Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-03-08
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.
A Paper Read By w. L. Richards, Before
The Farmers Institute.

by the steam roads more than fifty
years. 1t is only a trifle more than
quarter of century since electricy was
first used for the movement of railway
cars. Electrically propelled cars were
first used in the cities to take the place
of cars drawn by horses and other rude
methods. If prediction had been
made ten years ago that electrical
traction would supplant steam locomo-
motives as motive power for railways
it would have been considered visionary
the extreme. 1t has already done
that in the tunnel and terminal portions
of some of our greatest railways, and
many we'll informed steam railway en-
gineers consider it probable that all
steam railways will be electrified in the
next quarter of century.
Railways have been built primarily
to transport business already develop
ed. They have done that, besides Gre
ating additional business not in exist
ence, or even conceived of, at the time
of their construction.
The pioneer railway line from st.
Paul to the Northwest was the st. Paul
Pacific. 1t was built up into the fer
tile and now famous Red River Valley.
The country was then new and unde-
veloped. 1t would be new and undevel-
oped now but for its railway facilities.
The St. Paul Pacific went through
bankruptcy and reorganization. Its
stock and three-fourths of its mortgage
debt was wiped out After it had time
to create the new conditions it became,
and is now, prosperous, as are numer-
Gus other lines in that region.
| A few years ago an elevated road
was built in the most populous portion
of the City of New York. 1t was eX-
pected that it would relieve the conges-
ted condition of the streets in that sec
ton, but it caused more congestion than
it cured. The better transportation ia
cilities had created more business than
they could take care of. Then came
the subway and that, too, has been
successful beyond anticipation. Better
transportation creates additional bust
ness. A few years ago it was thought
, we had too many railways; now they
a are not sufficient to take care of the
r business offered, Notwithstanding the
0 mileage is being constantly increased
A dozen years ago the States of 1ndl,
IN or
e excellent system of steam railways.
Indianapolis was one of the greatest
railway centers in the world. Indiana
and Ohio were, also, in the paths Of
: the trunk lines leading from Chicago
( and St. Louis to the great Eastern
J. cities. At this time the horse cars o:
J the cities had been generally supplant
ed by electrically propelled cars. These
t electric roads now began to start line!
e out into the country in thickly settled
{. portions; then from city to city, paral
y leling, in many cases, steam roads al
ready in operation. In the start, thes
u .usRasl
e method by which it was practicable t
d handle the business with economy mad
IS the electric interurban road a creator
o or manufacturer, of business clear be
8 You'd that of the steam road. The fire
: quent trains did away with long delays
besides, you could open the car window
in the summer time without danger o
). getting cinders or smoke in your eve
regardless of the direction of the wind
9 The steam railways have not general
ly regarded the electric interurban wit
especial favor. The interurban's abil
q ity, when well placed and well built, t
e get an existence out of it's local freigh
If and passenger business, regardless O
n through freight, has rendered it to
n independent to suit the stakeholder
and managers of the steam road. TIL
( independently built steam branch ha
. no such independence; its heavy freigh
;. and through business, being its prin
= cipal business, it is necessarily depend
4 ent on favorable joint rates, and tn
e carrying out of contract for the sam
n in good faith.
q The following is from recent daily
i 70. j. McVaun, Secretary of Grail
Dealers, Says Joint Rate is Given t,
Smaller Road
CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia, Jan. 90
E. E. Clark opened the interstate com.
mission hearing this morning on the
Cedar Rapids & Iowa City railways
}. petition to force the Northwestern tc
! grant joint rates. The courtroom was
f crowded, mostly railway men from al
4 over Iowa and few from neigborine
: states. The matter in question is
whether the commission has power tc
compel steam roads to grant joint rates
!, and through rates to electric roads, I'M
der provision of the new Hepburn law.
The question concerns new ground for
both railroads and commission.
The Northwestern claims the inter-
urbun is not sufficiently equipped to
handle freight, that the territory will
not furnish sufficient business to war
rant joint rates, and that the complain
ant is not engaged in interstate bust
ness.
The most important evidence was
from E. j. McVaun, secretary of the
crro;r o]o.,,,