Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-21
Scheme OF an Iowa Man For
Cheaper Traction Lines
Explained
CONCRETE TRACKS THE PLAN
Plans Being Made for Their construc-
ton and Operation at Several Points
in the state-smooth Travelling,
High Speed and cheapness Of Con-
struction Claimed.
to Times-Republican.


Des Moines. March 21.-Three bills
to provide for automobile railroads in
Iowa have been introduced.
Behind the measures is III. H. Cue,
son of the former lieutenant governor
of Iowa, who Is representing eastern
men. AS far as known there Is not
an automobile railroad in the United
States, but the plans that have been
made for them are declared to be
Hawkeye state will be among the first
to establish this mode Of transporta-
ton.
Under a strict construction of the
Iowa law there is no provision for such
a railroad company as the one planned
by Mr.. Cue. Railroads are defined as
roads built OF steel or iron rails, and
the new automobile roads that are
planned, instead of running over steel
and iron rails, will run over a track
composed Of composition similar to
asphalt or cement.
The bills that were introduced in
the house are for the purpose of plac-
ing such roads under the same pro-
visions of the NV as steam and cleo
trio roads operals e over steel rails.
One bill will provide that any sys-
tenn of railway operating cars within
the state of Iowa over or upon any
track other than steel or iron shall be
Ia ro}l nd
shall be a work of internal improve
ment
The words railway, railway COM
pany, railway corporation, railroad
company and railroad corporation as
used in the code and acts of the gem
eral assembly now in force or herein
after enacted, are declared to apply
to and include automobile railways
and all companies or corporations
running Or operating such automobile
railways and all provisions of the code
and acts of the general assembly af-
fecting railways are declared to AFFECT
and apply in full to all automobile
railways and to companies operating
them.
In several places in Iowa plans are
being made for the construction ana
operation of automobile roads. The
company that Mr.. Cue represents does
not plan to operate the roads, but
merely to construct them, the tracks
being built of a secret process material
that will give a smoothness equal to
the best automobile race tracks, even
the famous Ormond beach track on
which the worlds record for speed was
tablished.
1.-THE rack or road" explained Mr..
Cue. discussing the new scheme, will
be from eight inches to a foot wide.
with a flange from three to six inches
high to keep the wheels of the motor
cars that are to run oven 1T on the
track. Curves will have to be banked
higher than on ordinary railroads. The
cars to be used will have solid rubber
tires, which, running over this compo-
sition track of ours will have a smooth
ness of running equal to pneumatic
tires ovar ordinary good roads.
"As for speed, it has already been
demonstrated what motor cars can do.
When IL comes to climbing hills. the
motor car can do even better than the
steam or electric cars, for the rubber
tires take hold Of the rails better than
steel The only question regarding
hills is is that Of power, and the Ma
son car, here in Des Moines, demon
strated what could be done in that line
by elm bling up the state house steps,"
The expense Of such a road is also
great factor in it's favor, according to
those who are pushing the measure. To
build and equip the line will cost about
$4,000 mile, while steam and cleo
trio lines cost at least twice that
amount.