The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-02-26
PROGRESS OF RAPID TRANSIT.


PROGRESS OF RAPID TRANSIT.
Statistics Prove That the Horse Car Ii
Fast Losing Its Usefaipess.
At the convention Of the American
Street Railway association ut Buffalo,
in many ways one of the most impor-
tant gatherings of the kind ever seen IN
this country, President Lowry congrat-
ulated the association ON the progress
which had been made In the work of
the association since i.s organization in
1882. He alluded TO the fact that the
United States government had recog-
nized the growing importance of city
passenger traffic by Incorporating in its
census statistics for 1890 a report on
street railways in cities of over so, 900
inhabitants
In this report fifty-six cities are in
clnded, and out of total of 3 $50 miles
of track possessed by them 2, 351 miles
are operated by horses. 260 miles by
electricity, 255 miles by cable and 221
miles by steam. In the smaller cities
electricity is being generally adopted,
and there are already In operation in
cities and towns under so, 900 inhabit-
ants about 1000 miles of electric street
railway. Mr.. Lowry added:
I am SO thoroughly convinced that
electricity is the coming power for
street railways Except heavy grade.
where the cable is best suited, and
that it win prove effective as a means
of rapid transit in cities, that believe
this Is the last convention that will ever
seriously consider horses for the opera
ton of street railways. When the peo-
pie of q city clearly understand the
great benefits of rapid transit by cleo
tricity or other improved motive power
over horses, they will demand that
their city authorities grant such rights
as will enable street railway companies
to operate by the most improved
methods
Heretofore street railway securities
have been looked upon with. favor by
the financial world. However, since
they have been operated by electricity,
the financial men of the country are
looking to its development and appli-
cation to street railways as an addition
al reliable security for the investment
of savings and trust funds. Yihs should
encourage street railway companies to
give their various cities the most i'm
proved and best posab service They
will not only please their patrons, but
the investment will prove very profit
able. If street railway companies do
this no better security can be offered
for the savings of the widow and or
phan than a good street railway bond
in a thriving city.
People have not yet begun to realize
what an immensely important factor
the increase of speed in city travel may
become. 1t has been found that in
creasing the speed of the cars given
percentage inevitably increases the pa
tronage in nearly the same ratio, while
the operating expenses are increased
by very small fraction Of this percent
age.
An instance of this has occurred at
Davenport, Ia, where it has been
found, taking the record for one year,
that the total expense of operating five
horse cars was $40, $40, while five cleo
trio cars cost 81, 270 to operate during
the same time, or it cost to operate the
same number of cars 3 1-2 per cent.
more by electricity than by horses.
The gross earnings for the twelve
months of the same equipments were,
horses s15, 897,- electricity $23, $40.
1t will thus be seen that although
the operating expenses were increased
3 1-2 per cent. where electricity was
used, the earnings were increased very
nearly so per cent, or in other words
the substitution of electricity resulted
in a net gain of more than 46 per cent,
owing to the increased patronage in
duced by the improved service
Pittsburg Dispatch.