Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway Company
Encyclopedia
The Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway was an attempt by Joel Hurt
to take over the various Atlanta streetcar systems.
Incorporated in May 1891, Hurt began negotiations to consolidate widely overlapping competing companies. On September 21 the titles of the following were conveyed to the Consolidated:
The fully steam-powered Metropolitan Street Railroad was absorbed on November 22, 1892.
Only the Atlanta & Edgewood was completely electrified and they began work to convert the others. There were three small companies left outside of the system at the time (two headed to the northwest and one down to the barracks at Fort McPherson
) but by the mid 1890s many more competitors were built.
Hurt continued with the electrification project having to contract for more and more power from Henry M. Atkinson while fighting a public relations battle over a perception of monopoly.
By 1899 Hurt and Atkinson were feuding in what has come to be called the Second Battle of Atlanta which resulted in the formation of Georgia Railway and Electric Company (predecessor of Georgia Power
) combining all existing companies in 1902.
Joel Hurt
Joel Hurt was an important businessman and developer in Atlanta active in the late 19th century through the early 20th century.Born in Hurtsboro, Alabama Joel Hurt (1850–1926) was an important businessman and developer in Atlanta active in the late 19th century through the early 20th...
to take over the various Atlanta streetcar systems.
Incorporated in May 1891, Hurt began negotiations to consolidate widely overlapping competing companies. On September 21 the titles of the following were conveyed to the Consolidated:
- Atlanta Street Railway owned by Edward C. PetersRichard Peters (Atlanta)Richard Peters was an American railroad man and a founder of Atlanta.Grandson of Judge Richard Peters, Jr...
- Gate City Street RailroadGate City Street RailroadThe Gate City Street Railroad Company of Atlanta, Georgia was organized in 1881 by Laurent DeGive , Levi B. Nelson , Capt. Augustus M. Reinhardt and John Stephens. In 1884 they built a line which started at the Kimball House and went via Pryor, Wheat and Jackson Streets to Ponce de Leon Springs...
- Fulton County Street RailroadFulton County Street RailroadThe Fulton County Street Railroad Company of Atlanta, Georgia was organized in 1883 by:* James W. English, businessman and once mayor of Atlanta* J. Henry Porter, who was once a city councilman...
- West End and Atlanta Street Railroad
- Atlanta and Edgewood Street Railroad already owned by Hurt
The fully steam-powered Metropolitan Street Railroad was absorbed on November 22, 1892.
Only the Atlanta & Edgewood was completely electrified and they began work to convert the others. There were three small companies left outside of the system at the time (two headed to the northwest and one down to the barracks at Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in East Point, Georgia, on the southwest edge of the City of Atlanta, Ga. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Army Forces Command; the U.S. Army Reserve Command; the U.S...
) but by the mid 1890s many more competitors were built.
Hurt continued with the electrification project having to contract for more and more power from Henry M. Atkinson while fighting a public relations battle over a perception of monopoly.
By 1899 Hurt and Atkinson were feuding in what has come to be called the Second Battle of Atlanta which resulted in the formation of Georgia Railway and Electric Company (predecessor of Georgia Power
Georgia Power
Georgia Power is an electric utility headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the largest of the four electric utilities that are owned and operated by Southern Company....
) combining all existing companies in 1902.
See also
- Streetcars in AtlantaStreetcars in AtlantaStreetcars operated in Atlanta starting with horsecars in 1871; electric streetcar service started in the 1880s. The last streetcar service ended in 1949; the streetcar system was quickly replaced by a trolleybus system and with buses...
- Timeline of mass transit in AtlantaTimeline of mass transit in AtlantaTimeline of mass transit in Atlanta:*1871 Richard Peters and George Adair run the first streetcars on the Atlanta Street Railway Company*1872 West End & Atlanta Street Railroad Company formed*1878 Adair sells out to Peters...
- Nine-Mile CircleNine-Mile CircleThe Nine-Mile Circle was a streetcar line of the Atlanta Street Railway, later the Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway which went from downtown Atlanta to today's Virginia Highland neighborhood as follows:...
line of the Consolidated