Page:Shore Line Electric Railway Predecessor Companies 1961.pdf/4

 FREIGHT AND EXPRESS was carried from Westerly to Watch Hill in combination car No. 5 which here has been converted to full freight use.—[Photo from collection of Lewis Wilcox.

The Pawcatuck Valley Street Railway Company gradually ran into financial difficulties and was purchased by the firm of Klingel, Smith & Mansfield in 1906. Reorganization came in 1907 when, by agreement of the bondholders, the bond issue was reduced to $50,000 from $100,000 and the balance of the funded debt was converted into floating indebtedness. From a fund of $14,000 subscribed by the bond-holders under this agreement, nearly $12,000 was expended in improving the property, chiefly in the reconstruction of track and overhead along a new highway to Watch Hill.

During 1908 eight more open cars—motorized ex-horse cars from the Cranston Street line in Providence—were purchased by the Pawcatuck Valley Street Railway Company. They were in poor condition and were scrapped in the fall of that year. About two years later, in May 1910, four 15-bench double truck monitor roof opens. Nos. 101, 103. 105 and 107, were purchased from the John Stephenson Car Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, and two 28-ft. double truck monitor roof semi-convertible cars, Nos. 102 and 104, were acquired from J. G. Brill.

All the new cars were equipped with Brill 27G trucks. The opens had Allis-Chalmers Type B controllers and Allis-Chalmers 301 motors, but the semi-convertibles are believed to have been delivered with Westinghouse 101B motors and either K-6 or K-28 controllers. The new cars replaced the old single truck cars, the last seven of which were retired in 1913.

The Pawcatuck Valley came under the influence of the Norwich

START OF THE LINE at Canal Street, Westerly, R. l. where the electrics left for Watch Hill. Three cars of the Pawtucket Valley Street Railway Company are shown in this 1910 era post card. Note one of the former Cranston Street horse cars from Providence in lineup.