The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-22
GEN. noNesrREEr,s REPORT
Calls Attention to General Prosperity In
 RNIlrOnI AffnirA.


 Washington, Nov, 2l.--General James Longstreet, the commissioner of rail- roads, in his annual report, made pub lic to-day, calls attention to the gen eral prosperity in railroad affairs, and, referring to the increase in commerce following the acquisition of new terri tory recommends the government con- struction and operation of a flrst-class double-track railway from Kansas City, Mo-, to San Diego, Cal, by air line route. He says the physical condition or our railroads generally is better than ever before. He points to the spectacle or roads, which only two or three years ago were in receivers hands, now pay ing dividends on their preferred stocks and piling up surpluses, which in the course of very short tihe, his report says, will be distributed among the common shareholders. Many roads which, in 1893, were forced to cut sal aries twenty per cent, he says, have voluntarily restored the old basis of wages. In April, 1894, receivers control led in this country 210 roads, embracing about twenty per cent. of the total mileage of the United States. On June 50 of this year there were only 119 rail- roads in the hands of receivers, and General Longstreet predicts that under the present condition of prosperity within another year the list of insolvent railroads will be as small as in the years immediately preceding 1893.
 Reporting on his inspection of the properties of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific and several of the land grant lines in the west and on the Pa- cific slope this autumn, the commits sioner says that substantial improve ments have been made in the roadbed in the main lines, steel rails have been substituted for iron, wooden bridges re- placed by iron and steel, and the bal lasting is more extensive and much inn proved. He recommends a government air line transcontinental route in the following language:
 "The annexation of the Hawaiian Is- lands, the possible, probable control of the Philippine and Ladrone Islands, must open up new trade relations of such growing properties with them as to so materially increase the busiregs of all the bond -aided roads as to be well within the scope of reason to anticipate their ability, at an early date, to ray principal and interest of their debt to the United States Heretofore under former rule every effort has been made to discourage business intercourse with Americans Under the new order of things in these islands every effort vii be made to encourage trade with us, and when the population is doubled in numbers and is increased ten times in ability to produce and consume, Which is not an unreasonable anticipation, when, then, will our trade amount to-? It Is almost impossible to imagine. It may be timely just now to suggest that the government construct and operate a first class double-track railway from Kansas City, Mo, to San Diego, Cal, by air line route. This will open the shortest line from Boston, New York and Philadelphia to the Pacific coast along and near the coal fields of the east and the west on this side of the Rockies, and making the most direct line from our great commercial centers to the Sandwich Islands and the Phil ippnes.
 This, with other lines, now working overland, may prove ample for the wants of commerce to the Pacific coast and the Orient. holding trade and trav- el within our borders, pending the eX- pertinent of canal through the fevered climate of the isthmus. As trade in- creases it may develop the importance of direct and similar line to Seattle l in Washington state. St. Louis is lit 1 tie south of the direct line between New York and San Diego, but the to- | geographical features of the country in 1 dicate that possibly better route may be found from that point and the bridge l over the Mississippi river at St. Louis may prove an important consideration. l A survey therefore, by direct lines. should be made from each of these l points"
 1 The report says that of the United l States subsidy bonds under the acts of 1862 and 1864 to aid the Pacific railroads construction there have matured S51,- | 618,952, of which $50,4S9,9 ,952 has been re- 1 deemed and paid out of the treasury, | leaving still due and unpaid S125,0C0. The remaining bonds of this issue fall | due as follows: Union Pacific. January l 1. 1899. s. ,157 ,000; Central Pacific, same.
 $9,197, ,000 Western Pacific same, $1,- l 165 560