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The '''Piedmont Cable Company''' was a ] company which operated in ] and ]. It amalgamated several horsecar lines in the area and built two ] lines. It was absorbed into the ] in 1897, becoming a component of the later ]. The '''Piedmont Cable Company''' was a ] company which operated in ] and ]. It amalgamated several ] lines in the area and built two ] lines. It was absorbed into the ] in 1897, becoming a component of the later ].


==History== ==History==
The Broadway and Piedmont Railroad was established by Walter Blair as a horsecar line in 1876. It ran on its namesake streets to ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Our Street Railroads |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |date=December 12, 1876}}</ref> A branch of the line which split at Pleasant Valley Avenue and ran through Blair's milk ranch to Vernal Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |title=Horse-Car Days |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-horse-car-days/161211357/ |access-date=19 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 30, 1951 |location=Oakland, California |page=1-C}} {{free access}}</ref> The Broadway and Piedmont Railroad was established by Walter Blair as a horsecar line in 1876. It ran on its namesake streets to ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Our Street Railroads |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |date=December 12, 1876}}</ref> A branch of the line which split at Pleasant Valley Avenue and ran through Blair's milk ranch to Vernal Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |title=Horse-Car Days |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-horse-car-days/161211357/ |access-date=19 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 30, 1951 |location=Oakland, California |page=1-C}} {{free access}}</ref>


Simultaneous to the horsecar line to the cemeteries, an additional company, the Fourteenth Street Railroad, was established to build a line on that street.<ref>{{cite news |title=Relic of Yesteryear |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-relic-of-yesteryear/161080681/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 15, 1960 |location=Oakland, California |page=C-1}} {{free access}}</ref> This was put into operation on February 26, 1877.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fickewirth |first1=Alvin A. |title=California Railroads |date=1992 |publisher=Golden West Books |isbn=9780870951060 |page=44}}</ref> It began at the 7th and Broadway terminal, running up to 14th Street and turning west to the then-city limits. The car barn was located at the corner of 14th and Peralta.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fourteenth Street Railroad |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-times-fourteenth-street-rail/161104692/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The Oakland Daily Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 6, 1884 |location=Oakland, California |page=3}} {{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Relic of Yesteryear |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-relic-of-yesteryear/161080681/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 15, 1960 |location=Oakland, California |page=C-1}} {{free access}}</ref> The following year, the company sought to expand further west over 16th street to reach the newly built ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Contested Ground |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-contested-ground/161104424/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |volume=XVI |number=282 |via=Newspapers.com |date=December 12, 1879 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref> The company began converting to cable-haulage at the end of 1889, though, with only one block of new track laid over one week of work, the move may have been an attempt to block the ] from accessing the street.<ref>{{cite news |title=Street Roads |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-work-stops-on-fourteenth/138480466/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 22, 1889 |location=Oakland, California |page=3}} {{free access}}</ref> The line would go on to be converted to electric traction.<ref>{{cite news |title=At Work Now |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-work-on-piedmont-consoli/138507092/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 2, 1892 |location=Oakland, California |page=6}} {{free access}}</ref> Simultaneous to the horsecar line to the cemeteries, an additional company, the Fourteenth Street Railroad, was established to build a line on that street.<ref>{{cite news |title=Relic of Yesteryear |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-relic-of-yesteryear/161080681/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 15, 1960 |location=Oakland, California |page=C-1}} {{free access}}</ref> This was put into operation on February 26, 1877.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fickewirth |first1=Alvin A. |title=California Railroads |date=1992 |publisher=Golden West Books |isbn=9780870951060 |page=44}}</ref> It began at the 7th and Broadway terminal, running up to 14th Street and turning west to the then-city limits. The car barn was located at the corner of 14th and Peralta.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fourteenth Street Railroad |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-times-fourteenth-street-rail/161104692/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The Oakland Daily Times |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 6, 1884 |location=Oakland, California |page=3}} {{free access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Relic of Yesteryear |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-relic-of-yesteryear/161080681/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 15, 1960 |location=Oakland, California |page=C-1}} {{free access}}</ref> The following year, the company sought to expand further west over 16th street to reach the newly built ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Contested Ground |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-contested-ground/161104424/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |volume=XVI |number=282 |via=Newspapers.com |date=December 12, 1879 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref> The company began converting to cable-haulage at the end of 1889, though, with only one block of new track laid over one week of work, the move may have been an attempt to block a competing company from accessing the street.<ref>{{cite news |title=Street Roads |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-work-stops-on-fourteenth/138480466/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 22, 1889 |location=Oakland, California |page=3}} {{free access}}</ref> The line would go on to be converted to electric traction.<ref>{{cite news |title=At Work Now |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-work-on-piedmont-consoli/138507092/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 2, 1892 |location=Oakland, California |page=6}} {{free access}}</ref>


] showroom. It was later redeveloped into a ] grocery store.]] ] showroom. It was later redeveloped into a ] grocery store.]]
Following Blair's death, his same partners and his widow, Phoebe Blair, established the Piedmont Cable Company in 1889 with the aim to eventually construct three new cable lines.<ref>{{cite news |title=Assured |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-assured/161106996/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 25, 1889 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref><ref name=Knave1962 /> All of the Blair interests were amalgamated as the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company the following year,<ref>{{cite news |title=A New Cable Road |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-a-new-cable-r/161106638/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |via=Newspapers.com |date=April 20, 1890 |location=San Francisco, California |page=4}} {{free access}}</ref> and cable service on Oakland Avenue to Piedmont began on August 1, 1890. The old Piedmont Branch was discontinued the same day.<ref>{{cite news |title=Out To Piedmont |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-piedmont-consolidated-ca/138418580/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |volume=XXX |number=24 |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 1, 1890 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref> The line up ] from 24th Street to the Cemetery would go on to be converted to cable operation, with the first day of cable service on August 3, 1892.<ref name=Knave1962/> The third line never materialized.<ref name=Knave1962 /> The company would enter receivership in November 1983, as it had failed to make interest payments on its outstanding bonds.<ref>{{cite news |title=Piedmont Road |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-piedmont/138411836/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The Morning Call |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 2, 1893 |location=San Francisco, California |page=2}} {{free access}}</ref> It was sold at auction for $82,000 in 1895,<ref>{{cite news |title=An Oakland Road Sold At Auction |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-piedmont/138414420/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The San Francisco Call |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 20, 1895 |location=San Francisco, California |page=11}} {{free access}}</ref> purchased by a representative of the company's bondholders.<ref name=AllRight /> Following Blair's death, his same partners and his widow, Phoebe Blair, established the Piedmont Cable Company in 1889 with the aim to eventually construct three new cable lines.<ref>{{cite news |title=Assured |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-assured/161106996/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=May 25, 1889 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref><ref name=Knave1962 /> All of the Blair interests were amalgamated as the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company the following year,<ref>{{cite news |title=A New Cable Road |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-a-new-cable-r/161106638/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |via=Newspapers.com |date=April 20, 1890 |location=San Francisco, California |page=4}} {{free access}}</ref> and cable service on Oakland Avenue to Piedmont began on August{{nbsp}}1, 1890. The old Piedmont Branch was discontinued the same day. This new route provided a 48-minute ride from ], nearly halving the previous time; the trip required a ], a transfer to the ], a further transfer to horsecar to the cable power house, then finally a ride on the cable road.<ref>{{cite news |title=Out To Piedmont |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-piedmont-consolidated-ca/138418580/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Daily Evening Tribune |volume=XXX |number=24 |via=Newspapers.com |date=August 1, 1890 |location=Oakland, California |page=1}} {{free access}}</ref> The line up ] from 24th Street to the Cemetery would go on to be converted to cable operation, with the first day of cable service on August{{nbsp}}3, 1892.<ref name=Knave1962/> The third line never materialized.<ref name=Knave1962 /> The company would enter receivership in November 1983, as it had failed to make interest payments on its outstanding ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Piedmont Road |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-piedmont/138411836/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The Morning Call |via=Newspapers.com |date=November 2, 1893 |location=San Francisco, California |page=2}} {{free access}}</ref> It was sold at auction for $82,000 in 1895,<ref>{{cite news |title=An Oakland Road Sold At Auction |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-call-and-post-piedmont/138414420/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=The San Francisco Call |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 20, 1895 |location=San Francisco, California |page=11}} {{free access}}</ref> purchased by a representative of the company's bondholders.<ref name=AllRight />


The bondholders agreed to reincorporate the railway and receive stock as compensation, thus the Piedmont and Mountain View Railway was established soon after the auction.<ref name=AllRight>{{cite news |title=It's All Right Now |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-enquirer-its-all-right-now/161112726/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Enquirer |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 22, 1895 |location=Oakland, California |page=8}} {{free access}}</ref> The company was taken over by Realty Syndicate in November 1897, becoming a component of the ]. Cable routes were converted to electric by 1899.<ref name=Knave1962>{{cite news |title=Knave |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-piedmont-line-cable-cars/136945628/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=April 15, 1962 |location=Oakland, California |page=14-FL}} {{free access}}</ref> The bondholders agreed to reincorporate the railway and receive ] as compensation, thus the Piedmont and Mountain View Railway was established soon after the auction.<ref name=AllRight>{{cite news |title=It's All Right Now |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-enquirer-its-all-right-now/161112726/ |access-date=18 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Enquirer |via=Newspapers.com |date=March 22, 1895 |location=Oakland, California |page=8}} {{free access}}</ref> The company was taken over by Realty Syndicate in November 1897, becoming a component of the ]. Cable routes were converted to electric by 1899.<ref name=Knave1962>{{cite news |title=Knave |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-piedmont-line-cable-cars/136945628/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |newspaper=Oakland Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |date=April 15, 1962 |location=Oakland, California |page=14-FL}} {{free access}}</ref>


==References== ==References==

Latest revision as of 01:11, 20 December 2024

The Piedmont Cable Company was a street railway company which operated in Oakland and Piedmont, California. It amalgamated several horsecar lines in the area and built two cable railway lines. It was absorbed into the Oakland Transit Company in 1897, becoming a component of the later Key System.

History

The Broadway and Piedmont Railroad was established by Walter Blair as a horsecar line in 1876. It ran on its namesake streets to Mountain View Cemetery. A branch of the line which split at Pleasant Valley Avenue and ran through Blair's milk ranch to Vernal Avenue.

Simultaneous to the horsecar line to the cemeteries, an additional company, the Fourteenth Street Railroad, was established to build a line on that street. This was put into operation on February 26, 1877. It began at the 7th and Broadway terminal, running up to 14th Street and turning west to the then-city limits. The car barn was located at the corner of 14th and Peralta. The following year, the company sought to expand further west over 16th street to reach the newly built 16th Street depot. The company began converting to cable-haulage at the end of 1889, though, with only one block of new track laid over one week of work, the move may have been an attempt to block a competing company from accessing the street. The line would go on to be converted to electric traction.

The Piedmont Cable power house and car barn was located at the corner of 24th and Harrison. After operations ended, the building was gutted and converted to the Cox Cadillac showroom. It was later redeveloped into a Whole Foods grocery store.

Following Blair's death, his same partners and his widow, Phoebe Blair, established the Piedmont Cable Company in 1889 with the aim to eventually construct three new cable lines. All of the Blair interests were amalgamated as the Consolidated Piedmont Cable Company the following year, and cable service on Oakland Avenue to Piedmont began on August 1, 1890. The old Piedmont Branch was discontinued the same day. This new route provided a 48-minute ride from San Francisco, nearly halving the previous time; the trip required a ferry, a transfer to the narrow gauge steam railroad, a further transfer to horsecar to the cable power house, then finally a ride on the cable road. The line up Piedmont Avenue from 24th Street to the Cemetery would go on to be converted to cable operation, with the first day of cable service on August 3, 1892. The third line never materialized. The company would enter receivership in November 1983, as it had failed to make interest payments on its outstanding bonds. It was sold at auction for $82,000 in 1895, purchased by a representative of the company's bondholders.

The bondholders agreed to reincorporate the railway and receive stock as compensation, thus the Piedmont and Mountain View Railway was established soon after the auction. The company was taken over by Realty Syndicate in November 1897, becoming a component of the Oakland Transit Company. Cable routes were converted to electric by 1899.

References

  1. "Our Street Railroads". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. December 12, 1876.
  2. "Horse-Car Days". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. September 30, 1951. p. 1-C. Retrieved December 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  3. "Relic of Yesteryear". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. May 15, 1960. p. C-1. Retrieved December 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  4. Fickewirth, Alvin A. (1992). California Railroads. Golden West Books. p. 44. ISBN 9780870951060.
  5. "Fourteenth Street Railroad". The Oakland Daily Times. Oakland, California. September 6, 1884. p. 3. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  6. "Relic of Yesteryear". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. May 15, 1960. p. C-1. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  7. "Contested Ground". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. Vol. XVI, no. 282. Oakland, California. December 12, 1879. p. 1. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  8. "Street Roads". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. Oakland, California. November 22, 1889. p. 3. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  9. "At Work Now". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. Oakland, California. May 2, 1892. p. 6. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  10. "Assured". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. Oakland, California. May 25, 1889. p. 1. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  11. ^ "Knave". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. April 15, 1962. p. 14-FL. Retrieved December 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  12. "A New Cable Road". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. April 20, 1890. p. 4. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  13. "Out To Piedmont". Oakland Daily Evening Tribune. Vol. XXX, no. 24. Oakland, California. August 1, 1890. p. 1. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  14. "Piedmont Road". The Morning Call. San Francisco, California. November 2, 1893. p. 2. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  15. "An Oakland Road Sold At Auction". The San Francisco Call. San Francisco, California. March 20, 1895. p. 11. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  16. ^ "It's All Right Now". Oakland Enquirer. Oakland, California. March 22, 1895. p. 8. Retrieved December 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
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