The Martinsburg Street Railway was an electric street railway system and company in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Martinsburg Street Railway was built in 1891 during a period where the electric streetcar was prominent. The railway thrived starting off, however, the company was a bust after business dropped off. The street railway never made a profit during its operation and it closed in 1893 after its franchise was revoked, attributed to worn macadam. It was also said that the railway closed due to the small size of Martinsburg. The network liquidated in 1896, shipping its trolley cars to the Hagerstown Railway. The street railway's owner, J.R. Wilson, never took on a business partner during its operation.
History Planning and construction On March 20, 1891, the Martinsburg Street Railway company got a charter to own, operate, and construct: electric streetcars, cable cars and horse-drawn streetcars. The charter was set to expire on March 20, 1911. In April, the company elected its officials and plans were made to construct and run electric streetcars. On April 30, streets were measured for the street railway.
By July 1891, the railway was under construction. On July 11, the first rails were laid in Strinesville near Williamsport Pike. Track started to be laid on August 18, most notably on Queen Street with an "army of laborers." As tracks were laid, a steam roller and stone crusher was needed to level stone. During construction, Martinsburg's street lights needed to run all night to prevent accidents. By September 5, track between the depots was completed. On September 11, Martinsburg's city council ordered the Martinsburg Street Railway to be financially and physically responsible for sewers on King, Martin, Queen, and other streets. The streetcar company was also ordered to clear and remove stone from streets as they laid tracks. By September 19, King Street was lined with rails and trolley poles. By October 24, the cars had arrived and the railway was planned to run in a week.
Opening and expansion
The Martinsburg Street Railway opened in 1891, on October 29 at 10:00 PM. The street railway saw more than 3,000 paid fares the first day. The streetcar's opening was coordinated alongside the Martinsburg Mining, Manufacturing and Improvement Company two day sale of lots in Boomtown, located on the south side of town. The street railway's business was "booming" in October and was deemed "promising" by the Virginia Free Press in November. By December, the street railway was extended on Queen Street to near Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's crossing.
The Martinsburg Street Railway implemented Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's block system in February 1892. In May, major work was done on an streetcar extension to Elkins Park, which finished by June 11. The line planned to operate to the B&O Railroad crossing on Queen Street. In August, the street railway was proposed to be extended to Strinesville and to the city limits by way of north Queen Street. On August 11, John B. Wilson, president of the Martinsburg Street Railway, sent a petition to Martinsburg's council for the extension, however the meeting was adjourned. In September, Wilson sent a testimonial to the R. D. Nuttall Company stating that he was pleased with the company's "trolley" and that he wanted to trade for "several more" of them if he could get rid of the street railway's current fleet. By September 3, the street railway was planned to temporarily close until the railway built a plant, which went through by September 6. In December, it was argued that the railway was burdened over strict legal demands and competing interests.
Elkins Park
Elkins Park was a 24 acre trolley park at the terminus of the Martinsburg Street Railway. It was intended that visitors would travel to Elkins Park to cool off in the county air during the warmer months. Before its opening, people wanted to visit the park to escape hot evenings in the shade. The park held picnics and recreational activities, which included dancing and evening excursions. Elkins was located south of Wilson Street, approximately miles away from Martinsburg's city limits, on land owned by the Martinsburg Mining, Manufacturing and Improvement Company.
MMM&I Company's property near Martinsburg was renamed to "Elkins Park" by August 15, 1891. By December 5, the MMM&I Co. planned to open a park a mile from the city "soon". Elkins Park opened on June 21, 1892, with 2,500 attendees. It was proposed to establish an agricultural fair at the park after its opening, by July 2. In June 1893, work was being done to erect a dancing pavilion at the park. That month, it was also planned to install baseball fields at Elkins Park with a stand and fence, in coordination with a local team. On April 13, 1896, a sale was planned for Elkins Park's poles and other materials.
Decline and closure
In March 1893, a court order was issued to the Martinsburg Street Railway, Martinsburg's mayor, and Martinsburg's council from the B&O Railroad; who wanted an injunction against the street railway company to not lay rail across their tracks. The judge, Judge Jackson, gave the B&O company a temporary restraining order. Later, the injunction was granted and the street railway was ordered to pay. Next month, Judge Falkner entered a case between the National Bank of Martinsburg and the Martinsburg Street Railway with the bank ordering the street railway company to repay its debt of $3769.51. Falkner sided with the National Bank of Martinsburg. Falkner also entered a case between John B. Wilson and the Martinsburg Street Railway Company over action of assumpsit for $24,647.01, siding with the former. In May, the Swartz Mill in Martinsburg was in the process of repairment to be used as a generator room for Edison Illuminating; which would house an engine for the Martinsburg Street Railway. In June, the street railway planned to resume operations. By October, Edison General Electric issued a court case on the Martinsburg Street Railway over assumpsit and detinue, however, this was thrown out. In the first week of October, the railway was ordered to close until the system had more power and new equipment. Soon after, the railway's charter was revoked. On October 5, the city council repealed the street railway's franchise. The council was mainly concerned about the eroded macadamizing which led to exposed rails, however, they also stated that the rails were out-of-shape. The Martinsburg Herald rebut this claim, stating that officials noted the rails to be in working condition, that it was the street's committee's job to work on the macadam, and that the revocation moved responsibility of the system from John B. Wilson to the city. The charter and franchise revocations closed the railway and halted any work that can be done on it until a new franchise was acquired. By October 21, the railway was seen as "all right" and that it would come out of the conflict in working condition. John Wilson stated that he would appeal the revocation during the spring election the next year.
Revival attempts In early 1894, the cost for dismantling the Martinsburg Street Railway was used as political tension for John B. Wilson's mayoral campaign. Wilson won the election, which meant the railway wouldn't be dismantled. In April, General Electric issued a court order for the Martinsburg Street Railway over detinue, however this was seen invalid. In September, a court order allowed Edison General Electric to retain property seized from the Martinsburg Street Railway.
By January 12, 1895, it was unlawful to block Martinsburg Street Railway's tracks. On March 21, a council meeting took place to renew the Martinsburg Street Railway's franchise, however, the meeting was adjourned. The railway was noted to be non-operational in April, July, and September. On May 17, Martinsburg Street Railway's charter license was taxed, proving its renewal. In July, the Martinsburg Herald stated that Martinsburg would decline with removal of the street railway. By September, the railway was "wrecked." On September 24, 1895, Judge Faulkner appointed E. P. H. Harrison as receiver of the Martinsburg Street Railway with permission to sell its franchise or to sell the railway's property in multiple parcels. The Martinsburg Herald hoped that the new receiver would restart service on the railway. In December, the street railway's trail and motor cars were up for sale at $12,000 cash. It was rumored that negotiations between the streetcar company and the Harrisburg Construction Company took place in regards to buying the street railway and the street railway's plant; the Harrisburg Construction Company took interest in the plant. It was said that the Harrisburg Construction Company offered a deal of $6000 in cash and $4000 in bonds, but this was declined by the street railway.
Disestablishment Between January 8 and 15, in 1896, the Harrisburg Construction company bought Martinsburg Street Railway's plant for $10,000 for material to construct the Funkstown and Leitersburg extension of the Hagerstown Railway; a trolley system in Hagerstown. By January 25, Martinsburg Street Railway's property, which included track and rail, was in the process to be dismantled and sold. The rails continued to be dug up in February. In March, a sale on the overhead wire was finalized to a supply firm in St. Louis. On April 2, the Hagerstown Railway bought three trail cars, three motor cars, and other miscellaneous items from the Martinsburg Street Railway for $900; leaving the latter with no assets. Two days later, on April 4, the streetcars were sent to operate on the Hagerstown Railway. The cars were delivered by train on the Cumberland Valley Railroad with a top speed of miles per hour. The trail cars rode on gondolas while the motor cars were pulled. A sale was planned for John B. Wilson's real estate on April 13. In May, the street railway's charter was repealed. In September the trolley poles were still extant; creating a hazard. E. P. H. Harrison was not empowered to remove the poles without court orders.
Other proposals In April 1902, there were talks to build a street railway in Martinsburg after an increase of population in Boomtown. When the former system was in operation, population didn't reside between the city limits and Elkins Park, however, many families now resided below West Stephen Street at this time.
In September 1908, the Berkeley Traction Company asked Martinsburg's city council for a street railway franchise. The company planned to construct an urban loop with extending lines to the west, east, and south, with later proposals for trolley lines to Shepherdstown and Winchester. The franchise was granted by November. By December, the company proposed an electric railway line between Williamsport and Martinsburg. By April 1909, however, the company phased out and the Tuscarora Traction Company applied for a franchise.
On March 27, 1912, a company, represented by attorney Clearance E. Martin, was granted a street railway franchise by Martinsburg to build an urban trolley line, however, the company was also given a franchise in Winchester on April 12 so the company prepared to start construction there. On October 31, a proposed Martinsburg Street Railway was reported to soon undertake survey work.
Description
The Martinsburg Street Railway traveled from Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's depot to Martinsburg's public (central) square, by way of Martin and Queen Street, where it then ran along King Street to Cumberland Valley Railroad's depot (located near the Interwoven Mill). A branch laid from the intersection of Raleigh and King Street, along Raleigh Street, to Boomtown, and Martinsburg Mining, Manufacturing & Improvement Co's grounds, along its rear and toward the east, terminating at Elkins Park. Track also extended to Queen Street's far north.