The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-22
AN ELECTRIC LINE
T0FUQUAY SPRINGS
President John Mills Talks of
His Plans.
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COST WOULD BE SMALL
Change in the. Raleigh and Cape
Fear Railroad.
BIG SUMMER HOTEL AT THE SPRINGS
As Soon as the Title to the Property is Settled
by the Supreme Court Raleigh PeO-
pie viii Build Summer
Homes There.

Inere IS now pendlng In the supreme
court here a case whose decision means
much for Raleigh and the Southern part
Of Wake county. 1t is case involving
the title to the property around Fuquay
Springs-a valuable mineral spring some
twenty miles from this city, and the term
linus of the Raleigh and Cape Fear Rail-
road.
The case has been in the courts for
several years, and the title to the prop
erty being uncertain neither party to the
suit has improved it or tried to dispose
of any part of it. For the same reason,
also, nobody has cared to invest There.
With the decision of the suit now pending,
however, there will come many improve
ments, some of which will very materially
affect Raleigh
For instance the Raleigh and Cape Fear
Railroad, which is already an important
feeder for the city, will be extended on
into the rich agricultural and timber dis
tricts of Harnett and Cumberland coun-
ties.
A large summer hotel will be ernotoA
at Fuquay Springs and it will be made
a resort. A town will spring up there,
and many Raleigh people will erect sum
mer homes there.
benefit of this city, through which must
come all the traffic. freight and passenger,
from that splendid section.
Though only little over two years old.
the Raleigh and Cape Fear is already an
important short line railroad. 1t is
equipped with all the rolling stock nee
essary has a good road bed and track,
all its patrons. 1t is making money, in
fact it has done so from the first day
it began business, and large per cent
of it's earnings are being constantly ex-
pended in Improvement of the road
Its president and general manager. Mr..
John A. Mills. Is a man of fine business
sense and executive ability. He has
chosen we'll location for his road, and
he is conducting it on such principles
as must make 1t, in years to come, for
Wake and the adjoining counties, what
the Page road has been to Moore and
Randolph
az am thinking" said Mr.. Mills the
other day, "of converting my road, as
far as Fuquay Springs, into an electric
line.
This does not" he explained, 'mean
that I will discontinue the use of iocomo-
tives on it. / will have both-using cleo
tricity for passenger transportation and
steam for freight
II have fully investigated the matter,
and find that can equip the line for
this and put in my power plant at a cost
OF $4,000. My plan is to run the cleo
trio cars from Raleigh to Fuquay every
half hour during the day, and until a GER
tain hour at night. The freight trains
will be run by steam-also on a regular
schedule, but always keeping out of the
way of the electric cars.
"Of course continued Mr.. Mills, "this
will not be done until the dispute in re-
gard to the Fuquay property in remmm
gard to the Fuquay property is settled
When that is done there will be a hotel
erected there and many summer houses,
and 1 think the passenger traffic, espe-
cially during the summer. will be suffi-
cient to justify me in putting in the cleo
trict line"
This together with the electric line
Mr.. Eberhardt contemplates building to
Milburnie, would give the Raleigh people
splendid opportunities for outings during
the heated term and add much in many
ways to the business interests Of the city