On January 8, 1880, Mr. Latham was made president of the company. In March of that year Judge George Greene (always foremost in any enterprise which would help Cedar Rapids) took a controlling interest in the company, and from that time forward, with the financial assistance rendered by Judge Greene, the work went rapidly on so that the line began carrying passengers between Cedar Rapids and Marion on the 3d of May, 1880, by steam motor between Twelfth street in Cedar Rapids and the terminal station in Marion, and from Twelfth street to Fourth street in Cedar Rapids in horse cars.
Both Judge Greene and Mr. Latham died early in the summer of 1880, and although Mr. S. C. Bever, Mr. A. J. McKean and other prominent citizens of Cedar Rapids and Marion afterwards became interested in the enterprise, the Greene family always held a controlling interest and were foremost in management of the company up to the sale in 1890.
Mr. Latham was succeeded as president by William Greene on July 15, 1880.
The board of supervisors forbade the company laying its track on the boulevard, and brought suit to enjoin such construction. The Eighteenth General Assembly (1880) passed an act authorizing street railway tracks on roads 100 feet wide. So the supreme court sustained Judge Shane in refusing the injunction. Early in the spring of 1881, the line was extended across the steam railway tracks at Fourth street to the foot of Iowa avenue. Soon after that date the company were not allowed to bring the steam motors below Fifteenth street, the horse cars carrying the Marion passengers up to that point.
The track between Marion and the city limits of Cedar Rapids were laid with "T" rails weighing sixteen pounds to the yard; afterwards changed to thirty-five pounds per yard. The horse car tracks were laid with flat rails weighing twenty-two to twenty-four pounds per yard, spiked on the top of wooden stringers. The first equipment consisted of two small second hand steam motors and four cars.
The extensions and additions made were: In 1882, track to fair ground from First to B avenue, only operated during fairs and amusements. Line on Adams (now Third) street, First avenue to Fourteenth avenue. Opened September 7, 1882. Line from First avenue and Commercial (now First) street to Third avenue, across Third avenue bridge on Third avenue to Sixth street west; also line on Third street north from Third avenue to A avenue, and south to Seventh avenue west. These west side lines began doing business in the fall of 1882, and early in 1883 car and horse barns were built at Third avenue and Third street west.
In 1884, line extended from Third street and Seventh avenue west to J. C. Young's addition at Sixth street and Fifteenth avenue west and afterwards taken up for want of business.
In 1886, line from First avenue east along Fifth street to Fifth avenue, up First avenue to Tenth street, thence on Tenth street and Mount Vernon road to Oak Hill cemetery; opened for business July 4, 1886.
Fair ground line taken up. New line on Sixteenth street from First to E avenue, built and put in operation November 15, 1886.
As the branch lines of horse railroad within the city of Cedar Rapids paid no profit, the Marion stockholders stoutly objected to the earnings of the Marion line being used for the sole benefit of the people of Cedar Rapids. So the Cedar Rapids and Marion Railway Co., on the 13th of July, 1889, conveyed to John W. Henderson—for the sum of one dollar—all of these branch lines excepting the Sixteenth street line. Mr. Henderson on November 14, 1889, deeded the same to the Cedar Rapids Street Railway, a company organized for the purpose of operating these city lines, and for the further construction of other city lines in Cedar Rapids, of which company C. G. Greene was president, U. C. Blake, vice-president, W. J. Greene, secretary, and George Greene, treasurer.