Charlotte Consolidated Construction Company Records, 1860-1910

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: MS-2020-038

Staff Only

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

Additional Description

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.

Related Materials

Business Firms—4C’s Company. (CALL NUMBER: NCR VERTICAL FILES)

Latta, Edward Dilworth and Wife. (CALL NUMBER: NCR VERTICAL FILES)

Bibliography

Davidson, Chalmers G. “Latta, Edward Dilworth.” NCPedia, 1991. http://www.ncpedia.org/biography/latta-edward-dilworth

“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.

Subjects

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