Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
UNION ELECTRIC COMPANY: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 03:58, 7 August 2013
UNION ELECTRIC COMPANY. Incorporated on August 13, 1900, to provide ELECTRIC POWER to Dubuque, the company was the consolidation of two street railway systems, the Rhomberg line and the Allen & Sweeney line and the Star Electric Company which furnished electricity for light and power. The 1913 Dubuque and Dubuque County Directory stated that this business was located at the foot of 8th.
The company listed as its officers Frank D. STOUT, president; William S. MOLO, vice-president; E. A. Engler, secretary; George W. Kiesel, treasurer; and W. J. Brown, manager.
Capitalized at $1,382,000, the Union Electric was unique in its lack of need for money from outside investors. No bonds were issued as the incorporators treated the stock as a personal investment and paid for improvements themselves. Immediately after forming, the company began tearing out old tracks and got rid of old cars replacing both with up-to-date equipment.
In 1911 Dubuque residents were among the few in the United States to have "two rides for a nickel." Dubuque was also the only city in Iowa where a ten minute service was in operation all day long, every day of the year and where a five minute service was maintained during the rush hours from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Union Electric operated 17.5 miles of street railway track and maintained seventy cars in service to handle traffic. All the cars were electrically heated which was not common in the industry. When the "pay as you enter" cars were introduced, Dubuque was the first city in the United States operating "single trunk" cars to adopt the plan. Union Electric also provided light and power to all parts of the city. UNION PARK, operated by the company, was the only park of its type in the United States maintained exclusively by a street railway company.
Stockholders included all the officers with John Peter ELLWANGER, B. E. Linehan, Peter KIENE, Charles H. EIGHMEY, and Benjamin William LACY. In 1916 Dubuque Electric Company took over the operation of Union Electric.