onfocus

b!X summarizes an imaginative look at Portland of the future that was written in 1913: Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1999.

Because mid-air is not a location where tracks can (or must) be laid, there are no franchises awarded by the City government, which causes both much trouble for and much annoyance from the railraod companies, whose mode of transportion suffers along with that of the steamship, since people prefer to fly. Country homes become more popular because of the ease of movement provided by air transportation.

The author predicted the decline of railroads and the rise of suburbs, they just didn't have the correct vehicle that would make it happen.