Colorado Springs and Suburban Railway Company

Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Colorado Springs and Suburban Railway Company - Stock certificate dated 1901, issued to W. S. Stratton.  This certificate is dated just 8 months after the transit system was purchased by Winfield Scott Stratton in January, 1901.   Stratton purchased the entire line for $500,000 and assumed another half-million of its debt.  The Colorado Springs Rapid Transit system was in need of a face lift and inadequate for the needs of the growing city of Colorado Springs.  Stratton began rebuilding and expanding the transit system, eventually spending over $2,000,000 on expansions and improvements to the rail lines and rolling stock.   

This certificate represents the new corporation, Colorado Springs and Suburban Railway Co., created to operate the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit and to oversee expansion of the system.   This company was short-lived as in 1902 the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway Company was formed to take over the previous two companies and operate the new system under that name.   Given that the CS&S Rwy Co. was in existence for such a short period of time, this certificate is exceedingly rare.  We are pleased to be able to share this gem of Colorado Springs Rapid Transit history with you!