Colorado Springs & Manitou

Street Railway Company

Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Colorado Springs & Manitou Street Railway Company - Stock certificate dated 1890.

Certificate signed by  F. L. Martin,  Edwin J. Eaton,  A. L. Lawton and A. A. McGovney

This certificate represents the initial incorporation of the company created to build and develop the street railway system in Colorado Springs and surrounding communities, providing desperately needed local passenger transportation.   Construction began in 1887 with the rail lines being built on existing roadways and the cars being somewhat small and drawn by horse.  Lines were built throughout Colorado Springs and into Colorado City, but oddly enough, no service was provided to Manitou during this initial era of the street railway, despite the name of the company leading one to believe otherwise.    Some of the original founders of this company were well-known members of Colorado Springs society; J. J. Hagerman, William S. Jackson, Irving Howbert and other accomplished local businessmen.  

With the advent of street railway electrification in other parts of the country, the company determined that a massive system upgrade was required, but none had the appetite for the expense, so they looked to sell the company.  Two local bankers, F. L. Martin and Edwin J. Eaton, teamed up with two other local businessmen, A. L. Lawton and A. A. McGovney to purchase the company.   Early in 1890, these local businessmen created the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit Railway Company for the purpose of purchasing the CS&MS Rwy from its shareholders.

See the Colorado Springs Rapid Transit Railway Company certificate for a continuation of the history!