Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-15
INDIANA CAPITALISTS SUBMIT
PLANS FOR LINE FROM OF
TUMWA TO DIES MONIES
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING
Good Attendance Of Representative
Citizens at Court House-Proposed
Railway to Be Of Best Construction
and Will Cost $4,000. 900 Commit.
tee Appointed.

From Tuesdays Daily.
At the public meeting at the court
house last evening it was voted to &C
cept the proposition Of the Indiana
syndicate regarding the building Of an
tnterurban line from Ottumwa to Des
Moines. A committee of local citizens
was appointed to confer with the pro-
moters and IL the report is favorable
the preliminary steps for pushing the
project to successful conclusion will
begin at once.
Notwithstanding the Y. M. c. A.
: Star course and other attractions there
was a good attendance Of representa-
tive citizens at the meeting. The
general sentiment was heartily In ia
vor of an interurban for Ottumwa and
a committee was appointed to meet
with the Indiana men and consider
the details Of the proposition and re-
port at a. meeting held later on. The
committee was appointed by three
representatives from the Commercial
association and three from the Retail
Merchants association.
The meeting was called to order by
JW. Neasham and John G. Jordan was
chosen chairman and George F. Helm
del secretary. Charles e. Coffin Of
Indianapolis, Senator L. v. Urey of Ft.
Wayne and Richard Townsend of De-
catur, the capitalists who want to build
the line, were present and submitted
their proposition.
Mr.. Coffin Speaks.
Mr.. Coffin Of Indianapolis, who is to
be the president Of the, company, was
the first speaker. He is one of the
most prominent men in indianapolis
and has had much experience in the
building of interurban lines. He spoke
of the electric lines radiating from his
city and what a prominent factor they
were in the growth and prosperity of
Indianapolis, the population of Fat
city having increased from fortyt to
seventh per 55sspts every ten IN ors sessse
he building Of the interurblendibans:
indianapolis system of elaof sh.ctrlc
ways. is considered the f1nean antst ]
United States. 0D -
Mr. Coffin also cited several in
stances where the value of farm lands
in Indiana and Iowa had been in
creased more than 100 per cent by the
building of interurbans.
Census Bureau Statistics.
Mr. Coffin quoted the following sta
tistics from the United States census
bureau:
The interurban railways have
greatly increased the aggregate
amount Of travel In those sections
wnere they exist, the number of pas
sengers carried by the electric lines
being materially greater than the
number formerly carried by the steam
roads between the same points. The
president of another company said :
The increased travel is new business
developed by the electric road from
the population that very seldom travel
by steam The representatives of an
Ohio interurban reported that previous
to the building of the electric line the
steam road between two cities Of me-
qlum size did business of about
$4,000 a month. He said that the
electric line now does business of
three times that amount between the
same cities and with a much lower
fare while the steam road apparently
handles about the same volume of bus.
mess as before. Several officers of
steam companies who reported regard.
ing electric competition also dwelt
upon the large new traffic created by
the electric lines.
Value to the Farmers.
"The imp ortance of the service OF
the electric railway to such of the ru
raj population as come within its
reach can scarcely be overest1mated
The farmer and the members of mis-
family can go to the neighboring vii
lage at the time most convenient to
them, and far more quickly, cheaply
and more comfortably than by team
"The contact with town and city
lie which is thus made possible con
tributes greatly to the breadth OF
view, culture and happiness of the
farm home. The social life, the
amusements and the varied interests
of the town are accessible to the
country dweller as never before. The
children are enabled readily to avail
themselves Of the superior school IA
: cilities of the town. In fact the cleo
trio railway has doubtless contributed
materially toward the advancement of
the rural schools"
Submits Proposition.
Senator Urey followed Mr.. Coffin
and after speaking briefly of what the
interurbans had done for Fl Wayne
told of their plans for building an in
terilrban system in Iowa. He said that
their plans first contemplated building
a line from Burlington to Des Moines,
but upon the earnest solicitations of
Charles Walsh were induced to first
consider a line from Ottumwa to Des
Moines. He said that they meant bus
mess and if they received the proper
encouragement would begin the build
ing Of the line as soon as possible. He
said that they expected to make
money, but before the syndicate could
make anything the line would have to
be doing big business and that the
citizens of Ottumwa would be the first
n reap any benefits.
He said that it was their intention to