The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26

lIS CIO1Co vi IOOI IOuLcSe Il0 ISpl1S0S
that with six routes to choose from
every time he journeyed between Min
neapolis and Chicago, he was not at
all embarrassed by the situation at
New York. At the present time the
traveller has the choice Of seven routes,
each offering palatial vestibuled trains,
heated by steam, lighted by electricity,
with every appliance for the comfort
and safety of passengers. Most of
these trains have all the equipments
which the "excess fare" trains of some
eastern roads boast.
Turning to the west and south, the
conditions are the same. To Omaha
the same style Of vestibuled palaces
Is operated; to Duluth equally mod
ern rolling stock travels daily; while
the transcontinental trains leaving
Minneapolis each day for the Pacific
northwest are complete travelling
homes-modern to the latches on the
doors.
In the year 1903 the transportation
northwest are. as has been seen, prin-
cipally composed of steam railroads
and their equipment. For the present
river transportation has become in
significant. But lake navigation is
growing rapidly and there Is evidence
that more attention Is to be paid In
the future to water facilities. An
other element which is Just beginning
to appear is the electric railway. In
1908 the electric lines are still con-
fined to the cities and q few short in
terurban roads. But the air is full Of
| talk Of ambitious projects, and there
| Is little doubt that the near future
! portant part in the northeastern trans
| portatton system.
Evolution of tho Freight Car.
! "A most interesting development in
connection with railroad transporta-
ton during the past twenty-five years
has been the evolution of the common
| freight carts change from g. oom-
paratively fragile wooden frame work.
lightly covered with boards and hav-
ing a trifiing carrying capacity, to the
latest type of pressed steel oar, prao-
tically indestructible and with a carry
ing capacity usually of 100000
pounds. The new style Of steel car II
gradually coming into use on the
northwestern railroads., especially on
those lines which carry iron ore from
the mines to lake ports, or transport
coal from lake ports to the interior.
The largest producer Of steel cars IL
the Pressed Steel Car company Of
Pittsburg, Pa, which was the first
company in America to introduce
these large capacity cars. Pressed
steel cars have certain distinctive
merits as for instance, being much
lighter in proportion to the carrying
capacity Of the old style wooden cars.
carrying a greater load on tho same
number of wheels as the old car, and
being practically indestructible. Cop
per cars are made for carrying ore
and coal, and are all of steel. Besides
these ordinary freight cars are made
with steel understanding which adds
enormously to the carrying capacity
and the life of the car. Remarkable in
stances of the tndestructfbility OF
these cars have occurred In various
railroad wrecks in recent years.
The Pressed Steel Car company has
, plants at Allegheny, Pa, McKee's
Rocks, Pa, and Joliet, Ill. Some TO-
900 men are employed in the three
, plants and the company is the largest
consumer of steel in the world.
, The officers of the company are: b
: N. Hoffstot, president; ]. w. Friend
3 vice president; A. H. Larkin, secre.
tary; S. E. Moore, auditor; P. G.
jerks, treasurer; G. E. Postlethwaite
manager of sales, central district; j
HI. Mitchell, manager of sales, western
district; O.. &C. Gayley, manager Of
sales, central district; G. e. Mackl1n
general manager; g. A. Lindstrom
: chief engineer. The board of director!
consists Of #. N. Hoffstot, J.. w.
/ Friend, e. b. Macklfn, "A. II. Lar.
] Kin. A. S. Matheson,S j.. II. Reed
/ E. q. Ely, T. HI. Given. J. H. Blair.