The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-06-09
.INTERURBAN LINES.
Advantages Of the Trolleys to Ohio
Towns and Farms.

Evening Signal, still takes a lively
interest in Oskaloosa, and in the fol
lowing letter tells Of the advantages
coming directly under his knowledge
OF interurban lines in Ohio. His OBJ
servations are pertinent to Oskaloosa
at this time and help to emphasize
the necessity of an early interurban
connection with the coal fields. Mr..
Dubcc writes:
GAINESVILLE, Ohio, June Gust now
when SO much interest is being arous-
ed in Oskaloosa ever the interurban
railway to Buxton and when the real
ization of the hopes for such line
seems probable. perhaps something
in regard to the interurbans Of Ohio,
where they are becoming nearly as
common as steam roads, may be Of
interest.
Interurban lines in Ohio probably
demonstrate the usefulness and the
possibilities of such enterprises as
well as in any other state. 1t has
only been brief period of about ten
years since the first line was built,
yet the southwestern portion of the
state especially is rapidly becoming
interlaced with them. This was the
pioneer territory in Ohio for interur-
ban lines, and how well they have
prospered is shown by a glance at a
railroad map. AS near as data OBJ
tainable will show the first line was
built from Cincinnati to Dayton, and
later Xenia and Springfield were TAX
en- into the system. Dayton is now a
center from which radiate six or eight
prosperous lines.
Toledo, Cleveland and Columbus
are getting their share of the lines,
and they are beginning to penetrate
into Southeastern Ohio. The first
line, to be built east from Columbus
was constructed to Newark and later
to GAINESVILLE. The last division of
this line has only been in operation
about month, but already it has de-
veloped good passenger business.
Other lines are being projected from
GAINESVILLE and one running south in
to much the same kind of territory as
that lying between Oskaloosa and
Buxton will probably be constructed
this summer.
: All the roads are built substantially
and their road beds rival those of the
steam roads. While they can oper-
ate to advantage with sharper curves
and heavier grades than the steam
roads, they have adopted much the
same standards as the latter in this
respect.
OF course they seek the Shortest
routes and reach all the towns and
villages possible just as their rivals
but as a rule they choose a more
scenic route. The line from this city
to Columbus passes through coun-
try Astounding in beautiful and roman.
tic spots which furnish all that is to
be desired in the way of picnic and
camping grounds, while historic as
sociations add to the interest attach
ed to them
The equipment of the roads is equal
to that Of the best tseam railroads.
Cars sixty feet in length with hand.
some interior and plush upholstered
seats are used. Those of the latest
design are divided into three com.
partmentss-a regular passenger com
partment, a smoker and a baggage
room. Some of them omit the latter
and thus have more room for passen.
gers. They will comfortably seat rs
passengers.
In point of speed they fall below
the locomotives, although if run al
the greatest possible speed they
would equal them. The usual run
from GAINESVILLE to Columbus, a dis
lance a few miles more than that
from OsKaloosa to Des Moines, is
made in about two hours and half
There is an added advantage in the
fact that car may be secured every
hour and the cost is much less. Tne
ordinary fare is about one-half thai
of the steam roads, while by buying q
five-hundred mile book a rate Of one
and quarter cents mile may be Sc
cured. These books are transfer
able and can be used for number Of
persons at the same time.
Serious inroads have been made by
the interurban lines into the passen
ger business of the steam railroads
and especially into the short hau
traffic. The Importance which is be
ing attached to them as factors In the
transportation business is shown il
the methods which the railroads arr
beginning to use to meet their com
petition. At least one road, the
Hooking Valley, has already equipped
a small part Of its line with electric
ity and is running electric cars as
we'll as the steam trains over its line
The Cincinnati & Muskingum Val
ley railway, which is one of the i'm
portant branches of the great Penn
sylvania railway system, and which
passes through GAINESVILLE, is just nov
| figuring on the advisability of equip
ping about sixty or seventy miles o
1 itc road with o1anfrioifv ~ T,aod nf