University Daily Kansan, August 18, 1983
Page 5
KU On Track
Days of KU's streetcar gone, but not forgotten
Though the tracks have been covered with asphalt and the electrical lines have long-since disappeared, at one time troley cars clanged through the streets of Lawrence and across the campus on the hill, shuttling people to and from their daily activities.
What began in 1871 as a horse-drawn, street railway, evolved into an electric-powered trolley car system in the 1920s that served the entire city of Lawrence, including the University, before the system came to an end 50 years ago in November 1933
"IT WAS A REGULAR "Toonville Trollley," said Baldwin resident John I. Long, 80, who was a motorman-conductor on the streetcars from 1927 to 1932.
And the Lawrence "Toonerville Trolley" had quite a history.
"At first, they used a single horse for each car," said Carl Thor, project engineer at the KU Transportation Center, "but later they replaced the horse with small mules."
Thor wrote a history of transportation in Lawrence, titled "Chronology of Public Transit in Lawrence," for a graduate-level civil engineering course.
Thor said that in 1903, severe flooding on the Kansas River washed out the bridge, apparently causing the demise of the mule-drawn streetcar era.
Streetcats were essential to the lives of many KU students, according to Elfriede Fischer Rowe. 1325 Naismith Drive, a local historian who directs streetcats is a KU student in the 1910s.
IN THE FALL OF 1909, he said, a Lawrence-based power company began operation of electric powered streetcars in downtown Lawrencio. The car made the first complete trip of the KJU loop.
Trolleys also served as popular transportation for couples leaving late night dance parties, the KKTVs and theaters.
"Instead of walking through three or four feet of snow, we'd take the trolley to class." Rowe said. "Or if we were late, we'd make a dash for the trolley to get to class on time."
"THE CARS WERE MADE to seat about 35," said Long, the former conductor. "But one year, when the Relays were cancelled because of pouring down rain, 107 people rode on my car."
The trolleys also transported students and local residents around town on the day of the funeral.
"Night-shirt was the pep rally for the first home game" of the football season. Long said.
"That night seniors and law students raided traternities and boarding houses," she said. "They whanaged people with canes to get them into a room, which was one long line of people serpentting down the street."
Rowe said that all freshmen in fraternities were required to participate.
"THEY HAD TO WEAR long nightshirts, long caps, and I believe they carried torches." Rowe
Long said that on the day of the night-shift parade, conductors knew that anything could
"One time the students built a bonfire in the middle of the intersection of 11th and Mass."
"Service was tied up and we just had to wait," he said.
"The asphalt started to melt, but I knew the rails would be all right."
Long said that a city work crew later patched the intersection.
"Conductors had to be good-natured to get along with the students." Rowe said
KU STUDENTS DISCONNECTED trolley poles from overhead wires during night-shift
parades, after football victories or whenever they wanted. Rowe said.
"Students would grab the trolley rope (which was used to disconnect the trolley from the electrical line) and yank." Long said. Conductive electrodes were inserted into the electrical line before the car would operate again.
Mischievous KU students also "greased the rails, and stole the 'K's and 'U's that that the K's and 'U's that that
"On Halloween, students would grease the rails so the cars couldn't climb the hill behind Ginnie."
"If they had greased the rails on the downward slope, we would've been in trouble."
Long and Rowe both said it was natural for students to misbehave.
"JOE COLLEGE IS Is Joe College." Long said, "if figure you haven't got enough sense to get in touch with the administration," he added.
"Students were quite mischievous. They still are — I hope."
Bui conductors had more than student pranks to contain with. Snow and an occasional blizzard.
"If you were stuck in ice going up or down a hill, you'd wait for the next car," Long said, "but we don't."
With both motors running, the first car would break the ice and the second car would pour sand on it. The motor would keep running.
"When we got off the hill we were usually all right," Long said, "but to keep the tracks from freezing we had to keep going over the routes."
During big snowstorms, conductors had to run the cars all night to keep the trucks clear. And the cars had to be cleaned and dried.
"IRAN CARS all night more than once," Long said.
The brown, enclosed winter trolley cars had an aisle down the middle, and early newspaper accounts said some had small stoves at one end.
accidents same advice should be the winter.
"Cars were always full in the winter."
Long sard.
During the summer, though, different trolley cars clanged through the streets of Lawrence.
"The summer cars had running boards on the side and were open air gondolas," said Rowe.
"These were popular in the summer because for five cents you could take it up the hill and feel the wind."
But Long said that accidents had no favorite season.
He said that he had run into a few cars but that he had never run over anyone.
"IF SOMEBODY STOPPED on the tracks in front of you, you couldn't turn, you couldn't stop, you had to hit them," Long said. "All we could do was hope that we didn't hurt somebody."
And, although the trolleys survived both snow and accidents, they were not to last forever.
According to Thor, in November 1933, service was on the end only remaining route, the KU loop, because the Lawrence City Council and the loophook all failed to work out a new franchise agreement.
Long cited several reasons for the demise of the streetcar.
"EQUIPMENT WAS GETTING old, poles and they wore worse deteriorating," he said. "And they
"And it was the Depression, so money was carefully spent."
Long said that people who picked up friends and acquaintances also contributed to the growth of their business.
"People driving in cars would see a friend standing in the street waiting for a trolley and pick him up. A merchant might pick up a customer." Long said.
Text by Charles Barnes Photos Courtesy of University Archives and the Kansas Collection
"This helped kill the streetcar service."
This picture, looking west on Jawhawk Boulevard, first appeared in the May, 1931 Graduate Magazine, published by the KU Alumni Association. The tracks came up the Hill to the east of Strong Hall
(right) and then ran between Flint Hall and Old Robinson Gymnasium (left), now the site of Wescoe Hall.
Above: This picture, taken in 1927,
shows the trolley traveling up Mississippi
Street, pass Memorial Stadium.
Right: Motorman John L. Griffith poses in front his trolley which ran the KU loop.
Below left: This streetcar waiting station, built in 1927 behind Lippincott Hall on Mississippi Street, sheltered KU students from snow and rain as they waited for the trolley. "It was rumored that poker and crap games highlighted many a dreary night in the station," said a 1947 Kansan article.
Below right: Students attending the University in 1931 pass in front of the trolley on their way to class.