Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-08
R. |. S. MEANS
MUCH FOR CITY
Interurban Bringing Many Pas
sengers and Much Freight
Here.
IS A WELL EQUIPPED ROAD
Opens More Than 90 Miles of New
Territory, Spanning Three
Rich Counties.

| form some Idea on their trip tomorrow
as to what the Rock Island Southern
means for this city. This line. covering
the so miles between Rock Island and
Monmouth, serves an aggregate popu-
lation OF 100000 1t has. outside Of
the terminal named, the following sta
tons: Milan, Taylor Ridge, Reynolds.
Southern Junction. Mathersville. Gil
christ, Aledo. Burgess, Norwood
Shaws. Springdale. Cedar Hill, and
Riverside park 1t spans three coun-
ties, Rock Island, Mercer and War
ran, and has a branch from Monmouth
to Galesburg. A stub seven miles
long connects the main line at Gil
christ with Aledo, and another branch
is partly graded and is to be opened
July giving access TO Alexis, town
of nearly 1000 on the line between
Mercer and Warren counties. A tres
tie 1000 feet long will be built on this
stub.
ELECTRIC AND STEAM.
The southern operates both electric
and steam trains, maintaining a three
hour passenger service five days in
the week and an hour and one-half
service on Saturdays and Sundays.
Freight trains are run to accommo-
date this business, part pulled by
steam and part by electric motor.
Though the line has been open for
only about year. It is being gotten in
good shape and better and better time
iG hn mil
Southern Junction into Rock Island.
which is the old track of the Mercer
county branch of the road, is not in
as good condition as the new part of
the line, which is laid with heavier
rails. However, the entire road Is be-
ing improved as rapidly as possible.
There are six gangs of men at work
on the line from Southern Junction
south The ballasting Of the roadbed
with gravel from the pit west of Milan
will be completed during the summer
and by next fall the entire road will
be in shape for the operating of cars
at high speed. Limited trains are ex-
pected TO be put on then and the rum
ming time reduced very materially.
However, II must not be supposed that
the time now made is slow, for It is
not. Cars are run at an average of 80
miles per hour.
The company is provided with
abundant equipment. 1t has 16 pas.
senger cars (electric), $50 stock and
furniture cars and $50 coal cars. It's
electric motors are 1000 horse power
each and are able to pull heavy trains
with ease.
FINE POWER PLANT.
Power to operate the line is fur
nishC by modern plant near Math-
ersville on Edwards river. in the
heart of the coal district Here, in
a steel and concrete building, have
been installed two Westinghouse G.
Electric Mfg company's steam tur-
bines of 1 ,250 kilowatts each. In the
boiler house there are four $500
| horse power Babcock e. Wilcox boil
ers, equipped with green chain CRATES
4 and stokers, ash and coal carrying
machinery. and with overhead bun
kers for the storing of 500 tons Of
coal. This power plant is said to be
the finest west of New York and is
the only plant of this character in this
section of the country. So smoothly
do the big turbine engines run that a
penny balanced on edge on top Of
one. of them will stand indefinitely
There is room for two more generators,
giving a total capacity of 10000 horse
power.
WILL SELL POWER.
The sale of this power promises
to be a source of much revenue to
the company. A right Of way is now
being secured across country from
the plant TO Burlington, Iowa for
the erection of a power carrying cir
cult TO supply that city with power
and light. II is also proposed 10 sup
ply Monmouth and Galesburg and 10
sell electricity to the smaller places
along the Rock Island Southern, and
even to the farmers.
The r. l. Is the only interurban
in the country operating with a
straight single phase circuit Of so
high a voltage. Its trolley wires
carry a voltage Of 1000, transmit
ting power 10 the extreme ends Of
the line with a loss OF but 10 per
cent Provided with feed circuit
the loss would be but about two per
cent.
The line is directed by telephone.
the dispatcher's office being at Mon
mouth. The cars keep within a very
few minutes of schedule.
HANDLES MANY PEOPLE.
At present the line is bringing into
Rock Island an average OF 500
people daily. With adequate terml-
nal facilities here the officers OF the
company say the number could be in
creased in few years to 1000. Lack
Of a road up town for the operation
Of electric cars is handicap
to the growth Of the company's bust
ness, and one that, It Is behev.
ed will in the near future be re-
moved by a mutually satisfactory ar
rangement.
Gilchrist Is the general dividing