Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-27

RAILROAD COAL.
a Heavy Item of the Southern Pacific
Expenditure.
san Francisco Call, April 26th. |

lSan Francisco Call, April 26th.l
The most important question with the
Southern Pacific Company Just at present is
the scarcity of fuel. There being no coal
supply of any magnitude in the State the
Directors are compelled to derive their re-
quirements from foreign sources. The
greater portion of the fuel used between
Ogden and Truckee comes from mines in
wyoming, or from mines on the Denver
and Rlo Grande system. A portion of the
coal used in Arizona, between Ell Paso and
Los Angeles, comes from mines on the
Santa Fe road, and costs, delivered at DEM
ing, Sc 40 per ton. Another source of SUD.
ply is big mine in Indian Territory, which
produces very superior quality of coal,
which is delivered by the Missouri and
Texas Pacific at Ell Paso. This coal costs
S. 40 per ton, but its superior quality rem
ders 1t more desirable than an inferior fuel
at lower figure. The Salinas mines. down
on the Mexican International, are too far
away for any use on the Pacific system
though they are, strange to say, the only
coal deposits of any importance which the
Southern Pacific Company has yet struck.
In this respect il is less fortunate than apv
of its competitors. The Northern Pacific
Union Pacific Denver and Rio Grande and
Atchison have all plentiful supply of coal
at one point or other along their lines.
The Southern Pacific Company, however
despite its enormous length of track and
its policy of building feeders through new
country, has never yet struck coal mine
That is the reason why c. P. Huntington
and Charles Croker paid so extended a
visit to Washington Territory and British
Columbia. The Carbon Hill mine. which
they already own, is on branch of the
Northern Pacific From it is taken about
20 900 tons monthly, which is used chiefly
to supply the ferries, the lines in the Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin valleys, and the
Central Pacific as far east as Truckee.
More coal would be taken from this mine
could the railroad company haul it. But
they have as much as they can do at pres
ent, and the project is being discussed by
the Southern Pacific Directors of building
short line from the mine to the Northern
Pacific at Seattle. On the Oregon line from
Red Bluff north to Ashland wood is
burned. 1t is proposed, however, after
next month TO burn wood from Sacramento
north, using coal only on passenger trains.
The same rule will go into effect on the
Central Pacific flom Sacramento east. The
Los Angeles Division is supplied from the
Wellington mines at an enormous cost.
the golfers landing the coal direct at Will
mington.
In the last Central Pacific report it was
throughout the system was Sc o. per ton.
The average price on the Chicago and
Alton, placed in the engines tender, is only
81 60 per ton. The Baltimore and Ohio
coal supply only costs &C cents per ton in
the tender. Speaking Of the cost of fuel
on the system, Superintendent Fillmore
said yesterday that if the Southern Pacific
Company could obtain coal at ANYTHING
like these rates, there would be sufficient
surplus income to permit the company de-
clarng dividend of about 6 per cent. on
the capital stock.
Some idea of the quantity of coal used
on the systems may be gathered from
the same source. During the year 1887
204 206 tons were burned. At the rate of
Sc 03 per ton, this would give the enor-
nous sum of 81 .231 1862 Is, or about one
thirteenth of the entire earnings.
Another disadvantage which the COM
pany suffers from is the lack of water in
portions of its system in Arizona, New
Mexico and in Texas. A regular iron
water-tank on its car forms portion of the
train from Indio south. This, of course,
adds to the operating expenses. Water is,
of course, found in Arizona, but it is SO i'm
pregnated with chemicals that its use de-
stroys theinterior of the locomotive boilers.
A similar character of water is found in
the Tehachapi Pass. 1t very frequently
happens that engines used in the Yuma d.
vision have to be returned for repairs after
having been only nine months in use.