Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1908-02-16
GROWTH OF
|NTERuRBANS

urban railways in America appears
in the currsnt number of Municipal
Engineering in which the author
shows the many advantages of this
method of nsDortation.
THE growth and success of inter
urban railways, says Mr.. MCGOWAN.
! ton OF the country. They flourish:
in New England and the Middle At
lantic States as they do in the West
ern and Pacific States. They were
early known in the South and were
welcomed in the North. But / may
be pardoned in stating that it Is be-
lieved by many that they have reach
| ed their highest efficiency in To-,
states Of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio,
which nay be characterized as 1.-The
Big Three The total interurban
| railway mileage in this trio Of states
'approximates 5000 miles, repre-
senting an investment Of many NIL
| lions of dollars. AS an indication
of the possibilities OF through travel
it may be mentioned that upon the
! completion of 4 gap OF fifty miles,
one can journey in interurban cars
| from East St. Louis to Chicago, and
upon the building of short connec~
ton link between Danville, Illinois
and Charlottesville, Indiana. it will
! be possible to go from st. Louis 10
Buffalo by electric traction. At pres
! ent the interests which | represent
! own a through line in full operation
! between Paris, Illinois and Zanes-
| Vile, Ohio. distance of over 800
miles, and will in the near future
/ install a through service between
Indianapolis and Toledo, as we'll as
| bGtweGn Cincinnati and Toledo,
thence to Cleveland and Buffalo.
3, indianapolis is located in the cen
lines and occupies a unique position
in the traction world. From the
] middle OF a large Block owned by
| the traction coJnpany, situated in
| the heart of the city, on one side OF
! which is the State house and on the
other, the most beautiful and lofty
soldiers and sailors monument in
| the United States. rises the famous
Traction building, erected three
years ago at cost exceeding one
million dollars, with its spacious and
handsome terminal station adjoining,
| conceded to be the finest in the
world. Nine tracks enter the sta
to-, accommodating twelve inter-
in all directions. Four hundred cars
on an average arrive and depart
daily, which on a steam railroad
would be equal TO one hundred
trains OF four cars each. In 1906,
more than five million passengers
were carried to and from this termi-
nal station and it is estimated that
in 1907 the number will reach six
million. These figures do rot in
clude passengers carried between
points OUTSIDE if the city limits.
The benefits resulting to the peo-
pie of Indiana with it's 1900 miles
Of interurban roads controlled by
various companies, are duplicated
in every other state of the Union
enjoying a like means of transporta-
ton. Employment has been Great
ed for thousands. Social condi-
tions have wonderfully improved
Crowded cities, thriving towns and
villages, hamlets and rural districts
are all happily united and share
alike the advantages of interurban
lines. There is an awakening and
thrill of life in every town and vii.
lage through which an interurban
line runs, never felt before. Com
! mercial opportunities which lay DOR
mant are made possible and become
profitable realities. New markets
are opened. The reciprocal rela-
tions which develop between city
and town, and between the village
and farm are beneficial to all The
dweller in the small town, while
escaping the expense of living in a
big city, may still enjoy all its ad-
vantages. He receives by means Of
the interurban cars, his morning
paper every day before breakfast
and his afternoon paper before his
evening meal, and Is in touch with
the news of the world. The weekly
paper is getting to be a thing of the
past. His sons and daughters may
attend the institutions of higher ed
ucation in the city and return to
the parental fireside every evening.