The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-10-19
Demonstration of Rural
Highway Lighting De-
clared Success"
NO COST ESTIMATE
Officials of Two Counties See
Great White Way" and Like
Possibilities of the Plan

Turning the nighttime into day
time the General Electric company
and the Wisconsin Gas and Electric
company co-operated on Friday even
ing to give a demonstration Of rural
highway lights and mile of the
sheridan road just south of the Ra-
cine county line was lighted up with
fifteen wonderful two hundred and
fifty candle power lights. The dem
onstration was witnessed by large
and Kenosha county and applauded
by hundreds of passengers in motor
cars who travelled along the road dur
ng the dark night.
1t can be said that the lights are
distinct success and that this portion
Of the Sheridan road was lighted just
as we'll as many city streets and better
than a lot of city streets. The fifteen
big lights blazed during the night
converting one of the darkest stretches
of the road into a great "white way"
The possibilities of the carrying out
Of the system on roads in this sec
ton of the state met with immedi-
ate favor with the officials who wit
messed the demonstration.
Attracts Wide Attention.
The installation and operation of
he lights attracted wide attention
and it is certain that the story of
heir excellent service in lighting up
the road will be carried to many parts
Of the country by passing motorists.
The fifteen lights were set at an equal
distant apart and they are so arrang-
ed that the light from them is thrown
in both directions. at was light
nough on the road for you to be
able to pick up pin" said one of the
officials who went out with the party
of inspection. THE city would have
nothing on the country if it were pos
sible. for us to have these lights"
was the comment of one of the farm
ars who lives along the road where
the tryout Ct the lights was made
: wonderful possibility Of q Great
White Way" all the way from Racine
o. Kenosha developed as result of
The first operation Of the lights and
officials of the two counties showed
, very active interest in the cost of
installation and operation. 1t is said
that this is the first time that this par
ticular type of light has been tried
out for rural highway lighting.
Costs Must Be Determined.
The companies making the test
nave no cut and dried proposition to
offer the two counties at this time
lad it was admitted that the use of
he lights on the road is with view
If testing out costs of installation
ind operation, With the electric rail-
way in operation along the full length
Of the road the cost of installation
of these sample lights was decidedly
small. The lights were hung from
the brackets used by the electric rails
way and these brackets appeared to
furnish an excellent place to hang
the lights with a view of getting the
maximum service out of them. 1t is
expected that the operation of them
lere will be means of furnishing
rome idea of just what it will cost
per mile to light up the highway.
While no announcement is made, 1t
3 expected that the two companies
will have some proposition to make
70 the county boards of the two coun-
lies when they meet in November.
Traffic Unusually Heavy.
The announcement that the lights
would be tried out brought an unus-
ual heavy traffic to the road on Fri
lay night and for three hours there
vas almost constant stream of traffic
lowing over the road. The road was
so light that most of the automo-
biles were driven without lights and
here appeared to be no danger of
accidents of any kind, The lights
have such power that the entire road
is covered by their rays and the
light even went into the surrounding
fields. The companies have not as
vet announced how long these lights
will be kept in operation, but it is
expected that they will be maintained
along the road for some little time
md repeated demonstrations of their
alue given.
Rural road lighting is decidedly a
new wrinkle, but it is said to have
met with instant favor wherever it
has been tried out.