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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> On Friday, August 4, 1899, an
inspection run was made on the new trolley line connecting Kittanning and
Manorville. Pennsylvania. The car left the Kittanning depot at 5:00 PM and
had to make several stops to grease the rail at curves. They cut brush
that was rubbing the sides of the car and even had to cut away part of the roof
of a shed on JT Deemer's farm. No sooner was this accomplished that the
crew discovered his barn was also in the way. Employees of the traction
company made quick work of cutting the corner off the barn so they could
proceed. (Dr. Deemer was invited to join the inspection run.) The
car reached McCain (original end of the line) and returned to Kittanning without
incident.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> The next day, Saturday,
August 5, 1899, regular service was begun on the Kittanning and Ford City Street
Railway Company. By Monday, August 7, 1899, over 4,000 people had their
first experience with electric traction in this rural county northeast of
Pittsburgh.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> The line was eventually
expanded south to Lenape Park and north to Cowanshannock Creek. The name
was changed to the Kittanning and Leechburg Street Railways Company in 1904 and
in 1911, West Penn Railways bought the line. The only standard gauge line
in their system.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> The line closed on November
8, 1936.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> For more information, images
and an forthcoming book on the Trolleys of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, visit
my website listed in my signature.</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000
size=2>DFCramer--Teacher-Trombonist-Historian-Conductor
<BR>
<A
href="mailto:dfc1@alltel.net">dfc1@alltel.net</A><BR>
<A
href="http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/6652">www.geocities.com/Vienna/6652</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>