Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-12
ELECTRIC TRANSIT.
Suggestions to What May be Done in
the Near Future.
From the Boston Herald

the Near Future.
From the Boston Herald
Assuming the commercial success of the
use of electricity as motive power for
running street cars, it seems to us that the
time is soon coming when not only what is
called the rapid transit problem will in
this way receive a satisfactory solution, but
also settlement will be given to some of
the now vexed social problems which
spring out OF the congestion of population
within the marrow limits of great city.
There is clearly no need of crowding peo-
pie together IN tenement houses. provided
means can be found of giving them am
pie room to live in within reasonable dis
tance Of those places where they carry on
their. daily work. AT the present time a
very considerable number of those who are
employed in the workshops, stores and
offices of this city live either in the
suburban wards of the city or in some of
Its surrounding towns but the number of
those so living would be greatly increased
If the country within circuit OF ten miles
OF the City Hall could he reached in a rel
atively short time and at small expense.
Settlements are apt to grow UP in the
Immediate neighborhood of the suburban
stations of our various railway lines, and
the demand for land in the vicinity of
these is sufficiently intense to carry the
price up, and prevent those of humble
means from buying land and owning home
steads Between stations, or a mile or two
distant from them, there are in most in
stances large quantities of land which
could be purchased at very low prices; but
The obstacle in the way of the purchase of
co fa1 ht-t 49, Il. i
to come each day 10 the city to earn their
living IS that the time occupied in going
to and coming from work, and the in
convenience in supplying daily wants,
more than Offset the cheapneSs of the land,
and is desirability as the place upon
which to build house and bring up
family
Now, it seems to US that il is the future
destiny of electricity to make such loca-
tons as these-and in quantity of land
they are of enormous extent-readily
available to those who would benefit by
purchasing them. That is, it seems to us
that the time Is soon coming when the
companies which own the steam railroad
lines leading out Of Boston will find it for
their benht to construct one or more elec-
trio street railways from each of their
suburban stations. These railways can be
built out into the country at each station,
two or three miles on each side Of the
track, at relatively small cost. Motive
power can be supplied to them from CEN
trail station located at the point in Boston
which would be most convenient to the
company; while the cost of maintenance
would be practically confined to one, or at
most two, men for each car which was pat
IN service, with such few electricians as
might be found necessary The company
couid then arrange to run these ears in
connection with Its regular trains in
short, at relatively small expense, these
companies could extend their systems, so
far as the transportation of passengers was
concerned, several miles on each side of
their tracks.
The electric railroad would be simply
az extension Of the regular road. The
passenger leaving the main station AZ Bos-
ton would be carried first to the suburban
station and then, by an immediately CON
Meeting electric car, TO within short dis
lance OF his home, which might be two
miles or more from the suburban station.
and this in short space of time and by
Communication tickets 1T low price. In
this way the railroad companies would add
immensely to their suburban patronage,