Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-26
White & Company Announce
Sale of Bonds of Fort Dodge
Il Des Moines
NuNETY-MILE ELECTRIC LINE
Something About the Big Project
Which is Now Assured of Completion
Work to Begin in Earnest This
Observation-Disclosures Of the Now
ton & Northwestern Road.
Special to Times-Republiean.

| SpeCldl 10 l.
Fort Dodge, July 26.-Word received
here today from j. G. White & Co., who
are financing the interurban from this
city to Boone, and the electrification of
the Newton q Northwestern to form a
connecting link to Des Moines, says
the building Of the line has been made
absolutely sure by the Old Colony
Trust Company, Of Boston, having just
taken $2,150,O00 worth of the Az per
cent 25-year bonds. which are the
foundation of the financial plan of the
undertaking.
The actual construction has already
been provided for in a contract with J.
G. White & Co., Incorporated, the New
York engineers, well known turnout the
country as builders of electric and
steam railroads, and who are at pres
ent engaged in the construction of the
new government railways in the Phil
ippine Islands, a $10,000,000 contract
This company has the contract for
electrifying the line of the Newton &
Northwestern railway from a point
near Kelly to a point near Gowtie, and
the construction of the new lines, con-
sisting Of branches from Des Moines
to Kelly and from Fort Dodge to Cow
tie. The branch electric line from
Kelly to Ames is included in the con-
struction contract.
There are two features in the plans
for the FIT. Dodge & Des Moines line
that attract the attention of steam
and electric railway engineers thruout
the country and at the same time arc
interesting to the pubic. The size of
the cars is one feature. They will be
50 feet long and will have the full
width of the standard steam railway
coach, being the widest interurban
railway cars ever constructed. They
will weigh 40 tons each. empty, and
having four Is horse power motors or
300 horse power in all or each car,
will be able to maintain speed of As
to so miles per hour. The present
plans contemplate an hourly service
between Des Moines and Ames and
between Des Moines and Boone, and
two hour service between Dies Moines
and FIT. Dodge.
The other striking feature Is, that 1t
is one of the very first instances of
the actual identification of an exist
ing steam railroad in this country.
great deal has been said on this SUBJ
ject and many arguments have been
advanced as to the comparative merits
of alternating and direct current for
electrified steam railroads, but little
or nothing in the way of actual trans
formation from the use Of steam to
the use of electricity as motive pow
err, has been accomplished. This is
rather remarkable considering the
great number of electric railways in
the country and is probably because of
the natural disinclination of railroad
companies to discard millions of dol
lars worth of rolling stock which is
still in good condition
]. G. White & Co. have, for the last
fifteen years, made speciality of the
design and construction Of high speed
electric railways. They were indeed, the
builders of the electric railway from
Niagara Falls to Buffalo, really the
first example of the modern high speed
electric railway in the United States,
and the first in which the system now
prevailing VI SCilCS pdlcllCl SoAAIASAiSAo
for the speed of the electric cars was
used. The experience of this COM
pany in electric railroad practice
makes doubly interesting the report of
their engineers for the Newton &
Northwestern Co., in which they adj
vised the substitution of electricity for
steam.
Ninety Miles Long.
The total length of the electric rail-
road in the system is about 80 miles
all of which will be operated from a
power house located at Frazer, which
is almost exactly midway between the
terminals. The mines near Frazer will
afford fuel for the power house.
The power house will be of brick and
steel, and will be of 5000 horse power.
The electric generators will be driven
by Westinghouse Parsons Turbines in
stead of by steam engines, this being |
the most modern practice. The cleo
tricity will be distributed at the high
pressure of 10000 VOLTS alternating
current. to five substations where it
will be transformed into low voltage
direct current, and supplied directly to
the trolley.
The track and overhead construction
will conform to the very best practice,
and the road bed will be specially con-
structed for the high speed of the pas
senger trains and for the heavy freight
traffic, which is anticipated.
The passenger cars will enter Des
Moines over the city street railway
system. AT Fort Dodge, however, the
company has secured right of way
into the city, where will be located
both passenger and freight depots.
Men and equipment are being drawn
from other big construction contracts
of ]. G. White & Co. to the TT. Dodge
& Des Moines railway. and the force
will be rapidly increased until it is
large enough to insure the completion
of the contract by Jan. l, 1907.