The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-03-15
The Suburban Electric Line and The
Farmer.

The interurban trolley which has
done so much for the farmer in hurry
ing his produce to market and placing
him in easy communication with the
cities and larger towns in the more
thickly settled communities is rapidly
extending its advantages to the more
sparsely settled districts of the coun-
try.
Trolley lines were first constructed
into the farming districts of New En-
gland and in spite of the dire prop
hesies of the more cautious engineers
the farmer proved such an excellent
customer th at the electric lines of every
city began to reach out for the rural
trade. In the Middle West, where the
trolley finds its greatest field for inter-
urban activity, electric roads were
rapidly constructed until the middle
states are a net work of electric rail-
ways.
The benefits of this movement to the
farmers are legion. With the coming
of the electric line the farmer is pro-
vided with ready market in the near
est city for this small produce. AS if
by magic he can order his things from
town by telephone, or letter, and the
trolley will bring them to his door
few hours later. With his family he
can visit the city and distant friends
and relatives at will, without a long
tiresome drive in the family wagon.
1t improves the mail service, makes
him independent of the "nearest" rail-
road station (often several miles away.
except for the shipment of large pro-
duce, and for the first time in his life
the resident of the country feels as
though he is not isolated entirely from
the busy world.
Another important consideration,
especially to owners of farm lands
along the route of a new interurban
trolley. is the rapid increase in land
values. According to Mr.. 4. b.
Stichter, General Manager of the
Texas Traction Company, land hold
ings in many cases double in value
along the right ofway of an interurban
trolley. during the first year of operat-
ion. In fact, business of all kinds is
likely to boom when the busy trolley
cars begin to glide from one village
to another. One very striking in
stance of increase in property values
illustrates the point. A business
corner in a small village remained
for years in q very dilapitated cOndi-
ton with q poor class of tenants NOV
ing in and out with every new moon.
Soon after q new trolley line was put
into operation in front of the property,
the owner accepted an offer from q
dry goods merchant to lease the prop
erty on a five year term at handsome
rental. Then addition to the rental the
merchant agreed to improve the prop
erty at his own expense to suit his
needs.
A year or two ago it was observed
that the total post Office receipts of the
town of Mckinney, Texas, had shown
an increase per capita OF practically
20 per cent during the year of 1911
over the record for 1910. This in
crease took place at the same time as
the building of an interurban trolley
through the town and in spite OF I'M
usually adverse weather condition for
farming.
The small merchant in towns served
by the suburban trolley is able to
keep in closer touch with wholesalers
and larger dealers and can thus sup
ply his customers with merchandise
not in stock at comparatively short
notice.
On suburban trolley systems it is
usual to run cars on at least a half
hour schedule giving from Is to "a
trips per day in each direction.
This service not only supplies unex-
celled facilities for passenger travel,
but also permits = more frequent de-
livery of mail.
Nowadays the farmer and his famil y
can take q trip to the city ten or thirty
miles distant, enjoy the theatre or the
opera and get home again in an hour