New-York tribune., 1907-01-06
TO CHICAGO BY TROLLEY
Through Route from Nesc Yorl:
Nearly Completed.
BY W. Frank Mcclure.

New York 20 Chicago by trolley is no longer
vague proposition With the completion of the link
between Erie. Penn, and Conneaut. Ohio. the long
length Of trolley systems In the world was con-
nected up, practically making 1t possible to ride
by electric from westheld. IN New York State.
through Northern Ohio to Jackson, Mich. dis
tance of three hundred miles.
With the lines now building east of Westheld on
the route to Buffalo. Rochester, Syracuse and Al
bany and short line already provided for TO the
west of the western borders OF Ohio, the ultimate
connection OF the two great metroponses should
occupy but year at most.
Meanwhile the construction OF electric lines Is
progressing in all parts OF the country with a
rapidity unparalleled in the history of transporta
tion Pittsburg is to be only a trolley ride
from Cleveland Madison, Wis, from Chicago and
Wheeling. W. Va. from Columbus. Ohio A last
electric line extends from Columbus TO Indianapolis
and plans maturing to connect Boston with the
New York to Chicago route at Albany
In the South the trolley car has even. become a
factor in the transportation OF rice and cotton
One more decade will witness the covering or all
the populated sections of the United states with
complete network of electric roads the mileage OF
which in some of states. will soon surpass that
OF the steam railways.
II stretched In long chain. the electric
railways of this country would encircls the earth
Fifteen wears ago they would have reached only
third or the way around The greater portion of
this development has been outside of the cities ana
every mile of interurban or suburban railroad Is
helping to distribute population and increase Iaha
values.
AT first the steam railroads OF America were
built in short lines with terminals hundred miles
or less apart The welding together OF many INKS
into one long and well connected chain represented
the first step the development Of our great rail-
way systems OF to-day. Double tracks. dining and
sleeping care, the railway telegraph, the palace
car and locomotives built for speed followed In due
course Just the telegraph the palace car and an
increased speed are following the advent OF the long
distance trolley lines.
More than five billion passengers were carried On
the trolley lines OF the United States last year
This is double the number carried dozen years
ago. There nearly thousand companies
operating street railways, and more than sixty-six
thousand trolley in use. Eighty million
dollars was paid out in wages during recent year
by electric line companies aside from the salaries
OF tho officials More than thousand people were
killed and forty-seven thousand injured on these
same trolley lines IN the space OF time, all
| of which figures assist in gaining some Idea OF
| the size and Importance OF this new Industrial
| giant.
Sleeping and parlor cars have already been IN
| stalled on trolley lines between Columbus, Ohio,
and Indianapolis. Thty are owned by the palace
| car company which built them, and the arrange
uent between the electric roads and these builders