Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-03-07
That Steam Lines Will Soon Find
Business impaired.

An electric railroad system, touching |
all the principal cities OF Ohio, is fu-
:ure probability.
The following, taken from the Cleve-
land Leader, was handed to MIR. ]. II.
Mutt, treasurer OF the Northern Ohio
Traction Company.
The electric line question is again
facing the railroad men Of Ohio, and
this time more seriously than ever be-
| fore The state is being covered by n
network of electric lines, and small
towns in all parts are being Joined
to larger ones by interurban trolly
lines. Already line is built from Gin
cinnati TO Springfield, and is operated
under one system. 1t touches Middle
town, Hamilton, Dayton, and Spring
field, and now it has been projected to
i the east, running through London to
Columbus. A great rurore has been
created In the two latter towns over
it, London objecting most seriously to
the acquisition, saying that all of the
business will eventually drift to Col
umbus. Now another line has been
projected down from Toledo TO touch
Cincinnati Columbus line at some
point to run on into Cincinnati. A
third line is being spoken of, and has
gone even farther than rumor. This
is running from Cleveland to Pitts
burg. directly across the state. and
takipg in some of the more prominent
cities sS 9l4
The outlook is most interesting to
the railroad men. They are now dis
cussing the possibilities of the future.
and are basing their predictions Of
what is to come on the results of what
has been done prior to this time. BY
very careful analysis Of the situa-
ton, the railroad men have found that
while their local business has been
slightly impaired, they are not suffer-
ing extensively from this competition.
The electric lines create their own bus
mess, and develop fields which are not
in the steam roads territories. Avery
large per cent Of the business done by
the electric lines has been cultivated
by them, so that the railroads cannot
object to their presence.
The network Of electric lines is be-
coming so complete, however, that 1t
will be only matter OF time until the
steam lines will find that their business
has been materially impaired, espec-
tally as to the local travel. Electric
lines will not for years be able to
handle through business any more
. than accommodation trains can hope
to do the major part of the through
business for the service of the two is
very similar, save only that OH short
J hauls the accommodation trains have
the advantage in tile matter of time.
The railroad men admit that the cleo
tric competition will be question
which they will some time have to
face, and some OF the higher officials
say that they will meet 1t very much
as they have met the competition OF
the smaller steam roads, which means
that they will buy In the electric lines
and use them as auxiliary to the steam
lines, making use of them 20 replace
the present accommodation train SER
vice.
Commenting ON 1t Mr.. Mutt said:
''Though the Cincinnati-Dayto line is
+ not connected with any of the numer-
/, ous schemes for n through north and
south system, believe that It is only
matter of few years until there
~ will be nm electric system that will
D connect all of the leading cities of the
h state. Al present the state is covered
j. with electric lines. 1t is but natural
= that these should some day be combin-
ed. When this consolidation will take
place ! do not know. There are nc
= negotiations now in progress, for any
y such deal in which our lines figure"
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: The Union Charity Association is in
g receipt of donation from Mr., Frank