The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-03-31

loosa would be greatly benented.
The inter-urban line proposition Is
nothing new. 1t has been tried and
experience shows that it is good
thing for all parties concerned. In
dianapolis is one OF the most import
ant inter-urban centers in the coun-
try and from its experience can be
gotten much Of benefit to the people
of Oskaloosa. Recently one of the
papers in that city contained an ar
ticle on this question which we would
commend to the careful consideration
of every citizen of Oskaloosa.
indianapolis is now city Of one
million inhabitants.
This is not to say that if census
taker were to go through the streets
of indianapolis and carefully count
every man, woman and child he would
find one million inhabitants.
"On the contrary it is to say more.
ut Fl to say that indianapolis is
the CT tier, the shopping headquarters
for one million buyers, and by buyers
one naturally means men and women
with money in their possession AND
full enough matured to be responsi,
BILE purchasers.
"Of course there are not one mil
lion souls housed in indianapolis dom
iciles-no one would intimate such a
thing. But the point is nevertheless
of equal Importance.
ct means that this city draws up
on territory IN which one million men
and women reside who naturally look
to Indianapolis merchants to supply
them with all their needs and neces
sitfes-their food, their clothing, their
hats, their shoes, their dresses, and
incidentally, their amusement
'In connection with this latter man
ayers of local theaters admit that q
per cent of their patronage at every
performance is made up Of residents
of the vast field penetrated by the
inter-urban roads that center in In
dianapolis.
these figures are not in any sense
speculative. They are hard facts
facts that can not be denied, facts
that must be admitted.
''They were complied by experts
for the use of vast financial interests
who contemplate risking their mil
lions on such facts as these.
Therefore they are facts.
They were gathered by agents o
the Arnold Electric Power Station
company of Chicago, and, in turn, at
ter additional investigation, were
printed as absolutely authentic in tht
columns of the Engineering, and Rail
way Review, a publication known fa
and wide as the most dependable ant
authoritative publication of the kim
in the country.
"This magazine says:
| at will be noticed that the inter
urban lines are conferred thickes
about indianapolis, there being eigh
in operation at present, covering
total length of 524 miles of road. TIL
number of daily passenger trains er
tering the city over these lines I
1913, and there are the same numbe
tof trains leaving the city. Some c
these roads are operating cars sixt
feet in length, and sleeping and bu
fet cars have been introduced into tn
service.
"'The freight business of Indiar
apolis over the inter-urban electri
lines during the last year amounte
to $150,000. The transportation G
coal on standard steam road car
drawn by electric locomotives owe
these electric lines is in contempt;
I ton, and two roads which will hal
die such business, principally, ar
now under construction, and thre
more are in contemplation.
at is estimated that during tn
year 1903 these eight electric line
carried 100000 passengers into an
out of the city, or more than twic
as many as were carried by the steal
roads. and that they have added tn
equivalent of 100000 population I
indianapolis for trading purpose
The gross earnings reported for taes
roads was $3.50, 000.'"