The morning call., 1894-08-02

able inducements were offered. The tour
ist travel is by far the largest in California
during the winter months. when the 7 o.
semitic is closed to visitors because Of me
difficulties of approach. II is during this
season that the Yosemite is in the full
development III its ripeDed beauties. and
it is claimed that by the proposed road
access will be possible at this as we'll as
any other season of the year.
But thereis another feature to this under
taking which has much significance, and
that is the relation which the electric roads
will in the future sustain to traffic upon
country roads in California. In fact this
Is the first step toward what may prove to
be a system of roads penetrating every
accessible valley in the State.
An Eastern electrical journal recently
published an article upon this very subject,
In which it called attention TO the fact that
a short time ago an Investigation was made
into the condition Of the country roads in
Ohio by State commission, with the
special object of aScertainlng whether 1t
would not be possible to adopt the trolley
Oh some of the roads, as a means of hand
ling farm freight and produce. The condi-
tion OF things disclosed by this inquiry
was very near TO savagery; IN two
thirds of the counties only dirt roads were
found to exist, and those were useless for
wheeled traffic nearly oDe-Quarter of the
y
sary TO move a ton OF freight over steel
rails is one-eighth that required on mac
adam road, One-eightaenth that on grav-
eled road, and but One-twenty-ffth that on
an ordinary dirt road.
The report strongly advocated the use
of light electric trolley roads, which would
enable the former TO send his food prod
ucts into the market fresh and crisp all
the year round. This investigation ap-
pears to have been instrumental in bring
ing farmers generally to a consideration OF
methods of produce transportation more
in accordance with the average civilization
OF to-day. Pennsylvania and New Jersey,
where there are large farming districts
badly supplied with roads, surrounding
large centers OF population and cOnsump-
ton, are making move in the direction
of improved traffic facilities, and there is
reason to believe that other States will
soon follow.
Formers hitherto have not realized how
comparatively cheaply such facilities can
be provided. and the reported fact that
good stone road costs as much as trolley
road per mile to build is one that will aU-
peal to them with undeniable weight. In
some places it is quite possible that a much
lighter form of trolley road than yet bnilt
might serve all the required ends of traffic,
and it is suggested that even the telpher
system-tbe running Of freightcars on
wire HneS-mlBHJ IN certain cases Do au-
VantageOusly used. Two roads are al
ready laid out across the farming country,
one in New Jersey and one in Ohio. both
over thirty miles in length; while there
are many parts, such as the New England
States, where the rural trolley system can
be brought into useful service.
The gentleman Who is fathering the pro-
ject is G. A. Wulkop of Chicago. who is
one of the owners OF the Hutchinson and
Southern line in Kansas. which extends
from the city of Hutchinson to the Indian
Territory line, and who is also one of the
directors in The Land and Sunshine Com
pany, the CORPORATION which recently pur-
chased the Crocker- huffman tract Of land
of 42, 900 acres in Merced County. at cost
OF over $4.000,000 which sale was uego-
tiated by w. II. Mills. Mr.. Wulkop is
backed by unlimited capital, and said last
night that the road would certainly be
built.