Jasper County Democrat, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1902 — UNION TRACTION COMPANY OF INDIANA. [ARTICLE]

UNION TRACTION COMPANY OF INDIANA.

Ths systsm of the Union traction company of Indiana, as It exists today, was conceived nearly ten years ago. The Anderson electric street railway company was organized in 1892 by Messrs. Charles L Henry of Anderson and Philip Mailer of Marlon and acquired the old horse railway which had bean operating In Anderson since 1887. In 1897 the property and franchises of the company were acquired by the Union traction company of Anderson, which was on June 28, 1839, consolidated with the Muncle, Anderson A Indianapolis street railway oompany of Muncle, under the present name of the Union traction company of Indiana. Tha Munde road waa the successor of the Cltisens' railway company, organised In 1892. Mr. George F. McCulloch. Who was secretary and general manager of the Muncle, Anderson A Indianapolis company, became a director and treasurer of the Union traction company of Indiana. By the purchase of local lines In Marlon and the contraction of interurban lines the system was extended until It now includes 188 miles of tract, and serves a population of from 180.000 to 175.000 people, not Including the •Ity of Indianapolis 075.000). Change In Management. M>. Henry was general manager of the oompany until March S, 1901. when he reeignsd to devote more of his time to other Interests. The present officers and operating staff are: President and gen-

era! manager. George F. McCulloch; assistant to president and general manager, C. W. McGuln; vice-president, " Philip Matter; secretary, J. A. Van Osdel; treasurer. W. C. Sampson; general counsel, Charles L. Henry; general passenger agent, Charles A. Baldwin; electrical enA. 8. Richey; chief engineer and roadmaster. W. H. Bloss; master mechanic. J. 8. Hamlin. Of the total track, fifty-six mile# are lcfal lines In Marlon, Muncle, Anderson and Elwood. The line from Anderson to Alexandria was opened Jan. 1, 1898; from Alexandria to Bummltvllle, July 8, 1898. and to Marion, Aug. 8, 1898: from Alexandria to Elwood, June 28, 1899; from Anderson to Muncle, Oct. 1. 1900; from Anderson to Indianapolis, Jan. 4,190 L The fare charged on the Interurban lines of the company Is approximately 1 cent per mils except that no single fare for any distance is less than 6 cents. The cars in the Interurban service are fifty-two feet six Inches long and eight feet six Inches wide, the roof being of the steam-coach pattern; they have baggage compartments and toilet rooms; the seating capacity Is forty-four in the main part of the car and eight In ths baggage comportment. The motor truck has thlrty-slx-inch steel-tired wheels, conforming to ths Pennsylvania railroad standard. The motor truck, which Is at the front end of the car.’ has two No. 50 Westinghouse motors, rated at 150 horse power each. The other equipment Includes 1.-2 controllers. Christensen motor-driven air compressors. Wagenhal’s electric headlights and Balter hot water heaters. The motor equipment will propel a fully loaded car, weighing 66,000 pounds, at a speed of forty-five miles an hour. Operation of System. Ths road Is operated with ths alternating direct system of current distribu-

tion. with high potential transmission lines and rotary converter sub-stations, and is one of the most Interesting and practical plants that has ever been Installed. The main power station Is located In North Anderson, with sub-sta-tions at Marion, Fairmount. Elwood. Alexandria. Muncle. Palevills. Ingalls and Lawrence. The company now has a train out of the terminal stations (Anderson. Muncle, Marion. Elwood and Indianapolis) every hour during the day. from 4:00 a. m. to 11:00 p. m.. end running on a schedule under the •'block" system. The traffic on these Hn<*s Increased steadily from the start until It became necessary for further arrangements to take care of the Increased travel. For this purpose Manager McCulloch perfected arrangements for putting on fast trains between Muncle and Indianapolis. The limited trains already have a large patronage. They have only one stop (at Anderson). These trains leave Indianapolis at 7:30 and 10:30 a. m. and Muncle at 4:30 and 7:30 p. m. every day and make ths run In two hours.