Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-02-20
ELECTRIC
RAILWAY
Col. Luce, Of Minneapolis, Repre-
senting Electric Short Line Ry.
Company, Visits Watertown.
WILL BUILD TO WATERFOWL
Company May also Extend Elec-
hic Line Around Our Beauti-
full Lake Kampeska.

The rooms Of the Commercial club,
and Municipal court were we'll filled
Tuesday evening to hear Mr. Wilkin-
son and Col. Luce discuss the propos-
ed Minneapolis and Watertown Short
Line Electric railway.
Judge l. H. Myers was called on to
explain the object of the meeting, in
cluding the effort to have the electric
line extended to Lake Kampeska He
paid a glowing tribute to the beauti
full lake that had done so much to ad
vertise Watertown, and said that in
effect we had acted like the faithless
lover, and that it was now time for
US to do as much for Lake Kampeska
as she had done for us. The address
was well received.
Mr.. Wilkinson was then introduced,
and made request that before any
action was taken, a committee be
appointed ed to visit Minneapolis and in
vestigate the origin, progress and pres
assured us that when the road was in
operation that freight rates would be
materially lowered. The speaker, by
his straightforward address, made a
good impression.
Col. Luce, who with his father are
the chief promoters of the project was
then introduced and interested his au-
dience from the start.
They had been engaged in the grain
business, owning a line of one hundred
elevators, when some u years ago the
farmers began their cooperative ef
forts to handle their own produce
which SO cut into their business that
they concluded to sell out, and engage
in some other business.
They made trip east to investigate
ture of electric railroads, and at once
began quietly to purchase land for
terminals in Minneapolis, and had Sc.
cured one of the best sites for a ter.
minal in the city; the next step was
to select the very best territory for
an electric line to be had, and found
that the route led straight to Water
town, the permanent survey now be
ing within ten or twelve miles of the
city. The survey shows about 1Ss
miles between Minneapolis and Wa
tertown, on an almost air line, or &c
miles less than the present shortest
route.
At first they intended operating as
a close corporation, but at the earnest
solicitation of prominent business mer
of Minneapolis, decided on an oper
corporation, inviting the farmers ant
business men along the route to CO
operate, and thus make it home cor
poration with the dividends remain
ing to be distributed at home instead
of going east and to Europe as pre-
walls under the present system.
He then outlined the wonderful
progress of the electric roads, com
mencing II years ago at Indianapolis
There are now over 5000 miles in op
Grafton, and that there are now more
electric roads being built than steam
He stated that J. ]. Hill was nov
buying more electric mileage than an.
other man except Mr.. Mckinley O
Illinois.
Another statement made was tina
the best electric motor now made will
haul more than the best steam en-
gine.
In operation, Mr.. Luce said, the cleo
trio train was much cheaper. Tha
it cost a steam train $4.75 to stop an
start, while an electric train coul
be stopped for five cents.
They expect to have fifteen mile
in operation out from Minneapolis b
June 1st, and will then push on a
rapidly as possible.
The following local men we're calle
on by the chairman, Mr. Lyon, and a
expressed themselves in favor of Ell
couraging the project: John B. Hal
ten, Geo. w. Case, J. w. Martin,
L. Loucks, A. W. Ransom. Lee Stove
D. c Nooonan, P F. Loucks, Do
Livingston, S. X. Way and others.
An effort was made to induce th