It was the spring of 1930. Times were not good. The stock market had collapsed the previous October. The economy was in a state of collapse. Factories were closing. Men were out of work. The great depression had begun.

At the same time, the formerly busy shops of the St Louis Car Company were nearly empty. The depression had hit the company hard. Orders were few and small in size. The company was in danger of closing. Even bankruptcy could be seen lurking in the distance. Prospects were few. The PCC production was still six years into the future. A Miracle was needed.

Salvation came in the form of the City of Detroit-Department of Street Railways. The DSR had decided to purchase 130 additional Peter Witt streetcars. The Car Company aggressively courted the DSR, and the effort paid off. For one of the few times in its history, the DSR failed to split an order between carbuilders. The entire order of 130 Peter Witts was awarded to the firm from St Louis. The shops at Baden, Missouri were busy for the remainder of the year. The St Louis Car Company would survive another year.

The last 130 Detroit Peter Witts represented the end of an era. A survey of the order books of the St Louis Car Company reveals they were the last traditional streetcars ever ordered from that prestigious firm. It would be five more years, before city trolleys of any type would again be constructed by the Car Company, and they were 10 "pre-PCCs" for Washington, D.C.

The 130 Peter Witts would be delivered in the cream and green scheme, that would be so familiar for the next 16 years, before being repainted into a cream and black decor. With failing ridership, due to the depression, the Witts would be assigned to the best lines, while older sisters were relegated to the less prestigious routes. Economic hard times and a world war would take their toll on the trolleys of the DSR, but the 781 Peter Witts would continue to soldier on.

Designed by Peter Witt, the street railway commissioner of Cleveland, "Peter Witts" were front entrance, center exit streetcars with a conductor stationed directly in front of the center exit. The two-man trolleys were both fast loading and unloading. Thousands were built. Beginning in 1921, the City of Detroit would eventually own 781 Peter Witts. Peter Witt, the man, later became Mayor of Cleveland. Mr Witt received a $50.00 royalty fee on every "Peter Witt" built.

City ordinances and union contracts prevented all but a few of the Detroit Peter Witts from being utilized as one man cars on lightly traveled or evening routes, during the late 1930s. As a result, the DSR soon became the largest operator of motor coaches, with over 2,000 small one-man gasoline powered busses. With the end of the war, the worn out coaches had to be quickly replaced. With a six cent trolley fare keeping revenues down (bus fares were ten cents), there was insufficient funds to rebuild the track, overhead, trolleys, and purchase new small replacement buses. Wholesale abandonments of trolley lines and scrapping of the older Witts resulted. The Peter Witts were doomed.

The dawn of the 1950s saw the remaining Peter Witts repainted into their final Detroit colors -- cream and red. By 1952, only 20 remained on the roster, for use on the Baker line and tripper service. Within a year, only a dozen remained. When insufficient funds were available in the DSR budget for track rebuilding on the Jefferson, the line was converted to busses. The need for any Peter Witts, on the DSR roster, was eliminated. The remaining Peter Witts were scrapped, save two.

Preservation minded traction fans gathered together and purchased two of the Witts. Ray Padway confirms 3876 was selected as the best running and 3865 had the best body, of the remaining Peter Witts. Sadly, no other Detroit Peter Witts were "preserved", and no one attempted to establish a Detroit area trolley museum, at that time. There were rumors that Greenfield Village was about to establish an operating trolley line. However, that never came to pass.

3876 was donated to the Ohio Railway Museum, where it ran for a number of years. Unfortunately, the city of Worthington grew up around the museum site, and became increasingly hostile towards the trolleys. The construction of barns and proper shops were blocked. Vandalism and rumors of closure became common place. Only recently, have signs of life been reported at ORM. DSR 3876 remains protected by heavy tarps, inoperable for a number of years.

With the assistance of the Detroit Historical Commission, Peter Witt 3865 was donated to the Henry Ford Museum. Preservation minded traction fans assumed 3865 had been given a good home. The Henry Ford Museum left the Detroit Peter Witt sitting outside, completely exposed to the elements. Approximately two decades later, a group of volunteers began the long restoration of the now seriously deteriorated streetcar. The effort was halted abruptly and the restoration was never completed. The Detroit Peter Witt has remained inside the Henry Ford Museum for the past two decades, with all of the windows and seats scattered in piles inside the trolley. Countless visitors, new to the Museum, no doubt thought restoration was in progress.

It was November of 1995, when a letter was sent out to various non-profit organizations. The curators at the Henry Ford Museum had decided to de-accession the Peter Witt. No reasons were ever given. As the only operating electric railway museum in the state, the Michigan Transit Museum, would seem to be a logical choice. However, the 3865 was offered to another.

Impact Alliance was a new, virtually unknown, non-profit organization with a stated purpose of operating streetcars on Woodward Avenue, from downtown to the New Center. With apparent ties to the City of Detroit-Department of Transportation, Impact Alliance was actively seeking an operable fleet of trolleys. Impact Alliance wanted 3865 and Impact Alliance was offered 3865. Visions of a rare Detroit trolley operating in regular service, were revealed. However, questions soon began to arise.

Among them was experience. It soon became apparent, that those running the non-profit corporation had probably never even seen an operating trolley. A quick course on streetcars and their operation was given by several members of the MTM. Acquiring a fleet of either Toronto or Philadelphia PCC streetcars was said to be a goal, but neither acquisition came to pass. It was a long year and a half, before the Impact Alliance proposal officially died.

It was August of 1997, when the Henry Ford Museum finally offered the Detroit Peter Witt to the MTM. However, there were strings attached. The MTM was initially given just 30 days to respond (later extended to 60 days). HFM insisted the Peter Witt be housed, stored, restored and operated only in a manner historically appropriate to its nature. In addition, all costs associated with the removal and moving would have to be borne by the MTM. The allotted time was all too short, but several members attempted to secure the necessary funding and submit a proper proposal.

HFM suggested a reliable, commercial firm to safely move the Peter Witt from its present resting place to a location outside the museum building--at a reasonable price. However, the HFM soon insisted the MTM pickup all other possibly associated costs, some perhaps quite questionable. In the end, the costs were far, far too open-ended.

The MTM made a counter-offer to the Henry Ford Museum. It was one we felt would be fair to all. We were open to further negotiations. It was rejected outright. The counter-proposal was apparently considered totally unacceptable.

Frankly, a number of us are totally disgusted with the Henry Ford Museum. True, they did make an excellent point or two. The Peter Witt would have to be tarped, as the MTM has not yet erected a carbarn. However, the MTM and it's membership have a better understanding of and an appreciation for the Detroit Peter Witt, then any other organization in the state of Michigan. We expected a little more cooperation. Instead, we were held to a higher standard.

The Detroit Peter Witt will now be offered for bid. We assume the same criteria will be used, when the 3865 is finally given a new home. 3865 and 3876 are the last survivors of the 781 Detroit Witts. We can only hope the Henry Ford Museum and the new owners have as much appreciation for both the importance and history of the Detroit Peter Witts, as we do.

GJM

It was a bright, sunny Sunday afternoon in November of 1988. An old, retired railroad man walked into the Mt. Clemens Depot Museum. Although he may have never been in the restored station, he was both an old friend to the depot and an honored guest. It was more of a reunion. He was Leo Bettes, the last Grand Trunk Western station agent in Mt. Clemens.

Mr. Bettes had entered the Depot Museum carrying several good sized boxes. "We're moving to Florida, and my wife is going to throw these out, if I don't find a good home for them." The Depot Host took one look and realized the significance of the donation. The items were quickly accepted. The Depot Curator was called at home (I had decided to take the day off). He briefly demonstrated a couple items and indicated the history of a few others. All too soon, the man left the Mt. Clemens Station for the last time. The curator never met Leo Bettes. I had arrived a half hour too late.

The Depot Museum was delivered into our custody almost completely devoid of the various accessories employed, when it was an active Grand Trunk station. Documents, displays and artifacts had to be gathered from across the region. A railroad depot museum was created. In the historic building, where Thomas Alva Edison perfected his telegraphic skills, the telegrapher's set was missing.

Leo Bettes had donated not just a few artifacts, but a small family legacy. Rule books, railroad paper, logs and other items from both the Grand Trunk and the REA were included. A small cabinet from the Walled Lake depot was also donated (Mr. Bettes was the last station agent at that location, too). His father, R.W. Bettes, had been a longtime Grand Trunk employee and a member of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers. Even a copy of the large Bluebook, from which his father had learned telegraphy, was included in the donation. However, none of those items were the real prize. Leo Bettes had returned the telegraphic outfit from the Mt. Clemens station, back to where it truly belongs.

On the recommendation of the curator, Leo Bettes was immediately declared an honorary member of the Michigan Transit Museum -- an honor which has been renewed each January since. A number of the items, including the telegraphic unit were placed on display. In early April of 1998, we received a very short note simply stating Mr. Bettes was deceased. No details were given. We owe a great debt to Leo Bettes.

Thank You !

-gjm

This picture of the Mt. Clemens Depot was taken around 1981-82, just after the exterior of the building had been restored - garage door removed and original baggage-type doors in-stalled, bay-window restored to original location, chimneys replaced, etc. It is unknown if the bay-window was still in place when Mr. Bettes was the agent at Mt. Clemens, but the telegraph key and sounder sure look good in there now! I hope Mr. Bettes was pleased with what he saw. This picture was taken before the fence was put up, and also shows what the platform looked like - before most of it was 'removed".
Photo by Dick Fountain.