The story
The Glasgow Street Tramways Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. clxxv) was enacted by Parliament. This legislation allowed Glasgow Town Council to decide whether or not to have tramways within Glasgow. In 1872, the town council laid a 2½-mile route from St George's Cross to Eglinton Toll (via New City Road, Cambridge Street, Sauchiehall Street, Renfield Street and the Jamaica Bridge).
The Glasgow Street Tramways Act 1870 prohibited the town council from directly operating a tram service over the lines. The act further stipulated that a private company be given the operating lease of the tram-lines for a period of 22 years. The St George's Cross to Eglinton Toll tram line was opened on 19 August 1872 with a horse-drawn service by the Glasgow Tramway and Omnibus Company.
The company expanded in 1893 by leasing the Glasgow and Ibrox Tramway and the Vale of Clyde Tramway.
From Wikipedia’s article on Glasgow Tramway and Omnibus Company, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3