New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-18
CHICAGO ELEV ATED SYSTEM
BELIEVED TO BE THE MOST COMPRE-
HENSIvE IN THE WORLD.


Rossiter. president of the Brooklyn Rapid Tran
! sit Company, has finished his investigation of
the elevated railroad system Of Chicago he will
undoubtedly be of the opinion that this city has
the most comprehensive plan for handling such
traffic of any city in the world. The elevated
railroad system of Chicago. which is controlled
by six separate companies. all more or less In
terwoven by a common interest among stock
holders, might be most readily Hkened 10
great devilfish Its body lies In the centre
business district OF Chicago while it's arms
reach out north, northwest west, southwest and
south.
Coming in from these different directions,
trains Of the various roads, when they reach the
centre of the city, run on to what Is known as
the Union Elevated Loop. This runs around the
business district. There stations every block
or two in this district and passengers read
fly landed close to their places of business. One
can take train of any OF the elevated systems
OF Chicago on this loop. or. in going from
mote part OF the city TO another equally far
moved, one get off Of the train he comes in
on at any of the loop stations, and by waiting
few minutes on the same platform get train
to take you in any other direction. For con-
venience and comprehensiveness it is not be-
lieved the Chicago system is equaed elsewhere
in the world.
While in actual operation the roads have not
on paper. there may be excuses for this In the
fact that the system is not in full swing yet. The
Northwestern Elevated has not begun running
trains, but will do so In the spring. and the
other roads making UP the system have had
varied experiences IN passing through receiver
ships and in changing motive power from steam
to electricity. Another year, however. should
see the system in complete and successful opera
ton.
HOW ELEVATED WAS DELAYED.
1t is a curious commentary that while surface
roads in Chicago have been uniformly success
full and have earned enormous sums in several
cases running high % per cent year,
elevated roads have been almost equally disas-
trous from financial standpoint. This Is
counted for largely by the fact that the surface
road men, enjoying their large dividends and
participating in annual distribution of
goodly surplus In addition stood off the oppOsi-
ton just long possible. When they saw
that if they did not get in first some one else
would undertake the construction Of an elevated
road that would parallel their big money maker
and probably work material injury to them. they
would seek franchise and undertake the
struction of q road. designed in a manner to do
the least injury possible to the surface road and
be the longest possible time In construction. It
really great saving and economy however
for them to tie up their surplus money in this
way in preference to allowing any real opposi-
ton TO build the road in a way that would injure
them. Some of the elevated roads here have
been undertaken Independently, but disaster
soon overlook them. even in the earlier stages of
construction. and eventually they fell into the
hands Of the surface road men.
The Northwestern Elevated Railroad runs
about seven miles north from the Union Loop
Part of the system is four track road, to allow
for the handling OF express trains to and from
remote points. The structure Is finished, but
the road is not ready for operation yet The
power houses. stations and finishing
touches along the line to be made. The roll
ing stock is on the structure however, and by
May the road will be in full operation. The
road has managed to avoid a receivership
through careful ananciering and because the
project was controlled almost entirely by in
terests that were identical with the North Side
cable line
Construction of the road begun in 1894
but after getting 1t well under way work
stopped for several years. Recently the COM
pany got into a tangle with the city authorities
about further extension of It's franchise and
hurried the road to completion and virtually
paid 100000 forfeit for a further extension
to May. The company has deposited all of it's
$1OOO0OO0 stock and 100000 bonds as secu-
rity for 81, 500 900 loan the money being used
to complete the road.
The road is controlled by Charles T. Yerkes
and now that Mr.. Yerkes has sold his interests
in the cable lines 1t is considered that the
Northwestern Elevated will be run as a real
opposition to that system and as much pos
sible in the interests of the electric feeders in
the suburbs that also belong to Mr.. Yerkes.
THE UNION ELEVATED LOOP
Mr. Yerkes IS likewise the originator and con-
trolling factor in the Union Elevated Loop He
also controls the Lake Street Elevated lne
which runs west from the Union Loop. The
Union Loop had a great fight for it's franchise
and frontage consents, and much fine work was
resorted to in getting the structure up in the
face of some powerful influences, but eventually
this accomplished and the construction
brought through to completion without financial
disaster Of any kind. The financial value OF the
using it's structure.
The Lake Street Elevated has gone through su
kinds of financial vicissitudes. but is now doing
better than ever before The Metropolitan Ele-
waited has only recently passed CT the hands
OF a receiver, but is reported to be doing
we'll in every respect This line runs southwest
from the Union Loop. Far out on the West Side
there is line belonging to the company that |
runs directly north and south, while before |
the northern terminus Is reached another line !
branches to the west. In this way the company
has virtually four terminal points The length Of |
the whole system equals about thirty-fve miles |
of single track road but part of the structure |
Is four tracked and the rest is all double |
tracked. This company. too is recently out OF |
provement in business
The South de D.