The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-12-06
TRIP COMPLETED.
Col. Chase Well Pleased With
the Route.
Proposed Electric Line will Run
Through New Auburn, Hutchinson,
DasseIl, KimbaII and St. Augusta.

The ST. Cloud Daily Times of Satur
day contains the following of interest
to Mankato:
Col W. h. Chase of New York city
and Jacob Rooms of New Auburn, this
state, the promoters of an electric line
from Mankato to st. Cloud, reached
the city this morning, having made
the trip overland from Mankato, leav-
ing there Thursday morning
The drive was not made over the
surveyed line of the st. Cloud, Man
kato and Glencoe line, as it was first
proposed, but to the west of that line
from two to ten miles. Leaving Man
kato New Auburn, Hutchinson,
Dassell, Kimball and st. Augusta
were touched enroute. Col Chase is
at present engaged in building some
urban electric lines in South Dakota
and represents a number of New York
capitalists. He is enthusiastic over
the proposed line between this city
and Mankato and to his company will
make favorable report
In speaking of the matter today he
stated that the country through which
they made the trip was we'll settled
and evidently prosperous. His COM
pany does not follow the public high
ways, but will require private right
of-way sixty feet in width. Should
the line be built power will be furnish
ed from plants at Mankato and st.
Cloud and at some point midway be-
tween the two cities
While he did not say so in so many
words Col. Chase intimated that his
corporation would require free
right-of- way, which he thought could
be secured from the farmers along the
line when they came TO realization
of the fact that each of them would
practically have depot at their door.
The line, if built, will do both a
freight and passenger business. The
first cost of installation would be
somewhat greater than steam rail
road. Col. Chase returned to South
Dakota this morning and Mr.. Rooms
velopments in the matter will be
awaited with much interest by the
cities interested and the people living
along the proposed line.
The following dispatch from Hutch
inson contains additional informant on
concerning Col. Chase's project:
Colonel W. 81. Chase, representing
eastern capitalists, who are building
electric lines in well-settled sections,
and who are now building line out
of Sioux Falls, is here inspecting the
route of proposed line from Mankato
to St. Cloud, by way of Hutchinson.
He expressed establishment at finding
so rich and densely settled a coun try
between Mankato and Hutchinson and
declared emphatically that that much
of the line would be built and that it
would be running before next October.
If the country between Hutchinson
and ST. Cloud were found to be as
good, the line would surely be extend
ed to that city. A preliminary survey
is to be made at once. The company
will ask no further assistance than the
donation of a 60-foot right of way.
Power houses will be located at Man
kato, Hutchinson and st. Cloud, and
as the business of the line will be
principally the carrying of freight,
sidetracks will be built advantageously
for farmers wherever they are willing
to stand the expense.
Colonel Chase says that the initial
cost of construction is about the same
for an electric as for a steam road, as
the same grades are established, and
the same class of rails, ties ar d
bridges are used. In fact heavy loco
motive could be run without danger
over an electric line Of the kind this
company builds. The cost of opera
ton, however, is SO much less that the
electric roads can be operated at good
profit with much lower rates than the
steam lines. Wheat, for instance, will
be shipped at cents bushel and pas
senger rates will be ~ or 2 cents a
mile.
Electric line bonds, he says. find a
much reader market than those of
steam roads. The latter are glad to
accept and forward shipments of
freight. Hutchinson is enthusiastic
over the prospect for new line and
will gladly donate the right-of- way
and site for the power house.
Card of Thanks.
We desire to express our sincere
gratitude to our friends and neighbors