The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-11-29
PROGRESS IN NORTHERN OHIO.

new element i entering into the
farming Of Northern Ohio in the intro
ig,;ion OF the electric roads that now
ara. beginning IL cover the Western re
serve for 20 miles ont II Cleveland II
iii directions. The building Of ountr
electric reads i phenomenal here. A
raa,y six electric roads reach out from
- Ia 80 miles into the farming districts
an3 two or three 10 reach go or 81 miles
ore nuder construction. These reads
usnaIlv cover country that is somewhat
remote from the steam roads. ana give
bonrIy ana often half-hourlt SrTice.
carving not only the country dwelleT
and his ~"plandcr" at about half rates.
IL, cents a mile-but also doing a llSnt
freight and parcel service. having q
Union Express Company of their own.
and doing this ucNpreSS business III
greatly reduced rates. They also carry
the United States mail. anu some Ines
conduct a purchasing agency. Through
the dairy districts these e-ectrlc roads
carry milk butter. &c. and produce III
barrels, and in the fruit districts they
are Il great help. Just now an electric
road is being built from Cleveland east.
especially designed as q freight road.
II runs through a district destitute OF 4
naralel road. 1t does not follow the
highway. but goes across country Oh Z
croes-cut right of way of its own.
Such a system of transportation at
greatly reduced rates must evidently be
a benefit to a country people. though IS
one man expressed it the other day, II
is an excuse for us to 20 TO town twice
where we hardly Went 1T all before. and
we spend Il little money every time We
90. as Well" This may be true. One
line that runs out of the city il ml!eS
has a - cent fare, and gives i transfer
ticket free to any part OF the cay. -
that it is possible to get a Is mile ride
for the IL cents. Country people for
niles around will drive to the electric
road. put their horses into q 10 cent
hitch. 30 to the city and back for H
..entS. all told. az against a Sl.23 and
81 + fare on the railway. Cleveland
has already over geo miles OF electric
lines enterin. the city from different dl-
7ectiors. and three new lines building
which will make it easily $50 miles III
the aggregate-all traversing EARNING
country. The intercourse that has
sprung up in neighborhoods and between
towns is astonishing. and even church
going on the car is common. Country
trolley parties are frequent. \ party Of
country people charter 4 car. to 60 TO
som. point - miles away. possibly.
The car is switched IN Cleveland. and
away the party 90 on another line. per-
hapS 40 miles more. Nc passengers are
taken on. and the fun and enjoyment
are modern. and in une with the power
by which they are moved. IL car
awaits their return: unwanted baggage
$ left upon II. and the car at last speeds
Them home. The city cousins come
down to the country for a moonlight ride.
and are left al some farmhouse, to be
called for later; and thus country and
own are being made metropolitan by the
trolley.
Along a similar plan. southeastern
Ohio is being covered over with q net
work Of telephones. reaching all the
township center~ and villages. and hun
,IreGs Of telephones are being put into
The farmers houses along the lines. and
If from them as We'll. for the company-
put il Il half-milc loop for me without
extra charge. az ] lived that distance
from the line. The charge of 4 dollar
Il month rates for service. and discount
rates on other connecting lines. make
the plan very popular: and a farlner ont
in the country in touch with the world
ny means Of a telephone. not to mention
his nearness to his town and toWnsmen,
is certainly benefited in many ways.
For Instance. my neighbor discovered
that l. Of his cattle had been stolen III
the night: | was short one horse. The
telephone quickly acquainted the police
of Cleveland with the fact. with deScrip-
tion Of the animals. and in half an hour
the police telephoned: Have thief.
with cattle and horse, Come and get
them AHA matter which paid for two
telephones in this town many times over.