The record-union., 1891-10-12
IT LOOKS PROMISING.
The Proposed Electric Railway Out to
Perkins.
Some of the Property-Owners Confer
With the Company-The Lat
ter's Conditions, Etc.

The prospect for an extension of the
Electric Railway Company's road from
this city to Perkins is quite f1attering. A
number of citizens who reside on the line
of the proposed road between the points
named met on Saturday, at the office of
Bruner & Bruner, for conference with
Messrs. j. II. Henry and L. L. Lewis,
representing the company. Those pres
ent, beside the gentlemen named, were
81. G. Smith, D. J. MCGOWAN, c. C. Per-
kins, n. L. Drew, E. II. Murphy and
Newton Booth.
After an informal talk relative to the
matter, Mr.. Henry was asked to state
on what conditions his company would
operate the road. He replied that if those
who owned property where it would be
benefited by such road, and where it
would be possible to build up travel,
would construct the track and put up
electric wires for the company the latter
would agree to operate the road for from
tive to eight years. BY that time, or long
before, it would be shown whether or not
the road would be success, and if it
should be an Improbable undertaking it
could then be dropped.
Being asked what he thought it would
cost to build the road, Mr.. Henry said he
or, IN round figures, $50, 900 for the four
miles.
These, he said, were outside figures,
and the estimate contemplated only the
best of material, including heavy Trails.
Ii anything, the cost would come little
under these figures, but nothing less
should be taken as the basis of cost.
Mr.. Henry further informed the COM
mittee that the company would maintain
the rate OF fare at cents from Perkins to
the end OF the present line Tor point of
Junction., and that at least hourly trips
would be made from either end of the
line. Whenever the occasion required,
such as when some public demonstration
was going on in the city, or an unusual
attractive play at the theater-in fact,
whenever the travel would Justify it
cars would be run oftener, or at night.
1t would be to the interest of the COM
pany, said Mr.. Henry, to give all the
facilities for transportation that the
public demand would warrant, and the
greater the demand the better it would
suit him.
He assured the committee that neither
he nor the gentlemen associated with him
had dollars interest in real estate any,
where in the direction in which it was
proposed TO extend the road. and there
fore had no choice as to the direction it
should take, except that route should
be selected that would be most suscepti-
BILE Of development. The company, if
laying out a road of it's own, would begin
| at the Oak Park terminus, but the
Twenty eighth and M-street project was
acceptable.
The possibility Of such road bringing
an adequate return to the builders was
| then discussed at some length. Halsey
q. Smith, who owns considerable choice
land between here and Brighton, said he
believed the road would double the value
| of his property. If it were built and in
operation, he would cut up his land into
small homestead tracts, and ne was sure
that homes would be built up all along
the line of the road. He said he would
give literally toward the building of an
electric road.
n. l.. Drew was equally as enthusiastic.
He said he would travel to and from
| town altogether by the electric railway
and he knew of many others who would
not be caught driving to the city through
mud or dust if they could come by cleo
tricity, and for five cents.
Messrs. Perkins, MCGOWAN and Muir
ply expressed similar views. The latter
said there were scores of people living
within radius of ten miles Of Perkins
who would never take the trouble to
drive to town if they could have hourly
communication by rail from that point
Mr.. MCGOWAN believed that the road
would enhance the value of property ten
miles away from Perkins, and he was
sure the rich farmers living up along the
river would subscribe willingly to the
cost of the road
Mr.. Perkins said it would help their
village out there to have the road built.
People would make that stopping place,
and would leave their teams there while
they came to town; and then, too, it could
be made an attractive point for city peo-
pie during fine weather. They could
take their children out there into the
country and have picnics and social gath
erings.
1t was finally moved and carried that
Mr.. MCGOWAN be chosen to select COM
mittee (himself to be Chairman whose
duty it should be to call upon the land
| owners east Of the city and within several
miles on either side of the proposed road,
and ascertain how much each will give
toward building the road.
The committee, as completed consists
of ID. j. McGowan, George G. McMullen,
G. G. Perkins, r. D. Stephens and E. II.
Murphy.
Mr.. Smith said that, while he could not
just at this time go out with the commit
tee, he wished it understood that he
would subscribe literally toward the end
| in view.
The committee has prepared subscrip-
ton list, and will this morning begin
their work of canvassing for subscrip-
tions. They believe they can get enough
money to build the road, and intend that
no time shall be lost.
Another meeting Of the committee will
be called about the end of the week.
~