Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-10-20

Thomas W. Wilson. vice president
and general manager OF the Whining
ION and Philadelphia Traction Com
nanv addressed the Rotary Club yes
ferday. on electrical Industries
He said.
when Jupiter launched the thun-
der-bolt which Benjamin Franklin so
deity caught in his kite, neither the
great Neurological God nor the learn
al philosopher even dreamed of the
tremendous commercial possibilities
revealed by that historical flash oil
LIGHTNING and for a century thereafter
tbe world was content to plod aiong
In it's accustomed way with its tailow
aims ana oil lamps and its mounted
messengers and horse drawn vehicles.
FIFTY years ago the telephone Wa
inst coming into commercial use ana
the small experimental centIM sla
tons for developing electricity were
being installed in the most Favored 10
calities. Less than 30 years ago prac-
tically all the street cars we're drawn
by horses. With the execution OF the
telegraph all the Industries depeholhs
upon the commercial use OF electilclly
have come into existence ana nave
been developed during the present
generation. In magnitude ana aiVer-
sitv of Industries the United Sua.es
now ranks first among the Industrial
nations. and while the closer CONNER
eial relations of nations. the multi
oilcitv OF inventions, the more gen
eral and thorough education OF the
masses and the utilization OF naeuIe li
resources have aided in this genera
sdvancement I believe that eiectricl,y
bes been the most important single
factor The United States easily taxes
eret Mace in the production ana ullll
~stion ~ electric current for CONNER
cial and industrial purposes. our cen
tral stations. electric railways, teie-
nbones and telegraphs now give direct
emnlovment TO approximately l'VuV'-
600 neople. The gross value OF thelr
nroducts and income amounts 10 o.
o01 600 600 annually and the indus..
trial commercial ard social well-pe
inc OF the country is dependent upon
thorn We can conceive the condluons
that would exist II electricity "ero
suddenly to lose its powor.
"No other industry IN this country
has changed so rapidly or so com
nletelv in one generation as electric
railways. In 1890, animals. cable ana
steel were used as motive power:
Horse roads operated $500 miles OF
track. All OF these have now virtu-
niiv passed out of existence. Gasoline
motors and various other kinds OF
motive power have been tried in the
operation of electric railways. They
have practically all been superseded
bv electricity. In 1912 there we're 94S
companies operated by electricity. 21
bv cables. 10 by animals. 3 by gaso-
line motors, and 3 by steam. Today
the cable roads have disappeared, ana
the only horse cars I know OF are IN
New York city. The use Of electricity
has so extended the field OF operation
and made such radical changes In the
methods Of business that the roads
today serve an entirely different pur-
pose from the street railways or 70
wears ago. They are no longer con-
fined 10 cities but are fast absorbing
interurban and rural traffic and the
last Government census showed that
thcre were 1896 miles OF interurban
ard 1896 miles of city and suburban
track. As n considerable portion OF
the city and suburban track is loca-
ted outside the corporate limits of
cities. it is probable that half the
trackage Of the country is operated in
rural sections and handles a class Of
traffic that could not be handled by
steam roads and meet requirements OF
construction and operation that could
not be complied with by any other
class Of roads
"The capitalization OF electric rail-
ways is now S5.000,O00 900. II was
more than S4.70O. 100000 in 1912 and
IN 1890 it was only $3.50 100000. The
number OF revenue passengers carried
increased from 2,000l000.000 to 9,000,-
500 600. and the income from opera
tons from $91 100000 TO S5S5.900,000,
The number OF passengers carried on