The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-01-03

Twenty Years Of AChicVcment.
At the ! cgtuuing Of 1857 there were
in the 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 oppoSitioE. encouragement
and financial difficulties M Sprngup
| hin self who was 80 potent factor in
working this change. has told the story
Of his first important contract Ia lha
spring of 1SS7, the Union Passenger
Railway company of Richmond. Va.
engaged him 10 build an electric rail
way The first car was run out one
night while the Skeptical people slept,
TO make sure it could climb the hills.
1t started out in a blaze Of glory aud
ignomniouSly was lowed back again
by four big mules. But SpraGuc per
sisted until on Feb. >. lSSS, in =
driZzliug rain. the road opened Cor
business.
From that time forward the future
of electric railroadiug was assured and
events moved rapidly. City after city
| adopted the new motive power; horse
cars became things of the past; in
| terurhan roads began to gridiron the
country everywhere, and in each in
stance commercial success was
| scored Electric intCrurban lines have
been money makers from the start.
The greatest development has been
| in the east; but the west is not far
behind Tho Aurora. ElGin and Chi
cago Electric railway (thc 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 Belvidcre is
comuleted Electricity nj 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 ut Il
| sppcd which would have seemed i'm
possible few years ago, Passengers
wave good bye to steam trans on Il
parallcling railroad, which they pass
easily. \ parlor and dining car is one
o. the Injuries which the suburhanitcS
enjoy going to and from the city. and
the railroad seems Il vcrtable gold
mine for its owners.
The horse car has long since disap-
reared. viii the iron horse the great
steam locomotive. he supplanted also ?
]
see the significance of passing events.
Probably not for many years 10 come.
rs far ms heavy freight traffic is con
cerned. because steam is especially ap
plcablc to the hauling of freight But
tine action Of the New York Central i'm
elcctrifying thirty-five miles of its road
leading out of New York. and the
popular agitation for similar improve
ment in hicago and elsewhere. would
seem to point to a time not far distant
when electric railroads will connect
distant cities and greatly shorten the
hours of travel.
Chicago to New York in Ten Hours.
In fact such n railway already is
being built between Chicago and New
York by the Chicago-Ncw York Flee.
trio Air Line Railroad company. OF
chicago. This company. headed by a
group of practical railroad men. pro.
poses to run limited trains, making not
more than three stops, through to New
ork or Chicago, in ten hours. The
thought fairly takes ones breath away
at first. but tie project considered
soberly seems practical enough, and
certainly is - consummation deyoutly
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 100 miles shorter than the Pennsyl
vania short Line, and go miles
shorter than the Lake Shore and
New York Central, each of which run,
trains covering the distance in eighteen
hours. Taking into consideration Tie