The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-11-26
IN GOOD SHAPE.
Gen. Longstreet, Railroad Commits
sioner, Gives Some Statistics.
ne says Roads Are More Prosperous Than
Ever Bsfore-Many Of Than Piiing Up
Surplus and Paying Dividsnds-Ad-
voeAtss 0ovsrnmsnt RoAda

Washington, Nov. 2a-Gen. James
Longstreet, the commissioner OF rail-
roads. In his annual report made pub
lie yesterday, calls attention to the
general prosperity for railroad Affairs
and recommends the government con-
struction and operation Of first-olass
double track railway from Kansas
City. Mo-. TO San Diego, CAL, by air
line route. This will open the short
est line. measured by the map, from
Boston, New York and Philadelphia
TO the Pacific coast, along and near the
coal fields OF the east and the west
this side Of the Rockies and making
the most direct line from our great
commercial centers 70 the Sandwich
islands and the Philippines. -
The report says Of the United States
subsidy bonds under the act of 1881
and 1884, TO aid the Pacific railroads
construction, there have matured $780,
eisS92, OF which $50, $50, e5s have been
redeemed aud paid out Of the treasury,
leaving still due and unpaid sl2o, 900.
The remaining bonds OF this issue fall
due as follows: Union Pacific, January
l, 1890, IS, Isl, 900; Central Pacific, same,
90, 1s7, 900; Western Pacific, same,
l,65o. 500.
Commissioner Longstreet says the
physical condition OF our railroads
| generally Is better than ever before.
He points to the spectacle of roads
which only two or three years ago
were In receivers hands now paying
dividends on their preferred stock and
plling up surpluses which In the course
Of q very short time, his report says,
will be distributed among the common
stockholders. Many roads which in
1893 were forced TO cut salaries 20 per
cent, he says, have Voluntarily re-
stored tho old basis of wages In
April, 1894. receivers controlled In
this country 80 roads, embracing
about 20 per cent OF the total mileage
Of the United States On June 80 Of
this year there were only 1ie railroads
In the hands Of the receivers, and Gen
Longstreet predicts that under the
present condition Of prosperity within
another year the list Of insolvent rail
roads will be as small as in the year
Immediately preceding 1898
Reporting ON his inspection Of tn
properties of the Union Pacific AM
, several Of the land grant lines In tn
west and on the Pacific slope thi
autumn, the commissioner says sub
stantial improvements have been mad
In the roadbed on the main lines
, !, wooden bridges replaced by iron an
steel, and the ballasting is more e1
, tensive and much improved. H
recommends q government air lin
transcontinental route In the follow
ing language:
The annexation Of the Hawaiian islands-tf
I possible. probable. control Of the Philippir
/. and Ladrone islands--must open up new trad
!. relations Of such growing proportions vii
,. them as to 90 materially increase the buslne'
!, OF all the bond-aided roads q y - s.il ss.s
y the scope Of reason 10 ahtiei< us Mannkeh'
q at On early date 70 pay print the province
EASTERN @ ooss uosssssions y % sis anuary sayai n
:, teceScinF tropical 1pi pioducis.our annual d
v mand for which Is 20 the extent OF te25. 900 o.
about ons-third OF our entire imports-will.
q few years. be entirely furnished from the
new possessions and our own products taken
+ exchange. while now our exports to these
,s lands, believe, do not exceed sib,ooo,ooo q
ia nually.
4. Heretofore under former sway every efc
N has been made to discourage business int
10 course with Americans. Under the new ord
l, OF things 10 these islands every effort will
"a made to encourage trade with us, and when b
!. population Is doubled In numbers and Is
creased ten times in ability to produce q
10 consume, which Is not On unreasonable anti
patton, wha, then will our trade amount TOT
Is almost impossible 10 imagine. Less th
900 British colonists In Australasia Q
ID change products TO tho amount OF 1850 0Oo,t
IN annually. 1t is only reasonable TO supposs th
I'M In few years the trade with our new posss
I. sions will fully equal II II will not surpass
~ this, OF which the United States must and "
IN control the bulk
g. Furthermore the vast volumes OF wheat o
ra other cereals which now fnd their way fri
=. the middle western grain prairies to Asia q
~ other countries OF the eastern hemisphere !
q, the Atlantic seaports will. within q very I
years. reach these same destinations via Pa
DO seaports aud with this changed condlt
will come vastly increased tonnage and re'
d. nues 70 all the transcontinentai lines The
or version Of this very trafic on this idea Is a
n. receiving the careful attention and conside
tlon Of the executive and managing oiicials
some Of the leading lines between Chicago,
u, Paul and other middle western grain cent
nd and the Pacific slope and therefore II seems
me the interest the United States has In bo
aided railroads and especially In the Cen,
Pacific, should not be scaled" but that
wv have every reason TO look for repayment
I'M. dollar for dollar, principal and interest loa
or advanced BY the government original,