The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-17
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
PLANS FOR INTERURBAN
 ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.
Development of Water Power in the South Contributes to Their Ex- tension-Condition Of the
 Southern Banks.

Baltimore, Oct 16.-(Special. .)-Refer. ring to the frequent announcement or plans for interurban electric railways, The Manufacturers Record says in tnis weeks issue:
 "A number of these announcements have come from Southern States, one Of electric railway across the State of Vir- ginia from the Potomac River to the North Carolina boundary. Still another is the plan for line between the cites of Houston and Galveston, Texas. A third is, for line between Atlanta and Marietta, Ga. In Kentucky there are several plans on foot in and about Lou isville. Others are noted around Nash vile, Tenn, in West Virginia in the netghborhood of wheeling, Parkersburs and other places In fact, there Is not a State in the South that Is without an 4nterurban railway either in operation, in process of construction, or in prospect. Maryland North Carolina, South Caro- Iina, Florida Alabama, Mississippi. Lou isiana and Missouri, besides the States Already mentioned, all have tnterurban projects under way in some form or oth- CT, while in Indian Territory and Okla ,homa there are also plans of magnitude s1yf electric roads. one, of the most not able being intended to connect Guthrie and Oklahoma CitV.
 Undoubtedly interurban electric rail- ways must play considerable part in the further development of the South. The success of the Augusta and Aiken line, and also that between Richmond and Petersburg in Virginia, as we'll as others, such as the Dallas and Fort Worth road fin Texas, proves the practicability of electric traction under certain conditions and in certain localities. The last named road was opened about year ago with only six stations including the terminals, but the demand for accommodations has been so great that there are now thirty one stopping places on the line. which is only about thirty-two miles long. and calls are made for other stations. Electric interurban roads have been quite exten- sively developed in several of the Vest err and Northern States. Such lines are needed in all States of the South, and the sooner they are constructed the earlier will be realized the benefits to accrue from full development of the great nat ural resources of that section. The not able success of the Dallas and Fort Worth road shows what may be expect ed to result from similarly connecting other progressive cities. Had anyone been told few years ago that such rapid growth of business would follow the es- tablishn1ent of an electric line between those two towns of Texas. he would probably have been increduious, even if he did not scoff at the idea"
 Development of water powers of the South Is contributing to the extension of electric railways, and may be expected to be more effective than ever in that direction in the near future. Such an ada aptation of power for operation of the Atlanta. Buford and Gainesville Railroad is contemplated as a part of the utiliza- tion of about 5000 horse power to be ob- tained from the Chattahoochee River near Buford Ga. The estimate of the power is based upon the lowest stage of the river ever recorded. A $5O0,000 company will de- velop this power, which will be trans mitted to Atlanta and other points for industrial purposes.
 Intimately connected with Southern de- velopment Is Baltimore city, and the con dition of it's financial institutions reflects in large measure conditions in the South. A study of that city's banking institu- tons extending over the past ten years brings out some impressive and import ant facts bearing upon the increase in the financial strength of the city. Sta tistics collated by The Manufacturers Record show that while in 1893 the total of capital, surplus and undivided profits and deposits in the national banks. State banks and trust companies in Baltimore amounted to $56,69O,564, 1t now amounts to $127, ,s19,541, an increase of $71. .22S, ,977 or more than 125.6 per cent. The total cap ital of these institutions is now $30. .223 46O, an increase in ten years of S12,9O5,14S, or more than 74.5 per cent, but the sur plus and undivided profits. which now amount to $2S,s76,241. display the great gain of $21. 412, 455, or more than 2S31 per cent, and the deposits now have a total of $6S. 719. 4SO. an increase of $3S, ,911, ,374 or more than ll6 per cent. During the same period the deposits in the savings banks of Baltimore increased from $41 ST, ,622 to