The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-11-22

But Baiiway Companies, as We'll as Nan
ufactur. r., Are Getting in shape 20 Han
die the Shippers and the Buyers When
Money Gets Fairly Flowing Again, Which
is Expected by Jsnuar, -Gonfdence IL .
iFacf1aassay News. @Sf
Chicago, Nov. 21.-The Railway Age.
in its issue Of this week. published a sum
mary of reports received from some two
hundred railway companies and manu-
facturers ia all parts of the country re-
garding the effect of business TO date,
OF McKinley's election. The conclusions
drawn from these reports are as follows:
Il. Has the railway business picked
UP at all? We are compelled to answer
mo, it has not" In parts Of the west
and southwest it has been even distinct
iy worse since election than it was be-
fore. There has not even been an in
crease in the little local passenger travel.
Here and there are isolated cases of in
creased activity, but looking at the coun
try as whole there has been no i'm
fc. This fact is established beyond ques
ton by the reports received.
2. Although there has, as yet, been no
increase in traffic, the railway compa-
MES, as a whole, have very materially
increased their expenditures, especially
in two ways, as viii be seen clearly from
the abstracts Of reports which are pub
lished below. There have been many in
-ra Of ~1rvl Nd ri
tendency TO purchase money freely This
lest fact is shown more conclusiveiy by
the reports Of the companies themselves.
80. Still more important than the above
is the number of companies which report
that they had all plans made for a re-
duction in force in case the election had
gone the other way. These emphasize
very strongly the gravity of the danger
from which the country has been saved.
The railway companies generally have
during the hard times been keeping up
their forces and expenses at a point in
excess of what existing business would
justify, in the hope Of a return of pros
perity and they are now in position to
meet any increase Of demands that may
be made upon them without further ex-
penditures
near future is almost universal There
is curious unanimity in the expression
of a belief that this revival will really
begin to be felt after the first of January.
There is also-nost cheering of allan
evident belief in all directions that this
revival viii be permanent, that is to say,
that it will last for several years, a.,
least.
in conclusion, we would say that the
evidences Of an actual increase in bust
ness today are more marked than we
had expected to find. The improvement
so far, however. is largely one of sentf-
ment. The railways are taking advan-
rage Of existing low prices 20 pl e or
ders for goods and make betterments
which they hope that an increased de-
tInand will SON justify. Manufacturers
are similarly opening up and increasing
their output so as to be forehanded and
this implies an actual return of conf
ready to furnish stock when needed. All
dence. With the extension OF that con-
fidence, so that money will be available
for new enterprises and for expansions
of existing business. the circle of i'm
provement will widen, and as ii widens,
as the number of men who are earning
wages and have wages to spend goes on
increasing, those who have dared to
move in advance of the times, will rea p
the reward of their courage"
HERE COMES THE RUSH.
Rittle Rock, Ark, Nov Glowing to
the heavy increase in traffic on the Mis-
souri, Pacifi. Iron Mountain road, the
working hours in the shops here have
been increased to nine hours per day.
W.,
the 1ne hour rule has been enforced.
Severel hundrd men are affected, rep
resenting a big increase of wages for
them.
BALTIMORE AND OHIO.
Baltimore, Nov. 21-The president and
co-receiver of the Baltimore and Ohio
railway said today that the report of
Examiner Little is now in the hands
Of the printer and that copies Of it will
be distributed among the stockholders
within week. 1t is learned from other
sources that the report was read at the
recent meeting of the stockholders. A
gentlemen who was present at this meet
ing has said there is nothing of SEN
sational character in the report and tina.
no charge save possibly that of misman-
agement is made against the Mayer adj
books, however, is criticised and the re-
port is said to show that for more than
five years past unearned dividends have
been paid with money borrowed for the
purpose and upon collateral belonging
to the company: that the books have
been kept in such manner as to indicate
a more favorable financial condition
than actually existed. and that other
irregularities of a minor nature were dis
covered. The most important feature of
the report, however, is said TO be that
it reveals the fact that even under the
conditions which then existed, the sys-
tenn was fully able TO pay its interest
and ether fixed charges cut of its earn
ings and that If the dividends had not
been paid, as stated, the road would
have been self-supporting and the neces-
sity Of receiver would have been avoid
ed. As soon as the report is made pub
lie a meeting of the Baltimore reorganl-
cation committee will be held. at which 1,
viii be decided whether a further exam
iration OF the books will be made under
the auspices OF the committee.
Charles o. Soul, genral passenger
agent Of the Baltimore and Ohio road,
said today that there is no foundation
for the report that the Baltimore and
Ohio is contemplating a new line to the
south.
For years we have had through HE
between New York and New Orleans"
said Mr. Scull We have a route
through from Shenandoah Junction by
way of the Norfolk and Western road.
the Southern railway and the New Or
$ThOuSdndS Of Women