The Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway was an attempt by Joel Hurt to take over the various Atlanta streetcar systems.
Incorporated in May 1891, Hurt began negotiations to consolidate widely overlapping competing companies. On September 21 the titles of the following were conveyed to the Consolidated:
The fully steam-powered Metropolitan Street Railroad was absorbed on November 22, 1892. Only the Atlanta & Edgewood was completely electrified and they began work to convert the others. There were three small companies left outside of the system at the time (two headed to the northwest and one down to the barracks at Fort McPherson) but by the mid 1890s many more competitors were built.
Hurt continued with the electrification project having to contract for more and more power from Henry M. Atkinson while fighting a public relations battle over a perception of monopoly.
