Description
1913 GALESBURG RAILWAY LIGHT & POWER COMPANY RY. LT. & PR. CO. Streetcar Token
SOURCE: Hicks Car Works, Illinois Railway Museum
“The McKinley Years: 1903-1923On April 15, 1903, the company was sold to the McKinley Syndicate (better known as the Illinois Traction System). On May 24, 1904 the Galesburg Railway and Light Company was organized to take over management of both the streetcar company and the Galesburg Gas and Electric Company. During 1905, the Lombard line was relocated to avoid the diagonal grade crossing at the CB&Q depot; after turning off East Main Street beside the car barn, the line ran through an alley and then south on Pearl Street to Knox Street. Earnings were $273,674 in 1905 with 2,426,846 passengers carried. By 1907, the streetcar system had 20.25 miles of trackage over which eight lines were operated using 13 closed and 14 open streetcars. During 1909 1910, one man service was introduced on the system, but shortly thereafter went back to using conductors due to public opposition. During 1910, the company was carrying about 2,000 passengers a day.The company was reorganized as the Galesburg Railway Lighting and Power Company on October 2, 1913.; In the spring of 1916, construction began on an extension of the Seminary Street line to Fremont Street, and streetcars began using the new trackage in November.; By 1917, the system consisted of 21.57 miles of trackage served by 36 streetcars.; A short time later the company’s office was moved to 5 East Main Street, where a waiting room was established for East Galesburg, Knoxville and local passengers.; All seats in the waiting room faced the street, and when a streetcar pulled up in front of the building, an indicator board at the front window would light the route number of the streetcar that was ready to depart.Early in October 1918, the Illinois Public Utilities Commission approved a new seven cent fare along with four tickets for 25 cents and a ten coupon book for 60 cents.; Later that month, the company petitioned for the use of one man streetcars on certain routes; authority was received for that conversion in July 1919.; In June of 1919, the West Main Street trackage was extended to Linwood Cemetery.; However, the increased usage of automobiles during the early 1920s was already taking passengers away from the streetcar system.; On July 27, 1920, authority was received to increase the fare to 10 cents or ten tickets for 75 cents.; In an attempt to improve service, twenty new single truck steel Birney streetcars were received in January 1921 to replace all the older streetcars.; On March 14, 1922, the company received a new twenty year franchise from the city council.; On January 1, 1923, the company purchased the People’s Traction Company streetcar line to Abingdon.; “
