Electric Trolley Comes To North Olean

The car barns at the end of N. Union Street. THE ELECTRIC TROLLEY CAR CAME TO NORTH OLEAN

For several years past Olean’s small dingy and slow moving horse trolley had been an eyesore. Olean’s insufficient and unsatisfactory street railway service had been the cause of much profanity on the part of the traveling public. At last, large commodious and handsome trolleys would replace the little old “bob-tailed” trolley. The poor, patient beasts that were wont to laboriously pull the cars along were turned out to pasture and the new cars were propelled rapidly up and down the streets by the “wonder worker of the nineteenth century, electricity.” The clang of the gong, warning people to keep out of the way of the swiftly moving trolley, was sweet music in the ears of the people, who had long desired to hear it.

The president of the Street Railway Company, John Forbes, was the most important man in Olean on June 20, 1893. For two or three years he had been promising the people of Olean an electric street railway service. He had been working on the project all the time, but the rapid fruitation of his plans was hindered in several ways, and his progress was necessarily slow. The people had waited so long for the trolley that many had begun to lose interest in the scheme. Even after the track was laid, the trolley wire strung and the new trolley cars had arrived there were many who said that they would have faith in the enterprise only when they saw the cars running.

The first trolley car came spinning up State Street about 5 o’clock on a Saturday evening and headed down State Street to the terminus of the road at St. Bonaventure College, hence it returned to Olean causing much excitement.

On July 15, 1893, there was much more excitement when the first electric car was run over the main line from the city building to the Erie Depot in North Olean. Among those who occupied the trolley with President Forbes and Mrs. Forbes was G. H. Strong, secretary and treasurer; Thomas Gilligan, director; Mayor Turner, Aldermen Ball Swarts, Tarbell, Dean and Dolan; electrician, George Waller, who superintended the construction of the electric road; electrician L. M. Sheldon of the General Electric Company, who fitted up the cars and power house; representatives of the Herald and Times; and several lady and gentlemen friends of the president and directors of the road. The car was advertised to start at 7 o’clock, but a drizzling rain delayed the arrival of the party, who were to enjoy the trip. Just as the trolley started, however, the rain ceased, the clouds parted in the western sky, the bright rays of the setting sun burst forth and a beautiful rainbow of promise spanned the western sky.

It was the first trip over the Union Street track that was lined on both sides with people who gazed with admiration and shouted with approval as the trolley passed by.

Superintendent E. E. Rogers and Motorman John Daley were in charge of the trolley. Both were trusted employees of the street railway company for a long time. The trolley made the trip to North Olean in fifteen minutes despite delays caused by obstructions on the new track. Another trolley was put on the Union Street line and the two crowded trolleys continued to carry passengers for free during the reminder of the evening.

Needless to say, Chief Shaffer had to issue a warning that the first boy caught placing stones or other obstructions on the street railway track would be made an example of since the law provided a severe penalty for the crime. The chief also made it clear that the first boy caught using a slingshot would be arrested and punished.

On August 12, 1919, the employees of the W.N.Y. & P. Traction Company voted to strike for better working conditions and wages. There was a huge railroad strike in Chicago that made the paper; therefore the workers here must have thought they would accomplish some benefits from striking also. This was a mean and threatening strike and many men were hurt. When the company called in scabs to replace the strikers this set off a rage that embroiled the workers and many sympathizers. Olean experienced the wildest night in its history when a frenzied mob of 5000 took the law into their own hands, and acted in absolute disregard of city and county authorities.

The intensity reached it height, when it was decided to take the scabs from the car barns to the police station for protection. This action only inflamed the mob more. Chief Police Dempsey and others risked their lives trying to transport the scabs from the car barns to the station and since there was such a mob it was difficult to make any headway. The mob was shouting, “Rush them, kill them.” As the authorities tried to make a line through the mob to get the scabs in and out of the cars, the mobs belted the scabs with stones and fists and many of them were injured and bloody upon their arrival at the police station. It took four harrowing trips back and forth from the car barns to the station to rescue all of the scabs. Several of the rescued men were badly hurt, but it was too risky to take them to the hospital. One old man about fifty was beaten to a pulp. He came in blood soaked after being plummeted with stones and fists and traumatized by the many shouts of “Kill him, kill him.”

The next day the State Police were patrolling the streets on horseback and the streetcars were standing idol in the car barn. Business was almost as a stand still. In October, the strikers, after receiving their pay raise went back to work. Who paid for their raise? Well, the streetcar passengers, of course. The trolley car fare was raised to 10 cents.

On August 30, 1927, it was announced that all transportation of the streetcars within the city would cease on the following night. All the employees of the traction company were to complete their tasks by Thursday, and then they would be dismissed.

The company authorities denied the persistent rumors that local individuals intended to purchase the company. Mayor Pierce promised the Interurban Bus Company of Buffalo, who were trying to obtain a franchise to operate in the city, that action in regard to the matter would be discussed when the city fathers would meet on September 13th. Mr. Graves of the local bus company refused to state whether or not his company would apply for a similar franchise to operate in the city. He also announced that no action was taken by the traction company to tear up the line or regarding the sale of equipment.

At midnight on September 1, 1927, the death knell was sounded for the streetcar service in the city of Olean. The last car completed the regular service of the local traction company and aside from a few freight cars that were placed in service all the line of the company was quiet. Thus was the end of an era of electric trolley cars in Olean. On September 8, 1927, the Buffalo Interurban Bus Lines, Inc. was given an temporary franchise and placed two buses in operation. Joseph Magnano, owner of the Blue Bird Taxi Service presented a petition to operate a bus service in Olean. A hearing on this matter would be heard on September 27th. His bus service would run from the West State Street city line to the East State Street city line and to the Erie Depot. He would guarantee three buses to be in operation within forty-eight hours.

If one looks hard enough and at just at the right angle, you may still see the trolley track buried in the street at the North Union Street and East Pine Street corner. This track once carried the trolley and its passengers to and from the Erie Depot.

The car barns that fronted Union Street at Main was built in 1897 and enlarged in 1906. It was demolished in June of 1977 and is now the location of the Hampton Inn. The Street Car office that once occupied the first building north of the Olean House was later occupied by the Midtown Liquor Store and is now incorporated as an extension of the Beef and Barrel restaurant.

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