The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-16
ELECTRIC ROAD
PROJECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF LINES
FILL THE AIR.

For several days, the daily papers have
been full of talk concerning the consum
nation of plans for the completion OF
an electric line between Detroit
and Chicago, and there is no doubt
that the road will be built. In
deed, work has already begun at Ben
ton Harbor on what is a link in the line.
The Railways Company General of
Philadelphia, which has been looked upon
as backing the project, is now reported
as having sold its interests to the power
full Everett Moore syndicate, the latter
having formed an alliance with the
Boland people at Jackson, and the com
bnation, it is declared, is bound to per
feet the Chicago Detroit line, running
through fast trains as well as local ones
The Detroit-Ann Arbor line and the
Kalamazoo Battle Creek line will form
part of the system.
West of Kalamazoo, the line will touch
Paw Paw, and probably Decatur, Do
wagiac and Benton Harbor.
The True Northerner has all along had
faith i'm the electric road project and, in
spite of all talk in other quarters, we
yet believe that the first electric line in
Van Buren, county will run through
Paw Paw, connecting Kalamazoo and
Benton Harbor, over some one of the
proposed routes.
Concerning the project the Detroit
Free Press says:
1.-The Detroit-Chicago trolley line,
which is destined to span the 2SS miles
between the two cities, will be an ac-
complished fact in less than year if
the hopes of the promoters are realized.
A financier who is closely connected
with the enterprise discussed the work
already under way, and outlined in detail
what has yet to be performed.
"The method of procedure indicates
the caution with which the men back of
the project have acted. The line was
secured in several links by different sets
of fnanciers. 1t is said that this was
deemed a more feasible and economical
plan.
"The Detroit Chicago company, it is
said, will make the greater part of its
run over a private right of way. For
short distance east of jackson, the
rails are laid on the highway, and in
the cities EN- route the streets are used;
but in the country nearly all the distance
will be over private way. This arrange
ment is made for the purpose of securing
greater speed facilities.
THE passenger cars, it is explained,
will be geared to run 60 miles an hour.
Three classes of cars will be run
through passenger, local passenger and
freight and express. 1t is predicted that
the through cars will make the run from
Detroit to Chicago in 10 hours or less.
The through trains will have the right of
way of the whole line and will stop only
in the larger cities.
"rhe local cars will more than do the
work of accommodation trains, for they
will stop at any farm house along the
line to take passengers to nearby towns
or to the larger places, where they may
board the through trains. The baggage
and express business will be kept entire
ly separate from the passenger business.
The passenger cars are to have a
capacity of 60 persons, and 400 horse
power is to be used.
Work westward, it is said, will be
commenced at jackson within a week.
The entire line has been marked out, and
% miles of rails have been laid east
ward, connecting Jackson with Chel-
sea and intervening points. The road
bed is graded for 30 miles, from Jack
son to Dexter, and rails are being laid in
the 40 mile lap to Detroit.
ut is estimated that the road will be
completed west to Battle Creek by De
cember l, which will give Kalamazoo
electric road connection with the Mich
igan metropolis. When the line reaches
Battle Creek, it will connect with the
Michigan Traction companys line for
Kalamazoo, and later will be laid to Kal-
amazoo, Paw Paw, Dowagiac, Niles,
Michigan City and other points before it
reaches Chicaoo