The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-22

tereSt plans of Mr.. J. J. Hill in the
northwest promises to retard some con-
Struction which has already been plan
ned in that portion of the country, but
the south and southwest are teeming
with live projects, and these sections,
as well as many of the western and
northwestern states, will be the scenes
of continued activity during the current
year.
In Texas, where $50 miles of new line
were built last year, work is now ac-
lively in progress on several hundred
miles of extensions, and our reports
show that over 900 miles are under con-
tract Including the line of the Kansas
City Mexico & ORIENT and that there
are 400 miles more of live projects which
give promise of early construction.
Many important lines are projected in
Oklahoma and the Indian Territories,
where nearly 1 400 miles are under con-
tract, with work already started on the
larger part of the mileage. The live pro-
jects here aggregate $50 miles, in addi-
ton to the 1,400 miles under contract,
these figures embracing only the ex-
tensions projected by roads already in
existence and not including the many
merely chartered companies given in
our detailed list
In New Mexico work is already pro-
ceeding on several lines of importance,
less than 430 miles being under con-
tract, and in Arizona there is a large
projected mileage. Several important
extensions through the timber regions
of Mississippi are already under way,
been let aggregate 235 miles. Eleven
lines with a total of 2S5 miles, are I'M
der contract in Louisiana, while Mis-
souri, and Arkansas have, respectively.
356 miles and 235 miles under contract.
With the exception of Maine, where 50
miles have been contracted for, it is
not anticipated that there will be much
construction in the New England states
but all other states in the Union will be
found in the list at the close of the year.
There is renewed activity in Iowa, and
if all the lines on which grading has
been started are completed this year
that state will add not less than 300
miles. while Minnesota will not be far
behind her neighboring state on the
south. There is not much to induce
railway building in Nevada, but if the
Oregon Short Line extension to southern
California and the parallel line of the
San Pedro. Los Angeles & Salt Lake
are built that state will show large adj
ditions to her railway mileage this year.
While the avowed intentions of these
two companies are to push work active
ly during the year, only the completed
grade of both lines, aggregat ting 10
miles, is included in our table of lines
under contract or construction
While there are a few Independent
lines of considerable Importance being
built. the major portion of the new
work is being carried on by the large
systems, which are pushing into new
territory and building branches and
feeders which promise to furnish pro-
ductive traffic. In this connection, it
is interesting to note that $500 miles
of the lines reported under contract are
being built by Is companies.
The Railway Age does not undertake
to say that nearly 1900 miles of new
road are going to be built this year. 1t
is not even prepared to predict that the
1884 miles under contract will be fin
ished before January 1 next, because
the mileage of many of the lines is so
large that it will require a longer per-
iod than the nine months intervening
between now and the close of the year
to carry the work to completion. But
the outlook has not been so favorable
since 1888, when 7,106 miles of new line
We're built, and barring the difficulty of
securing rails. the indications point to a
larger new mileage than has been con-
structed in any year since 1888.