Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-12
Influence OF The Interurbans
In Building Retail Business

quick and frequent service.
"The interurbans are OF 1nestima-
BILE value to any community. Whether
they pay the investors or not, the peo-
Pile Of community like yours In Dav.
export, could afford to donate the
money outright and build an interur-
ban to Iowa City, and would then
make money in the increase OF bust
ness brought to them.
whether an interurban pays the
men, who invest their money In 1t dl-
rectly depends on whether it is built
economically, on the topography OF
the land, the population Of the country
through which it passes, and the size
of the towns along the route and the
cities connected.
| "The people along the route OF the
interurbans can we'll afford to donate
the right of way as the increase IN
the value of their land will more than
repay them. They should be as much
interested in the line as the people or
the cities, for they will receive as
much benefit in the increase In their
land values as the merchants of the
cities from their trade. 1t has been the
experience in Indiana that the small
town also benefits by the building OF
an interurban through 1t. 1t creates
new business, attracts people to the
town from the surrounding country.
AS between two towns near each other
one on an interurban route and the
other on a steam road line, the former
will grow at the expense OF the latter,
for the farmers will be attracted to
it. They will go to the interurban
town to make their railroad connection,
to ship and receive their consignments
of freight and will get into the habit
of doing business at the bank and
stores of that place do not know OF
an instance in Indiana where as
general proposition the interurbans
have not increased the prosperity OF
the communities through which they
pass"
w. F.. Balch, manager Of the Mer'
chants Association of Indianapolis,
speaks with authority for the retail
business men of this city. This as
ISOLATION Is composed of the largest
retailers in the city and is purely and
simply a business organization having
! no social or club features. 1t occupies
large suite of Offices in one Of the
business blocks, employing beside the
manager five stenographers, a tele.
phone girl and a messenger boy. IL
was organized about the time the
first interurban line was built into
indianapolis and at once went after
the retail business Of the communities
along their lines.
For number Of years, during the
development of the interurban system,
it adopted a rebate system Of fares,
paving the interurban and railroad
fares of out-of-town shoppers, who
purchased goods to certain value
from members Of the association. This
is no longer done. the merchants feel
ing that 1t is not necessary as the peo.
n1e have contracted the indianapolis
habit.
eve are constantly entertaining Wis
itors,' said Mr. Balch, from all parts
of the country who come here to In
vestigate the interurban system, and
may say as the unanimous opinion
of this association that the electric
lines have done more than anything
gelse possibly could to build up the
retail business of indianapolis. There
is now no place in Indiana but
to which one can go and return in
the same day from Indianapolis. You
can imagine what this means to the
business interests of the city, not only
the merchants but the manufacturers.
The interurbans of Indianapolis
were built on different plan from
that which it is proposed to build the
Iowa City interurban. In no case have
the merchants of the city been asked
to subscribe for stock. They have been
built as business proposition by
combinations Of outside or local cap
ital. And, too Indianapolis merchants
have not always been so favorably
disposed towards interurbans as they
now are. When the first lines were
being constructed, If there was no
direct antipathy there was only grudg-
ing support. For instance one OF the
first lines was denied the right to
come into the station over the Main
street and the merchants thereon
would exercise no interest In behalf
of the company. AS result the line
came in along, what was then COM
paratively quiet side street. Since
then this side street has been built
up with all kinds Of retail establish
ments which are taking the major
part Of the traffic created by this in
terurban and the merchants along the
Main street would gladly welcome
change OF the route to favor them.
Every one in indianapolis Is inter.
ested in interurbans and one can
start a conversation with anyone at
any time by preaching the subject.
4 Later will have something more
J particularly to say about the attitude
of the people In. small towns toward
the interurbans.