This just in...

This clipping was sent to us courtesy of Richard Bjorklund. New York Times 30 May 1900

Surface lines prepare to Meet the 5 cent Elevated Road Fare.

Chicago, May 29- With the opening of the Northwestern Elevated Road Thursday there will be inaugurated an intramural transportation warfare that promises to bring lower fares within reach of Chicagoans.

The Chicago Union Traction Company under its new management has prepared to offset the influence of a five-cent fare from Wilson Avenue and Evanston Avenue to the heart of the downtown district by issuing transfers on its Evanston Avenue line good to the extremities of Edgewater. It costs ten cents to get to Edgewater at present.

It is a war between Yerkes interests and the Chicago Union Traction Company and is attributed to the efforts of Mr. Yerkes to make his elevated roads the trunk lines for suburban traffic.

Editor’s note: At the time this was written, J.L. Cochran was trying to negotiate a better connection to downtown for the new residents of his development, Edgewater. After 1900 the whole Edgewater area developed more quickly.