Once Upon A Time - "The Gay 90s" in Fryeburg, Maine
P & O Depot, Village, Fairgrounds, Martha's Grove
Fortunately, there is no live overhead wire, otherwise those
lads on the roof of the car might be in for a shock.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_24
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
Included in the NEERHS 2015 book, "The Illustrated Atlas of
Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946."
Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the summary of the Fryeburg Horse Railroad as written by O. R. Cummings in his 1955 book, Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State.
Additional photos will be credited accordingly. This material is taken from a copy of the Toonervilles of Maine book acquired by this blogger.
To see the online version of the 1955 book, Toonevilles of Maine at Bangor Public Library here
Click Here for the post: Ninety Communities in Maine with Electric Railway Service!
Click Here for the post: 57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915!
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Portland Railroad 1860-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Calais Street Railway 1894-1929
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Skowhegan & Norridgewock Railway 1894-1903
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Benton and Fairfield Railway 1898-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Somerset Traction Company 1895-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Fairfield and Shawmut Railway 1903-1927
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Waterville, Fairfield, & Oakland Rwy 1887-1937
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Trolleys to Augusta, Maine 1889-1932
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Rockland, South Thomaston, & St. George Rwy
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Rockland, Thomaston, & Camden St.Rwy. '92-1931
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Biddeford and Saco Railroad Co. 1888-1939
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-19
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway 1919-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland & Brunswick Street Railway 1902-1911
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn & Turner Railroad 1905-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-7
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Line Railway 1900-1910
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - It Begins 1914
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - The End 1933
Seashore Trolley Museum, the Museum of Mass Transit in Kennebunkport, Maine, is celebrating its 80th Birthday year in 2019! Many events are scheduled and many more will be scheduled before the opening of public operations on May 4, 2019.
The Last Horsecar Line in New England
That is the distinction held by the Fryeburg Horse Railroad which was abandoned in the fall of 1913 after providing service for nearly 25 years over its three-mile route in western Maine.
The Fryeburg Horse Railroad Company was chartered on March 3, 1887, on July 16th of that year, was granted a 20-year municipal franchise to build from Maine Central Railroad in Fryeburg, past the West Oxford Agricultural Fairgrounds, to a resort known as Martha's Grove.
Light steel rail, laid on wooden stringers, was used in building the road, which cost about $6,500 to construct. Another $800 or so was invested in rolling stock, practically all of which was purchased second-hand from the Portland Railroad Company.
Union Station on the destination sign betrays the Portland
Railroad origin of this open car of the Fryeburg Horse
Railroad. A young college student is apparently driving
this pre-20th-century version of rapid transit.
Photo by Edward D. Levitt. Photo in the
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_25
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
The operation began in 1889, with cars running during the summer season only. Only one car, drawn by one horse, was used at a time and the driver doubled as the conductor. For these duties, he was paid the princely sum of $25 per annum. The cost was more than that to take care of the horse!
Around 1892, Martha's Grove was acquired by the Chautauqua Association as a site for its annual summer meeting. This meant a little more revenue for the horse railroad and the company started to spend some money to straighten the track and replace the old wooden stringers with ties. Eventually, the greater part of the line was rebuilt with heavier rail and new ties, and some new cars were purchased.
Fryeburg Horse Railroad - 3 miles total trackage
Map created by Charles D. Heseltine - from
the NEERHS 2015 book, "The Illustrated Atlas of
Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946."
According to the 1896 report of the Railroad Commissioners, the Fryeburg Horse Railroad that year owned three closed cars and one open. Since the line was a summer proposition, it would seem that there should have been more open than closed cars. Only one horse was owned by the company and when more than one car had to be operated, additional hay burners could always be hired at a local livery stable.
Permission to electrify its line was granted to the Fryeburg Horse Railroad in 1897, but with a total income of $600 or $700 a year, there was no money for such an expensive undertaking. In addition, there was no money to build proposed extensions from Fryeburg to Lovell and to Cornish?
Two more open cars were purchased in 1902 for $112.38, and during that same year, Seth W. Fife of Fryeburg, who had been superintendent of the road since its opening, was succeeded by A. Crosby Kennett of Conway, NH.
A closed car and an open car full for the ride to
the fairgrounds. Photo in the
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_31
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
Up until 1902, the company had no car barn but in that year the sum of $87.75 was spent for a shed where the horsecars could be stored. At this time, there were three closed and three open cars on the roster and the line was being operated four months annually - from June 1 to Oct. 1.
The 1907 report of the Railroad Commissioners mentions that the line was being operated by one Frank L. Meserve. Under an oral agreement with the company, he received all revenues, and, paid all costs of operations, and kept what money remained. Very little was spent on maintaining the road and in 1910, the Railroad Commissioners commented that new ties and ballast were greatly needed.
By 1913, one of the closed cars had been discarded. Meserve was no longer operating the line and Mr. Fife was back in his old post as superintendent. There were no more Chautauqua meetings at Martha's Grove and there wasn't enough local business to make continued operation worthwhile. The summer of 1913 was the last and the tracks were torn up in the following year.
The 1907 report of the Railroad Commissioners mentions that the line was being operated by one Frank L. Meserve. Under an oral agreement with the company, he received all revenues, and, paid all costs of operations, and kept what money remained. Very little was spent on maintaining the road and in 1910, the Railroad Commissioners commented that new ties and ballast were greatly needed.
By 1913, one of the closed cars had been discarded. Meserve was no longer operating the line and Mr. Fife was back in his old post as superintendent. There were no more Chautauqua meetings at Martha's Grove and there wasn't enough local business to make continued operation worthwhile. The summer of 1913 was the last and the tracks were torn up in the following year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts
Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem. This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by making a donation today!
Click Here: Donation Options
The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.
Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban
The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.
Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project
Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding
the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
the Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.