Page 9On April 7, 1894 the Saint John street car system was sold at auction for
$92,000. Even before their official incorporation, The Saint John Railway
Company announced that the entire system would be rebuilt at a cost of
$300,000. Plans submitted to city council included removal of the existing
track, and construction of a more extensive system totaling eleven and one half
miles of track. The largest of three routes to be operated required eight cars
running at three minute intervals. The new routes covered the old lines , and
expanded to bring a car line within two blocks of most points in central Saint
John.
With a promise of a first-class street railway, eleven new double ended cars were ordered from Ahearn & Soper in Ottawa . In addition 74 lb. "T" rails were ordered from England. This rail would provide capacity for the largest cars available. Work quickly began in July following arrival of the new rails. With a work force of 350 to 500 men, progress on the new lines approached 400 feet per day. When the old lines were reached in August all service was discontinued for the reconstruction.
Prior to the Saint John Railway Company , The People's Street Railway Company
was capitolized at $200,000 with 10,000 shares sold at $20 each in 1866.
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