The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-01-25


well known throughout the state OF
Iowa. and who owns n flno home on
the line Of the Dies Molnes a Colfax
inlerufian Electric Line. were thought
10 be uxtravagant by number OIL
the people of the city and by some
Of our farmer friends.
Knowing that the reporter had
made conservative statement OF Mr..
Atlsinson's enthusiasm over tho In.
terurban as nm advantage TO the
farm and the farmer, the Herald
wrote 10 MIR. Atkinson for q state.
nont from his own pen, and bere is
tho result:
1T IN not difficult matter 70 find
men who will freely give you an on.
hand opinion on the subject OF cleo.
tric railways for rural districts, re-
CARELESS OF the fact whether they
have had any actual experience with
these lines or not. Theoretically, 1
believe II appeals TO every man 70 be
an exceedingly good thing that cleo
trio cars should BIO run from one
town 40 another, stopping whenever
hailed 10 take on and let on passen.
gers, and in addition, 10 carry such
express and freight as is produced or
brought into the rural districts,
Practically, they are proving them
selves 10 be even more beneficial 10
localities in which they are located
than could possibly have been pre-.
dicted By the most extrayagant the.
origt.
AS my farm joins an electric line
nine miles from It's main terminal
point, my opinion regarding the value
OF such railways TO community has
the merit OF being based ON actual
experience. | find that one OF the
Immediate results of the location OF
an interurban railway ig the apprecl
alton in the value OF the land. In
tho case OF my own farm, the for
mer owner by holding II two years
realized an advance OF s25 per acre,
thig being largely due 10 the ioca-
ton Of an interurban right OF way
after his purchase. In turn an add.
tioDal advance OF $40 per acre has
been offered for this same land.
Another farm In this locality was
pyfchascd twelve years ago at ap,
proximately s65 per acre. About one
month ago the owner was offered
$500 per acre cash.
"Tho question arises, why rs ~
that electric lines tend 80 rapidly TO
increase the value of land, 10 which
the answer may be made: ~ That
markets are made IAore easily acces.
slbIe with farm produce Of all kinds;
| GU the problem OF gaining access TO
church, school etc, N solved In the
best possible way, thus making loca,
ton along electric lines so inviting
as 10 bring land into greater de.
mand; ca II induces considerable
number Of persons 10 move out from
towns and cities To- engage in mar.
ket gardening, dairying, or poultry
raising, which, OF course, has a mark.
cd effect on values; % In the mat.
ter Of shipping produce, which In
cludcs grain OF All kinds and live
stock, the interurbanB solve most
dlficult problem. Switches and yards
| are located at points most convent,
ent for farmers, Right here may
say that there n a switch at my own
gate, from which II loaded such pro.
duce an potatoes, baled hay, baIed
straw; and also lire stock. Within
three weeks time !, viii ship q car
load Of fat hogs night from my gate
20 Chicago This win save making
seven or eight six,miIe wagon trips
loaded with hogs. Last fall I ship.
ped IN two car loads OF tile and haul,
ed these from tho cars 10 the field
In two days. Had tbese been hauled
from the kiln n would have required
one team ana one man about month
10 do the work. Nm feeds 81 vari,
Gus kinds are constantly being ship.
ped In and farmers are waved an I'm,
mense amount 81 hauling, both in
shipping out and shipping in, and ey.
err farmer knows that railway rates
are cheaper than wagon road rates.
II am told that there are instances
where men win oppose 10 the bitter
end the giving up bf piece Of land
fer right Of way for these lines. That
such opposition should be exDerienc.
cd IL diGicuIt for me 10 understand.
Natural conditions Tor electric JineS
are not any TOO favorable In Iowa,
owing 70 the fact that Iowa's popu.
lation only amounts 70 about 200 per.
CONS per square mile. In parts OIL
Ohio, Indiana ana Illinois the popu.
IatIon n many times this, and con.
zequentIy the possibility OF brisk
business when once an electric line
~ established rs r1uch better. Be
cause Of this, capital has been just !
little backward 10 far In seeking In
yestment m such ventures az interur.
bans, and therefore men can afford |
70 be liberia; IN their treatment Of
this whole proposition. Ny own AZ.
titrde toward the question would be
simply this: n owned a quarter,
half or whole section OF land Ipould
consider II an excellent bugincss ven
ture 70 give the right Of way free
through any part 81 my farm, and
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