The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-13
RAILROADS.

By the time the bridge at Rob Roy is
finished the twelve miles of track north
OF it, which now constitutes the only gap
in the Paramore system, will be graded
surfaced, tied, rallied, and then there will be
722 miles of three. foot track from Birds
Point to Gatesville, Texas, all main line
and no branches.
Fruit growers in California complain bit
terly of the exactions of the Central Pacific
railroad in the matter of ireights. This
company has charged as high as $3.50 a Car
on oranges, and although now reduced to
$3.50 the price is still so high that many
fruit growers ars letting their oranges 20
ungathered. The principle of the company
is not the charge on the basis OF the service
rendered, but OF the amount the goods
will stand.
The Texas & ST. Louis railroad is now
completed and open for business from Pine
Bluff to Texarkana, there connecting with
the various Texas roads. The completion
of this road gives New Orleans a connection
via the Little Rock, Mississippi River &
Texas railroad from Arkansas City to Pine
Bluff, and opens up quite rich territory.
Heretofore this territory was drained by
the Iron Mountain road, which is operated,
as is well known, in the interest OF st. Louis.
As the afternoon Santa Fe train was going
over the bridge near Virginia Point, Texas,
a bolt OF lightning from passing rain
cloud descended within few feet of the
smoking car, on the south side. and SEEM
ingly pass ed into the water. The flash and
accompanying thunder peal, which was
instantaneous, startled the passengers.
Conductor Connolly rushed forward, fol-
lowed by some OF the passengers, expecting
to find the forward car knocked 10 pieces,
but the electric fluid had passed away with
out hurting anybody or anything.
Current Ieports point to an increased and
encouraging activity in the various locomo-
tive works, few, if any, having found IL nee
essary to diminish their force OF workmen.
An exchange, having made inquiries as TO
the outlook for this class of manufacture,
reports that the Baldwin locomotive
works, of Philadelphia, already have a
tull half of their capacity engaged for
1883 There is less pressure for early de-
liveries. and although some of their de-
partments are running overtime, they are
what may be termed comfortably situated
as regards orders. They are running their
usual force of 5000 hands, and have no
present intention of reducing the nun Der.
The Portland machine company, OF Port
land, Maine, have enough locomotive work
on hand to occupy them until November.
The locomotive works at Patterson, New
Jersey, are employing $3.50 men. The
Rogers company employ LOO Of this num-
Der. The Grant works employ 760 men,
and turn out an engine every other day.
The Cooke-tormerly the Daniorth-works
employ 700 men, and have over seven
months orders on hand. From present
appearances the year 1888 in locomotive
building will be full average of the past
five years, and the heavy reduction In the
price firon and steel is circumstance of
which the railway men will undoubtedly
avail themselves for pushing the work of
construction"
So great has been the positive advantage
which all departments Of agriculture have
derived from the construction of railroads,
that II the entire cost Of their building had
beer levied upon the farmers of the central
west, they would have paid II ana been i'm.
mensely the gamers. The railroads have
done what could not have been Effected
without them; they have secured to the
producer very nearly the prices of the At
iantic markets, and very largely In advance
of what could have been had on his farm
by thus enabling the producer TO dispose OF
his products at good prices at ali
times, they have y,helped to, tnypcpse
rapidly both the settlement ard the Ill
nual production Of the interior states.
The older country Is, the more civic aud
the less rural II becomes--ihat is the greater
will be the demand for food and the less the
production, Hence II Is that Europe, au
old country, filled with cities, makes con.
tinual demand on this country for food.
Hence 1t Is that New England and New
York, continually filling up with manuiac-
turers, artisans and cities, must be supplied
with increased quantities Of food from the