Show WONDERFUL PROGRESS OF AMERI CAN ELECTRIC RAILWAYS tho growth of the interurban railways has been wonderful in tho two years making a new era in transportation por tation the various systems are connecting one with the other so that it will not be long before one cam travel over at least the eastern half of the united states by trolley there are some advantages in favor of the electric railways for passenger travel and they are proving it by entering actively in competition with the steam railroads for this important business it is stated that more than 1000 milea of interurban electric railways have been recently projected in the south a part of which is in an advanced stage at construction st it no longer excites bronder or comment to say one may go from new york to philadelphia by trolley and it will bo equally unworthy of notice when one can go from new york or philadelphia to chicago thence to st louis minneapolis and other large cities of the saddle west and northwest ono may even make tho entire journey to new orleans in near future one of the important new lines will connect baltimore and annapolis with washington this main line is new or nearly all new construction baltimore will be connected soon with bel air md a distance of about 22 miles this kill bo a link in the long talked of trolley line to connect baltimore with philadelphia so throughout the south principal points ot population arc being linked together by the electric railway A few daya ago the house of of congress passed a resolution incorporating the wallingford Wallin glord tramway company authorizing it to build the final link of a ley line that will unite boston and new york reports from the west announce great activity in interurban circles chicago and cleveland have become centers eor important systems radiating throughout many miles of adjoining territory the national government report on street and electric railways for the year ended june 20 1902 2 includes companies owning miles of single track nineteen companies with miles of single track failed to report in tho 12 years since the 1890 census mileage haa increased from to or per cent the number of fare passengers carried has increased per cent the net of nil companies aggregate i of which were paid dividends total gross earnings were operating expenses taxes interest and rentals percentage of operating expenses 58 the cost of construction ot all lines it given aa and total capital hoock the average dividend is about 11 4 per cent it is announced that the terminal association of st louis will build A double track belt line from the city proper to the worlds bair grounds at a cot of including equipment alfew years ago the investment of such a sum of money would have been sn a steam railroad in preference to a trolley i |