The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-12
THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTRIC
RAILROADS,

Work was fairly begun last week on the
new electric railroad that is to run from
Oakland TO Haywards, and thence into
Santa Clara County. Below naywards the
road will divide, one branch going by way
of Niles, Mission San Jose, Iryington and
Milpitas to San Jose. the other passing
through AlyaradO and Newark and skirt
ing the bay shore to the same destination.
1t is proposed to run trains every hour, or
Oftener if necessary, carrying passengers
and freight at rates much lower than those
now prevailing.
The opening of this line will be one Ofthe
most important events that has ever taken
place in Alameda County. Years ago, be-
fore even steam roads penetrated that sec
ton. that pioneer. E. l.. Beard, conceived
his Once-famous idea of a wagon road
around the bay" which he justly believed
would be a potent factor in building up
Alameda County That road was never
built, or at least no more Of it than the 100
foot wide avenue from Mission San Jose to
acknowledgements mileS-which Beard him.
self had surveyed and gave to the State; but
the idea was steadfastIy held in mind by
few far-sghted ones. and has at last truited
in the great project that was inaugurated
last week. What MI Boards thoughts
would be could he return to earth and see
this execution of his grand idea can hardly
be imagined. He died before the days OF
electric roads. 1t is safe to predict how
ever that no greater contrast ex SIS be-
tween his Idea and this result tnan VIII one
day be SEEN between the present and future
conditions of this State, wrought by cleo
tricitv within even fewer years than have
elapsed since Beard advocated his road
around the bay
TIE electric railroad is vet in its infancy,
but it is rapidly demonstrating its adapta-
biIity 10 use as a transportation agent Tor
freight and passengers. These roads are
particularly ad 1pted to short hauls, and
around certain Eastern cities, notably B0s-
ton, Cleveland and Minneapolis, are being
brought into use for transporting farm prod
ucts 10 tie city markets. They are equipped
with fTeight-caTs Of a carrying capacity OF
i've tons OF more, for the special handling OF
these products Here in California, where
growers find it almost rs cheap TO ship their
products to Eastern markets as to those OF
the State such roads would be an incalcula-
BILE blessing TO both producers and con-
sumers. The Oakland and San Jose road,
rs said before, viii carry freight and pas
seugers. So also win the road now building
through san Mateo County. from San Fran
cisco 20 Ha.fm0on Bay. These two should
be jhe pioneers Of many such roads on this
coast With wJde-reaching system of
electric roads for light freight and passen-
ger traffic. and canals for grain and other
heavy sportauQu. California could be
speedily emancipaced from the sboTt-haul
extortians e existing m0nopolies.
Just what these roads should be 40 one
can at present pretend to say. Nearly every
day brings TO light new Improvements IN
existing methods of applying the power.
Tie two roads mentioned above viii use the
trolley system, which viii doubtless be
found sufficiently satisfactory in the open
country. where the overhead wires interfere
with 10 ones safety or convenience. In the
cities the mere EXPENSIVE storage batteries
and conduit systems Will compete for prefer
ence. We have no reason to suppose, how
ever, that there viii not be immense i'm
pr0Yements within few years On ali these
systems.
Even under present conditions. however,
tie people Of California can make no mis-
take in building electric roads wherever
I possible. In Fresno County this fall farm
ers hauled apples in wagons City miles or
more 10 Fresno City, because the exorbi-
tant freight charges for the haul precluded
all idea Of shipping save at q loss. An
electric road through tlat county would en-
able growers 20 ship their fruit and sell it
in the home market al a handsome profit.
Electric roads are not only feasible 10
every section where the grades are not too
heavy, but they are cheaper than any
others. For city lines the average cost per
mile Of trolley roads, including equipment
I and roadway, is from $4,000 10 $4,000
that Of hCTse-caT routes SO, coo to 81, CO.,
and Of cable roads more than double
/ either Of these. For country roads the cost
/ is less, varying with the difficulties Of En-
! giueeriug amount Of rolling stock required
and other considerations. The estimated
! ccst Of the Alameda County road from Hay
( wards to San Jose is Sl00 per mile On
/ the road from Oakland to HaywardS, vine re
/ considerable engineering skill must be used
/ in getting out into the open country, beyond
/ the mountains about Oakland. the cost will
! be considerably greater The estimate Of
$1,000 however, includes the cost OF a
good Geai CT engineering work on the steep
grade from Mission San Jose TO IrYington,
with several bitches and ravines to cross.
and this figure We are told. is a fair one as
representing the cost Of such a road over
! fairly level country. In districts blessed
/ with streams of sufficient size to furnish
/ power for operating tie electric plant, such
/ roads may be built very cleaply indeed.
! So much interest has been awakened by
/ these two electric roads that it will prob
/ ably not be long ere similar projects spring
/ up throughout the State. The times are
! ripe for them. and the people fully alive to
| the fact that the future Of our commercial
/ interests depends upon better transpOr;a-
ton facilities. not merely for the farmers
and orehardists, but for merchants and
every other class Of shippers in the interior.
such facilities are readily TO be found in
the electric road, which. for cleanliness,
economy, comfort, rapidity of transit and
convenience Of service, can be made to ex-
coed anything ever yet known In the State.