General society of the trams with vapor of Cochinchine

The Cochinchine is the cradle of the Indochinese rail, and the small line of Saigon to Cholon is historically the first line of the Vietnam

First projects and the creation of the company

As of on September 24th, 1873, some Joyeux claim the concession of a small railway line or of tram between Saigon and Cholon . Not finding a capital in France, it joins financial British, which undoubtedly justifies the rejection of its request (1). October 18th, 1875, the trader saïgonais Alfred G. Hoog obtains the concession. But he does not undertake anything, and the project sinks quickly in the lapse of memory. Four years later, on December 11th, 1879, the concession is granted to the traders saïgonais Ogliastro and Theodore Blustein . To finance the operation, they joined to the Parisian capitalists Cousin and Desbuissons . The schedule of conditions of the future railroad is published on January 19th, 1880. On the basis of the port of Saigon, the line must skirt the Rivière of Saigon, then the Chinese stream. It will take then the high road of Saigon to lead to the quay Caudot with Cholon. The General society of the trams with vapor of Cochinchine is created a little later with head office with 24 rue Saint-Lazare with Paris. It is officially substituted for the initial dealers by colonial Council Decisions of the October 25th and 26th 1880. (2)

The construction and the beginning of the exploitation

Established in metric gauge track, the line is very quickly built. Inaugurated on December 27th, 1881, she is an immediate success. At the end of January 1882, the lieutenant governor notes already: the annamites show a true passion for this means of transport. During the first days, the number of travellers reached the two thousand. I suppose that these truly extraordinary figures will not be maintained. Nevertheless, the success of the company and other railways appear out of dispute (3). But the tram of Saigon to Cholon does not preserve its monopoly a long time. very quickly, it is necessary for him to take into account the competition of the CCFGCF which also serves Cholon.

Fusion with the Saigon - Mytho

Exploitation in control of the Saigon - Mytho by the colony does not give very convincing results. Very quickly, one returns from there to the solution initially envisaged, i.e. the leasing. The adjudication takes place with Paris and with Saigon on July 15th, 1889 and it is the SGTVC which is selected. A convention of September 12th, 1889 entrusts to him the exploitation of the Saigon - Mytho for one 10 years period. June 20th, 1893, an additional act will extend this duration for one 12 years period while amalgamating the two exploitations. At the time, the leaders of SGTVC thus have the monopoly of the rail-bound transports in Cochinchine. This situation does not last, because of the fast development of CFTI. That will have a harmful influence on the life of the company, which saw practically only passenger traffic. The line of Mytho is in very bad condition, it is necessary to rebuild the bridges and to modernize it. The displacement of the station of Mytho, in July 1897, is a shy person improvement.

The recovery by the colony

The concession of the Saigon - Mytho expires at December 31st, 1911. The date approaching, SGTVC takes many steps in 1908 and 1909 in order to obtain an extension for one 75 years duration. In exchange, it is ready to pour benefit increased with the colony, and to build with its expenses the line of Mytho to Long Vinh (2). But it is not alone any more on the rows. September 4th, 1909, the Company of company and exploitation in Indo-China request with the General governor Klobukowski the concession of the lines Saigon - Mytho - Cantho, Saigon - Phantiet, and Saigon - Cholon - Binh Donh for one 50 years duration. The initiators of the project also propose construction with their expenses, risks and dangers, for on July 31st, 1911 and a cost of 18 franc million, of a line Tanhiep - Cantho - Cholon - Binh Donh with connection auz factories of rice of this last locality. That does not impress in addition to-measurement the governor-general, who creates on August 11th, 1910 a charged commission to study various measurements that it is necessary to take in order to ensure the exploitation of Saigon-Mytho and the Saigon - Cholon by the high road starting from January 1st, 1912, as well as the various possibilities of extension of the railways in the west cochinchinois (4). In spite of their progression, the receipts of the company still do not manage to cover the expenditure. December 14th, 1911, a decree of the general government attaches the line Saigon - Mytho to the southern district of CFI. December 31st, another decree stipulates that the southern district of the railroads of Indo-China is charged to exploit, starting from January 1st, 1912, on behalf of the government of Cochinchine and under its control, the tram of Saigon with Cholon (2). It is finished by it SGTVC

The material

Locomotive with vapor

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