The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-02-01
A FARMERS VIEW.
How the Electric Railway Is Looked at by
Farmer.

DAVENPORT, Ia, Jan. 2.-ISpecial.
Permit me in this letter to tell your
readers how strect-cars are run in this
city; and excuse me If | should make
some left-handed remarks in regard to
how they are run in a certain other
city.
There are a number Of street rail
ways in this city. Davenport is well
supplied with street cars. They are a
great convenience to all, and especial
ly to those who live upon the hills
back Of the river. They save the old
and the weary great deal of steep
climbing steep apparently to one
who has been used to walking on level
ground. You can ride, If you WISH
from the furthercst side Of Davenport
to the other side of Moline. You
cross the river over bridge under the
railroad track, and pass through Rock
Island. | cannot say whether this is
one continuous route or three separate
ones. for | make all my wanderings
afoot: but you can go the entire dis
lance all the same-if not for one
nickle, you can for three. This route
runs through the principal business
street of the city, and the cars are run
by horse or mule power, and not by
electricity.
There is but one electric railway in
the city. 1t commences in the CEN
trail part of the city and runs up over
the hills on one of the fashionable
streets, among the residence portions
of the city, away from the business
centers. 1t is great accommodation
to ladies going down town to do shop
ping, and to gentlemen going to and
from their homes and places Of bust
ness. Very few farmers come into
town on this street, and only those
living near, whose horses have be-
come accustomed to the peculiar noise
of the cars, and to seeing them coming
down hill without any visible motive
power.
There are several other streets, run
ming parallel to this and leading out
into the country, that farmers are ac-
customed to come in on, their buSl'
ness, for the most part, taking them
to other parts of the city. Their
eating houses and feed-yards are not
on the line of this road. They are not
obliged to meet the cars if they know
that their horses are liable to be
by them. They can take
some other street. And when Il farmer
has occasion to go from one city to the
other, he does not meet upon the
bridge an electric car, tearing along
like a headleSs man on horseback.
But how is ii with Ottawa?
The farmer on the north, east or
west side has no reason to complain.
He is not obliged TO face them in IA
narrow pass. He can avoid them by
taking some other street. He need
not cross their track when they are in
sight If he thinks that his team
would be unmanagcable. But Il is
not so with the farmer on the south
side. He is at the mercy of Il corpora
ton. He has but one way to get into
town. He must cross bridge, and
that bridge is Distracted. He has no
choice in the matter. He has no way
Of getting around it, and the question
is to cross or not to croSs-to pass
over in the face of danger or to turn
back. If his horse is gentle he may
pass without any difficulty; If not, his
fife is I'm danger. He is liable to IA
runaway or smash-up, or both.
have been told, and in all serious
ness, by many good people that an &C.
casional runaway does not amount to
much when compared to the advan-
tages derived by tlfe town, and that
country horses will soon get used to
them.
This may be all true to some ex-
tent. A dead farmer pulled out from
under smashed-up wagon, now and
then, ought not to be an impeachment
to the march of improvement, and
country horses ought to be trained not
to be frightened at the cars before
they are brought into town. A boy
should not go swimming until he has
learned to swim.
And this reminds me of story: