The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-02-26
FROM HORSE CAR TO TROLLEY
Continued from page 81

motor cars, In 1905 there We're nearly
thirty thousand miles of electric track
In the United States alone,
This change was not accomplished
without opposition, discouragement
and financial difficulties. Mr. Sprague
himself, who was so potent 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.
II stared out in blaze ~ glory and
ANONYMOUSLY was towed back again
by four big mules, But Sprague per
sisted until ON Feb. ., lSSS. in a
drizzling rain, the road opened for
business
From that time forward the future
OF electric railroading was assured and
events moved rapidly, City after city
adopted the new motive power: horse
cars became things OF the past; in.
ter,irban rnads began TO gridlron the
country everywhere, and in each IN
stance commercial success was
scored. Electric interurban lines have
been money makers from the start
Tie greatest development has been
In the east: but the west is not far
behind. The Aurora, Elgin and Chi.
cago Electric railway (the third.rall |
sys,eml which has been in operation
several years, Is famous. From one
center power station over two hun
dred miles of road are operated. or will
be as soon as the line 10 Belyidere 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 a
speed which would have seemed I'M
possible few years ago. Passengers
wave good bye TO steam trains on a
paralleling railroad, which they pass
easily. "A parlor and dining ear Is one
OF the luxuries which the suburbanites
enjoy going to and from the city, and
the railroad seems veritable gold
mine for its owners.
The horse car has long since disap-
peared. Will the iron horse, the great
steam locomotive, be supplanted alsoi
This question occurs to all who can
bee 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
.he action of the New York Central in
thirty-tive miles Of its road ]
eading out of New York, and the
popular agitation for similar improve
nent in Chicago and elsewhere. would
'eem to point to time not far distant
when electric railroads will connect
Instant cities and greatly shorten the
lours Of travel. II
Chicago to New York in Ten Hours. 2
in fact such railway already Is I
)eing built between Chicago and New a
FORK by the Chica 20 New York E!ec-
ric Air Line Railroad company, OF ,
'hicago. This company, headed by a
,roup Of practical railroad men. pro
'oseS to run limited trains, making not
more than three stops, through to New 5
Ycrk or Chicago, in ten hours. The a
hought fairy takes ones breath away II
I first, but the project considered >
cherly seems practical enough, and
e-tainfy lis "a consummation deyoutly a
0 be wished" The work of grading u
egan Sept. l near LaPorte, Ind. II
As the new road will be az air line. a
Nth few curves, the route SURVEYED II
! 100 miles shorter than the Pennsyl- :,
ania Short Line" and go miles
horter than the Lake Shore and .
'ew York Central, each of which runs >
rains covering the distance in eighteen
ours. Taking into consideration the