The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The City Electric Railway Com
pany, of Ottawa, first announced to
public notice through the columns of
the FREE TRADER, has entered upon
its first venture in the construction of
electric railways in the state of Hi
nOiS.
In September last Peru, stimulated
by the example of Ottawa, began to
demand a street railway, arguing that
a line constructed upon the streets
might readily be run to La Sale and
continued there, thus giving the COM
pany putting in plant the patronage
of about sixteen thousand people.
With the end in view of carrying
out this idea, Messrs. III. Bellinghau
sen, r.. Moore, A. j. Reeve and Geo.
ID. Laid, responsible men and promi-
nent citizens, proceeded to organize a
stock company, and very soon secured
IA franchise from the City Council en-
powering them to lay street railway
tracks in Peru. Having secured the
franchise, however, they did not i'm
mediately begin the construction of
the road, preferring, perhaps, that
some other company should purchase
the franchise and place an electric
railway upon the streets.
AS stated by Mr.. Merritleld, in an
interview published some weeks ago,
the object of the organization of the
City Electric Railway Company is to
construct and operate electric rail-
ways in Illinois and adjoining states,
were Peru and La Sale. NegOtia-
tions were at once opened with the
Peru gentlemen, and after the settle
ment of preliminaries the franchise
was purchased of the Peru gentlemen,
and passed into the hands of the City
Electric Railway Company.
This franchise gives to the company
the privilege of laying three miles OF
track in the city of Peru, with the
necessary switches, turnOuts, etc. 1t
is understood that the road will be
constructed upon substantially the
same plan as that of the Ottawa Elec-
trio Street Railway, with the eXcep-
tion that the "Short" system Of two
overhead wires, manufactured by the
Brush Electric Company, will be used
instead Of the ThOmson-HOustOn sys-
TEN, now in use in Ottawa. Mr..
Enyart, secretary Of the City Electric
Railway Company, claim for the
"Short" system that it is perfectly
harmless, the wires being very lightly
charged, and that at no point in the
machinery is there danger to either
man or beast. The road is to be built
and in operation within one year.
1t is not to be supposed that this
company will construct the Peru road
and operate it as a separate insttu-
ton, for this would probably be a very
Improbable venture, and ii is said t0
be the intention of Mr.. Merritield, and
those associated with him, to connect
Peru and La Sale with an iron track
and build six or seven miles Of road in
La Sale. Such road, drawing patron
age from over sixteen thousand people,
would doubtless be good property.
La Sale has long desired an cleo
trio road and, it is said, is willing,
through her council and executive, the
progressive Mr.. Matthiessen, TO grant a
very reasonable franchise To any com
pony that will construct and main
tain trst-class road upon her streets.
Peru and La Sale, by virtue Of their
proximity, stand in the same relation
to each other as do New York and
Brooklyn, and the connecting of their
centers by an electric street railway
could have no other result than that
accomplished by the Brooklyn bridge,
establish state of business and social
harmony. Peru and La Sale are
certainly in luck.