Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company Records, 1860-1910
Content Description
This collection includes a ledgers, meeting minutes, correspondence, and deeds of trust and other miscellaneous property records belonging to the Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company and the Charlotte Electric Railway, Light, and Power Company. There are four series in this collection: Series 1: Administrative Records, 1890-1899; Series 2: Correspondence, 1904-1910; Series 3: Legal Documents, 1899; Series 4: Financial documents, 1893-1904.
Materials are in good condition and dated 1860-1910, with the bulk of the collection dated 1930-1939.
Dates
- 1860 - 1910
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open to the public without restriction. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to duplicate or publish material from this collection must be obtained from the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
Biographical / Historical
Edward Dilworth Latta was among the most powerful men in Charlotte during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He organized and led the Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company (4Cs) in 1890, which enabled himself and five other influential Charlotteans, including Mayor F.B. McDowell, to develop the Dilworth neighborhood.
The J.G. Brill Company built the trolley car that took residents to and from Dilworth. Charlotte adopted electric trolley cars c1872, which were operated by an overhead electric cable. In 1883, the North Carolina General Assembly chartered the Charlotte Street Railway Company. In 1891, Latta solidified a deal with Edison Electric Company to build an entire electric trolley system. Several years later in 1894, the Charlotte Street Railway Company operated five miles of track and nine cars, with Latta serving as one of the company officers at that time.
By 1896, he took over leadership of the company and reorganized it into the Charlotte Electric Railway, Light, & Power Company. After Latta’s reorganization of the company, the railway system grew from 4 miles of track to over 24 miles.
The 4Cs maintained an effective monopoly in Charlotte until 1905 when James B. Duke established the Southern Power Company as its rival. Latta sold his business to Southern Power in 1910. Southern Power would later become known as Duke Power in 1924.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
0.25 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Edward Dilworth Latta founded the Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company, also known as the Four Cs, in 1890. Latta and five other influential Charlotteans, including Mayor F.B. McDowell, developed the Dilworth area, had their own trolley system, and had control of gas and electric power in Charlotte. Incorporating other companies into his own, such as the Charlotte Gas Light Company and the Charlotte Electric Railway, Latta and his group maintained an effective monopoly in Charlotte.
This collection contains records relating to the Four Cs and the Charlotte Electric Railway, Light, and Power Company. Materials are in good condition and dated 1860-1899.
Arrangement
There are four series in this collection: Series 1: Administrative Records, 1890-1899; Series 2: Correspondence, 1904-1910; Series 3: Legal Documents, 1899; Series 4: Financial documents, 1893-1904.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The immediate source and date of acquisition for this collection is unknown.
Bibliography
“North Carolina Railroads-Street Railways-Charlotte.” Accessed November 2019. https://www.carolana.com/NC/Transportation/railroads/nc_street_railways_charlotte.html
Turner, Walter R. “Development of Streetcar Systems in North Carolina.” CharlotteMecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission. http://www.cmhpf.org/development%20of%20streetcar%20systems.htm
Condition Description
Materials are in good condition.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of this collection was completed by Sydney Carroll, August 2020.
- Account books Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Business Subject Source: Local sources
- Chambers, Julius, 1850-1920
- Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company (Four Cs) Subject Source: Local sources
- Charlotte Electric Railway, Light & Power Company Subject Source: Local sources
- Charlotte Gas Light Subject Source: Local sources
- Contracts for deeds Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Deeds of trust Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dilworth family Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dilworth neighborhood Subject Source: Local sources
- Duke, James Buchanan, 1856-1925
- Electric utilities Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Latta, Edward Dilworth, 1851-1925
- Neighborhoods Subject Source: Local sources
- Transportation Subject Source: Local sources
- Title
- Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company Records, 1860-1910
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sydney Carroll
- Date
- 2020-08
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Repository
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library-Main
310 N. Tryon Street
Charlotte NC 28202 USA
carolinaroom@cmlibrary.org