A Visionary Street Railway

"A railroad was the only way a community could get in touch with outside markets and the 90's [sic] were filled with plans for railroad lines to connect Corning with Pocahontas on the West and the Mississippi River to the East.  Jim Matthews, proprietor of the St. James Hotel, became so vexed by never succeeding raising stock plans for the lines that he began building his road from the local graveyard North to Williams' Switch.  At that junction is was to turn West through Palatka, Bridgefort (Success) with the western terminus still in doubt.  The title of the Matthews road read, "Corning-Williams Switch, Bridgeport and Pacific." 

"The business section of Corning was divided into Lower Corning, around the courthouse, and Upper Corning, around the Iron Mountain Depot.  Business men felt the need for a street railway to extend from Main Street down First to the Court House [sic] and North on Second Street to Main.

"In the pre-auto era, one walked the distance or rode a mule, and neigher [sic] of the possible ways of getting around was too popular.

"Everyone was all for the street car line that somehow never got off the drawing boards.  This itinerant wanderer showed up in Corning while the pros and cons were being discussed and John Crabtree persuaded him to pose for this imaginary one donkey trolley line picture.  The tar paper shack in background is the Oliver and Company store.  The firm continued in business in this building until 1911 when a new brick was erected on the site."

Submitted by Danny Moore