Monday, October 27, 2014

Boston Trolley

Below is an order concerning the building of an electric trolley system in Boston. I found this in a Documents of the City of Boston ©1891. When I think of trolleys, the San Francisco trolley comes to mind, not because I've been to San Francisco but for the Rice-a-Roni commercials. The end of the Century electricity was coming into use in a big way and the trolleys were a great way to get around the city and they didn't need to have horses pulling the carriages about.

They were also called overhead trolleys because the electric line were wires/lines overhead of the trolleys.

Here's the blurb, note some of the names of the types of inspectors.
In Board Of Aldermen, Nov. 30, 1891.
Ordered, That consent and permission be hereby granted to the Lynn & Boston Railroad Company to establish, construct, maintain, and use the overhead single-trolley electric system of motive power, so called, in the operation of its cars in and over the following streets, ways, squares, and bridges of the city of Boston, viz.: on Chelsea bridge street and Chelsea street from the dividing line between Chelsea and Boston to a point on said Chelsea street near Vine street in the Charlestown district, where connection can be made with the electric system of the West End Street Railway Company, and to construct, lay, maintain, and use the poles, wires, and appliances, and electrical appliances and apparatus, and to make the underground and surface alterations of said bridge and Chelsea street necessary for that purpose.
Ordered, That in addition to the electric rights above given, consent and permission is further granted to said Lynn & Boston Railroad Company to establish and maintain the overhead single-trolley electric system of motive power in the operation of its cars in said city of Boston on all the tracks of the West End Street Railway Company whereon it, said Lynn & Boston Railroad Company, is now authorized to operate its cars by horse power, by using, with the consent of said West End Street Railway Company, the overhead single-trolley electric system of said last-named company heretofore authorized on and in certain streets, ways, squares, and bridges, viz.: on Chelbea street, City square, and by the following loop line to Scollay square and return, viz.: Warren avenue, Warren bridge, Beverly street, Charlestown street, Haymarket square, Sudbury street, Court street, Scollay square, Cornhill, New Washington street, Charlestown street, Causeway street, Charles-river bridge, and Charles-river avenue, to City square, with the further right, in case of fire, blockade, or other emergency requiring it, to use the tracks and said electric system of said West End Street Railway Company, with its consent, on any streets, squares, ways, and bridges between said Scollay square and City square, which said West End Street Railway Company may use between said points, and whereon such electric system is erected and in use at the time such emergency arises.
All work of construction under this order, and all kind and quality of material used, and the height of all poles erected, shall be satisfactory to the Superintendent of Streets. The poles shall lie cylindrical in shape, and painted before erected, and shall be removed when so directed by the Board of Aldermen, after sixty days' notice.
No poles shall be erected under this order until a plan showing the location of the same has first been tiled by said Lynn & Boston Railroad Company in the office of the Superintendent of Streets, and been approved by him.
Passed. Approved by the Mayor, Dec. 4, 1891.
A true copy.

This image is actually 1904 and comes from Stoughton History.com's web site. Where you can read a bit more about the Boston Trolley system.

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