The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-17
SPENDING BIC SUMS
RAILROADS ARE PUTTING THOU
SANDS OF DOLLARS INTO
EXTENSIONS
LAVE ONLY MADE BEGINNING
E>npid Increase of business Likely
to Make Double Tracks on
All Western Roads
Necessity.

The West and Southwest have not seen
the end Of railroad involvement and ex-
tension work by any means. On the con-
trary it appears to be only beginning.
Notwithstanding the large amounts all
the roads have been taking from gross
earnings and putting into permanent
improvements and charging the same to
operating expenses, it would appear that
they will have TO continue to do so in
definitely Conditions which now obtain
throughout the Western section demand
the extensions of second tracks to de-
gree little dreamed Of by those not ac-
qua nted with prevalent conditions.
In Texas and Oklahoma particularly
VIII this extension work have to be prose-
cuted with a vigor that is likely to throw
all previous records in the shade. That
country has been developing at much
more rapid rate than railroad extensions
have been pushed, with the result that
Inc roads have not now sufficient facili-
s3es for handling their traffic with eX-
petition and dispatch Long trains of
freight cars are now to be found occu-
plying every siding in existence along the
roads. These are not long enough to ac-
commodate all the cars, and the conse-
Quence is that the eras of these trains
on the side tracks jut out on the main
tracks and are not only great
hindrance to the free passage of trains
along the main tracks, but are standing
menace to their safety.
So slow is the passage of freight trains
oNer the main tracks that in a number
of cases engines have got out Of water
between watering stations and have had
to go back long distances for a fresh
supply of water. THIS mas occasioned
~reat loss Of time and has helped to in
ease the general confusion very ma
.erlalIy The fact is, the development Of
nj q 10
We years that railroad managers operat-
ing in that section are awaking to the
fact that extension work of the kind re-
ferred to cannot be considered completed
until their lines are double tracked for
their entire length. Additional sldlngs
in endless number muet be provided i'm
mediately. The demand for steel rails Is
likely 10 continue ind tnitely.
Extensive improvements are being car
red on by all of the railroads. Following
are a few additional items which have
tetn noted recently:
There is no longer any question of the
building of the North Western branch
Fl N Marshall, Mimi, to Evan. The con-
il act for the grading has been let and
some Of the grading outfits are now on
the ground.
Although unofficial, the report comes
from railroad circles that construction
work on the Burlington extension from
Billings to Great FATS Mont, will be
commenced early next month, and that
supplies and men are now being central
lied at Omaha for the purpose. 1t is
estimated that it will take the greater
rart of a, year to complete the work
A party of Northern Pacific officials,
consisting of Chief Engineer E. H. Nc
Henry, Assistant Chief Engineer w. l..
Darling and Division Engineer c. >.
Bei,er was In Aberdeen, Wash, during
ahe early part of this month. The party
was met by C. c. Van Arsdale, engineer
in charge Of the constructor of the Qul-
nault branch and a brief trip of inspec-
ton was made. The Northern Pacific
viii extend the line further north as soon
as possible, according to the statement
OF one OF the party. The first station on
the new line will be at Gray's Harbor
CITY. the second at Humptulips City,
the third one at a point between Copalls
river and Joe creek, and the terminal
station for the present Will be at the res
ervatiCn line. There is a vast country,
practically unknown. north of the reser-
walton, and it will require a considerable
time to locate the route which will be
the most advantageous through that
part There are fine farms in that part
which have not been taken up as yet, and
the building of the branch line will make
this property valuable.
The contract for the construction Of the
new roundhouse in Duluth for the North
ern Pacific has been awarded to George
Decks & Co., Of St Paul. The cost of
this Improvement will be about $65 600.
Work is to begin soon, and the building
pushed to completion this fall The new
roundhouse will be Of sufficient size to
accommodate thirty-six locomotives, and
will be of brick and stone. The new i'm
nrCvements to be made by the Northern
Pacific at Duluth will cover something
like two or three years.
Work on the extension of the Mankato-
Wells branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee
& st. Paul railway to the Twin Cities
viii be commenced within ten days. The
company did not care to begin the work
before this on account of the great
scarcity of men. Now that the harvest
is reaching an end unemployed men will
be more numerous and the work will be
pushed rapidly to completion as the
railroad company is anxious to complete
the Inc as soon as ii is possible to do so.
Kasota will be the point from which the
line Will diverge toward the northeast
The Iowa Central Will build a modern
depot at Mason City.
The Milwaukee road has plans under
way for some extensive improvements at
Herndon, which viii greatly facilitate
matters in handling passengers at that
junction. Che four trains which meet
there now every morning will all run
on parallel switches.