Horsecars in Vilnus in the years 1887-1914. From the idea to its realization

Abstract

At the turn of the 20th c. Vilnius was growing in area and in population. Before the outbreak of the Great War the city had nine districts and almost 200,000 inhabitants. Before the introduction of horsecars the only means of public urban transport were cabs.The fi rst competition for a concession to develop horsecar tramways was won by Wiskowatow in 1887. In the years 1887–1892 the right to this enterprise changed owners several times, fi nally coming to “The Association of Urban and Suburban Railroads in Russia”, which under-took to build three lines: from the railway station to the Green Bridge, from Zarzecze (Užupis) to Łukiszki (Lukiškės Square) and from the centre to Antokol (Antakalnis). The works were carried out in the years 1887–1893. Vilnius cab drivers were the only group that was not pleased with putting the new means of transport into operation; they considered it a threat to their pro-fession. The grand opening, put off several times, took place on the 3rd of June 1893.The city had 38 tram sets, divided into two classes, each car with 14 seats. The trams were adjusted to the weather changing with seasons. The rails were over 14 km long; the operating speed could not exceed 13 kph. The first-class fare was 5 kopeks and the second-class fare 3 kopeks. Reduced fares were offered to students and persons who bought monthly tickets. The quality of the service provided by the Association soon declined. Poor service, dirty trams, poorly paid staff (the driver earned 12 roubles per month and a conductor 25 roubles per month) and poorly kept horses prevailed until the outbreak of the Great War; nevertheless, the number of users grew. In 1913 the Association served 3 million passengers. The tramway staff consisted of several groups: the company owners and clerks, conductors and drivers, and seasonal workers, for instance employed to clear the rails of snow. Drivers and conductors on duty were obliged to wear special uniforms. During the revolutionary actions of 1905-1907 Vilnius tram drivers demanded higher wages, and fi nally they succeeded. The horses working for the Association were treated badly, which made city-dwellers protest. Some tried to fight for a better treatment of the animals by unharnessing them, which, however, did not bring any lasting results. Plans to modernize the Vilnius tramways appeared since 1897. Until the beginning of the First World War the municipal authorities received many projects of changing horse power to electric engines. Finally, after overcoming many problems (mainly the lack of funding) the documents necessary to start the modernization were completed in 1914, but the project was hampered by the outbreak of the war. Developing horsecar tramways in Vilnius at the end of the 19th c. fostered the democratization of public transport and the growth of the city. Better connections between the city’s districts and suburbs contributed to its quicker economic and cultural development.