The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-20

There can be no question but what
with an internrban running by farm
house, his products are worth more
than when compelled to haul several
miles by team over the ordinary
country road Such is quite posi-
Ible for any farmer having much
freight to ship.
The nature of farm industry in the
vicinity of large cities has been mater
tally affected by the advent of the
trolley Truck farming has been devel-
Oped on account of access to more pro-
ftable markets. The Toledo and In
dianapolis package cars in 1905 hand
led 4.6000O0 pounds of freight matter
of which 3,S0OOOO pounds were out
bound and 100000 pounds incoming.
This seems to show that the bulk of
business is still in goods shipped by
the city iobbers to country merchants
rather than incoming produce.
A recent article in system gives the
best account of the efficiency of the
electrics in handling freight of anything
II have seen.
1t says. blouse customers and city
deliveries are the twin ideals towards
which the jobber yearns even in the
handling of country trade. If he could
plant his own warehouse next door to
his customers store, give the latter in
slant access to his stocks and compre-
hensive knowledge of his merchandise
resources, cut out the delays and CO.
operate with the dealer in arousing and
satisfying the demand for his goods, he
would get the result he wants. Since
the first railroads widened the whole
salers ox-cart, horizon. he has not found
as instrument so perfectly adapted to
his transportation wants as the electric
lines which gridiron, Ohio, Indiana, Mi
chigan, restricted portions of several
western states, central New York and
Southern New England. The value of
electrics to business men and communi-
ties lies in the speed, frequency and
| cheapness of its local service, its facili
ties for getting customers and goods
together with the minimum loss of
time and energy"
Speaking of the service given by the
steam roads out of indianapolis before
the day of electrics, it says, Smaller
towns had to be content with two
trains daily in each direction, usually
at such hours that journey to In
dianapols spoiled the day! travelling
men supported two or three livery sta
bles in every village. For Transports
ton of freight there was one local
daily for each division out of Indian
Iapolis; packages were not accepted
after 4:3O p. M, of the day before
the train started and the outer end of
the division rarely was available before
the morning of the third day. Now
most of the smaller cities in that re-
eion have from fifteen to twenty pas
senger cars daily in either direction,
all passenger cars except few flyers
carry packages practically at freight
rates. In addition one or more other
cars make-l round trip each night car
rying the bulkier merchandise, anything
that three men can handle. This heavy
freight is received up to p. m, and
is at its destination before breakfast
next morning while the lighter pack
ages are sent out on the first car
to start after they are received.
The traction freight ears may be
well called flyers. They have motors of
such power that loaded and with a
trailer attached they can keep regular
passenger schedules and carry up to
10000 pounds. BY day they are usual
lly sent out as a second section or a
local or limited car, unloading packages
where the latter diseharging passengers.
For this reason heavy food stuffs,
pianos, machinery and stuff not marked
s'rush" are held for the night cars and
only express packages dispatched by
day"
Such service certainly works to the
great good of the country dealer and
shows how the trolley is affecting the
life of the people where is operates in
more ways than was thought of or UNI
derstood when the roads were first
built. An Ohio writer says:
"The most important product of the
| farm hauled over the electric is milk,
the rate for shipment being lH cents
per gallon for any distance up to 100
miles including the return of the empty
cans. One dairy in Cleveland receives
in this way 10000 gallons per day.
Butter, eggs, hogs, chickens, calves and
all kinds of fruit were shipped in by
the freight and express cars. For dis
lance of fifty miles, IL cents per case
of 80 dozen eggs is charged, little
more than w cents per dozen. In
general the rates of transportation are
much lower than the steam roads while
the service. is quicker and safer.
| Not less important in it's influence
upon farm life is the socializing effect
of the electric road; the contract with
town and city life, has contributed
greatly to the breath of view, the eul-
ture and the habits of the farmers
| family The comforts of the home
have increased and the ways of farm
life have been improved since the shops
of the town have been made more ac-