The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-02-27
THE SHORT LINE
1t is Easily Within the Reach Of
Madison Good Meeting
Last Evening

house last evening to consider the
Electric Short Line proposition was
attended by a large body of citizens
and the most encouraging sentiment
prevailed. Col. Luce. president of the
company, was present and addressed
the meeting. dealing at length in a
history of the project from the begin
ming of the enterprise up to the pres
ent time. At the close of his address
be invited members Of the audience to
ask questions on any point they de-
sired information and many questions
were proposed which were SATISFACTORY.
ly answered.
The company owns terminal proper
ty in Minneapolis which is VALUED at
SO, 900, 600. This property is owned
by Col. Luce and his father and is
not a part of the Short Line operating
company hut is leased at a low rate TO
the operating company on terms similar
to union depot leases. The company
is now operating ten miles OF road out
of Minneapolis and has secured tight of
way as far west as Brookings. Work
is in progress ON a forty mile leg Of
this distance out of Minneapolis. The
business men of Brookings and farmers
adjacent to that city have pledged
$50, 900 for the purchase of stock in the
company, in consideration of the
company building to that city. This
is the plan upon which ire road is
being built. At the time the officials
were negotiating with the business men
of Brooknigs, a delegation of Madison
citizens called upon them and solicited
them to extend their line to Madison
Since the LIST of January the com
papy, unknown to the citizens of
Madison, sent engineers over the
route between Broookings and this
city TO determine the feasibility of the
extension and decided favorably.
Hence. Col. Luce's visit to the city
last evening in response to the invita-.
ton extended to him.
At the close of the public meeting at
the opera house last evening. at his
own request. Col. Luce conferred with
the Madison Commercial Club standing
railroad committee at the club rooms.
1t was the desire of the committee to
learn what the Short Line company
would require of the people of Madison
in the way of purchase of stock in the
company in order to secure the line to
this city. This question, however,
| Col. Luce stated he was unable to
answer at the moment, ind the
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Club made an appointment to meet
| Col. Luce and other officials of the
company in Minneapolis next Wednes
day when this preliminary will be
settled.
Col. Luce in his address at the
| opera house submitted many points of
interest. The track of the electric
line is of standard width and cars
are switched from the electric to
| steam roads. Shelter STATIONS are
built at distances of one mile along
the line for the accommodation Of pas.
sengers. Passenger rates will be two
cents a mile. The trip from Madison
to Minneapolis can be made in sir
hours. All kinds of freight that is
carried on steam roads is carried on
the electric Sleeping car facilities OIL
the electric are better than on steam
roads. New towns are not built on
electric lines but the adjacent coun
try is made more easily accessible K
established towns. Farmers are pro
vided with loading facilities at almost
any poin. along the line. There are
through trains and local trains. Ant
thus we might extend these facilities
almost indefinitely, all indicating
that the electric system of railway
traffic which is rapidly coming into
use in the eastern states is extremely
modern in its scope, and the town %
nected with an electric railway is to b,
congratulated on its good fortune.
If built to Madison, this city would
probably become a division point, be
ing favorably situated for that purpose
Sec'y. Morgan of the Mitchell Com
mercisl Club was in the city to watch
the course of events, and it is under
stood that he proposed to Col. Luce
that il the road could be built to tha'
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Way within the city and subscribe Il
almost any amount of stock the com
pany demanded.
Eli Mechanics of Sioux Falls spen
the night in the city to attend thu
meeting. He is the owner of 200 acre
of land at Lake Campbell. He states
to Col. Luce that in case the line frou
land he would cheerfully donate tn
right of way.
1t is perhaps needless to say tina
the electric line is the best PROPOSE
tion that has been placed within til
reach of Madison in the history of th
city, and we believe it is so regard
ed by the sentiment shown at las
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