The CLEVELAND CITY RAILWAY CO., or Little Con(solidated), was formed during a period of consolidation among the streetcar lines. At the beginning of 1893, the city's 16 streetcar lines were controlled by five companies; by mid-year, the number of controlling companies had decreased to two. This was also the time when cable cars were being converted to trolley cars.
The Cleveland City Railway Co. was created in 1893 by the merger of the FRANK ROBISON's Cleveland City Cable Co. and MARCUS A. HANNA's Woodland and West Side Railway Co. On 11 May, Hanna announced the plans for the merger, as well as the electrification of the company's St. Clair St. horse-car line and an extension of the Detroit St. line to ROCKY RIVER. The new firm had capital of $8 million; Hanna served as president and Robison as vice-president. There was no reduction in fares after the merger, unlike what had occurred when the CLEVELAND ELECTRIC RAILWAY CO. was created by merger earlier in 1893.
Later in 1893, Little Con's Superior St. and Payne Ave. lines were equipped with electricity. In 1903, after 10 years of existence, Little Con merged with Cleveland's only other remaining line, the Cleveland Electric Railway Co. (or Big Con) to form "Con-Con," which then had a monopoly in the city. Attempts at this merger had long been underway. The first meeting of the new board of directors took place on 30 June; Horace E. Andrews was elected president. The new rates (there was a reduction in fares) and routes became effective on 4 July. Little Con shareholders received one and 3/10ths shares in the new corporation for each share they held.
Greater Cleveland RTA Records, WRHS.