The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-06-16
STOCK SUBSCRIBED.
Mr.. Evans Talks Ia the City Council. Jer
nv Canty Made Happy. More Lirhts.

hau Deeu maue, 10 place electric lights
on the Illinois and Fox river bridge.
and in Washington Park. and erect seven
new gas lamps, six Of which 90 in the Sew
enth ward, was taken up and passed.
A communication from Jerry CAVITY, setting
forth that all Of his means are invested in
his saloon building on Chestnut street, that
he has, for year past, kept an orderly
house, and that the police have not been
called TO his place in q year, accompanied
by a heavily signed petition, was read by
Mr.. Kelly, and referred TO the license com
mittee TO report at once. After recess OF
five minutes the committee reported favora
bly, and the license was granted without a
dissenting voice.
ELECTRIC RAILWAY.
Mayor Allen introduced Mr.. Evans, OF
Council Bluffs, who has been engaged ia
arranging TO place an electric street railway
in operation here, who said:
Mr.. Mayor, and gentlemen of the coun.
Gil: came here by appointment today, to
try and complete an organization for the
placing Of an electric street railway in oper.
alton in your city. All are aware that a
certain amount of red tape surrounds the
preliminary steps, and that certain things
must be done before we can act with you rs
a corporation We have filed articles Of in
corporation with the Secretary of State, our
stock has all been subscribed, and certifi
cate TO that effect has been sent TO Spring
field A week from next Saturday Today
we will complete our organization and elect
officers and will then be able TO treat with
you as a corporation. have little more to
offer in addition to what has already been
given out to your business men, and by my
communication to your honorable body,
unless some one desires to ask a question.
Mr. Taylor has informed me that the coun
Gil desired committee of their body to visit
some electric railway plant that is in sue
cessful operation; for, as l said before, eighty
out Of one hundred have been failures. There
is plenty Of time for this in two weeks, as
we shall have to get the consent of the ma
jority Of residents for each separate mile
whose property fronts on the streets we
propose to run our road upon. Your COM
mittee could then investigate the kind of
rail used, as | understand that there is great
objection to the T rail. The best place to
examine the workings of a road is at Rich
mond, Va. 1t ascends grades that are ten
feet to the hundred, and turns curves with
radius of SO feet. | think the grade up
to Mr.. Sherwoods is ten feet to the humid
red. At Richmond the road has several hills
to imt,-operates on nine and half miles
Of street with fourteen miles Of track, and
runs forty cars, thirty FIVE at time. with a
FIVE minute service. 1t is the finest service
in the country, and we shall put in one as
good as it in every particular. Ifyoa use
fiat rails, laid on stringers on unimproved
streets, the dirt will wash away and you
will not only have the rail to climb. but the
stringer also. If we are allowed to use the
T rail, the space between the rails will be
filled with gravel and tamped down hard,
while at every street crossing, we will plank
the outer edge of the rails the full width of
the interesting street. We must make ev-
erything safe, as we understand that we are
liable for all damages. We do not ask any
thing but what you would ask yourselves
were you in our places and are willing to
abide by all ordinaces of the city now in
force"
Mr. Catlin: Are there not roads nearer
than Richmond which . committee could
visit?
Mr. Evans: Yes; at Allegheny City, and
Lima, Ohio, bu: they are not equipped with
the latest improvements, as is the case with
the road at Richmond. 1t is just completed
and was turued over to the company two
weeks ago.
Mr. We'll: How about the road at Apple
ton, Wisconsin?
Mr.. Evans: 1t is not new road. l have
visited it and would not take it as gift. 1t
makes too much noise and is of system of
Sc " a. habipi ha t;pnau Tho rnaIS
at Lima and Allegheny City are modern
roads, although not so perfect as the Rich
mond road
MIR. Armstrong: l have been informed
that you also contemplated using your poles
for electric light.
Mr.. Evans: We do not intend running an
electric light plant. We are just trying to
run street railway. We have, however,
no objection to allowing our poles to be used
by the city for that purpose, as the globes
are very ornamental Our poles would be Of
iron in the centre of the town--hOllOw cast
iron. There would be one at each corner
and one in the centre of the block on each
side of the street. There is an improvement
coming up, to run the cars by the rails alone,
which if completed in time, may cause us to
abard don the poles. The poles would be
twenty feet high.
Mr.. Catlin: How would you proceed In
crossing swing bridge, where the super
structure was enclosed at the top?
MIR. Evans: 1t would make no difference
at all. The electric folks tell me that it can
be overcome without any difficulty whstev-
er. We lay sixteenth inch copper wire,
notched into the singer for the return cur.
rent. 1t is not dangerous as we only use
$40 to $50 degrees. The wire running
across the streets to support the central wire,
will be nothing but common telegraph wire,
and will not be charged. There will be no
sparks, as in Appleton, Wis, where the
sparks nearly light the streets at night.
ALDERMANIC OPINIONS.
Mr.. Armstrong: To ascertain the views
of the council, and invite discussion, move
that a ,ommitte e Of FIVE, of which the mayor
constitute one, be appointed to 60 to Rich
mond, Va, at the city's expense, and inves
tigate the plant in operation there.
Mr.. Hull: l am opposed to sending
committee at all, and it seems to me that
these men don't propose to invest a large
amount of money ma failure. Why take
ten or fifteen men off on ajunketing tour?
Mr. Catlin: agree with Mr.. Hull. MIR.
Evans has investigated every plant in the