Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY
DUBUQUE STREET RAILWAY COMPANY. Organized on October 1, 1867, the Company listed among its officers Platt SMITH, Julius K. GRAVES, Henry L. STOUT, and John THOMPSON. With capitalization at $75,000, contracts for building and supplying the route were signed with Charles Hathaway of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Work on the route began on November 17. The first STREETCARS ran from the southern terminus of the ferry landing below Jones Street to Main and then north along Main to Thirteenth, to Clay, Eighteenth, and Couler Avenue. Continuing northward, the route ended at the fair grounds. Five cars began operations on May 23, 1868, with fifteen horses.
The Company was leased to Platt Smith and James Hughes until 1876 when Joseph H. RHOMBERG, John J. LINEHAN, and Bart E. LINEHAN purchased the franchise and reduced the fare from ten cents to a nickel. Conductors on the cars were paid forty-five dollars per month. The cars ran their route so frequently that they passed each other every five minutes. A round trip took one hour.