Nassau Electric Railroad Company stock certificate c1896 (New York) uncancelled

Brooklyn to Coney Island streetcar line. Nice vignette of a classic female figure, bare breasted and sitting on a trolley wheel with sparks coming out. Unissued and not cancelled.  Circa 1896 from issued examples. Dated 189_ on the cert.  Approximately 11.5 x 8 inches. 

This is the uncancelled version - see other listing for a cancelled version.

The Nassau Electric Railroad was chartered 1893 by Patrick H. Flynn, opened 1895, and subsequently acquired the following four companies:

• Coney Island Fort Hamilton & Brooklyn RR (acquired 1898) - chartered 1892.
• Kings County Elevated Rwy (acquired 1898) - chartered 1892.
• Union Railroad Company of Brooklyn (acquired 1898) - chartered 1884.
• United Railroad (acquired 1899).

The Nassau Electric also leased (in 1896) the Atlantic Avenue Railroad Company, which was chartered 1872, acquired 1893 by the Brooklyn Traction Company, subsequently acquired 1896 by the Kings County Traction Company. Previously this line had also acquired the Brooklyn Cable Company, chartered 1886.

In 1896, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company acquired the Long Island Traction Company and the Nassau Electric Railroad. The Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company was designated to manage the companies, including leased companies. Within the next few years, all street railways were controlled by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, except for the Van Brunt St. & Erie Basin Railroad and the Coney Island & Brooklyn Railroad.

The company created an extensive streetcar system in Brooklyn, forming the foundation of rapid transit in the borough before its absorption into BRT Brooklyn Rapid Transit and now the MTA.

Prior to incorporation of the NER, Patrick Flynn secured franchises in many Kings County towns under a variety of operating and construction companies. He later consolidated those companies into NER. The line ran along Ocean Avenue from near Coney Island to central Brooklyn. Flynn was a Brooklyn real estate developer who grew frustrated at the slow pace of street railway development in and around Brooklyn. He began promoting street railway lines that would connect Brooklyn with other towns on Long Island. NER quickly earned a reputation as a passenger-friendly road. It charged a five-cent fare and free transfers to anywhere on its system. These policies were extremely competitive and forced other lines, including excursion railroads, to lower fares or offer free transfers. By 1896, Flynn was buying up his competitors, the Atlantic Avenue Railroad, and the Brooklyn, Bath, and West End Railroad.

Product descriptions and images
Please note that some pictures may only be representative of the inventory available.  If we have more than one piece, we are unable to scan and display every piece.  Unless otherwise noted, that there are variations for signatures, cancellation marks/holes, serial number, and dates.  Colors will be as noted and pictured.