The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-19

Probably noraiiroad company in the
country has spent as much money in
improvements and bOtterments of It's
lines than has the Baltimore & Ohio
during the past year 1t will DO re-
membered that John X. cOwen and os-
car q. Murray we're appointed receivers
on February %. 1895. and since they
have had charge OF the property large
sums Of money have been expended in
placInE the road in flrst class cOndl-
lion, and while the expenditures have
been In the millions. the end Il not yet.
When the receivers were appointed
they found that In order to success
fully compete with other trunk lines, IL
would be Necessary to improve the gem
cral physical condition OF the road. q'he
trSck was not In fiFSt class condition
ard the equipment was not sufficient
70 handle the business that they felt
the road was not only entitled to, but
that could be leRltimately secured by
fhe expenditure Of = little extra energy,
The problem that was to be solved was
NOT an Intricate one. II was simply
whether or no the road should be put In
such shape as would reduce the cost OF
transportation and Increase It's earning
power or 20 keep II In the condition IN
which the receivers found II. and not
attempt to augTnents It's earnings or
reduce It's cost OF operation. The re.
eeiyers decide that ne best policy TO
nnrglIs was that OF building up, and
10 do It a.. rapidly as possible.
Within the past few days the recelv-
eTS have prepared statement OF eS>
pendituros from March l, 1895. to, teb'
mary 1, 1897. for additions to the plant,
eduIpunent of the road and betterments
made thereon. From this statement y
IL learned that total Of almost seven
millions OF dollars have been spent for
locomotives, passenger and freight
equipment, extraordinary repairs to
eduibmert and expenditures made TO
tire engineering department IN the way
Of improvements to the maintenance OF
,yhV. structures, terminals, and the
construction Of new RliRnments and
r,isCrlalncouH improvements, II Is
shown that the hettermcnts to locOmo.
tiyes aruount 10 $4,000. the new equip.
Inent which includes new dining cars,
and other passenger cars and better
ments. amounts to $Ss.0O0; the new
freight cars huiit by the road, and the
repairs to those already tn service,
amounted to SltT.0OO. the total being
frrirhts cars aud the Is locomotives
which were added to the equipment last
sumner cost about $3,5oO0OO in round
numbers. The extraordinary repairs TO
locomotives. passenger equipment ana
freight equipment aggregate &l.StS'OOO;
the total expenditures in the motive de-
partment beirF within few thousands
Of i've mIIliOnR
The engineering department has also
spent a great deal OF mopeY. The dit.
ference In the cost Of thd'new 50 pound
rails and that OF the old 81 pound rails,
which were laid on the main stem, the
PRFkeFsburg branch. the Pittsburgh di-
vision and the Philadelphia division
amounts 10 SSS5, 900, The fastenIngR for
thfs rnH cost SIS. 81, and the new frogs
ard switches $l3.sOO. while the new
bridges that were erected TO take the
place OF the old ones cost In the neigh.
borhpOd OF sos, 009. The sum OF $SS.900
was expended In arching and improving
tunnels. and the miscellaneous i'm
movements In the Pittsburgh harbor
ard for paving, erecting new cranes,
erecting new shops, StrinEing wires.
building coal chuIeS, painting. erecting
safety gates. etc, reach $Sl,CoO.
Under the head Of construction comes
the change OF the line near Myers Hole,
on Lne .aEEOuu aAuN laAVussa Wilma N.FN
about $4,000, the improvements IN the
Cumberland terminal, Sis3,0OQ. the new
work at Glenwood, $780, 100. the Locust
Point extensions amounting to $4,000.
the improvements In the Pittsburgh
wards proper, which cost $4,000. the re.
vision OF the seven curves $4,000 and
the improvements in the yard at bruns-
wick. amounting 10 $4,000.
Then there are miscellaneous I'm;
provements, such as reducing and
taking out curves. raising dips,
straiEftening the track, improving sta
lions and station grounds, and In gen
eral bettermentB lines east OF the ONO
riyor. approximately $4,000. At Har-
per's Ferry $4,000 was spent IN I'M
urnvementg, and the sidings placed In
certain OF the lines east OF the Ohio
river cost $4,000.
The total expenditures by the engi-
npering department have been $2,O2I.-
~ 45, and the grand total that the re-
celverE have expended In putting the
Baltimore & Ohio In the front rank OF
the trunk lines Is S5.9S9,2it IL.
These figures do not include the $1,000
tons Of IS pound steel rails which were
ordered a few WeekR ago, and which
win cost in the neighborhOod OF $780,
4 very large proportion Of the seven
millions that have been expended have
gone 10 wofhnEmen. as the character
al the imhtoVementR were such that
The material cost q comparatively small
sum fIIe great bulk of the expenditure