The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1906-01-27
THE GULF COAST
ELECTRIC RAILWAY
Is Being Rapidly Pushed to Compie-
tfon-North Dakota Chautauqua AS
ISOLATION Purchases All Land Across
From Bay ST. Louis.


Gulfport, Miss, Jan. 20.-Never in
the history of the gulf coast has an en-
! terprise attracted more attention than
the building of the electric line connect
ing the different coast towns. The whole
line from Gulfport to Biloxi will be in
operation by May 1, possibly earlier,
since the obstacles placed by one prop
t erty owner in SorIa City have been
overcome. The company has practic-
ally employed all the available labor on
the territory between Biloxi and Gulf
port. Connecting with the line from
the Union Depot, in Gulfport, the new
line from Thirteenth street, Twenty
Fifth avenue and Fourteenth street to
the extreme east end of the corporate
limits is complete. As fast as the rails
are laid, the distributing of shells and
gravel, transported in gondolas, is made.
Then follows force employed in string
ing the wires, thus effecting thorough
finish to the line as it progresses.
After the track leaves the city limits
it will be laid on the ground and sur
faced up, and by this means the forces
will construct complete one mile and a
half per week. The first twelve cars
purchased are Of the Pullman type at a
cost Of $4,000 per car. They have a
seating capacity for fifty passengers,
with four fifty-horse power motors, ca
papable of a speed Of forty miles per
hour, making the time from Gulfport to
Biloxi in a little over thirty minutes,
and, when completed to Pass Christian,
the ride between these points will con-
sumo one hour and fifteen minutes.
The gigantic power-house will be
completed now in two months. Super
intendent Fl. S. Heustiss has force of
labor building a canal out into the deep
water basin, the object of which is to
utilize the sea water as circulating water
to cool the condensers, 5000 gallons be-
ing required per minute when the plant
will be in operation. The canal is being
built Of concrete, $40 feet in length, Z
feet deep and feet wide, and is ar
ranged three feet below low tide. About
S25, 900 is the estimated cost of this ca
nal. Boilers and economizers are now
being placed, and before the laying of
all the tracks is con1rleted the power
house will be in readiness.
That portion of the coast residents
obiecting to the electric system, realiz
ing the enormous enhancement of their
real estate and other benefits, are grad
ually growing less. 1t is safe to say
that all the bona fide and old residents
are lending their cooperation, and out
side of the summer residents and hack
drivers of Pass Christian, not more than
nfteen per cent Of that contingent re
main.
It has been the object of the promo
ters of this enterprise to build the sys
TEN to the advantage Of the coast resi-
dents, destroying no property whatever,
and, when completed, will be paying
investment. Increasing travel means
enriching the coast. Completing this
line from Biloxi to Gulfport and as far
west as Pass Christian is only the be-
ginning. From common rumOr, a party
of men, composed mostly Of civil engin-
eers, were recently reported to be look
ing over the territory between Bay St.
Louis and New Orleans, supposed to be
making a preliminary survey. The
Louisville and Nashville is said to be
striving to get hold Of that district for a
double track, now that their coast inter
III ban service is proving such success.
The North Dakota Chautauqua Asso-
citation has purchased all the frontage
north of the railroad bridge, which in
cludes Shell Beach and Whitfield, $500
acres in all. Unusual developments are
looked for. Two ferries are in oper-
alton now on schedule time across Jor-
dan river, which goes to show the in
crease in travel and the possibility of an
electric system even beyond the coast.