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Return to Main Page (1) of This SectionSection IndexWelcome AboardIntroduction To Saint JohnThe People's Street Railway CompanyLease of OperationSaint John City Railway CompanyStart of ElectrificationComplete RebuildingOttawa CarsTurn of the CenturyExpansion YearsThe StrikeOne Man CarRunawayModernizationDepressionWorld War IIEnd of EraEnd of LineChallengeCredits Page 17

The Depression Years

During the depression of mid-1930's the street railways were hit hard. In many cities the street railway lines were closed down or they were replaced by buses. In Saint John it took more time for the street car company to feel the depression due to the Federal Government who was doing a major rebuilding of the cities harbour facilities. Even through there was some employment in the city the number of passengers dwindled from 7,000,000 in 1929 to 4,600,000 in 1933. The construction done at the harbour resulted in the abandonment of some tracks and the closing of the west side car barn. The car barn was replaced with a new barn at Tower and Ludlow streets in 1931. They felt the depression worse in 1932 the wages of the works was reduced 10 to 20 percent, but the company still felt a loss of $40,000 that year. In 1934 due to further port development the track between Queen Square West and the harbour ferry. To make-up for the lost of track and to cover additional streets the Street car company began their first permanent bus service. Also during this time the Railway Company laid down its last new track on Market Place.

Tickets used during the 1930sTickets used for street cars during the 1930s.

On April 1934, 1934 the exclusive franchise granted to the Street car company in 1894 expired. The Street car company had their first taste of competition two years later, in July 1936. The city council granted a bus franchise to Fred C. Manning of Halifax, a representative of the Maritime Transit Company. The Maritime Transit Company was soon incorporated and began competing again the street car company, at first they charged no fare. After a legal battle brought on by the Street car company the courts decided to prohibit bus competition. The courts decision was upheld and the city council confirmed the right of the Street car company under the agreement of 1894. Soon after this decision the company decided to make two new bus routes on the west side which connected to the street car lines.


A report written in 1937 recommended that the city buy the assets of the New Brunswick Power Company and convert it to a bus company as soon a possible, the report stated "The days of street railways in cities of a size comparable to Saint John are definitely over, and they cannot be made to pay". The New Brunswick Power Company was leaning toward substituting the system to buses, but when the depression lifted the situation was not as bad as before so the cars kept running.


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