The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-10
A PROMISING PROJECT.

l Mention in this paper of Saturday of the incorporation of an Electric Rail- way Company at opelika is matter of more than passing interest, not only on account of what it proposes to do. but for the possibilities ahead of 1t. and also because 1t is an evil dence of the interest being awakened in Alabama with regard to matter that has not heretofore received the at tention it deserved down in this part of the country. In some portions of the North and West. electric railroads are either in operation or are being built over many miles of country. and their success is no longer a matter of speculation. for 1t has become demonstrated fact. and the experience thus far gained only adds to the en- thuslasm and determination to extend the system indefinitely. The system has been tried and not found wanting, and of it may be said that it grows with what 1t feeds on.
 We are not posted as to the details of the new organization. or the means at it's command, but we take 1t for granted that the men at the head of it mean business. and that their. ob- ject is to do things Taking the ex tent of territory designated in the out lines of the project we should think there will be no difficulty about get | ting all the capital needed, for that such a system of roads will pay may be looked on as a self-evident fact.
 Looking at the map of the country from Anniston to Dothan. assuming that they will be, the objective points. one is struck by the fact that while such road will cross a number of railroads 1t will hardly parallel any of them, except for short distance at one or two points, Thus the road will practically have a clear field of It's own to operate in. Except to very limited extent it win not come into contact with the steam railroads. and this fact alone adds greatly to the i prospective benefits and profits of the I route.
 Reference to the map will also show such road will traverse a great expanse of territory badly in need of railroad facilities, and not only that. but it will pass through much terri tory where such a railroad will not only be of vast benefit to the region it traverses but will be a paying invest ment for it's builders and owners. Without knowing the precise route that will be taken when such a road is built we may say in general that it will traverse all or portions of ten or twelve counties. covering almost every variety of natural and artificial wealth, mineral, agricultursI and arho- real. It win embrace nearly every form and variety of soil and products in Alabama and w.h help all of them to find a market.
 The benefits of this proposed line are so apparent that there should be no dlh1cu.ty about building It. Such roads can be constructed and operated at s~ the old style of roads, and in this case the motive power would be practically continuous. In almost every township through which it will run there are streams which will provide the water power to generate all the electric en- ergy that will be required for either passenger or freight trains, and this will be a most important consideration and an advantage many sections do not possess. We take it for granted that trains for both freight and pas sengers will be established and both will pay.
 As we have said. electric railroads over long stretches of country have passed the experimental stage north of us. They are actual facts and if there are doubters on the subject they can be convinced by studying what has been and is now being done in other places. There is not room for even the shadow of doubt that it will pay all around, and 1t is to be hoped that no unnecessary delay will interfere l to hinder it. On at Anniston and of l at Dothan by the lightning route. and | then reverse it. will be the right | thing.
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