Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-03-13
ELECTRIC R. R. MEETING.
ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING OF FARMERS
AND BUSINESS MEN.
". P. Mason Makes Extended Talk 10 LARGE
Audience Concerning Proposed Electric
Railway.

On Friday afternoon large mum.
ber of farmers and business men
assembled at the Grand opera house
to discuss the matter of the proposed
electric railway from Minneapolis to
Dubuque. The first floor of the opera
house was well filed. while good
many stood in the foyer
The meeting was presided over by
President G. F. Baker of the Decorah
Commercial Club. Mr.. w. P. Mason.
Secretary and General Manager of the
Minneapolis, Rochester and Dubuque
Traction Co.. addr sssed those present
for an hour or more, explaining in
detail all he could about the proposed
road. He said that there was no
Iquestion but that the road would be
built, that there was sufficient capital
behind it to insure its success, and
that work would be started from Du-
buque March 18th, and it is the pur-
pose of the company to build from
Dubuque to Decorah this year He
stated that large invoice of steel
rails had been purchased and partly
paid for, that the road is to be stand
ard gauge, three rail system, with a
seventy pound rail, and through
trains will be run at the rate of
eighty miles per hour, local traffic at
the rate of forty miles per hour. The
third rail which carries the electric
current will be covered so as to guard
agains accidents. The equipment
will be the best possible to secure. the
latest modern cars with all con-
veniences.
Mr.. Mason then talked at length
upon the benefits to be derived from
such a road to the adjacent country.
Farmers will have every convenience
possible; freight and express every
hour or two, with the ability to reach
the city market at almost any hour of
the day. Every acre of farm land
within range of the railroad will be
greatly enhanced in value, and the
towns through which the road runs
Twill experience a general boom. The
company is not asking very much
from the people along the right of
way. 1t is soliciting no subscriptions
for stock. OF $3.50, 600 worth of con-
struction stock, the portion to be
sold now, only $22, 900 remains unsoli
and no effort whatever is being made
to sell this. Mr.. Mason said that
while he was not able at that time to
disclose the source of the financial
backing which the company has, yet
it is sufficiently strong to absolutely
tion of the road.
He then stated that he would ask
Decorah TO furnish to the company
the right of way for the line from
Cresco to Decorah Cresco is expected
to secure the right Of way 20 miles
north, and Frankville the right of
way from Frankville to Decorah
He also stated that if Decorah would
donate 20 acres of land upon which to
locate the shops of the company, that
they would be built here.
After the conclusion of his talk a
general discussion was entered into
between himself and the people
present at the meeting. He was asked
a great many different questions con-
cerning all phases of the project and
answered them all quickly and APP
parently satisfactory. He showed
maps of the route and seemed to be
very careful to explain everything
THAT was asked him concerning it.
At the conclusion of the meeting the
matter of securing the right of way
to Cresco was left with the CONNER
cial Club. which will take the matter
up at once.
Mayor Daubney called special
meeting of the city council the same
evening when the matter was again
discussed at length and the city
council voted TO call a special election
on Friday, April 18th, for the pur-
pose of voting franchise to the new
company TO use the streets of Decorah.
There is no question but that our
people will be more than glad to vote
the franchise.
1t seems to us that Decorah and
Winnesheik county has nothing what.
ever to lose and there is possibility
of great gain in furthering this
movement. Nothing could come to
us that would be of greater advantage
than through electric line as pro-
posed, and certainly we have pos
sibility at least of securing one with
very little effort and expense.
We append below description of
the land through which the right of
way from Cresco to Decorah extends
so that each farmer can readily see