Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-03-30
IrHAS COST sEFEN MfLLIoAs.
baltimore and ohio Receivers Issue
a Statement Of Expenditures
for Improvements.


country has spent as much money in inn
provements and betterments of its lines
than has the B. & o. during the past year
It will be remembered that Messrs. John
K. Cowen and Oscar G. Murray were ap
pointed Receivers on February 29th,
1896, and since they have had charge OF
this property very large sums of money
haye been expended in placing the road
in first class condition, and while the ex-
peuditures have been in the millions, the
end is not yet.
When the Receivers were appointed
they found that, in order to successfully
compete with other trunk lines, it would
be necessary to improve the general
physical condition of the road. The
track was not in first-class condition and
the equipment was not sufficient to han
die the business that they felt the road
was not only entitled to, but that could
be hgimately secured by the expenditure
of little extra energy on the part of SO
liciting agents, The problem that wa,
to be solved was not an intricate one
1t was simply whether or not the road
should be put in such shape as would re-
duce the cost of transportation and in
crease its earning power, or to keep it in
the condition in which the Receivers
found it, and not attempt to augment its
earnings or reduce its cost OF operation
The Receivers decided that the best poll
cy to pursue was that of building up, aud
to do it as rapidly as possible.
Within the past few days the Receivers
have prepared astatemento of expenditures
from March 1st, 1896, to February Isl.
1897. for additions to plant, equipment of
the road and bet;erments made thereon.
From this statement it is learned that n
total of almost seven millions of dollars
have been spent for locomotives, pssseu-
ger and freight equipment, extraordinary
repairs to equipment and expenditures
made by the Engineering Department in
the way of improvements to the mainte-
nance of way, structures, terminals, and
the construction of new aiignments and
miscellaneous improvements. II is shown
ibaL tue OSltcEuiGHlS u ACCOuONlNNs
amount to $4,000; the new equipment,
which includes new dining cars and 9th
er passenger cars and betterments,
amounts to $50 900 the new freight cars
built by the road, and the repairs TO those
already in service, amounted to S147, 900,
the total being something over $250,0
The 5000 new freight cara and the 70 To-
como,ives which were added to the
equipment last summer cost about So.
100000 in round numbers. The extra
ordinary repairs to locomotives, passen-
ger equipment and freight equipment
aggregate 81, ,34S, 900; the total expendi-
lures in the Motive Department being
within few thousands of FIVE millions
The Engineering Department has also
spent a great deal of money. The differ
ence in the cost of the new S5 pound
rails and that of the old 67 pound rails.
which were laid on the Main Stem, the
Parkersburg Branch, the Washington
Branch, the Pittsburg Division and the
Philadelphia Division amounts to $5S3,.
900. The fastenings for this rail cost
500 900, and the new frogs and switches
SI3 500, while the new bridges that were
erected in place of the old ones cost in
the neigbborhood of Sl05, 900. The sum
of sos, 600 WAS expended in archiDg and
improving tunnels, aud the miscellaneous
improvements in the Pittsburg Harbor
and for paving, erecting new cranes.
erecting new shops, stringing wires,
building coal chutes, painting. erecting
safety gates, &c, reach s3l 900.
Under the head of construction come
the change of the line near Myers Hole,
on the Second division. which cost about
$50 900, the improvements in the Cumber
fAnd Terminal s1s2,OO0, the new work at
Glenwood $430, 900, the Locust Point ex-
tensions, amounting to SOS, 900. the i'm
provements in the Pitisburg Yards prop
er which cost ss1 600, the revision of the
Seven Curves $50, 600. aud the Improve
ments in the yard at Brunswick amount
ing to $4,000.
Then there are miscellaneous improve
ments, such as reducing aud taking out
curves. raising dips, straightening the
track, improving stations and station
grounds, and in general betterments lines
East of the Ohio River, which cost ap-
proximately $4,000 At Harper's Fer
ry ZOO was spent in Improvements,
and the sidings placed in certain of the
lines East of the Ohio River cost SOS, 900.
The total expenditures by the Eugi
neering Department have been s2.027.
293 43, and the grand total that the Re-
ceivers have expended in putting the b.
& o. in the front rank OF the Trunk
Lines is sc. .9S9. .2l1I7.
These figures do not include the SIS. 600
tons Of So pound steel rails which were
o dered few week. ago and which Gill
cost in the ueighborhood OF 81 .0oo,O00
very large proportion of the SeYen
Millions that have been expended have
gone to working men, as the character OF
the improvements were such that the
material cost a comparatively small
sum, the great bulk of the expenditure
being for labor.
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