Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-28
Ottumwa Aldermen Deeply I'M
pressed With Inter. urban Lines.
RODE ON UNION TRACTION co. SYSTEM
Messrs Myers and Deeds See Brilliant
Prospects Ahead for This City When
Ottumwa- oskaloosa Inter-Urban Sys.
tenn is Completed.
[From Fridays Daily.]

tFrom Fridays Dafly.]
Two well known Ottumwa men at
least are convinced that inter-urbans
are a great thing for any community.
Aldermen Claude Myers and Charles
Deeds, while in Indiana last week on
city business, availed themselves OF
the opportunity to ride from Ander-
son to Marion on the Union Traction
company's line, and since that time
they have become entirely converted
into inter-urban supporters. Neither
man can say too much in favor Of the
line and they both express themselves
as being in favor of the projected line
from this city to Oskaloosa.
Benefits Are Immense.
Alderman Myers when talking of
the matter said the people did not
fully realize the vast benefit to the
city and country the building of this
line would be. He said inter-urban
transportation was the solution of a
very intricate problem. In this the
farmer saw way to dispose of his
produce, even though he lived ten or
fifteen miles from the city, and the
retail merchants had class of people
to draw upon that they never would
reach under present conditions. And
last comes the wholesaler. The bene-
fits he would derive are not small
by any means. The laws of the state
provide means of the inter-urban
company getting an equitable rate
agreement with any steam road, and
should an inter-urban be built into Os-
kaloosa a field would be opened to Of
tumwa that it now cannot touch.
A Prosperous Concern.
Mr.. Myers said the Traction COM
pany of Indiana appeared to be in a
very prosperous condition. The trav-
| ell was large, and the freight business
was also good. Every person he spoke
to in that vicinity We're enthusiastic
cally in favor of their extension, ano
he said he believed Indiana was only
in the beginning of the inter-urban
| business.
Each Has Station.
One feature that appealed greatly
to Mr.. Myers was the bene.
| fit derived by the farmers
along the line. Where the
road crosses each farm, the owner has
a small station built. If he has a
sack of potatoes to sell or a case of
eggs to send in, he carries them to
the station. A car comes along, and
they are landed on the market Ii
the same way, if man has carload
of hogs, or even a wagon load, he
drives them to his station and stock
car is set in, and the animals are de,
livered at the stock yards in Town
| Farmers along the Union Traction
company's line were doing this while
the mud was so deep that it was alb
solutely impossible for them to haul
an empty wagon to the city.
A Great Aid.
Another feature that appealed
strongly to Mr.. Myers was the oppor
tunity the farmer mad to avail himself
of the highest prices for his goods. II
will be remembered that last week
hogs sold at very high price and
the farmers of Indiana were able tc
place them on the market just the
same as if the roads were as perfect
as they could be made.
Situation Here.
Contrast this with the situation con
fronting the Wapello county farmer
about one year ago, when the price Of
hogs was in the vicinity of 81 pei
hundred and the mud was SO deep thai
a farmer could hardly get horse into
the city, not even attempting to drive
a wagon. He was forced to stand by
and see the prices drop back over s.
before he was able to put one hog or
the market