Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-05-03
|NIERuRBAN| lines
LOCAL BUSINESS MEN TOLD OF
WONDERFUL ADVANTAGES
THAT ACCRUE FROM THEM
BY GOOD RESULTS IN INDIANA

BY GOOD RESULTS IN INDIANA
Former Mayor Of indianapolis, at Din.
ner to Promote Lake City
Project, Shows
~4.. Facts. .$ji IT,
st. Paul.-Instead of an occasional
convention being brought to the city,
G. A. Bookwalter, twice mayor Of In
dlanapolis, suggests a plan whereby
st. Paul may enjoy all the commercial
benefits that would result from a con-
tinuous convention the year around.
The prosperity of smaller towns and
OF farming communities a hundred
miles from st. Paul is embraced in
the same scheme, which Mr.. Book
walter explained before seventy-five
five business men Of the city gathered
at The Saint Paul to discuss the build.
Ing by the St. Paul & Southern Rail-
way company Of an electric trolley line
extending down the river to Lake City.
What q system of electric railways.
branching out in dozens Of directions
like the spokes Of Wheel may accom-.
plish for a city was indicated by Mr..
Bookwalter with reference to Indian.
apol1s. The Hoosier State capital was
declared by the speaker to be the cen.
ter OF one of the largest networks Of
electric railways in the country.
Merchants Reap Big Benefits.
Our merchants know the value Of
the 1nterurban trolley lines.' said Mr..
Bookwalter. For the year of 1910
alone we have found that 10000 per-
sons were brought into the city each
day by the fourteen different electric
lines that center in that city. It means
these interurban lines bring into our
midst as many as 100000 persons a
year.
speaking Of raising funds for con-
ventions, it fmpresses me the best way
to get people to visit your places of
business is to get them into your city.
and knew of no better way to get
them into your city than to build in
terurban electric lines for them to ride
In on. So much have we become pos
sessed with the idea down in Indian
apolis that we have arranged to take
care of the companies in contrac-
tural way, which includes a stock OF
printed franchises which we keep on
hand.
All Interests Are Aided.
yet would any one represent that
because we are benefited some other
community Of the state probably is
being robbed. After eight years Of op-
erattons down in Indiana the interur-
ban lines have been found of such
great worth to all interests that q per-
son who would propose to go down in
the state and have them discontinued
would be In danger of getting mobbed.
AT first the railways suffered a
slight loss. After a time, however,
matters of traffic and of transporta-
ton so arranged themselves that now
the railways are doing as much bust.
ness they ever did.
perhaps those Of you who may be
1obbers or manufacturers do not ap-
prec1ate the value of the electric lines
In getting into the trade territory that
Immediately surrounds your city. In
Indiana, Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland
and other important jobbing centers
had wrestled much of our trade from
us. With the construction of the in
terurban lines, however, conditions
have changed, and we have since
come into possession of our own.
Greater Opportunities Here.
"Your city lies at the gateway Of a
great imperial domain that extends
westward. But with us conditions are
different. We are hemmed in. and
therefore have to enter into competi-
ton with our neighboring cities. There
are great opportunities before you
citizens of st. Paul which If you avail
yourselves Of there can be no regret,
since the evidence can be told on each
cash drawer.
"You should have no trouble in show.
ing the Importance Of the interurban
lines to the farmers. No one is more
benefited by the electric railway than
they are. In Indiana these lines have
Increased the value of lands through
which they run at least so per cent,
while near the city the values have
risen from $50 and 500 an acre to $500
and $500. all due to the interurban
lines"
Speakers Favor Proposed Line.
Every expression made at the meet.
Ing was favorable to proposed con-
struction of the electric line. Mr.. Ware
pointed out that the right of way for
the entire distance of thirty-five miles
and the franchises from the various
towns that would be passed through
had been procured, also the plans had
beeen drawn and the permit for a
bridge to be built across the Mis-.
sissippi had been given by the govern.
nent.
Fire In Paper Mill.
Brainerd.-A fire Of unknown origin
destroyed most of the seventy-fiye foot
tower and elevator of the Northwest
Paper company pulp mill at the dam
north of this city and completely
burned up 200 feet of the tramway
leading from the tower tn the Minno.