The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-02-21
Railroad Briefs

Notices have been issued by all west
ern railroads that special arrangements
with theatrical companies have been
withdrawn and hereafter all roads will
charge the regular rates for transpor-
tation and the moving of baggage.
Over $500, 900 will be spent during
1899 by the Burlington road in i'm
provements to its track, roadbed and
bridges west of the Missouri river. OF
this amount wi 5000, 600 will be put
into new iron bridges. One hundred
and fifty miles Of %75-pound rails will
replace lighter rails and g 1000, 900
new ties will be put in.
Last week the Oregon Short Line
broke the record for large passenger
equipment orders. A contract has been
awarded the Pullman car works for
forty -four passenger ears and another
order has been placed with the Barney
& Smith company for five more passen-
ger cars. These, with 800 steel cars
recently ordered, make a total of $40 SO
far arranged for of the large number
for which the company has been figur-
ing for SO long according to the Salt
Lake Tribune.
10 jump from a salary Of $40, 900 a
year to one Of $40, 900 is a pretty big
thing, but that it just what ". Fl.
Truesdale, vice-president and general
manager of the Rock Island road has
done. He has accepted the presidency
Of the Lackawana road, which carries
the latter salary with it.
The Northern Pacific has ordered 300
flat cars to be used o. its work trains.
4 4
The northwestern group of railroads
makes the best showing Of any section
Of the country for January. according
to the Financial Chronicle. Consider
able irregularity is shown in the earn
ings on different roads, but, as a whole,
there is a marked tendency toward con-
tinued expansion. From the 1876 roads
which sent in returns, increases in
gross earnings have been reported by
eighty-five, as compared with the same
month last year. The losses on the
other roads, with a couple Of excep-
tions, have not been large. The state
ments from 1873 companies record a
gain of So, 942, 463, or ITO per cent.
This gain follows an increase Of 1856
per cent last year over 1897.
K
The Burlington will entirely rebuild
the line of the Atchison & Nebraska
road, extending 100 miles from Lin
coin, Neb., to Atchison, Kan. At least
$500, 900 will be expended in making
the repairs.
Orders for giant engines are being
rapidly placed these days. The Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa Fe company has
purchased thirty-fve locomotives, fif-
teen Of which are to be delivered by
July next. The Erie has gone into the
new engine business to the extent of
ten giant machines. the Monon is in for
six, the Burlington for about the same
number and the Northwestern will get
twenty modern flyers. To these may
be added the recent record breaking
order of the Lake Shore for fifty large
class locomotives.
The new terminal plant Of the North
ern Pacific Railway company at Butte
is rapidly nearing completion. The
plant when finished will be the largest
and most complete terminal between
st. Paul and the coast. A few weeks
of good weather will suffice to put the
new terminal in working order. The
plant includes a twenty-two-stal1 brick
roundhouse, fitted with all the latest
and most modern equipmentssfor the
successful housing and handling of the
locomotives; boiler and machine shops,
which are also fitted with up-to-date
appliances, and where the company
will be able to make all necessary re-
pairs on rolling stock; large brick Oil
and sand houses, a high water tank of
extraordinary proportions and a coaling
station Of 2, 500 tons capacity. The en-
tire terminal is heated by steam and
lighted by a private electric plant. The
plant is complete in every detail and
is sufficiently large to meet the i'm
mense demands that will be made upon
it. In it's operation the employment of
a large force of men will be necessi-
tated.
The w%est-bound Burlington fast
mail, beat all records between Chicago
and Omaha Saturday. The distance is
500 miles, actual running time eight
hours and forty-four minutes. The
train made a hundred miles an hour
for several spurts.
General Henderson of Omaha has
been in Washington for a month past
upon the question of securing the fast
mail contract for the Burlington road.
Yesterdav was NnYthern Pacific nav