Quincy Horse RR ticket, undated

Historical/Biographical Note

Historical/Biographical Note

The first annual [tax] return filed by the Quincy Railroad was for the year ending November 1, 1862. It showed that the line was opened for travel on May 8 that year. The length of the line was 5.7 miles. In 1864, an act of the legislature authorized the Quincy Railroad to be extended to Braintree and Weymouth, but that was not done. The 1864 [tax] return showed equipment of the company including nine cars and 75 horses. The list of employees included six conductors and six drivers.

The Quincy Railroad’s annual return for 1867 showed operating expenses exceeding revenue.
For 1868 instead of a formal annual return, the directors submitted the following statement:

"Shortly after the last Annual Report of the Company was made, operations on the road were suspended, and the property of the Company was taken possession of by the Trustees appointed under the mortgage made to secure the bondholders; and consequently, the Company, by its officers, has no further returns to make."

Sources

Humphrey, Thomas J. (2023, January) Hourly Coaches, Omnibuses, and Horse Railroads. A History of Horse-Drawn Transit in Massachusetts. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/595e970172af65c0eba5db50/t/64a823d69359d17c0f2ea484/1688740829360/Horse-Drawn+Transit+History+2023-01.pdf