The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-28
new ELECTRIC LINE
II WILL HE BUILT FROM MAN
I&ATO TO ST.
CLOUD
ESTIMATED COST TWO MILLION
The Promoters Are All Enthusiastic
Over the PrOspect-A Commit
tee Is Appointed to Make
Arrangements.

A meeting of considerable Importance
20 the state was held at the Nicollet
house yesterday, when the promoters Of
the proposed electric line from Mankato
TO St. Cloud held a conference with Col.
Chase, of Cleveland, Ohio, who is a pro-
moter, and claims to Lave the necessary
backing to properly finance and carry
on the work as proposed
He has just completed sixty miles OF
electric line running out of Sioux Falls,
and is thoroughly conversant with all the
details which enter-into the building and
equipping of an electric line, and all that
he asks is for the interested parties to
put up 100000 in cash and $4,000 for the
survey; the cities of ST. Cloud and Man-
kato will be asked to donate twenty acres
of ground each for terminals; Hutchln-
son four acres, and the balance of the
towns one acre each.
Three power houses will be necessary,
one at st. Cloud, one at Mankato and ore
at Hutchinson, which will cost in the
neighborhood of $300,000 Two to five
electric engines for the handling of
freight, together with about 100 freight
cars will also be required, and from to
10 passenger cars. The entire equipment
will necessitate an expenditure of $5000G0.
Electrical Engineer Birch, of Minneapo-
lis, estimated the cost of construction
at Sl,0UO,DJU. his Is pTdcliCdlIy lue same
as the estimated cost Of regular steam
railways There will be about 100 miles
of road and the estimated cost is $4,000
per mile. Mr. Birch also stated that all
rural electric lines have proved very sue
Cessful, and that it was his opinion that
the time was not far distant when Zee
= tricity would be the universal motive
power.
Representatives from the following in
terested towns were present at the con-
ference: Mankato, New Sweden, Gay
lord, Kingston, New Auburn, Hutchinson,
Dassel, Kimball and ST. Cloud. All were
very enthusiastic over the prospect.
The following executive committee, con-
sisting of one member from each of the
Interested towns, was appointed to make
a counter proposition to Col. Chase: c.
S. Benson, ST. Cloud, chairman w. e..
Harrington, Hutchinson; w. NJ. Murphy,
Kingston; c. n. Andrews, Mankato; DR..
Jones, Gaylord; William Mansfield New
Auburn; c. w. Dixon, Kimball, and b.
E. McGrew, Dassel. This committee,
after going more fully into the details
of the matter, will appoint delegate
committee of three to make final arrange
ments, if they can, with Col Chase.
If they are unable to make satisfactory
arrangements with the Cleveland gentle
man. it is possible that they will 90
ahead and arrange to finance the scheme
themselves. One OF the requirements
which Col. Chase said would be neces,
sary was a sixty-foot right of way tire
entire length of the foute: the members
or the committe thought that forty feet
would be sufficient The proposed sys-
TEN will be what is known as the third
rail. and not the overhead wires, as is
used in the cities.
On the passenger department of the
system it is proposed to take on and let
off passengers al any point which is de-
sired. On the freight proposition con-
venient side tracks will be built wher-
ers can load and unload freight at points
most convenient to their homes. Nothing
will be left undOne to make the system
mediate vicinity, as it is argued that is
the best way to make it a paying propo-
sition right from the start.