El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-12-31
The Demand For an Electric Car

other city in the United States ap-
preaching Ell Paso, Texas, In point OF
population, extent and variety OF pub
lie and private Improvements, business
inter rests, and general conditions 1av-
orable to the payment OF large dlvl-
dends on the cost OF construction ana
maintenance of an electric street car
line, which has not already such line
in operation. Not only is the demand
great enough already to warrant the
construction of such q line, but the
present rapid growth and expansion OF
the city insures a steady increase IN
street car travel.
Clos ely connected with this pressing
and growing demand for rapid transit,
Is sn equally pressing and growing de-
mand for extended and more satlsfac-
tory and cheaper electric lighting for
the streets, business houses and resi-
dences of the CITY, and also like de-
mand fer electric power.
Recognizing all this. the citizens OF
Ell PasO have by concerted movement
In mass meeting undertaken to secure
the building of an Electric Street Car
Line, and a large electric plant for
furnishing power, light and heat. To
this end a committee OF citizens was
appointed, and to this committee the
city council has granted q franchise in
trust; said franchise to be delivered
free Of expense, including rights OF
way, to any responsible party who will
undertake to build such line and to
put in such an electric plant, and who
will as evidence of good faith deposit
ten thousand 10, O00) dollars with the
city council, said deposit to be refund
ed to the party accepting the fran
chise, when the conditions OF the fran
chise have been complied With. The
party so undertaking to meet the con-
ditions of the franchise can secure
from the council any reasonable
changes in regard to rights of way or
other matters
Population.
The house to house census of the
city made for the city directory about
a year ago showed q population of 49,
627. The population is now believed
to be at least 20, 900 and it is increaS-
ing rapidly. Besides this 10000
bonafide residents there is always
large transient population of which no
reliable estimate can be made. It can
be said, however, that every train
brings TO Ell Paso tourists, health
seekers, mining men, cattle men, aud
farmers and merchants from the neigh
boring country and towns.
Financial Condition.
A statement of the financial condi-
tion of the city just prepared by the
city clerA gives the following facts:
The assessed valuation of city
property according to the assessment
roll for 1898 is S. 2s2. 923. The total
bonded Indebtedness is 1853, 900 less
sewer bonds called in but not yet re-
deemed amounting to Sc, 500. leaving a
net total of Sl46, 500 of bonded debt.
This total includes ISL 900 of bonds
lately issued but not sold at this date
dec. 2S, 1889. The floating debt Of
the city on Nov. IL, 1898, was $40. 544,
which is Offset by S75, 900 due on
delinquent taxes, over half of which
There was on hand Nov IL, in the
several sinking funds S12, $3.50. The
city owns public buildings and sites Of
d q total value of 5000. The city also
ahas cash on hand as follows: For the
erection of city hall, 500, 900; for the
erection of fire department and jail,
$4,000: and in cash in different funds
not before mentioned, $40, 8I5.
Great Commercial Center.
Ell Paso is the largest and most i'm
portant C numerical center in the great
district embracing western Texas, all
of New Mexico and Arizona, and
northern Mexico; it is the greatest
railroad center between New Orleans
and ST. Louis on the east, Denver on
the north, San Francisco on the west
and the City of Mexico on the south.
1t is the terminus of seven railroads;
five of them great trunk lines, each
over a thousand miles in length. The
five trunk lines are as follows: From
thu east, the Texas & Pacific and the
Galveston, Harrisburg g. San Antonio
(Southerr Pacific system); from the
north and east, the Atch son, Topeka
p I,
ern Pacific; from the south the Next
can Central. The two shorter lines
are the Rio Grande, Sierra Msdre &
Pacific, running to the southwest into
Mexico, and the Ell Paso 81 North east
ern, running northeast into New Mex
leo.
Ell Paso is probably the most sub
stantially built city in the United
States, brick being used as building
otbe material.
Schools and Churches.
The city has fourteen churches, aud
twenty-five minor church organiza-
lions and societies. 1t has central
with total of over thirty teachers; al
SO three private schools with total of
twenty teachers.
It has two national banks and two
private banks, three daily newspapers,
twelve hotels, and one of the largest
and best equipped hospitals in the
country, the Hotel Dieu. The "busi-
ness directory" department of the city
directory contains over thousand en-
tries of corporations. firms, business
houses and professional men. The
city has over thirty business corpora
tions.
It is the county.seat of Ell Paso coun-
ty. 1t has federal building that cost
$500 900, and $50 ,O0O.opera house with
q seating capacity of 1000. 1t has two