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Ashaway & Westerly Railway Co.

THE ASHAWAY & WESTERLY Railway Company may be said to have had its beginnings on April 4, 1902 when the Westerly & Hopkinton street Railway Company was chartered by the Rhode Island legislature and was authorized to construct a line from Westerly through Hopkinton to Woodville station on the wood River Branch Railroad.

However, the company was not able to raise the necessary funds to begin construction and nothing further was done that year except to secure the necessary franchises in the towns through which the line was to run.

Some track was laid during 1903 and it was announced at that time that the road first would extend from Westerly to the village of Ashaway in Hopkinton—and later to Woodville. But once again, probably for lack or money, the project bogged down.

Nothing further was done during 1904 or 1905 and when the Westerly & Connecticut was incorporated in 1906, its charter provided that it might build the Ashaway line if the Westerly & Hopkinton had not done so before July 1st.

The latter company did not meet this deadline—and the Westerly & Connecticut did nothing toward constructing the route.

Finally, on April 9, 1908. several Ashaway businessmen, including Leverett A Briggs, William J Battey, Alexander B. Briggs, Frank Hill and John W. Sweeney, secured a charter for the Ashaway & Westerly hallway company and agreed to provide the necessary funds if the Norwich & Westerly would handle the construction and would operate the road The Norwich & Westerly was agreeable and work began a few months later the road being opened in December.

An hourly headway was put into effect on the Ashaway & Westerly and to provide service, a Wason 20-toot single truck closed car, No. 202, built in 1901, was leased from the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway company. It was painted yellow with green trim and was affe cetionately known as the "Yellow Peril."

(It is said that every year or two, a crew from Worcester came down to westerly to paint the car).

The running time from Westerly to Ashaway, a distance of 4.64 miles, was 25 minutes and the through fare was 10 cents.

Norwich & Westerly Traction Co.

THE NEWLY - ORGANIZED Norwich & Westerly Traction Company wasted little time increasing its system. on July 12, 1912.,it acquired 100 per cent ownership of the common stock of the Groton & Stonington Street Railway Company, and about 5 months later, on December 12, it purchased the properties or the Pawcatuck Calley and the Westerly & Connecticut Street Railway companies.

(The Pawcatuck Valley had been leased to the Norwich & Westerly as of July 1, 1911, while stock control of the Westerly & Connecticut had been held by the Norwich & Westerly from the beginning}.

In order for the Norwich & Westerly to absorb the Pawcatuck Calley and the Westerly & Connecticut roads, it was necessary to incorporate in Rhode Island. the necessary charter being secured on May 5, 1913

The next step taken by the Norwich & westerly was the leasing of the Groton & Stoninigton, this being effected for 10 years as or July 1, 1913, at an annual rental of $36,000 plus taxes and maintenance.

While all these financial and corporate transactions were going on, the Norwich & Westerly acting under the charter or the Pawcatuck Valley Street Railway company, built a 3.85-mile extension from Mnstuxet Brook Junction, on the Westerly-Watch Hill line, to Pleasant view (now Misquamicut). Atlantic Beaeh and Weekapaug. This new line, which ran over private right-of-way from the junction to Pleasant view and beside the highway to Weekapaug, was in operation as far as Pleasant View on July 1, 1912. and was completed to Weekapaug later in the summer.

To provide the additional power needed for the new trackage as

WORCESTER Consolidated Street Railway car No. 202 was leased to the Pawtucket Valley street Railway for use on the Ashaway line Being of a different color scheme than other cars on the system, it was popularly called the "Yellow Peril."

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