The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-22
The Report OF
g,street.
MUCH PROSPERITY.
Number Of Lines in Re-
ceivers' Hands Decreased.

Washington, Nov 21-Gen. James
Longsueet, the commissioner of rail-
ways in his annual report made pub
lie today. calls attention TO the gener-
al prosperity in railway affairs, and re-
ferring to the increase in commerce.
following the acquisition of new terri
tory, recommends the government con-
sruction and operation Of first-class
double track railway from Kansas City
Mo, to San Diego Cal, by air line
route.
He 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 pay
ing dividends on their preferred stocks
and piling up SURPRISES, which in the
course of a very short time. his report
says, will be distributed among the
common shareholders.
Many roads which in 1898 We're forced
to cut salaries 20 per cent he says
have voluntarily restored the old bass
of wages. In April, 1894. receivers con-
trolled in this country 210 roads, en-
bracing about 20 per cent of the total
mileage of the United States. On June
30 of this year, there We're only i19 rail-
roads in the hands of receivers and
Gen. Longstreet predicts that under
the present condition of prosperity
within another year the list of insolv-
ent railroads will be as small as in the
years Immediately preceding 1893.
Reporting on his inspection of the
properties of the Union Pacific and
Central Pacific and several of the land
grant lines in the west and on the Pa
citc slope this autumn, the commits
soner says substantial improvements
have been made in the roadbed in the
main lines, steel rails have been sub
stituted for iron wooden bridges re-
placed by iron and steel, and the bal
lasting is more extensive and much i'm
proved He recommends govern
ment air line transcontinental route in
the following language:
The annexation Of the Hawaiian ISL
ands the possible, probable control of
the Philippine and Ladrone islands.
must open up new trade relations of
such growing proportions with them
as TO so materially increase the bust
ness of all the bond aided roads as to
pc Wen within the scope of reason to
anticipate their ability, at an early
date. to pay principal and interest Of
their debt to the United States.
Heretofore, under former SWAY ev-
cry effort has been made to discour-
age business intercourse with Ameri-
cans. Under the new order of things
IN these Islands, every effort will he
made to encourage trade with us and
Wheh the population is doubled in num-
oers and is increased ten times i'm abil-
ItE 10 produce and consume, which is
nor an unreasonable anticipation, what
then viii our trade amount to? IT is
almost impossible to imagine.
Furthermore, the vast volumes of
wheat and other cereals which now find
their way from the middle western
gram prairies to Asia and other conn
trles OF the western hemisphere by the
way OF the Atlantic seaports. will. in q
very rev years. reach these same des-
tlnauQns by the way of Pacific sea
ports and with this changed conditions
VIII come vastly increased tonnage and
revenues to all the trsnscontinenta1
lines Il q
Inc interest the United States has
IA pond-alded railroads, and especially
lhe central Pacific railroad. should MOI
pc scaled for we have every reason to
look for repayment of dollar for dollar
principal and interest, loaned or adj
vanced by the government originally
10 these corporations 1t may be timely
just now to suggest that the govern
GLASS
double track railway from Kansas CITY
MO-. TO San Diego, Cal, by air line
route. This will open the shortest line
measured by the map from Boston
New York and Philadelphia to the Pa
ciflc coast, along and near the Goa
helds OF the east and the west on this
SIDE of the Rockies, and making tbe
most direct line from our great com
mercial centers to the Sandwich islands
and the Philippines.
This, with other lines now worISine
overland, may prove ample for the
wants of commerce to the Pacific coast
and the orient, holding trade and travel
within our borders pending the expert
nent OF canal through the fevered
climate of the iSthmuS
AS trade increases it may develor
The Importance of a direct and similar
line to Seattle, in Washington state
st. Louis, No, is a little south Of the
direct line between New York and Sar
Diego, but the Typographical features
or the country indicate that possibly a
better route may be found from
that point, and the bridge over the Mis-
siSsippi river at st. Louis may prove
an important consideration. A survey
therefore, by direct lines should be
made from each of these points"
The report says that of the United
States subsidy bonds under the acts OF
1862 and 1854 to aid the Pacific rail
roads construction, there have matur.
ed $50, els, 952, of which $50, 489 ,952 have
been redeemed and paid out Of The
treasury, leaving still due and unpaic
$4,000 The remaining bonds of this
issue fall due as follows: Union Paci.
flc January /. 1899, $3157,000; Central
Pacific, same, So, 1871, 000 Western Pa