I hold papers which show that in 1891 Mr. Dexter
Converse, President of D.E. Converse Company, Glendale, S.C. along with his
associates formed the Spartanburg Bell Electric Railway and Transportation
Co. Their intent was to provide electric railway service from Forest City
N.C. to Clifton, Glendale, Pacolet Mills and on to Glen Springs, S.C. which
was at that time a resort town being famous for it’s mineral water. Controversy
and conflict stopped the project.
While some records show trolley service (commonly called street
car) began to Glendale in 1903-4, I hold a record which states that the Spartanburg
Railway, Gas and Electric Company which was founded in 1900 started electric
street car service over a 15 mile stretch between Saxon, Glendale
and Clifton in 1906. You take your pick of the date. Destined to be the
areas chief mode of travel for it’s residents and transportation of supplies
and products to and from the mills, it was especially popular during county
fair week as all the family could ride to within a block of the fair gate.
State public utility records show that from 1912-27 the company’s
name was listed as S.C. Light, Power and Railway service. Duke Power was
listed as owner-operator after 1928 until the day the trolley stopped running.
Mail and newspapers were brought to Glendale daily. A person could have a
prescription or other items sent from Spartanburg by the Trolley when needed.
The supplier would hand the addressed item to the conductor and the recipient
would meet the Trolley to receive it.
With a terminal located at the “Band-Stand” on the Square in
Spartanburg, passengers got off to trade uptown or could change “Trolleys”
and continue on to other locations in the greater Spartanburg area. Restrooms
were provided in the basement of the Band-Stand. Bands and shows performed
on the top of the open air bandstand. Some people would go to Spartanburg
just to see and hear their favorite band or comedian. The Blue Bird Ice
Cream store was just across the street as a special topping for one’s trip.
The Trolleys were run by electricity provided by a long electrode
protruding from each end at the top of the car and gliding along the power
line above. The car did not turn around. A conductor’s seat was at each end
as well as a door for getting on-off the car. When the car reached the end
of the line, the conductor would go outside and by a long rope, pull the
electrode down at one end and raising the one at the other end to make contact
with the electric power reversing it’s direction.
When the Trolley passed through Glendale, there were places where
boys would hide behind bushes then run out and pull the electrode off the
wire which stopped the car. The conductor would have to get out and align
the electrode with the power line again. Though it must have been aggravating,
they seem to have taken it in their stride knowing that boys would be boys.
Regular passenger trolleys were too light and didn’t have enough
power to push box cars of coal, cotton and other supplies to the mill. A
special large electric car called “The Big Six” was used for this purpose.
The trolley and “Big-Six” served the community and surrounding areas well
during their life time of some thirty years having stopped running in 1935.
While there were no doubt others, Glendale men whom I have record serving
as conductors on the Trolleys were, Elbert Knox, Andrew McKinney, Bryan Fowler,
Elbert Black and Elbert Pierce. In the picture shown below, Elbert Pierce
with Dan Crawley, his supervisor, is seen at the end of the last run of
the Trolley in Spartanburg County which was the route to Glendale and the
Clifton’s in 1935. Buses took the place of the Trolleys with Elbert Pierce,
Elbert Black, Bryan Fowler and Buster Reaves, all of Glendale becoming bus
drivers.
