The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-11-06
INFLUENCE OF TROLLEY
IT is INDUCING CITY FOLKS TO
MOVE TO THE COUNTRY,
Electric Railways by Doubling and Triple
ing the Radius of City Enlarge
Suburban Districts - Electricity
NuIlifyer of Isolation.

Electric Railways by Doubling and Triple
ing the Radius of City Enlarge
Suburban Districts - Electricity N
NuIliryer OF Isolation.
IT is noticeable 10 those who study
the statistics of the census that the
rate of increase of our large cities is
becoming less, aud while the ratio of
urban population is larger than IL ever
was before in the history OF the coun-
try. yet If one puts aside the false
data due To the enlargement of city
boundaries and the absorption of sub
urban districts within municipal lim-
its. it is very noticeable that the rate
of increase Of population in the dcnser
centres has become less.
The reason for this is found in the
general extension Of Two applications
OF electricity, while third has
played no inconsidcrablc part. The
trolley ear has perhaps been the lnrg-
est agent in the redistribution of popu.
lation. making it possible for the pco-
pie to live NJ considerable distances
away and enjoy the very great adj
vautagcs Of u-han life. This is par
tlcularly noticeable in cities OF the
intermediate size Twenty years ago
cities OF Che second class were much
condensed In area for the reason that
practically every one walked TO and
from his place of work. and for this
- IN the residence areas crowded
the business districts as closely
possible. Tie horse ear of those
days was mt best n poor thing. and It
Ywas not until The coming of the swift
er trolley that it was possible for the
ordinary man of business or laborer
TO live more than half mile. or such
a matter. from the scene OF his daily
task. To-day all that is changed, and
as a consequence the residence district
in all such cities has vastly extended,
and people not uncommonly live any
where from ten TO twenty miles away
from their places of business.
To double the radius Of a city means
TO increase its area four times. The
trolley, by it's duplication and tripli-
cation of the city radius, has enabled
very large territories to be included
in the suburban districts of towns,
with the result that houses have plen-
ty OF room around them, the people are
no longer compelled to live close to-
gether, and to this degree very inn
portant social revolution has been
wrought, and, indeed, is still in pro
cess OF extension. No one can deny
the benefits of n frcer life and the
immense social, sanitary and other ad-
vantages which have followed the in
PRODUCTION of the trolley car, and the
consequent eXtcuslcG of residence
neighborhoods.
But another agency has not been
idle. The principal objection TO coun-
try life has been its loneliness and the
absence of those conveniences which
differenciate the city house from the
country residence. The loneliness. by
which is meant the lack OF intercourse
with neighbors, has been in a great
degree removed by the telephone. Per-
maps the best work that the independ-
ent telephone movement has accom-
pllshed has been the capitalization OF
the telephone and its introduction at
low rates into sparsely-settled neigh
borhoods, thus removing the bugbear
OF Isolation which has been so LONG
a complaint Of the rural resident. But
the telephone has done more for those
living in the country and in the coun-
try districts surrounding cities than
to furnish them n means for social
y conversation. 1t has proved itself n
very practical and valuable addition
10 the farmers means for making n
living. By putting him in immediate
touch with his markets, whether fol
selling or for buying, it enables him to
conduct his business in n much more
business-likc way than formerly, when
the isolated gardener or truckmau
loaded his vehicle in the early hours
OF the morning with the produce OF
his fields and drove to town without
the slightest idea OF what he would
receive for it or whether he would
sell it at ALL
With the telephone nullfylng tn,
isolation of the country districts am
the trolley car providing quick and in
expensive means OF transit, the sub
urbs have become, in sense, part o.
the town. 1t is no longer case O,
rus in urbe. but rather the reverse
for the town has gone into the country
and carried with it those Two import
ant agencies, while not far behint
comes the electric light making n
once more pleasant and more safe tn
highways and lanes of the country
districts.
While isolation was annoying unde
the older regime il also had its dan
gers on account of the exposure o
valuable property in suburban dis
tricts to the attacks of those wh
prowl by night Everybody know
that one are light is ms good as tw,
policemen, and thus the extension o
electric light in the suburban district
has made them better places of resi-
dences in two distinct ways
1t is unnecessary to seek further tn
reasons for the decentralization N