Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-31

tens of railways, the Northwestern
and Iowa Central. They saw
means by which the retail dealer of
this city would be benefited in man.
ner never before heard Of They saw
a chance to place the farmers of say,
fifteen and twenty miles away, at
their very doors. And at the same
time there was chance for Ottum-
was wholesale interests to be benefit
ed. A great territory would be open
ed to them which at present they can
not reach on account of adverse con-
nections.
The Railway.
The proposition as outlined pro-
vides for the construction of a first
class inter-urban electric railway from
Ottumwa to Oskaloosa. This line will
be equipped to handle passengers,
freight express and mail, in fact it
would carry anything that steam
railway does.
The Cost.
The cost of constructing such a rail
way would amount to practically as
much as steam railway. For the
conveyance of passengers regular
passenger coach would be constructed.
This would be modern and up to date
in every respect, finished exactly as
the most modern railway coach, and
nearly as large.
The Power.
For the motive power large cleo
trio motor is placed beneath the bot
tom of the car and it can be geared
up to run as high as seventy-five miles
per hour. In this connection it might
be proper to state that although the
speed is fast it is as safe if not safer
than any steam train. as the heavy
motor on the bottom of the car places
the center of gravity so much closer
to the rails that it is practically i'm
possible to throw it from the track.
Modern Fittings.
These coaches would be fitted up
with compartment for baggage
freight and express and if needed a
mail compartment could be added
Stations would be located at least ev
cry quarter of mile and every farm
er would be dropped at his very door
as it were. The train would stop al
every such station and cross road, and
even though a person lived fifteen OF
twenty miles from the city, he woult
be less than an hours ride from it.
The Freight Trains.
For the conveyance of freight il
large lots, special cars will be built
These will be handled by an electric
engine with modern appliances, ant
the roadbed will be so constructed
that freight cars from steam roads
could be interchanged without trouble
Thus carload of freight could bt
shipped from any point reached b.
connecting lines and transferred tt
the inter-urban and carried to its DIES
tination without further transfer O
expense. 1t was stated that traffic ar
rangements would be secured with al
connecting lines In fact the laws
provide for this feature, and tn,
wholesaler and retailer would get thu
! same Interchangeable rate as though
it were steam road.
Perfect Construction.
In the running of trains at such
| high rate of speed the construction o
! the road would OF necessity have t.
be practically as substantial as
steam railroad. 1t is the intention o
the promoters of the idea that sucl
will be the case. They contemplat
laying the line with seventy-poun
steel rails, the .roadbed to be as nea
lperfect as it can be made. TIL
bridges will also be constructed alon
the same manner, and the grades vii
compare with the steam roads of thi
vicinity, and such as the country de
velops.
Route Not Decided.
AS the negotiations are as yet in
i preliminary state the question c
route has not been decided upon, no
has it been considered in more tina
a passive way. A civil engineer is el
i pected in the city within short time