jan. 3, 1911 Abandoned April, 1937 Blackman Street, Ashley By-Pass Sept. 16, 1946 Courtdale Oct. 1907 Dec. 18, 1939 Dallas June 29, 1897 May 1, 1939 Duryea July 9, 1895 June 25, 1933 East End Jan. 1888 Oct. 20, 1940 Jan. 1, 1941 Edwardsville April 18, 1892 Georgetown Sept. 2,1895 May 1, 1947 June 9, 1947 Georgetown Extension May 29, 1908 June 9, 1947 Grove and Brown Oct. 31, 1905 Oct. 2, 1938 Hanover Sept. 7, 1914 Harvey’s Lake July 1, 1898 Idetown to Lake: July 6, 1931 Dallas to Lake: Sept. 16, 1931 W-B to Lake: May, 1939 Hanover Green Sept. 16, 1931 Heights Sept. 2, 1895 Oct. 2, 1938 Hudson Oct. 4, 1909 Sept. 16, 1941 Dec. 2, 1941 Kingston May 22, 1892 June 20, 1937 Dec. 18, 1939 Luzerne Dec. 9, 1889 May 1, 1939 Dec. 2,1941 Luzerne (Short Line) Aug. 6, 1912 Abandoned May 1, 1939 Miners Mills (via N. Main St.) Aug. 14, 1913 Sept. 16, 1941 May 16, 1945 Miners Mills (via East End) Mar. 19, 1910 Oct. 20, 1940 Jan. 1, 1941 Nanticoke May 11, 1893 Nanticoke (via Askam) Dec. 20, 1941 Old Forge (from Pittston) July 25, 1926 Parsons Sept. 1891 Nov. 15, 1939 June 8, 1945 Pennsylvania Avenue (North) Mar. 31, 1888 Dec. 24, 1929 Pennsylvania Avenue (South) Oct. 15, 1901 Abandoned Sept. 1925 Pittston (East) June 23, 1894 May 16, 1937 From W-B to Old Forge Line Trolley Car Bus Trackless Trolley Plains Dec. 8, 1888 Nov. 15, 1939 Dec. 2, 1941 Plymouth (via Carey Avenue) July 14, 1895 Sept. 1, 1947 Plymouth (via Larksville) April 26, 1902 Plymouth (via Edwardsville) April 18, 1892 Pringle July 4, 1938 South Franklin & Regent Streets Dec. 16, 1899 (Now part of Nanticoke line) Sugar Notch Mar. 24, 1898 Sept. 7, 1946 Nov. 6, 1946 Warrior Run Extension Dec. 23, 1908 July 4, 1946 Nov. 6, 1946 West Pittston Aug. 22, 1892 Feb. 10, 1940 Wyoming Feb. 22, 1892 Feb. 10, 1940 Typed by Helene H. Williams, January 9, 2009