The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-14
Rapid Transi! Company's New Line
to the University Is
Completed.
Trip Over the Line Yesterday by
City Officials and Busi-
... ness Men.
Starting To- Day Regular Trips VIII he
Made, and tho Fare VIII Be Only
Ton Cents Each Way.

Tho Helena Rapid TRANSIT company yos-
terday formally opened its new line to the
Methodist university for business. Pfesi-
dent Clark issued invitations to the alder
men, CITY officials. officers of the board of
trade. members OF shs ps sss. officers OF the
Helena Electric company and other
gentlemen. to make the initial trip
and about fifty gentlemen responded. The
start WAS made at 2:30 pm. from the Office
Of the company in ths Masonic temple
building. The route is down Main street.
past the company's power house. through
the Grand Avenue addition, on a straight
line for three miles or 10 TO the Helena
cemetery. Here the line turns to the east
and runs in that dirsOtion for about a
mile. crossing Montana avenue. then it
besrs of to the north, direct to the Metho-
dist university. The frbt stop was made
at the new cemetery whore the party spent
half an hour. Peter Winnie. who was one
of the party, told of the work done and
that contemplated BY the cemetery associa-
ton. But few of the party had looked
over the cemetery before. and every
one was loud In praises of the
energy and enterprise being displayed. Al
the university the party was received by the
students and faculty. given cordial re-
oeption and shown over the baildines and
grounds. On the trip back stop was made
at the power house. whore Superintendent
Cahill explained the methods OF operating
the plant.
Tho university line makes about sixteen
miles of electric street railway operated by
the Rapid Transit company. Nowhere ir
the state, or for that matter In the north
west. is there better constructed piece Of
street railroad than the university exten-
sion. II is built just like steam railroad
Instead Of running up hill and down dale,
wherever IL was necessary cut or a fill wal
made. the result being that just az far q
you can see the track ahesd it IL % leve
a. the Northern Pacific In the vicinity of
Helena. Tho extension from the power
house on lowsr Main street TO the univers
itv 10 Eve miles in length. i A portion of II
as far as the Grand avenue addition, wa
built several years Rno by Wallace !
Thornhnrgh. On this pcs.ion ordinary pin,
strcet railway tics were used. The remaining
four miles were constructed by the Rapid
Transit company under tho immediate
supervision of Superintendent Cahill
President Clark said he wanted a first clas
u
the standard railroad gauge, arc used.
2.640 to the mile, the same as ON a steam
railroad. Good heavy rails were laid, an,
the whole limo indicates a purpose. vel
carried out. to put in road that would
keep in repair. Nothing has been spared
that would oonduee to this end. Th'
company has right of way Of eighty feet
along section lines, and If its nRreemen
with the grantees was to give them o frs
class road, 1t has lived up to its agreement
The general public had an idea that tn
extension would be sort of hlmsy affair;
trip on it will lrove conclusivsly that it i
as solid and as we'll built as any street rail
road in the country. Under the company
agreement with the cemetery company an
other owners of property along the line.
was to build and operate the line; 1t ha
built it and ii will operate it. not once
week, or once a day. but it will give such
service. ali the time. seven days in tn
, week. a. will best accommodate its patron.
/ This agreement has seventeen years yet t
, run, 10 that those who 20 out I
live on the line Of the road may be assured
of as good service as other suburban sec
! tions the Same distance from town receive
There is no question fas but then the new 1s VII
love to get a breath of countr.
air. 1t runs through leve
> country. under irrigation, where ther
: is q continuous field of green alway
beside the track. 1t will be a great boo
for those who have business at the cemeter
or at the university. as we'll as those VIII
like a long ride in the country. Ant
the best of it is it will not cost muot
, President Clark thought over tn
fare question for long while. Thos
interested expressed the opinion that
, cents would not be excessive for the roun
. trip, while others said 25 cents caoh wa
4 would not be amiss. But Mr.. CLARK ha
: done better. and the fare has been fixed .
10 cents each way. The long ride and th
. scenery might have made the university ex
z tension popular, but the low fare wi
Q surely do il.
' No time table has yet been made. an
( cannot be until ID has been operated a da,
Q or two. To-day. beginning at nine O'Clock
: trips will be made every hou,
j. or as near that time as posi-
. BILE. During the coming week regr
l lar time card will be issued. The road
now open for business, and there will ur
: doubtedly be large numuer who will tak
Q u ride to the university to-day.