The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-01-01
RAILWAY MI n.
BELIEVES IN FUTURE Of
LOCAL TRACTION LINES
Company Making Plans For Several
improvements Which Have
Not Been Announced.

a representative of the Herald, COM
ing from a prominent Northwestern
Railway company official, whose
name is withheld at his request ex-
plains ITSELF
II am in receipt of your paper OF
December 81, showing the first two
days results for the local electric
line. l note the enthusiasm you are
evidently full of concerning this COM
pany and it is not with view of
throwing cold water on you or the en-
terprise but simply to show you that
too big results can not be obtained
nor expected from such short line.
The first two days can not be used
as a criterion of what is to come.
True, Christmas was not good day
to open the line, nor was the day
after day from which large results
could be expected, at the same time
everybody is not toasting their shins
by their own fireplaces on Christmas
as you state, as matter of fact any
number of people are idle on that
day and when conversation lags or
they lack for amusement it is quite
likely a number of them, attracted
by the exploitation of the new rail-
way line by the newspapers. hit up
on the same plan of diversement and
ride is suggested
My dear sir, you must know that
if this short line operating but one
car pays the crews salary for the
first month or two they are doing an
enormous business. Do you realize
the one car carried rs people every
trip it made? This means practically
standing room only from the descrip-
ton | have of the car. Lower your
sights a trifle; you are aiming way
over the 1000 yard target and you
should be aiming at the 600. Please
do not misunderstood me in this let
ter. l do not want your new line to
get in the habit of expecting too
much, then if they get more than
they look for it will be a pleasant
disappointment rather than an I'M
pleasant one.
If you have not already got your
fingers on some or the company's
stock, do so as quickly as possible.
The directors may be inexperienced
railway men, but they are good fnan.
clers and they can employ practical
men who will ultimately turn this
line into wonderful dividend pay
ing proposition. l shall watch them
with interest and should they frd it
impossible to dispose of all the stock
to local parties kindly advise me.
Il expect to start from home with
in the next ten days and will, l ex-
pect, return via North Yakima. If
this can be arranged, will try and
stop over with you for a few hours
| and look the new line over
Notwithstanding the assertion
made in the above letter, the Trans
portation company both Friday and
Saturday did more business than
Saturday. 1t is not to be presumed
that curiosity seekers will continue
to hold the receipts up indefinitely.
Saturday $21 worth of tickets were
sold and this was the lightest day
out Of the four. 1t could not be
expected that office sales of tickets
VIII hold up as purchasers will
/ shortly be supplied for the time be-
ing. Cars were run Saturday night
until 11:50 and the last car going
out at 1920 was loaded to its full
capacity. The directors are so jubi-
liant over the outlook that plans for
the future are receiving their undi-
vided attention. The Northern Pa
cific is to be asked to put in a spur
track to the car shops, which will!
be built the coming summer, so that
heavy machinery and material can
be handled to better advantage. Dur
ing the winter months the present
equipment will be forced to remain
out of doors and any repairs which
may be needed will have to be made
over the pit that is being dug.
The pit Is necessary so that work
men can get around under the cars
without too much trouble.