The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-31
The Development of Electric
Lines in the United States
Growth of Conveyance Has Been Impetus Will Be
Given Construction Here by Building of the
Wa Power Dam.

perity of the city have exceeded.
within the past i've years any former
twenty years ana bids fair to out
rank all previous records during the
next five years.
The same record of advance and |
profits may be said of Ohio, Michi-
gan, Illinois, and other places where
electric roads have become a factor.
Modern sleeping cars that cost
$4,000 each are now operated be.
tween Decatur, H., and st. Louis.
Dining cars out Of Indianapolis and
Dayton, Ohio, and elsewhere are in
operation daily and the speed of a
mile a minute is nothing unusual on
Indiana electric roads. Another
illustration that will demonstrate
the extensive extension of electric
roads in the central states is the
fact that as soon as gap of thirty
miles is built between Crawford.
vile, Ind, and Danville, ILL.,, it will
be possible and a realty, to take
sleeping car at ST. LOUIS and by con-
tinuous electric road travel to Indian
aolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Day
ton, Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland, Erie.
Pa, Buffalo and New York. and no
distant day into Pittsburg, Pa, all OF
which no doubt viii be reality with
in year as all the lines, except the
gap mentioned, are now in operation.
Indianapolis is at the present
time connected with all the cities
named except St. Louis and soon will
be in communication by an electric
line with Chicago and Louisville.
Value to Communities.
"In the beginning of interurban
construction in Indiana and other
states it was feared that they would
, ruin the business of smaller towns
by furnishing the rural population
with much convenience in reaching
cities. But the statements have not
been justified, as it has been shown
| they are as beneficial to the small
er towns as to larger. The farmers
OF the central states were quick to
see the advantages of rapid service
with the result that they have been
| liberal in the matter of right-of-
way and even making donations and
there is no better investor in traction
securities than the farmer.
1T goes without saying that the
establishment of interurbans in
crease the prices and values of agri
cultural lands, which ordinarily double
in value within five years after
the building of an electric road
This is due to the fact that such
lands are more desirable for farm
ing purposes. 1t means of course
that old fashioned methods can nc
longer be employed in farming; thai
improved crops must be grown OF
such land and likewise improved
livestock One can no longer keel
a COW that will make only two hun
bred pounds of butter year or raise
steer that weighs 500 pounds a
twelve months Of age. 1t means thu
application of scientific principles tt
practical agriculture, or on the othe
hand dispose OF the land and lie
the next man try it.
THE introduction of one road int
community means that extension
until the whole district becomes
network of electrical activity, mus
!, follow. All the south has awakene
to the Twentieth century method o
transportation and has extended t
the financial world the opportunit
for good investments.