The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-24
TROLLEY A BOON
TO EVERY CITY
Electric Railways Are Solving the
Problem Of Dealing with Con-
gested Population.
BY W. w. Jerfnane.

to which electric, street railways are
operating as distributors Of population.
relieving the congested conditions in the
great cities, is discussed in a publication
| OF the government census bureau, which
is about to issue large volume Of street
railway statistics.
! The electric railways, have wrought
revolution for the cities of America
and Europe. Just twenty wears have
elapsed since the first electric railway
was built, and this first line was largely
an experiment.
| In about 1925 the first passenger car
for street railway was built for use
horses over strap rails laid on stone
ties. Until the close Of the civil war
this primitive method was still in use.
| In 1873 the cable system was first in
troduced. It was hailed as marking a
great advance in motive power, and pub
lie sentiment accepted it as probably
marking the limit of Improvement.
Cables were built in all the great
cities, and immense sums were expend-
ed in construction and equipment.
But the reign of the cable was brief.
In 1885, with the construction of the
first electric railway, the cables began to
pass out of existence, and their use
today is practically confined to three
cities Of the country-Chicago, San
Francisco and Kansas City, in the last
two of which heavy grades forbid the
adoption Of electricity as motive
power.
The trolley is now the undisputed
monarch Of street. railway systems, and
it has begun to reach out into the rural
districts in a way that is causing the
steam railways uneasiness.
Increase of Mileage.
During the twelve years from 1890 to
1902, under the electrical impulse, the
total single track mileage, for street
railways Increased from 1923 to 22,5T.
The mileage of electric lines alone in
creased during this period from 1862
to 21,9O7. The decrease Of the mileage
of other systems during these years tells
it's own story. Cable lines fell off from
488 to PAL, steam lines from I'll to no.
and horse and mule lines from 1862 to
259. #@
A condensed statistical statement
from the census bulletin shows that be-.
tween 1890 and 1902, the cost, Of street
railway construction and repair in
creased from $389,0O0,000 to $780,
| 900 900, or almost 457 per cent; operat-
| ing expenditures increased from $685.
900 900 to $143,OO0,000, or 100 per cent;
the number Of fare passengers carried
increased from 2,00O,O00,000 to 4,15,-
100000, or 1876 per cent. In 1902 Is
per cent Of passengers were carried on
transfers. There We're seven times as
many fare passengers on street. railways
| in that year as there were. fare pas
sengers on steam railways, sand the great
tr1nk systems of the United States in
1902 earned 100000 from passenger
traffic, while the .trolleys earned 1884,
100000. -. . s5,:. 4, - >, %...s
~ Distribution Of Population.
But the most interesting feature of
the census bulletin has to; do with the
effect of the, trolley on the distribution
of population, relieving urban conges-
ton and permitting growth far out into
Inaccessible territory The possibilities
in this direction are practically with
out limit, and great asfsaTe the results
already attained, it. is believed that
trating what has been done in this dl;
rection, several of the leading cities OF
the country are cited. r,
From 1890 to 1902 the population, OF
the Manhattan borough OF Greater New
York increased from AL 900 to 1850,
/ 900. Of this increase, 231 800, or more
than one-half, took, place north OF
Eighty-sixth street, the population o.
at a distance of more than seven miles
from the southern extremity Of the city
In the Bronx borough the population
increased from $4,000 to 100000, main
" along street railway lines. In Brook
lyn and Queens boroughs the increase
Of population was more than 81 pei
cent, mainly in the outlying districts.
Boston Gains by Trolley.
Boston affords another striking illus
tration of what the trolley is doinl&
in the way of building up the suburbs
and rural districts. Of the seven wards
nearest to the business center. OF Bos
ton, five showed a decrease OF popula
ton between 1890 and 1902, while IL
outXnng o wards th9ae was an near
five-sixths of the total population In
crease for Boston between these years
Moreover, the population of the imme
diately adjacent cities OF Cambridge
Somerville, Chelsea, and Brookline, in
creased much more rapidly than tn
older parts Of Boston.
The situation in Philadelphia SHOW
similar changes. Almost all Of tn
wards in the heart of the city hav,
decreased in population, while the out
lying wards and the country district
adjacent to them have grown mos
rapidly.
Chicago, Cleveland, st. Louis, Gin
cinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis, De
troit, Pittsburg, Milwaukee,, .Minneapo
lis, St. Paul and Kansas City are il
the list Of cities which have felt tn
force Of the movement of population
Just referred to. It is noted that evel
In the cities Of third and fourth popu
lation rank, the trolleys are encourag
! ing the distribution of population, an
thus reducing the evils of overcrow6
ing and unsanitary surroundings.
Concurrent with this trend of popr
lation from the great centers of popu
lation has come a marked increase i
the value Of outlying property for res
dence purposes, and so the trolley ha
added many millions to the wealth o
the country by fixing a high price fo
land before unstable.
The Importance. of this census bu
81 letin lies in the fact that it compile
the statistics for the country as
Il whole, thus enabling the student to &c
= at reliable and complete data and 81,
ing the casual reader an opportunit
up country districts not only to til
s. crowded tenement districts Of tt
cities, but to the middle-class residenc
q districts also. The economists say til
day is near when the crowded section
= of all cities will be given up entirel
to business, and in proportion as tn
result is accomplished, the greatest s.
: cial problem confronting the cities wi
= approach satisfactory solution.
SIGNPAINTER A DUKE