Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-02-06

M s5ssss,s 4. L
49, $3.50
Edison Electric Locomotive Operated Ex-
perimentaiiy at Menio Park. 1880.
Windsor Canada; Appleton. Wis. Port
Huron. Mich. Scranton, Pa. and
Montgomery, Ala In the autumn Of
1881 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 the whole world less than sixty
miles of electric railroad track. ana
only about one hundred Motors and
motor cars. In 1903 there were nearly
thirty thousand miles OF electric track
in the United States alone.
This change was not accomplished
without opposition. announcement
and financial difficulties Mr.. Sprague
hin self. who was so potent factor i'm
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 started out in blaze of glory and
/ ANONYMOUSLY was towed back again
I by four big mules. But Sprague per
sisted until on Feb. =. 1883. in n
drizzling rain. the road opened for
+ business.
From ttst time forward the future
Of electric rnilroading was assured and
events moved rapidly. City arter city
adopted the new motive power; horse
cars became things OF the past; in
tcrurhan roads began to gridiron the
country everywhere, and in each u
stance commercial success was
scored. Electric interurban lines have
been money makers from the start
The greatest development has been
I'm the east: but the west is not far
behind. The Aurora. Elgn and Chi.
cago Electric railway (the thirdrail
SYSTEM which has been In operation
several years. is famous From one
T
dred miles of road are operated, or will
be as soon as the line to Belvdere 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 ears run into Chicago nj
speed which would have seemed i'm.
nossihle Il few years ago. Passengers
wave good bye To steam trains on n
parallelug railroad, which they pass
easily. \ parlor and dining ear IS one
% he luNurics which tho suburhanitcs
enioy going to and from the city. ana
the railroad seems ycritable gold
mine FOR its owners.
The horse car has long since disap
peared VIII the iron horse the great
steam locomotive. be supplanted also
This question occurs TO all who eau
see The significance of passing events
Probably not for many years TO come.
rs far us heavy freight traffic Is con
cerncd because steam Is especially ap
plicabe to the hauling of freight But
the action Of the New York Central in
electrifying thrty-five miles Of it's road
Leading out Of New York and the
popular agitation for similar improve
ment i'm nicago and elsewhere woul1
seem 10 point 10 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.
I'm fact such railway already is
being built between Chicago and New
ork by the Chicago-New York Flee
trio Air Line Railroad company. or
IpIcagO. This company. headed by u
group of practical railroad men pro
poses 10 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 the project considered
soherly seems practical enough. and
certainly is = contamination devoutly
10 be wished" The work OF grading
began Sept. near I.aPorte. Ind
As the new road will be an air line.
with few curves. the route surveyed
Is i,h miles shorter than the Pennsyl.
vania Short Line. and 23D miles
shorter than the Lake shore and
New York Central. each OF which runs
trains covering the distance In eighteen
hours. Taking into consideration the