The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-22


Mont, northerly along the Kootenay
river about fifty-one miles, to the inter
national boundary, where 1t will connect
with a line built by the Crows Nest
Anacortes to Rockport, Wash. 81 4 miles,
crossing this company existing lines at
Burlington, Wash. This line runs through
a heavily timbered country and Will de-
velop a large lumber and coal traffic.
The properties owned by the Kootenay
Railway & Navigation company limited,
are:
The Kootenai Valley railway in the
state of Idaho, and the Bedlington q
Nelson railway, in British Columbia, to-
gether forming line of standard gauge
railway from Bonners Ferry, ldaho, TO
KuSkonook, British Columbia, Al .25 miles,
with trackage rights over $40 miles or
track of another company.
The International Navigation & Trad
ing company, limited operating steamers
on Kootenay and Duncan lakes ana the
Duncan river; and
The Kaslo- and SLOGAN railway. owing
and operating line of narrow gauge
railway from Kaslo to Cody and Sandon,
British Columbia, 80 miles.
Good progress has been made during the
year on the two steamships referred to
in last years report, being built for the
Great Northern Steamship company by
the Eastern Shipbuilding company at
New London, Conn. @",f
IMPROVEMENTS.
During the year there were many i'm
portant improvements in the way of new
tracks, additional buildings for shops,
boarding houses for employees, station
buildings and freight houses, steel
bridges, etc Light rails have been re-
placed by heavier iron. Twenty-three
depots, twenty-eight section houses and
nine stock yards have been erected and
others have been enlarged. Grades have
been reduced, curves Strengthened, ETC.,
etc
NEW EQUIPMENT.
During the present year orders We're
placed for sixty locomotives and sixty
two passenger service cars, of which none
had been received and taken into account
at the end of the year, and 1900 freight
service cars.
There was expended during the year for
equipment S1,720, 5.9.55, of which amount
81. 460, 3O1 50 was charged to Equipment
Account"
VOLUME OF TRAFFIC AND RATES.
Concerning traffic and rates, the pres
ident's report says: On account of the
CROP failure last fall. the company
hauled during the year 81, S63 3i2 pusnels
less wheat and flax than during the pre-
ViCuS year and its earnings from these
two commodities were reduced by $751;
1925. AS the farmers received. less mon
ey from their crops, their purchases We're
reduced and there was falling OF IN
receipts from West-bound merchandise,
etc, on the eastern section of the line;
how much cannot be accurately meas
ureG.
The earnings from the iron ore traffic
of the Eastern Railway of Minnesota in
creased $136 651.75.. The freight earnings
of the system decreased but $3.50, 565. 50.
There was, therefore, an increase in
earnings from traffic other than wheat,
flax and iron ore of $1,S01, 80. By far
the larger part of this increase came
from business to and from the Pacific
coast. The revenue ton mileage of that
portion of the system east of Minot, n.
D., decreased AZ, 233O03 ton miles, while
that of the system west of Minot in
creased by lis, 191, 316 ton miles.
The average receipts per ton per mile
were reduced 2S-100) of a cent, or Bias
per cent. On the ton mileage hauled
during the year this reduction amounted
to about $3.50 0C0.
While the ton mileage of revenue
freight was reduced less than 1 per cent,
the mileage of loaded freight cars was
reduced 1.1065 per cent, of empty freight
cars, 121430 per cent, and mileage of
freight trains 1889 per cent, resulting in
an increase of 24.514 tons (6.S709 per cent?
in the average number of revenue tons
per freight train mile, making the aver
age train load of revenue freight 3Sl. 294
tens.
/ ne earnings. OIL passenger trains IN
creased 1901, 494.96, or over per cent, of
which $257. 241. So came from passenger
fares, $21,92524 from sleeping cars, S15,-
6f.1 from transportation of mails,
$6,561.7S from transportation of express,
and the balance from miscellaneous
sources. The average earnings per pas
senger per mile decreased 81 per cent,
and are now 2.29 cents. Effective July
/, 80, the local rates in Washington
and Idaho were reduced to 8 cents per
mile.
1t is. gratifying to note that the I'M
migration referred to in the last report
has continued with increas ng volume.
Never in the history Of the company
mas there been SO great a movement Of
settlers upon its lines as during the past
year. The settlement has not been con-
hned to any particular locality, but has
been general. The li4ger part Of the
immigration comes from the Middle
west, and is of a character which will
rapidly develop the new country in
which it has located.
Ihe company's policy of making low
rates to its Western territory has en-
abied settlers to avail themselves of the
cheap lands of the West. This increase
IN the settlement of the lands lying along
volume of the company's general traffic
If the United States government would
undertake an intelligent and compre-
tensive. plan of irrigation for the pur-
pose CT retaining the semi-arid lands
OF the West, thei. immediate settlement
would follow. The public domain is In
charge of the government. whose ;lutv
It IS tC put it in condition for use. IF
belongs to the people.