The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-05-17
Street Railways.

Street Railways.
The question of transit in large Cit
les is not only important, but some
times serious. Omnibuses, horse-cars,
electric lines and elevated railways
have. been called in to help solve the
problem. In certain small cities the
people do not take kindly to the intro
duction of new methods of transit.
Perhaps the distances are not deemed
to be sufficiently remote, or it may be
the nickel is consideration.
The first local lines constructed in
cities Of the third class and smaller are
not usually patronized enough to make
them pay for construction. Disaster
has frequently come upon the COM
panies that sunk large fortunes in
building. GAINESVILLE, Fond du Lac,
Oshkosh, Fort Howard, Green Bay and
Racine are suggestive examples.
But, when spurs to surrounding viii
lagos. were planned and completed,
then the roads began to offer encour-
agement to those capitalists who had
made large local investments. The
Fox River Electric Railway found that
it's line to Depere was the best paying
part of the system. The Appleton line
to Neenah was considered hopeful and
profitable. The Oshkosh line to
Neenah is also regarded as satisfac-
tory. The Milwaukee roads to Wau-
kesha and Racine are fairly remunera-
tive. The line from Racine to Keno
sha would pay no doubt if it only got
| somewhere, and probably it does pay
at the Racine end of the route, because
the north bound car has somewhere to
go and gets there. 1t is estimated that
ten farmers and Sanitarium guests pay
the fare and ride to Racine to every
one that comes to Kenosha. A line
from Kenosha to Waukegan would no
doubt compensate the company, and
that line will as certainly be built into
Waukegan as Uncle Sans soldiers and
batt1eships will come to the inviting
place. once called Southport, on that
red letter day, May 30th.
So far as this city is concerned the
question will not be shall the electric
line be permitted to run its cars into
Kenosha? out, will the road be built
into the town or be made to operate
around it? Shall we catch the bridal
bouquet or lose it? 1t was stated in
the Council so the reporters say, that
"nine-tenths of the population of Ke-
nosha desire the railway the through
and the local, and this is true in part,
but not SO true as the whole truth.
Probably no Kenoshaite, unless there
should be one uncommon1y antiquated
and back-numbered, would oppose the
coming in of a street railway if it stood
solely on it's merits and were not en-
numbered with a score of selfish con-
siderations.
In such a case thousand objections
might be raised, no matter who would
seek the franchise, who frame the or
dinance, or what it's immediate and
ultimate benefits might be. 1t would
be competent for the city merchants
and storekeepers to create panic by
ina ginning and urging hegira of
business to Chicago and Milwaukee;
the City Council might object by
whining about no golden eagles flying
into it's Enclosure; and southern resi-
dents could be aroused against the
northern on the ground that the north
side is gobb1ing all the turkey. But
such policy would work most disad-
vantageous1y to Kenosha and could
not be beneficial to anyone.
Looking at the railroad scheme
fairly and without prejudice, it would
appear that electric cars would be
fine plum for Kenosha; it would be
convenience to all citizens, a helpful
medium in business, the one thing
needful for putting our beautiful city
abreast of the times, and reason for
rejoicing among all the population.
The only way for the Common Coun-
Gil to do is to stand strong for the
street railway, and give the required
franchise to that syndicate that is most
reliable and offers the most favorable
terms for the city. If His Honor, the
Mayor, and the board of aldermen
shall, during their present term of
office, settle this too long and too
bitterly mooted question of local
railway, by securing for the people
that which is generally desired, they
will go out not only with feathers in
their hats, but with consciousness in
their hearts that they have served the
city we'll.
If there is to be cash consideration,
personally, we would prefer that to
any promise of work, like street paving