The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-25
Railroads
RURAL Line IS A GO
Coming Season Will See Large Prog
ress in Minnesota, Iowa and
Wisconsin.
The Minnesota Wisconsin Network
Promises to Connect With the
Twin Cities.

Those who do not keep In touch through
the newspapers with electric railway
building in the northwest will be much
surprised some day to find. that Mime
apolis has become the center of a com
plicated network Of rural trolley lines
Yesterday was printed the news from
Mankato that Hord & Keator of Chicago
had finally secured the franchise for the
electric line through Blue Earth, county
from Mankato This is the beginning OF
the Mankato- twin city trolley line which
will soon be put under construction.
A day or two ago officials of the La
Crosse Street Railway company filed in
Madison amendments to it's articles of in
capital This is the first step toward a
limo which will eventually, by combination
with other lines, reach the twin cities
through Winona. Winona will also give
access to a line which will be built to
Rushford, MINI. Besides connecting with
Minneapolis from the south, this Rushford
line may also be tapped in time from
Mankato.
TO Use Water Power.
Four bills have been presented In the
Wisconsin legislature providing for dams
across the Wisconsin river. These will
provide power for an electric road eighty
miles In length from Wausau and Mer-
rell through Marathon. Lincoln, Langiade,
Forest and Mar1nette counties to Mosinee
and later down the valley to Stevens
Point, Plover and Grand Rapids.
One of the Winona and La Crosse, lines
IS projected into the same territory as
far at least as Black River Falls When
this is built in connection through Winona
and possibly by a line direct from Mime
apolis to Black River Falls access will be
to points almost as far south as Mil
Waukee.
Rural Lines In Iowa.
Rural trolley interurban line building is
very active in Iowa. Des Moines is to be
the center Of one of the most comprehen-
sive interurban systems In the United
States. The project: contemplates the
building of about ESQ miles Of electric road.
and it is the intention to have all this
either In operation or under construction
within the next three years.
This system will also connect with other
electric interurbans under construction or
IN operation, and will give Des MOines di-
rect electric connection with nearly 500
miles of road.
Points to be reached by the interurban's
own system will be Altoona, Mtchellville.
Colfas Sewers. Newton. Prairie City,
NorWalk. Indianola. Winterset Valley
Junction, Crimes Dallas Center, Panora,
Guthrie Center, Audubon. Sayer, Ankeny.
Cambridge. Nevada, Gearing Lawn Hill,
and Eldora.
The line will be built to Eldora through
Cambridge, Nevada, and Gearing. The
right Of way has been purchased from Des
Moines to the Northwestern crossing at
Ankeny. ..-, ...-.--
1t is the intention to build as far as,
Cambridge within the next yearand to COM
pete it to E.dOfa in two years. The p,lr-
chasing of right of way will be begun by!
A.~P Chamberlain, right of way agent as
soon as the work of securing the remain
Ger of the right of way for the Newton
line is completed.
This line. will connect at E,ldora with
an extension of the Waterloo & Cedar
Falls Rapid Transit road to be made to
I1idora from Cedar Falls. This will give
Ioes Moines connection with esrundy Cen
ter Dixie. Cedar Falls, Waterloo. Denver.
Waverly. Bremen. Trlpoli and Sumner,
all of which will be reached by the Wa
rterloo Company's tracks. The construc-
ton of this line will probably*not be COM
menced for another year. f.'tts
Actual Construction Soon.
The work of constructing the Indian
ola and Winterset lines will be begun
early in the 1903 building season. and All
effort made to complete both lines this
year. The Winterset branch will connect
with Eli electric road from Creston through
Macksburg to Winterset, which is now
under construction. 49,
An understanding has been reached be-
tween the interurban people and the pro-
moters of the lines with which it will con-
meet by which there will be an inter
change of business. both freight and pas
senger, that will amount to the operation
of a continuous system.
It is expected the close Of the 1903 sea
son will see the interurban trains run
ming into Crimes Cambridge, Newton.
Prairie City. Winterset, and Indianola.
while If present plans are carried out. all
Of the point named will be- connected