Main Generating Station, Ceres, New York

photo credit: Bradford Landmark Society Collection

N. Y. & P. TRAINS WILL RUN SOON

McKean County Democrat September 18, 1919

The Bradford Star says: Residents of Shinglehouse, Pa., Ceres, Canisteo, N. Y., and several other towns along the line are extremely optimistic today over the announcement that the almost defunct New York & Pennsylvania railway is to be revived and given a new lease of life. This short line, which forms the only artery of travel to many of the towns in the New York southern tier and northern Pennsylvania has been dormant for over a year and the resumption of operations over the whole length of the line is a matter of deepest concern to residents of the towns along the route and to farmers in the vicinity.

Since the N. Y. & P. was tied up and the seriousness of the situation has been realized, a determined effort has been made to secure a subscription of sufficient funds to finance the road and to resume the running of trains along its entire length. John N. Stone, of Coudersport, has acted as chairman of the subscription committee and several other prominent business men along the line have urged the matter along. Their efforts finally met with success.

Sufficient funds have been subscribed and paid to secure the operation of the road. The money has been put up by several plants along the line, including the Empire Glass company at Shinglehouse, the Oswayo Chemical company at Coneville, Pa., and the Genesee Chemical company at Genesee, Pa., the business men of Shinglehouse, Greenville, Oswayo, Rexville, Canisteo and other towns along the line and many farmers on the route.

The Cobb Brothers, of Spring Mills, interested in the line retain substaintial interest under the reorganization.

A stockholders’ meeting was held on Wednesday at Canisteo at which directors were elected, among them several formerly on the board, including John Troy of Olean, John Lavens of Bradford, John Dunlop of New York City, W. W. Crittenden of Oswayo, and John Stone of Coudersport. A meeting of the directors will be held at Canisteo on Monday, at which officers and a superintendent will be elected and plans for reopening the line will be made. The road is capitalized at $350,000.

It is expected that the line will be in operation over its entire length within a few weeks. Rolling stock and motive power will be overhauled and repaired at once. About eight miles of track which was torn up on the New York end, will be relaid and several bridges will be repaired or rebuilt.

The New York & Pennsylvania railroad is 56 miles in length. It extends from Canisteo, N. Y., to Genesee, Pa., and thence to Ceres, Pa., entering Ceres, N. Y., over about a mile of the Shawmut’s track. It connects the Shawmut and the Western New York & Pennsylvania Traction company at Ceres with the Buffalo and Susquehanna railroad at Genesee, Pa., and with the Erie at Canisteo. It runs through the towns of Ceres, Milport, Coneville, Shinglehouse, Oswayo, Greenville, Rexville, and Greenwood.

Operation of the portion of the road in New York state was abandoned about a year ago, when the line failed to show sufficient profits. It was planned to abandon the entire line but an injunction was secured in Pennsylvania restraining the company and that portion of the line has continued in operation, with no outlet except the B. & S. railroad. Manufacturers and merchants along the railroad have been seriously hampered, especially since the trolley lines have been tied up. About eight miles of track on the New York end were torn up and it was planned to junk the entire road.

TRACTION CAR RAMS AUTO AT OLEAN

McKean County Democrat March 11, 1920

Mike Venoneni, who lives in North Union Street, may die as a result of internal injuries he received at 11:30 o’clock last night, when a new automobile which he was driving, was struck by a street car. Venoneni was turning the auto in front of 464 North Union Street when he got caught in the tracks. A local Western New York & Pennsylvania Traction company car collided with the machine, which was smashed to bits.

TROLLEY CARS CRASH

McKean County Democrat February 19, 1920

Four men were injured in a trolley wreck last evening at about 6 o’clock on the Rick City division of the Western New York & Pennsylvania Traction company’s system, between State Line and Knapp Creek.

Two of the men are badly hurt and are at the Bradford hospital. They are: A. H. Rhodes of Galeton, Pa., a passenger, who had both legs broken and sustained other injuries. His condition is considered serious; Oliver Bragg, of No. 82 Washington Street, this city, motorman; leg broken.

The two who were slightly injured are: H. D. Freer of New York, and Oscar L. Kehn, of Buffalo, passengers. The former’s face is bruised and the latter’s knee is hurt. They are at the St. James hotel.

Motorman Bragg and Conductor Arthur Lyons were in charge of the car for Olean and Motorman Deming and Conductor McElfresh of the car coming to Bradford. Both Messers Bragg and Rhodes were on the car bound for Olean and the other two on the Bradford bound car.

The officials of the trolley company are at present investigating the accident. Superintendent McCandless said early today that he had no reason to believe that either car ran past a block signal.

As soon as he was appraised of the accident Superintendent McCandless made arrangements for the removal of the injured men to Bradford. He at once went on a special car to the scene of the wreck, accompanied by Dr. W. C. Hogan and Dr. J. B. Stewart, who gave first aid to Bragg and Rhodes upon their arrival and then took them to the hospital where Dr. Hogan gave them further attention.

Dr. L. J. Joseph attended Messers Freer and Kehn at the St. James hotel.

When Motorman Deming saw that a collision was about to take place he jumped, while Mr. Freer, the only occupant of the smoker at the front end of the car, ran towards the rear before the crash.

Superintendent McCandless went to Olean today to make a thorough investigation of the accident with the company officials, but he reported this afternoon to this paper that no decision had been arrived at as to the cause of the collision. Motorman Deming, who had charge of one of the cars in the collision has been interviewed by the superintendent, but he claims to have been in the right. It is supposed that the injured motorman at the hospital will probably claim the same. The two cars in the accident were badly damaged, the vestibules being crushed in. They have been taken to Olean for repairs.

TRACTION PROPERTY IS SOLD

McKean County Democrat June 9, 1921

The Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co. was sold this morning at the court house in Little Valley to F. L. Bartlett of Olean and E. A. Mason of Philadelphia for $100,000.

John K. Ward of Olean acted as referee in the proceeding under which the sale was made and conducted the sale. To comply with legal requirement the property will again be sold in Bradford June 15.

STRIKE ON W. N. Y. & P. LINES

Employees Called Strike Tuesday Morning—Lines Tied Up

McKean County Democrat August 14, 1919

Not a wheel was turning on the W. N. Y. & P. Traction company’s lines today, owing to a strike among the employees, which includes the conductors, motormen, barn men, freight crews, operatives at Ceres power house and men at sub-stations, which went into effect early this morning.

The members of the Bradford local Amalgamated Association of Employees, held a meeting this morning at 3:25 o’clock and officially voted to strike in an effort to enforce demands made on the traction company about four weeks ago. The same action was taken earlier in the morning by the Olean union. The strike affects about 150 employees and ties up about 100 miles of traction line in McKean County, Pa., and in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, New York, including terminals at Bradford, Olean, Salamanca, Little Valley, Bolivar and Shinglehouse.

Reports came from Olean that about 200 men, including strikers surround the car barn, so it was thought best not to move the cars from the barn today, in order to avoid trouble. An attempt may be made later in the day there.

In order to deliver the United States mail to suburban points on the traction lines outside this city, Superintendent McCandless of Bradford taxied to the car barn at about 11 o’clock this forenoon, where he took a “mail” car. On the front and back of the car he tacked signs which bore the words, “United States Mails,” then proceeded with the car to the street car office to get the mail bags. Mr. McCandless went to Lewis Run and then up to Gillmore. He was accompanied on the trip by Section Foreman Thomas.

When Superintendent McCandless returned from his run to Lewis Run with the mail, he went to the trolley office and was there informed that two or three union men had been in to ask, it is said, if the superintendent knew that he was liable to $500 fine for carrying passengers on a mail car under strike conditions. They were real sore over the matter, according to the clerks in the office. Mr. McCandless said he did take three passengers on board and would take all he wished. He then left in the mail car for Ellis Camp with mail.

Following last night’s work, employees of the traction company in sessions held in this city and in Olean discussed the entire situation. The strike in this city has been quite apparent for many who made use of the line have had to procure taxis, trucks and other vehicles.

Yesterday afternoon the conference scheduled in the offices of W. R. Page, president of the W. N. Y. & P. Traction company, in Olean, was held between that official and others of the traction lines and representatives of the employees. Those present representing the traction company were President Page, General Superintendent L. W. Miller and W. K. Page of Olean and James P. Quigley of Salamanca, attorneys for the road, while Clarence F. Conroy of Buffalo, organizer of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees, and H. G. Cox and John Karl of Olean and M. Burgess of Bradford, members of the executive committee of the union, represented the organized employees. Representatives of Olean and Bradford press were also present.

James P. Quigley, representing the company, read a letter from officers of local No. 302 of the union, which asked for the conference fixed for yesterday and made the announcement that the company officials positively refused to treat with a union. It was stated that the right of the men to treat collectively any grievance was admitted, but it was emphasized that they must represent the employees as such and be empowered to deal finally on all subjects without outside interference. When the men were asked if they were so empowered, they replied that they represented the union and could only report back to that body any conclusion arrived at final decision to rest with the union as a unit. Charges were made by both sides of violations of agreements between unions and traction lines in other localities. No specific testimony was given by either side. Mr. Quigley asked the men if they had secured any definite information in regard to the company’s financial condition. The answer was in the negative. He further stated that the company was prepared to give to the men a fair percentage of the company’s earnings. It was also stated that the company’s officials were willing to be convinced if their financial reports were not correct.

When strike talk was on, Mr. Cox announced that no strike vote had been taken up to the time.

The Bradford union has been in session in Trades Assembly hall since 11:30 o’clock this morning. President Thomas Sheehan, president of the local organization, when interviewed this afternoon stated that what he and the other men wanted was recognition of the union. He said: “If Page recognizes the union we will be willing to arbitrate the wage question now or any time. But until he does meet our terms, we will continue to strike; we are union men to a man. Another thing, we want it known that we are conducting this strike in this just received word from Olean that a city as men and there will be no rough work from any of the men. I have car of strikebreakers is due here this afternoon from that city. It was stated that a small riot took place in Olean this morning between strikers and strikebreakers and that the windows of a car taken out by strikebreakers were demolished, while a stone blown, hit a passerby.

At 2:15 o’clock this afternoon a trolley car operated by non-union men arrived in this city from Olean, coming over the hill. They were unmolested en route and upon their arrival city, but nothing happened and the car left for home. It followed Superintendent McCandless’ mail car down Main Street, and the strikes followed it, so there was quite a procession. A good sized crowd gathered at the head of Main Street upon the arrival of the car at the trolley station.

TROLLEY ROAD GOES UNDER THE HAMMER

McKean County Democrat May 26, 1921

The little Illvver packs a terrible wallop, the Western New York & Pennsylvania Traction Company has learned. Like David of old, it had handed a knockout to a giant, and the traction lines will take the count, as far as the present management is concerned, June 4th, when the property will be sold at public sale to satisfy a judgment of foreclosure entered against it.

With the gaining popularity of the automobile, the Western New York & Pennsylvania, like other carriers of its kind, has been losing out. The sale will take place in the court house in Little Valley and will be conducted by John K. Ward, of this city, referee in the case. Plaintiff is the Equitable Trust Company of New York.

There are three cities on the lines, Olean and Salamanca, in New York, and Bradford in Pennsylvania. Residents of the villages of Allegany, Bolivar, Genesee, Portville, Knapps Creek and Little Valley, in New York, and Derrick City, Shinglehouse and Ceres in Pennsylvania, and the farms along the lines formerly came to the shopping centers on the electric cars. Revenue fell off greatly when the automobile became a popular transport.

Many setbacks have hit the traction company in the last five years, and these have all counted with the gasoline wagons toward sending the lines to the block. The carmen’s strike of two years ago was a big factor. The road was tied up for a period of more than one hundred days, and there was not one cent of revenue in all that time. The Olean carbarns and cars were damaged considerably by the rioting in this city.

OLEAN BRAD SALAMANCA

The streetcar was first introduced to Olean when The Olean Street Railway Company was organized as a stock concern on April 5, 1880. The Union Street line operated a horse drawn trolley, covering the 7,750 feet from the Erie Depot to Lincoln Park. The track was laid in the summer of 1880, and opened that fall. In 1891 the tracks were extended on West State Street as far as 14th Street. Both lines were equipped with horse-drawn cars until 1893, when electric cars were installed that summer. Wilson Rufus Page became the President and chief stock holder of the trolley line until it was abandoned in 1927. Gradually, over the years, the Streetcar Company became a wide-spread enterprise, dependable and economical. The Olean Street Railway built extensions of the trolley line to Allegany in 1894, Bolivar in 1902, and Shinglehouse in 1903. The Olean, Rock City and Bradford Street Railway built from Bradford to Lewis Run in 1901. These two companies were consolidated in 1906 into the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Company which completed the system by building from Salamanca to Allegany in 1907 and from Salamanca to Little Valley and Seneca Junction in 1908. With the consolidation and extension of these track lines a trip into two States was made possible.

“Irving Whitman Miller, my father, had charge of the construction of the line from Allegany to Salamanca, and then to Little Valley on the West, and from Portville to Ceres to Bolivar and to Shinglehouse on the East,” said Irving Wilson Miller, of his father’s coming to Olean.

“In 1897, at the age of three,” recalled Irving W. Miller, “we came to Olean. We lived in the Olean House for four years and then moved to West State Street next to what is now the Elk’s Club. While living in the Olean House, I remember the 43rd Separate Company march past on their way to the Spanish American War, and I remember well when the 19th century ended and the 20th century began.

FORD AND RAILWAY CO.

“The Streetcar Company’s first power plant, carbarn and offices were in the building at the foot of Union Street which is now occupied by Dow Company. As the line extended and the company became larger, there was a need for a larger power plant,” continued I. W. Miller.

“A new power plant was built about one mile from Ceres, which is now a skating rink called the Coliseum. That was the Streetcar Company’s second and last power. The offices were moved from the building on Union Street to a building across the alley from the Olean House which is now occupied by a liquor store. The downstairs consisted of a waiting room and offices; the upstairs consisted of private offices for the various officers of the corporation.

“The Streetcar Company had an interchange in North Olean with the Erie Railroad Company,” Mr. Miller continued. “The Streetcar Company would take full carloads of materials and distribute them to various places along the line. One of them was a branch line that ran from Union Street down Henley Street to St. Mary’s of the Angels Church. When the church was getting low on oil, the Streetcar Company would pick up a tank-car from the interchange in North Olean and take it to the church in the evening, hook it up to an oil line under the tracks, return in the morning, and take the empty car back to the interchange.”

In addition to the expanded passenger service, the trolley system carried freight. The gauge of the trolley tracks was the same as the railroad gauge. This meant that the railroad cars could be hauled by the special freight motors of a trolley. The Streetcar Company had switches with the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh, the Shawmut, the Pennsylvania, and the Erie Railroads.

Del Nutt, A former streetcar motorman, explained, “The freight business was big. They used to deliver freight to all the shops and stores along State Street and Union Street. Now, you take your meat markets, they would have a load of meat coming in, and the Trolley Company would take it from the BR&P interchange in Bradford or Salamanca, bring it into Olean, stop at the meat markets, carry the meat in and hang it on a hook. That was service!”

It took large amounts of electricity to operate the streetcars. Mr. Nutt recalled how they got their power.

“The main generating station was in Ceres and that generated 370 volts. That was stepped up to 19,000 volts and sent along high tension wires to four substations which contained rotary converters. There they brought the voltage back down to 370 volts A. C. and converted it to 550-600 volts D. C.”

Although trolley-men exercised extreme caution, Mr. Nutt remembered one unfortunate incident that occurred.

“Someone had shot an insulator off the high tension wire where it passed by the old fair grounds at 16th Street near the Weston’s Lumber Company. Apparently it came into contact with a telephone line because Leon T. Gooden, who was placing a call from Vandalia for orders, picked up the phone and got 19,000 volts. Mr. Gooden was a fine, upstanding member of the community. He left behind a wife and son.”

The Trolley Company used the block system to guarantee the safety of its operation. The block system was a system by which the trolley tracks were divided into short section. This required that the passenger car be on a scheduled, cleared track. The freight had to respect the passenger car schedule, and allow clearance time for the passenger car. Nutt explained in detail how this worked.

“We’d start at 15th Street, take that block, the light would light at St. Bonaventure and at 15th Street. Anyone coming in either direction would stop when they saw the red lights. When we got to the college we’d turn off the light with a block key, at 15th Street and, with the same key turn on the light in Allegany. There were five to seven minute sections all along. You would light the light ahead of you and put out the one behind you. In later years, after the block system was discontinued, dispatchers were used.

Although this system was practical and efficient, it wasn’t infallible,” Mr. Nutt told about car #59.

“That #59 was always in trouble. It was a bad luck car. On October 13, 1910, somebody got mixed up ‘in their blocks.’ Freight car #48 was coming toward Olean when it collided with passenger car #59 just below 5 Mile Creek on McCoy’s Curve near the McCoy barn. Earle Foote, the conductor of car #59, escaped injury. Charles Cook, the motorman on car #59, lost an arm. One man, a passenger, was killed. His name was William Scott.

“It was going to take more than one wreck to stop ol’ #59. It was sent to the car barn to be rebuilt. The car barn was a repair shop for the trolleys located at Union and Main Street in Olean. The barn had a carpenter shop, a paint shop, and an electric shop for winding armatures and making control repairs, and contained equipment to change wheels. After many such trips to the car barn, #59 ended up as a burned car in Salamanca and it was rebuilt as a combination baggage and passenger car. Car #59 was a plush car. It had red velvet seats. ‘59’ was a Brill, semi-convertible trolley. This Brill type of trolley car had windows that opened up and disappeared out of sight. It was ‘59’ that was used when V.I.P.’s traveled the trolley line. When not in use, ‘59’ was assigned to the extra car pool,” Mr. Nutt chuckled as he reminisced about the car.

The streetcar company owned places like Riverhurst where they took many people for pleasant outings. One place they did not own, however, was Rock City hill. One tale related to us about the owner was this one.

“James Brahaney was his name,” said the person. “He was an oil man. To see him, you wouldn’t think he had a dime, and even today people don’t know how much he was worth, probably in the millions. He wore greasy clothes and lived in a ramshackle house on Rock City hill.

“One time, Brahaney wanted to see the President of a large Buffalo bank, and the bank teller was going to throw him out. The teller went in and said to the President, ‘There’s a bum out here that wants to see you.’

‘What’s his name?’ queried the President of the bank.

‘Brahaney,’ replied the clerk.

‘You better get him in here quick,’ exclaimed the President, ‘or none of us will have a job!’

Part of the agreement James Brahaney had with the trolley company was that he would receive free passage on the line for allowing the Street Car Company the ‘right-of-way’ through his oil land on Rock City. When people on the trolley cars saw Mr. Brahaney getting on the trolley without paying, they grumbled and taunted him with nasty remarks.

It was never Mr. Brahaney’s nature to explain to ANYONE why he should ride free. To this very day, old time street car riders who might have ridden the line over Rock City, do not realize that part of the agreement with the trolley company to traverse the Brahaney property on Rock City, was that he, Mr. Brahaney, oilman, was to ride free …greasy clothes and all.

Each street car had a motorman and a conductor. The conductor, of course, punched tickets and took care of passengers. The motor-man operated the trolley. Gene Burneal was a former motor man who remembers his job. “The conductor used to call out the streets and places where we were stopping. He’d say ‘Knapps Creek’ or ‘Rock City.’ Then we’d come to ‘Hole-In-The-Fence.’ People would ask to get off at ‘Hole-In-The-Fence,’ which was a hole cut in a barbed wire fence for people to pass through. People got off at many points besides regular stations.” After a while he laughed and said, “I remember back around 1918, the women had tight dresses and skirts, called hobble skirts. Women had a hell of a time getting up the steps and into the trolley! They’d ‘hobble’ to the step of the car, try to jump up and get a set. Funniest thing you ever saw.”

Mr. Nutt recalled a near-disaster in which he was involved.

“I was pulling some cars across the Erie tracks at St. Bonaventure, and the power went out. There used to be a watchman’s shanty down there, and the watchman came out and said, ‘Hey, look at that smoke coming over there!’ Sure enough, a train was heading my way. There used to be a grade down there, and I tried to drive out the coupling pin that attached the cars to the motor car. I figured that the cars would drift back and clear the tracks while my motor car would be clear above the tracks. Fortunately, the power came back on, and I got everything through okay.”

By the 1920’s the trolley system had peaked, and began to decline. Many things led to the gradual fall of the trolley, but two factors stand out: the advent of the automobile and the strike in 1919.

As the automobile became more popular people stopped using the trolley for personal transportation. The trolley company then fell back on its large freight business. But as trucks became more powerful and able to carry freight economically, the need for the trolley declined.

Mr. Nutt related the story about the strike.

“A Union was organized in 1919 and the trolley men called it the ‘Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Employees of America’. When the trolley men went on strike, the company brought in a group of men to the car barn and a riot started. The rioters got one of those big cars moving and pushed it through the steel barn doors at Union Street. There was a junk heap down by the blacksmith’s shop in Boardmanville, and these finks that were brought to break up the strike were inside the carpenter’s shop. Well, there were skylights all along the carpenter shop and the Union men passed up scrap metal and threw it down on those finks. Some of the rioters included men from the Pennsylvania Railroad Shops. It turned into an awful vicious fight.

“Finally, the trolley company conceded. The Union got a raise of twenty-six cents per hour and the work day was shortened from thirteen hours to eight hours. That’s what ruined the company. They didn’t have the money to carry on and those were the days before subsidies.”

By the mid ‘20’s, the service to outlying areas began dropping. By 1927, a bus line was started, and after forty-seven years of operation, the trolley no longer ran in Olean. The Salamanca-Little Valley branch was abandoned in 1925; the Ceres-Bolivar branch, in 1926. The trolley company was declared insolvent and all real estate, equipment and rails were sold to the highest bidder in 1928. Most of the cars burned down with the car barns.

Only one car stands today. It is a narrow house located at 602 Front Street. Del Nutt recalled, “The very last trolley car to run down North Union Street to the car barn on schedule was car ‘102’, Bradford to Olean via Rock City and it was manned by this crew: James Sabatino, motorman and Leopold Baer, conductor. Leopold Baer was the father of Joe Baer.” Mr. Nutt said he remembered the date August 31, 1927 very well.

“Loren E. Nutt was the night foreman of the car barn, and he put the street cars away that night for the last time as they came into the barn after the day’s run. He had a crew of four men: Jake Cook, carcleaner and watchman, Tommy Harvison, repairman, Richard Freaney, repairman, and Max Olkowsky, repairman.

“Incidentally,” Del Nutt interrupted himself, “the street car line was correctly called the Olean, Bradford, and Salamanca Railway Company, or ‘O.B.S.’. Loren Nutt gave the order to pull the substation switch and shut off the power to the trolley lines at 12:55 A.M. September 1, 1927.

This past summer of 1977, people were able to see the old trolley tracks of the Olean, Bradford and Salamanca Railway Company as they existed on Union Street. Excavation of Union Street, so that it could be resurfaced, exposed the shiny rails of a once busy line. We were there for a moment in history, fifty years past. Still standing was the car barn at the North end of Union Street. The trolleys were gone, but for a moment in time, we could see a part of our history; the line was covered…solid and smooth. Benches and trees now enhanced pleasant crosswalks. A fitting monument to the era of the trolleys of the Olean, Bradford and Salamanca Railway Company, 1880-1927.

TROLLEY TRIP IN TWO STATES

In the valley bordering the Allegany River, shadowed by the Allegany Mountains, 2,400 feet above sea-level, passengers of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Company were carried into the center of the most beautiful scenery of McKean, Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties. The trolley trip into two states was two hours from Buffalo, Rochester, and Chautauqua, three from Niagara Falls, four from Toronto, six from Pittsburg, and a night or day ride from New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore.

For a ‘day’s outing’, shelter, refreshments, and recreation were provided by the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Company’s pavilion on the mountain top at the city of rocks (Rock City), and among the pines ‘at the river’ at Riverhurst Park. If a visitor desired a longer stay, there were hotels at Bradford, Olean and Salamanca that offered accommodations equal to hotel life of any of the greater cities. As the trolley traveler rode along the trolley line, he viewed cottages of residents scattered here and there along the route. Names on the gate posts distinguished such places as ‘Hill Crest’, ‘Bon Air’, ‘Lyndhurst’, and ‘Arkwood’. Tents could occasionally be seen among the trees during the hot summer months.

Though the altitude on the trolley run was higher than Lake Placid in the Adirondacks, the picturesque mountains were not rugged in character, nor did they tower too high above the viewer. Wooded areas stretched far away into the horizon protecting the wild deer, and protecting bass and trout fishing within its streams. In the woods, nature lovers found boundless treasures. Every variety of trees and plants grew in this latitude. One can only imagine the ferns, green carpets of moss, paths among the beech, chestnut and maple trees. The silence of the woods was broken only by the singing of birds and the chattering of squirrels.

The trolley car ran over the mountain line throughout the year. The hills never lost their fascination for the traveler. In summer, one viewed beds of wintergreen and areas covered with ground pine, trailing Arbutus, wild Azalea, and honeysuckle. Mountain Laurel grew in shaded spots. As blooms faded, edible berries began to ripen. From the trolley, one could alight and join the scores of ‘berry pickers’ who were filling their buckets with ripened raspberries, blackberries and huckleberries, ‘to take home for pies, jams and jellies.’ Nor did the area lose its fascination in winter when the snowclad mountainous route replaced the glorious colors of the autumn leaves. The trolley cars ‘Over Rock City to Bradford’ were always loaded with passengers.

The trip into two states rivaled comparison for its atmosphere, purity of water and natural scenery. The trip was advertised as ‘Great for alleviating cases of Asthma, hayfever, bronchial and lung infection.’ It was recommended by ‘Climatologists’ and medical authorities. In fact, the well-known ‘Rocky Crest Sanitarium’ for tuberculosis and other diseases of the chest and lungs, was founded for this specific reason.

The route of the trolley traversed the heart of the Pennsylvania Oil District. It crossed and recrossed the historic state highway known as the old Kittanning Road. Thousands of viewers witnessed the process of oil and natural gas production. Imagine the sight when a trolley rider witnessed a well, 2,000 feet in depth, spouting oil over a derrick that had been ‘shot with a torpedo.’ Or imagine the sight when the traveler heard the roar and blast of millions of cubic feet of natural gas shooting into the air. Curiosities which we today are concerned for economic survival.

However, the crowning attraction of the trolley run ‘into two states’ had to be the ‘City of Rocks’ known to us as Rock City. Nothing seemed to surpass it in the Northeastern States, excepting only Niagara Falls. Here nestled high above Olean’s streets was a grand view of nature’s ruins. Here were immense boulders broken from mountain tops, seemingly scattered in confusion, as if torn by an angry giant from their original mountain sites. Down deep between the rocks were cool, moss lined fissures with stairways that led to a labyrinth of pathways where the sun’s rays never entered. These monoliths of Rock City were known by individual names, as ‘the Arch Rock’, ‘the Sentinels’, the ‘Twin Sisters’ and the ‘Three Sister’.

The principal office of the trolley company was located in Olean, New York. A second office was located in Bradford, Pennsylvania. These two cities were the terminals of the Rock City Route. The Traction Company owned and operated the city trolley systems of Bradford, Olean, and Salamanca. Olean was considered the center of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Company. Route lines ran from Olean to Salamanca, from Olean to Bolivar and Shinglehouse, and from Olean to Bradford by way of Rock City. Cars of the company ran through Union and State Street to North Olean, to Boardmanville and to the Olean Bartlett Country Club. It ran to the Olean Club because a proposed line would have connected at Queen Street. It was supposed that Olean would develop as a city in that direction.

Trolley cars on the route took passengers directly to the railroad stations of the Pennsylvania and Shawmut lines. Passengers from the railroads were able to transfer to city trolley cars through to Bradford. At Clarkdale, they could go on to Limestone and Seneca Junction. At Bradford, a line went to DeGolia, Custer City, and Lewis Run. Continuing on down the main line, Bell’s Camp was located 250 feet in altitude above Bradford where the trolley line entered Foster Brook Valley and on into the villages of Gilmore and Derrick City.

Clarkdale was the last station outside of Bradford and Tuna, and to Limestone where an important tannery was located. This junction line continued on into Irvine Mills, Riverside Junction, crossed the Pennsylvania Railroad, passed over the Allegheny River at High Bridge (a lofty engineering feat) on to Seneca Junction. Here the line went Westward from Olean. Trolleys leaving Clarkdale from Bradford stopped on signal at the Edgewood Club.

In regards to population, manufacturing and volume of business, Bradford was the most important point on the trolley system. In fact, it was the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania, excepting the city of Erie. Bradford was a junction for the Erie, Pennsylvania and Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroads. It was not only a manufacturing center, but it was also a commercial center for the oil industry. The City of Bradford included independent oil refineries as well as factories that manufactured chemical products.

Bradford and Lewis Run became famous for their high quality brick and terra cotta. Bradford was noted for its model hospital, its public library, beautiful theatre, excellent hotels, among which were the St. James, Holley, and Bay State.

The trolley line in Bradford extended to Congress, Mechanic, Washington, Bennett and School Streets, and Jackson Avenue. The trolley line ran to Lewis Run, seven miles away, stopped at Driving Park, South Bradford, the Country Club, DeGolia and Custer City. An important chemical wood factory was situated in Lewis Run, as well as an important brick manufacturing industry.

About fifteen minutes ride on the trolley from Union Street in Olean, past Westons Mills, the car stopped at Riverhurst Park. This pleasant park and pleasure ground was situated on the east bank of the Allegheny River. The park, itself, was a beautiful grove of tall, stately pine trees whose fallen needles covered the ground. Riverhurst contained a pavilion and restaurant for dancing. Recreation of all sorts were available; games, a rifle range and a merry-go-round were within easy reach of the tourist. In a sense, the Riverhurst of yester-year was the Disney-land of today. Serving tables, settees were available in areas where ‘basket picnics’ were held. On the Allegheny River, itself, boating, fishing, and swimming were provided for the pleasure of visiting parties.

Resuming, ‘up river’, the trolley car stopped in the village of Portville and on to White House. The car line followed the Oswayo to the village of Ceres. Ceres was founded in the latter part of the 18th century. It is one of the earliest white settlements in our region. It was here at Ceres that the Traction Company erected its principal power plant. The plant contained huge gas engines which generated electricity for a hundred miles of trolley wire. The engines were powered with natural gas produced by the company from its own gas wells.

From Ceres, the trolley line into two states, branched northward through Little Genesee to the terminus at Bolivar, N. Y. Bolivar was the heart of the Allegany Oil Field. South of Bolivar, lay Shinglehouse. At Shinglehouse, flourished a glass and a bottle factory. Trolley travelers were invited to visit these industries.

Passing down West State Street in Olean, the first stop was at the platform of St. Bonaventure College and then St. Elizabeth’s Convent…then on to the village of Allegany. Bending and twisting, the line came to the hamlet of Vandalia where a heavy grade of oil was produced. This oil was considered the finest natural lubricating oil in the world.

From the station at Seneca Junction, the next regular stop was at Carrollton. Here, the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg tracks passed over the Erie. Killbuck was a mill village and Salamanca was the next station.

Salamanca had a population of 8,000 people. It was third in importance in the trolley system. Salamanca contained the Erie yards and round-house as well as the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg shops. Branch trolley lines ran to East Salamanca; through West Salamanca and Elkdale to Little Valley, the county seat. Little Valley at that time was the location of a flourishing cutlery industry.

Olean was a junction for the Erie, Pennsylvania, and Shawmut and Northern Railroad. Important yards and shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad were established in Olean. Huge tanneries, glass plants, and extensive refineries of the Vacuum Oil Co. were located in North Olean. Olean was the home of ‘Governor Higgins’, a wide, paved Main Street, Boardmanville, North Olean, and the famous Olean House.

Upon leaving Olean, the route crossed the Allegheny River within the city limits and the ascent began immediately. The road bed rose upon trestles, almost at a uniformed grade not exceeding 150 feet to the mile. The roadbed was constructed of sandstone which glistened with a crystal whiteness. Far up the mountain, the traveler on the trip into two states made his principal turn. This was the so-called famous ‘Loop’. From the upper part of the Loop, one could see thousands of acres of wooded hills. As the trolley speeded and slacked near the summit, and sometimes stopped, the viewer could see the city and streets of Olean in the distance.

At this point, ‘Grand View’, in the fall of the year with its autumnal foliage of the hills, was indescribable. A little further on from the Grandview was an elevated point called ‘Flat Rock’. Rock City was one of the first stops of passengers outside of Olean.

There was a little village at Rock City and as the trolley car stopped, the visitors, picnickers, and tourists walked their way through the gate to the park and pathways that led to the crest of the famous rocks. Here the Traction Company had, among a grove of chestnut trees, built a spacious pavilion. This pavilion included a restaurant, a hall for amusements, and a hall for music and dancing. A lecture pavilion was also erected. Graveled walks led to Rock Spring. Rock Spring was a mineral spring where flower beds and comfortable seats welcomed the thousands of visitors to Rock City on a warm summer day.

Three miles beyond Rock City was the village of Knapps Creek. Knapps Creek was located near the boundary line of Pennsylvania and New York, and beyond was the station of State Line. Here two Pennsylvania Valleys converged and a reminder of the old westward movement was apparent. A primitive wilderness came into view. From this location, passengers were told that they could see a road reputed to have been laid out by George Washington. From State Line, the trolley took a drop of about 360 feet down hill into Bell’s Camp where a sanitarium was located. The line then ran on to Gilmore, Derrick City, Foster Brook and to the city of Bradford.

The opportunity for a trolley ride into two states is gone now. The Penn Traction Company Right-of-ways are abandoned and overgrown. Highways span the trolley routes.

Gone are the trolleys of picnickers, the pavilions at Rock City and at Riverhurst, the band in the park, the merry-go-round and its calliope music. Only the wind whispers nostalgic memories through the tall stately pine trees at Riverhurst of an era not too long ago.

Sometimes we wish we could once again buy a ticket at the Union Street Station in Olean…take a trolley ride into two States and travel into the past of nostalgic memories of not too long ago.

TROLLEY LINES

We’ve been reporting about area trolleys these past few columns, specifically the trolleys of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co. They were recalled in an interesting story written in the mid-70s by Karen Crowley for Olean High School’s literary magazine Sandpumpings. Regrettably, the magazine is no longer being published but in its time it was quite a publication.

Today, in our next-to-final report on the subject, we turn to some of the other highlights and sidelights in Karen’s account. Tomorrow we’ll look at the many photographs and drawings illustrating her story.

Her comments about Bradford during the highlight days of the trolley system are interesting:

“In regards to population, manufacturing and volume of business, Bradford was the most important point on the trolley system. In fact, it was the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania, excepting the city of Erie.

“Bradford was a junction for the Erie, Pennsylvania and Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroads. It was not only a manufacturing center, but it was also a commercial center for the oil industry. The city of Bradford included independent oil refineries as well as factories that manufactured chemical products from wood (charcoal, alcohol).”

Karen continues:

“Bradford and Lewis Run became famous for their high quality brick and terra cotta. Bradford was noted for its model hospital, its public library, beautiful theatre, excellent hotels, among which were the St. James, Holley and Bay State.”

This description of the extent of the trolley lines in Bradford is interesting:

“The trolley line in Bradford extended to Congress, Mechanic, Washington, Bennett and School Streets and Jackson Avenue. The trolley line ran to Lewis Run, seven miles away, stopped at Driving Park, South Bradford, the Country Club, DeGolia and Custer City. An important chemical wood factory was situated in Lewis Run as well as an important brick manufacturing industry.

Earlier in this report, we mentioned not only Rock City but Riverhurst Park.

What of this park?

It was situated on the east bank of the Allegheny River, “about 15 minutes ride on the trolley from Union Street in Olean, past Westons Mills.

“The park, itself, was a beautiful grove of tall stately pine trees whose fallen needles covered the ground. Riverhurst contained a pavilion and restaurant for dancing. Recreation of all sorts was available; games, a rifle range and a merry-go-round were within easy reach of the tourist. In a sense, the Riverhurst of yesteryear was the Disneyland of today.” Karen added that on the Allegheny River, boating, fishing and swimming were also available.

Join us tomorrow as we look at the many illustrations which accompany Karen’s story about “Trolley Trip in Two States,” an interesting “remembrance of things past.”

END OF THE LINE

These past several days, we’ve been reliving the pleasures of riding the trolleys of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co., which served this interstate area many years in days gone by. We found considerable material—in words and pictures—in “Trolley Trip in Two States,” written by Karen Crowley for Olean High School’s Sandpumpings about a decade and a half ago. The article is profusely illustrated and credit for assembling the art is given to Del Nutt.

The title page shows several open, connected cars filled with people attired in the fashions of the early years of this century. They were passengers on a “Sunday School Special” from Little Valley, N.Y. to Rock City.

Let’s together look at all these pictures! A detailed plan of Rock City. A view of “Arkwood,” the Hon. R.B. Stone’s summer home, atop the hilly terrain between Olean and Bradford. The prominent Bradford attorney and civic leader was the author of McKean, the Governor’s County. Next, a 1913 photo shows a most impressive Rock City pavilion.

All aboard—one of the trolleys is waiting at the entrance to Rock City Park. Meanwhile, an imposing Hotel Bonair at Rock City awaits your check-in. Two Rock City features: the spring and Three Sisters Rock.

To Little Valley we go for a view cast from Park Street as a trolley passes by. Now we’re in front of Salamanca’s Hotel Dudley looking south of Main Street. A trolley is approaching as two horses hauling a handsome enclosed carriage wait patiently at the curb across the street.

We’re now pulling in to the trolley station at Seneca Junction. Sharing the page is a view of downtown Bradford in 1880—111 years ago!—captured from Mount Raub.

It’s a snowy day on Olean’s North Union Street as a trolley moves along. It’s long ago. Look at those vintage autos! How about that open touring car!

And here’s the famous Loop on the trolley line “over the mountains” between Olean and Rock City—an “S” curve.

Here’s the corner of Union and State Streets in Olean, with three trolleys in sight. The present park was there then; so was the long-since replaced city hall. A horse-drawn wagon has just moved through the intersection, proceeding east.

Riverhurst Park, described yesterday in RTS, comes in for four photos—an Allegheny River view; the pavilion in 1910; a scenic-stroll picture and the park’s merry-go-round.

Meanwhile, a trolley moves along Portville’s Main Street and another one proceeds along the lower end of Shinglehouse’s Oswayo Street in 1907. Buildings in the background: Dodge Hardware Co., Bank Block and the Imperial Hotel.

There’s a good shot of a trolley proceeding in front of the Arlington Hotel on Academy Street in Shinglehouse. The hotel opened on Jan. 2, 1902. The structure burned eight times but was rebuilt each time. The right side of the building was the public library. The Shinglehouse jail was beneath the library. At the rear was a room used for the high school gymnasium and for roller skating. The portion remaining became the site of St. Theresa’s Church.

It has been a long, long time since the clang of the bells and the clatter of the cars have been heard on either side of the state line. The trolleys of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co. have long since moved off into memory and history.

Just for the record, the last street car in Bradford moved off into history at midnight Sept. 30, 1927.

MOUNTAIN TROLLEY

The past couple of columns have been devoted to the trolley service provided many years ago to McKean, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties by the Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co. We’ve been specifically “riding the trolley” over the mountains between Olean and Bradford, using as our source and guide a story written in the mid-‘70s by Karen Crowley for Olean High School’s literary magazine of those times, Sandpumpings.

As we parted company for the weekend on Saturday, we pointed out that trolley passengers often enjoyed a close-up look at activity in the Pennsylvania Grade crude oil fields.

As Karen wrote:

“The route of the trolley traversed the heart of the Pennsylvania Oil District. It crossed and recrossed the historic highway known as the old Kittanning Road. Thousands of viewers witnessed the process of oil and natural gas production.

“Imagine the sight when a trolley rider witnessed a well, over 2,000 feet in depth, spouting oil over a derrick that had been ‘shot with a torpedo.’ Or imagine the sight when the traveler heard the roar and blast of millions of cubic feet of natural gas shooting into the air. Curiosities which we are today concerned for economic survival.”

Then, Karen turned again to what she termed “the crowning attraction of the trolley run into two states.” She wrote that it had to be the “City of Rocks” known as Rock City.

She observed:

“Nothing seemed to surpass it in the Northeastern States, excepting only Niagara Falls. Here nestled high above Olean’s streets was a grand view of nature’s ruins. Here were immense boulders broken from mountain tops, seemingly scattered in confusion, as if torn by an angry giant from their original mountain sites. Down deep between the rocks were cool, mosslined fissures with stairways that led to a labyrinth of pathways where the sun’s rays never entered. These monoliths of Rock City were known by individual names, as ‘the Arch Rock,’ the ‘Twin Sisters’ and the ‘Three Sisters.’”

Karen embellished here report with much additional data, describing the trolley line’s other trackage, for example.

The company owned the city trolley systems here, in Olean and in Salamanca. Lines ran from Olean to Salamanca, for Olean on to Bolivar and Shinglehouse and, of course, that route from Olean to Bradford via Rock City. Cars ran through Olean to North Olean, Boardmanville and the Bartlett Country Club.

Trolleys took passengers to the railroad stations of the Pennsy and Shawmut lines. Railroad passengers were able to transfer to city trolley lines through to Bradford. At Clarkdale, the last station on that branch outside of Bradford and Tuna, passengers could travel on to Limestone and Seneca Junction. From Bradford, another line went to DeGolia, Custer City and Lewis Run.

Continuing on down the main line, meanwhile, Bell’s Camp was 250 feet in altitude above Bradford where the trolley line entered Foster Brook Valley and the villages of Gilmore and Derrick City.

We’ll take a final look tomorrow at this memorable chapter in the region’s past—the day of the trolley lines.

KAREN’S REPORT

We have never met Karen Crowley but her story on “Trolley Trip in Two States” for an issue of the Olean, N.Y. High School publication, Sandpumpings, back in the ‘70s is a model of clear, colorful and eminently readable expository writing about a subject of compelling interest—a yesteryear trolley ride right here in this interstate region of forest, field, hills and streams.

With due credit to her and the since-departed secondary school magazine, we hope to recapture the excitement generated by travel aboard a Western New York and Pennsylvania Traction Co. trolley “into the center of the most beautiful scenery of McKean, Allegany and Cattaraugus counties.”

Apparently, passengers sometimes came from afar, for the writer points out: “The trolley trip into two states was two hours from Buffalo, Rochester and Chautauqua, three from Niagara Falls, four from Toronto, six from Pittsburgh and a night or day ride from New York, Philadelphia or Baltimore.”

The article, richly descriptive, is further enhanced by a representative collection of quality photographs, maps and other illustrations. Del Nutt receives a credit line for providing the art work.

Altogether, the overall effect is to create an exciting but obviously never-to-be-fulfilled wish to enjoy such a ride today. Alas! We have but remembrances of things past created by words and pictures. They perform a valuable service in bringing the past fleetingly to life again.

Karen wrote that for a typical day’s outing, the traction company offered shelter, refreshments and recreation to the trolley traveler. All this was made available in the company’s pavilion “on the mountain top at the city of rocks (Rock City) and among the pines ‘at the river’ at Riverhurst Park.”

Karen observed that for visitors wishing longer stays in the area, hotels in Bradford, Olean and Salamanca provided “accommodations equal to hotel life of any of the greater cities.”

“Though,” as Karen reported, “the altitude of the trolley line” between Olean and Bradford “was higher than Lake Placid in the Adirondacks, the picturesque mountains were not rugged in character, nor did they tower too high above the viewer.”

The woods are described as stretching “far away into the horizon protecting the wild deer, and protecting bass and trout fishing within its streams. In the woods, nature lovers found boundless treasures” and Karen proceeded to list them in colorful detail.

For example, various kinds of berries grew in abundance along the route and trolley passengers could alight to pick their share.

The trolley trip over the mountain line was available throughout the year and the snow-covered route, for example, had a wintertime fascination all its own.

The interstate trip, Karen observed, “rivaled comparison for its atmosphere, purity of water and natural scenery.” She went on: “The trip was advertised as ‘Great for alleviating cases of Asthma, hayfever, bronchial and lung infection.’ It was recommended by “Climatologists’ and medical authorities. In fact, ‘Rocky Crest Sanitarium’ for tuberculosis and other diseases of the chest and lungs, was founded for this specific reason.”

A TROLLEY RAILWAY; BRADFORD TO ELDRED,

To Extend Through Red Rock and Duke Centre

ROAD PRACTICALLY ASSURED

Meeting Held Monday Night at Mills’ Hall, Duke Centre, Took Favorable Action—A Committee Appointed to Arrange Preliminary Details For Organizing a Company, Securing Pledges of Financial Support, Right of Way, Etc.—Important Undertaking.

A largely attended meeting of interested persons was held tonight at Mills’ hall, here, to discuss the feasibility of constructing an electric railway line between Bradford and Eldred by way of Red Rock, Duke Centre and Rixford.

At the meeting were a number of prominent property owners and other public spirited citizens, who were all enthusiastic over the possibility of the project.

J. C. Mills of Duke Centre presided. It was the sense of the meeting that immediate efforts be made to organize a company and place stock. The proposed company will be capitalized at about $100,000.

A committee to look after the details of securing right of way, pledges of financial support, etc., was appointed, consisting of the following well-known citizens of the county: Messrs. E. B. Sage, J. C. Mills, F. E. Myers, H. T. Breese, Ernest Parks, Thomas Kervin and J. S. Brown.

The meeting adjourned to meet in two weeks at the same place.

A trolley road such as is outlined in the present plans, will be of inestimable value to people living along the proposed line and will also be of great advantage to Bradford, opening up at thickly settled portion of the county, which, now, so far as modern transportation facilities are concerned, is practically isolated from that city during the muddy seasons.

The success of the venture now seems to be assured.

NEW TROLLEY LINE PROPOSED

A project is under consideration for the construction of an electric trolley line from Bradford to Eldred, by the way of Duke Centre and Rixford. On Monday night a meeting of persons interested in the proposed undertaking will be held at Mill’s hall, Duke Centre, for the purpose of considering mode of procedure, deciding questions of preferable routes and plans to be adopted to ensure a speedy completion of the line.

THE STREET RAILWAY

It Must Be Completed Before July 1—Councils in Session

Councils held a session last night, at which considerable routine business was transacted. In the Select Branch, City Engineer Winfree recommended the appointment of J. L. Andrews as inspector of Mechanic Street paving and the recommendation was approved. Mayor Fagnan withdrew his nomination of Robert Williams as extra driver, and substituted the name of C. J. Flick. The Select Councilmen seemed to favor Mr. Flick’s appointment, but as he is at present the Second Assistant Engineer of the Fire Department, they wanted to know whether he intended to resign that position, and laid the matter over for another week.

W. L. Chapman was awarded the contract for building and repairing sidewalks for the present year and B. F. Hazelten was given the contract for furnishing lumber. The contract for decorating the public parks was awarded to the Oak Hill florist. E. D. Schneider will furnish bread and butter for the city lockup. A resolution by Paul instructing the Street Commissioner to place a watering trough at the foot of Main Street was referred. Several tax exonerations were considered.

Residents of the Sixth ward petitioned Councils to compel the street railway to complete its line down Jackson Avenue to the city line. A resolution directing the City Solicitor to notify the Street Railway Company that the road must be completed before July 1, was adopted.

Bonds from the city of Bradford to Mrs. Jane Zane, Mrs. E. M. Nugent and L. M. Brink, were approved. Bids for printing and stationery were read and referred.

The O., R. C. & B. railroad company has received two new observation cars for service this summer. They are single truck cars and will be used in the place of the heavy double truckers that were run last summer between this city and Olean.

BRIDGES DAMAGED

The North Street foot bridge was placed out of commission by the flood, the ice and water smashing the supports and breaking the east end clear of its fastening. The structure was prevented from floating down stream by ropes attached to the west end. No repairs can be made until the water subsides considerably, and in the meantime the bridge is in danger of being racked to pieces. Three years ago the structure was swept away by the flood. It will cost about $200 to make the necessary repairs to the bridge. Street car traffic over the trolley bridge spanning Kendall Creek, on the Melvin farm, was entirely suspended on Friday and Saturday, in consequence of the underpinning of the structure having been broken by the gorged ice. Oars were run from Bradford to the bridge, and the passengers for suburban points were compelled to transfer at that place. The structure will be in readiness for traffic today.

POLICE WILL CHECK ON TROLLEY CAR SPEED ON E. MAIN ST.
Following the protest filed by City Clerk E. C. Charlton Jr. with the Olean, Bradford and Salamanca Railway against the speeding of trolley cars along East Main Street. Chief of Police Ernest Travis has instructed his traffic officer to check up on the speed at which cars are operated on that thoroughfare.

“Street cars are governed by the same speed limit within the city limits as other vehicles,” said the chief last night. “We seldom made arrests of autoists under 20 miles an hour.”

“If we find that the trolleys are exceeding this speed we can proceed against the operator in the same manner that we would against an autoist who is caught speeding,” said Travis.

TO IMPROVE TROLLEY LINES

In connection with the proposed sale of the Bradford Street Railway and the O., R. C. & B. trolley line to Philadelphia capitalists, it is said that the new owners will make material improvements and changes in the lines. The Bradford system will receive especial attention and according to reports over $100,000 will be expended in improvements to equipment and roadbed. At Olean, the O., R. C., & B. line, instead of following the present course out West State Street, will go out South Union Street, across the river and over Wildcat Creek, connecting with the present trolley line near Five Mile. None of the reports can be verified, owing to the absence of the officials from the city. President Pierce and General Manager Hudson have been in Philadelphia during the past week in conference with the reputed purchasers of the two lines.

PARKS OPEN MAY 30TH

With the Opening of the Parks May 30th, The Western New York & Pennsylvania Traction Co., will put forth every effort to increase the accommodations, to its passengers, special pains will be taken by employees at the pavilions, to make everything pleasant for picnic parties, large or small. Dance halls have been put in first class shape for the summer’s entertainments, and we solicit your patronage. The parks can be reserved by calling at General Office, Olean, and the Office at Bradford. We will endeavor to hold dates exclusively for large picnic parties, such as churches, lodges, etc. When such dates are arranged for, we earnestly solicit early bookings, in order to avoid crowding to such an extent as to make proper care impossible.

Information cheerfully furnished by Agents or General Passenger Agent, Olean, N. Y.


Map of the trolley system