MISSISSIPPI VALLEY PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY (LA CROSSE, WIS.). RECORDS, 1914-1942. 0.4 cubic feet (1 archives box)

Abstract

Records of the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, which operated the streetcar lines. Records are incomplete but include newspaper clippings (1932-1942); a franchise book (1883-1913); and personnel records (ca. 1914-1936).

The franchise book includes copied agreements between four utilities and their shareholders and appropriate municipalities. The four companies are La Crosse City Railway Co. (1892-1908), La Crosse Water Power Co. (19O5-1913), Winona Railway & Light Co.(1883-1909), and Wisconsin Railway, Light & Power Co. (1913).

The personnel records are arranged alphabetically and include information such as birthdate and place of the employee and a summary of accidents incurred during employment. This set is not complete but is representative of typical streetcar employees.

Other manuscripts that relate to streetcars include La Crosse City Railway Company and City Street Railway Company.

Other city record series to examine are Series 11 Committee on Streets and Alleys, which includes some documents relating to streetcars. Series 29 Committee on Public Utilities includes resolutions concerning streetcars (1921-1931), and Series 32 Committee on Railroads, which includes pre-1921 resolutions related to streetcars.

Acc. No. 1987/3

Donated by Percy Mallum via Doug Connell, March 17, 1987

Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, Oct. 1993; finding aid updated by Christine Stolz, Jan. 2002

History

La Crosse’s first street car company was the La Crosse Street Railway Company, which began service on July 4, 1879. In June 1881, the City Street Railway Company was organized. The two companies merged in 1885 and were then known as the La Crosse City Railway Company. Horse drawn cars were replaced with electric trolley cars in 1890. On February 10, 1913, the Wisconsin Light and Power Company, under the direction of its president, Clement C. Smith, purchased the streetcar lines in La Crosse. The company continued operation of the streetcar lines and changed its name to the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company in 1926.

Between the years 1929 and 1945, the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company gradually replaced the streetcars with motorized passenger buses. The company removed old tracks and ties on many streets as buses came into use. Old car barns at 601 N. 3rd Street were remodeled to accommodate the new buses.

Ray M. Fey, his sons and Andrew G. Anderson purchased the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company on Jan. 1, 1949, and changed its name to the La Crosse Transportation Company.

Privately owned bus companies such as the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company provided bus transportation in the city until 1975. In 1974, the city of La Crosse received a grant to purchase the bus transit system. As of Jan. 2, 1975, the La Crosse Transit Company became a public utility owned by the city of La Crosse.

Scope and Content

Records of the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, are incomplete but include newspaper clippings (1932-1942); a franchise book (1883-1913); and personnel records (ca. 1914-1936).

The earlier newspaper clippings, 1932-1934, include articles pertaining to the Mississippi Valley Public Service Company. Most of the clippings from 1935-1942 are notices of schedule changes and company advertisements.

The franchise book includes copied agreements between four utilities and their shareholders and appropriate municipalities. The four companies are La Crosse City Railway Co. (1892-1908), La Crosse Water Power Co. (19O5-1913), Winona Railway & Light Co.(1883-1909), and Wisconsin Railway, Light & Power Co. (1913).

The personnel records (ca. 1914-1936) are arranged alphabetically and include information such as address, birth date and wages of the employee. A summary of accidents incurred during employment is also included. This set is not complete but is representative of typical streetcar employees.

Other manuscripts that relate to streetcars include La Crosse City Railway Company and City Street Railway Company. The Wendell A. Anderson Papers and Harry J. Hirshheimer Papers also include some information on streetcars.

Other city record series to examine are Series 11 Committee on Streets and Alleys, which includes some documents relating to streetcars. Series 29 Committee on Public Utilities includes resolutions concerning streetcars (1921-1931), and Series 32 Committee on Railroads, which includes pre-1921 resolutions related to streetcars.

Other Sources

The Clipping Files include newspaper clippings under these headings:

La Crosse-Transportation-Bus

La Crosse-Transportation-Street Cars

The following book has been catalogued for the Archives book collection and has additional information on streetcars in Wisconsin.

Archives Vault      Canfield, Joseph M. Badger Traction.
388.46                 Chicago: Central Electric Railfans’
C16B                   Association, 1969.