WAUPACA COUNTY POST

Thursday, January 22, 1948

 

CONSTRUCTION OF STREETCAR LINE IN WAUPACA IN 1898

 

[Photograph not included]

 

Laying the streetcar tracks for the Waupaca Electric Light Company’s line to the Chain o’ Lakes, (above), began in 1897, and the line was completed for the first run the Fourth of July, 1898.  This picture was taken at the corner of Main and Fulton streets, facing the southeast corner where the Farmers State bank is now located.  In 1897 a grocery and confectionery occupied the building downstairs, but the sign on the second-story entrance is not legible.  The top sign at the corner of the building advertises the “Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Co. of Philadelphia, 50 Years Experience.”  The bottom sign reads:  “Chew Horse Show Plug Tobacco - Nothing Like It!  Best On Earth!”  The two signs in the window beneath the second-story entrance advertise American Eagle and Battle Ax plug tobaccos.  None of the men in the picture could be identified.  See picture of the initial trip   to Chain o’ Lakes Grand View hotel, used in connection with County Post’s feature serial, “When Chain o’ Lakes Were Young”, by MEPA.  Picture and story on page 8, this issue.

 

STREETCAR LINE MADE CITY HISTORY;

BEGAN RUNNING JULY 4, 1898

Carried Many Tourists From Railroad Station Out to Chain o’ Lakes

 

The Waupaca Electric Light Company’s streetcar line from the Wisconsin Central railroad station to Grand View hotel on Rainbow lake was one of the greatest contributing factors to the early popularity of Waupaca’s Chain o’ Lakes.

 

This was pointed out by Will Rasmussen, former superintendent of Wisconsin Public Service Co., who was one of the men who helped lay the tracks for the old streetcar line.  At the time the line was begun, Rasmussen was working for Chauncey Boyce, who owned the old Picher place just above Garde’s Corner. He drove a grading wagon during the track-laying operations.

 

Work on the streetcar line was begun in 1897, Rasmussen said, by Irving P. Lord who owned the light and power company then.  The line was started for the benefit of the tourists and the Grand Army Home at King.

 

First Run in 1898

 

Work was completed and the first run on the line was made July 4, 1898, according to Rasmussen.  The first few years the line operated with open cars only, and ran only during the summer.  Year-round operations began several years later when closed cars were obtained.

 

However, the summer was always the big season for the streetcar line.  The Wisconsin Central railroad ran many summer excursions to Waupaca, bringing as many as 1,000 persons a week to the city.  The only convenient way for the tourists to get to the Chain o’ Lakes was on the streetcar, and the line did a booming summer business.

 

Lord, the original owner of the line, later sold the power company to a Wausau concern, and the latter in turn sold to the Wisconsin Public Service Co.  Meanwhile, school children and residents of the Veteran’s home helped to keep the line in operation.  There was a school located at Garde’s Corner.

 

Depot to Grand View

 

The first motorman on the line was a Mr. Warby who, it is believed, is now living in New London.  His run, for that day and age, was a long one.

 

The Wisconsin Central depot, where the Soo line station now stands, was one end of the line.  From here the cars traveled Oak Street to Mill, and then along Mill and Water streets to Main.  In traveling Water Street the cars crossed the Waupaca Falls bridge and turned onto Main where the city hall now stands, continuing to Fulton street.

 

From Main Street the cars went out West Fulton to the spot known as Garde’s Corner.  Now this spot is best identified as the intersection of Highways 10, 22, and 54, but in the early days of the streetcar line was the intersection of Penney Street and Home Street.  The latter is the present Highway 22.

 

The car line went out to the lakes on Home Street, which in turn follows the old Shawano-Portage city trail made by the Indians.  At Grand View street the cars turned right and went to Grand View Hotel.  A car barn was located on Grand View Street, shortly before coming to the hotel.  Another car bar was also located on Oak Street.  In 1898 when the line was opened the Grand View hotel was operated by Messrs. Hill and Nessling.

 

Stopped in 1926

 

The line began to fail with the advent of the automobile, and in 1926 the track was torn up. Rasmussen was superintendent of the power company at that time, serving the company a total of 38 years before retiring last year.  He had been eligible for retirement before but stayed on during the war.  When he left the Wisconsin Public Service Co., the organization presented him with a fine watch.

 

Rasmussen also supervised the removal of the power lines.  The car line had been operated at first from power supplied by the water of the Waupaca river at the falls.  A steam plant was installed about 1907 and both steam and water power were used until the line went out of business.