Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-02-14

Edison Electric Locomotive Operated Elk
perimentaiiy ut Menio Park, 1880.
Windsor, Canada; Appleton. Wis. Port
Huron. Mich; Scranton, Pa, and
Montgomery, Ala. In the autumn Of
1884 Frank l.. Sprague, whose name
is inseparably connected with electric
traction, began 10 attract attention
with his motors.
Twenty Years of Achievement.
At the beginning of 1887 there were
in tie whole world less than sixty
miles Of electric railroad track, and
only about one hundred motors and
motor cars. In 1905 there were nearly
thirty thousand miles OF electric TRACK
in the United States alone.
This change was not accomplished
without opposition, encouragement
and financial difficulties. Mr.. Spraeu.
bin self. who was so potent n factor In
working this change. has told the story
of his first important contract. In the
spring of 1887, the Union Passenger
Railway company of Richmond, Va.
engaged him to build an electric rail.
way. The first car was run out one
night while the skeptical people slept,
to make sure IL could climb the hills
1t started out in blaze Of glory and
ignominiousiy was lowed back again
by four big mules. But Sprague per.
sisted unit. on Feb. 2, 1883. In n
drizzling rain, the road opened for
business.
From tlat time forward the future
of electric railroading was assured and
events moved rapidly. City after cit,
adopted the new motive power. horse
cars became things OF the past: In.
terurban roads began to gridiron the
country everywhere. and in each i'm
stance commercial success was
scored Electric interurban lines have
been money makers from the start.
The greatest development has been
in the east: but the west is not far
behind. The Aurora, Elgin and Chi
cago Electric railway the third-rail
SYSTEM which has been in operation
several years, is famous. From one
central power station over two hun
bred miles of road are operated. or will
he as soon as the line to Belvidere is
completed. Electricity at wholesale is
sold to cities and villages along the
route for lighting purposes: electricity
for power Is sold to farmers. Trains
of elegant cars run into Chicago at
speed which would have seemed i'm
possible n few years ago. Passengers
wave good bye to steam trains on n
paralleling railroad. which they pass
easily. A parlor and dining car is one
o. the Injuries which the suburbanites
enjoy going TO and from the city, and
the railroad seems veritable gold
mine FOR its owners.
me horse car has long since disap-
reared. VIII the iron horse the great
steam locomotive, be supplanted also?
This question occurs to all who can |
see the significance of passing events. |
Probably not for many years to come. |
as far as heavy freight traffic Is con
cerned. because steam Is especially ap- |
plicable to the hauling of freight But |
the action Of the New York Central in |
thirty-fve miles OF its road |
Leading out of New York, and the |
popular agitation for similar improve
ment i'm ~nicago and elsewhere, would |
seem To point to time not~far Instant |
when electric railroads will connect |
distant cities and greatly shorten the
hours Of travel.
Chicago 20 New York In Ten Hours.
In fact such a railway ALREADY is
being built between Chicago and New
FORK by the Chicago-New York Elec-
trio Air Line Railroad company. of
This company, headed nv a
group of practical railroad men. pro
poses to run limited trains, making no.
more than three stops, through to New +
\ ork or Chicago, In ten hours. The
thought fairly takes ones breath away
1t first, but the project considered
soberly seems practical enough, and
certainly is "a consummation devoutly
TO be wished" The work Of grading
began Sept. ] near LaPorte, Ind.
AS the new road will be an air line.
with few curves. the route surveyed
Is 16O miles shorter than the PennsyI
vania short Line, and go miles
shorter than the Lake Shore and
New York Central. each OF which runs
rains covering the distance In eighteen
hours. Taking into considera tfon fba