The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-26
DOUBLING IT'S TRACKS
IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS ON THE
BIG FOUR ROAD UNDER WAY.
Business of the Erie and the BaIti-
more 81 OhfO-LOyv Rates for Shrin-
ers Who Wish to Visit Detroit.

The extension Of the Big Four's second
track from Cincinnati west from Fern
Bank to Cloves, seventeen miles out from
Cincinnati has been completed and the fast
trains began running over it yesterday.
The improvement is not to stop there, but
will be this season pushed on to Lawrence
burg Junction, twenty-five miles out from
Cincinnati including a double track bridge
over White river a little east of Lawrence
burg Junction. The second track from Gin
cinnati to Cloves is constructed in the most
substantial manner and, like the main line,
laid with a rail weighing eighty pounds to
the yard, and heavily ballasted The Big
-Four main line from Cincinnati to Kanka-
kee, is now laid with an eighty-pound rail,
and Assistant Chief Engineer Thomas Nor
ris says he will challenge any road to show
a better 249 miles of track than that of the
Big -Four between Cincinnati and Kanka-
kee. The Journal has information to the
effect that should the traffic of the Big
-Four in the next few months reach the ex-
pectations which the promising crops indi-
cate the Big Four will be made double
track road from Cincinnati to Indianapolis,
ITO miles. When the second track reaches
LaWrenceburg Junction, with the five miles
OF double track at the Indianapolis end,
there Will then be thirty miles of the dis
lance double track. An Eastern railroad
official who has recently been over a con-
siderable mileage of the Big -Four questions
If there is any system in the country
which has so large a per cent. of its mileage
at as high standard physically.
A Plausible Explanation.
An official of the Baltimore & Ohio road
in commenting on the stir that some of the
strong lines are making because the Balti-
e IA Erfo dc no
doing more business and the strong lines
less, is quoted as saying: 1.-TWO years ago
the Erie and the B. & o. were fourth-class
roads. Their rolling stock and tracks were
in rundown condition, and they could
not handle the traffic offered to them in
a satisfactory manner. Now conditions are
altogether different. The Erie and the B.
& o. have been revolutionized in one short
year. and are now up to date in everything.
They are handling a larger volume of bust
ness than ever before in their history sim
ply because they are handling it we'll. The
b. e o. receivers have done wonders for
that system, and l venture the prediction
that when the prevailing industrial depres-
sion is ended the road will show phenome-
nal earnings. With hard times and two adj
ditional hrSt-claSS trunk lines to contend
with, it is no wonder that the Pennsylvania
and the Vanderbilt systems are complaining
ABOUT the loss OIL Lrd1uc. NOT only 90 l
claim that the B. & O. viii make a great
showing with it's present facilities, but 1
will also predict that the system will be
ranked with the very best before two years.
l would not be surprised TO see the road
cut loose from some of the Objectionable
traffic combinations and win fresh laurels
and unbounded appreciation from the ship
pers."
Important Meetings Next Month.
A call was issued yesterday for the next
regular meeting of the Central Passenger
Association to be held in Chicago June 2.
The most important matters to be consid-
cred are reports on arrangements for the
Grand Army encampment in Buffalo in
August Christian Endeavor in San Fran
cisco July and 12 the proposed adoption
of the Joint Passenger Committees code Of
rules for the regulation of Central Passen-
ger business, and the proposed revision of
existing methods of handling mileage
tickets as suggested by the board of man
ayers of the Joint TRAFFIC Association.
There are also a large number of applca-
tions for reduced rates to be considered. A
special meeting will be held on the day
following the regular one to consider the
proposed establishment of q mileage-ticket
bureau on the same lines are now in
effect in connection with the Western Pas
senger Association.
A Nicaragua Electric Road.