New-York tribune., 1902-12-31

ably managed as the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company The per diem system OF charging
for the use of freight cars is now in force gen
orally throughout the country it's effect being
TO do away in large measure with the old delay
in returning cars to roads owning them; but
neither the added facilities afforded by this
means the addition OF new rolling stock
have met the requirements or many roads.
According to figures compiled by THE Rail-
road Gazette" there have been built during 1907
exclusive OF the output OF railroad companies
owning their own manufacturing plants. about
10000 cars. including cars for elevated rail-
roads but not including street and other electric
cars. This is the largest total on record. and is
about 25OOO in excess Of the output In 1901.
In 1902. also. 400 locomotives were built. as
against 1881 in 1901, the aggregate cost Of
these locomotives having been nearly S4S00G0O0
Hand in hand with the increased production of
rolling stock has proceeded the extension Of
railway lines. The Railroad Gazette estirnat-
ing that. approximately 6.O26 miles of new
steam railroad nave been built within the United
States between January 1 and December 81.
1902. This new mileage has not been exceeded
since 1855. The figures are exclusive Of second
track. sdings and all electric lines. and bring
the total for the United States to about 202.Og
miles Railroad building was reported done IN
forty-two States and Territories. and Oklahoma
leads the list. with track laid $40 miles Of
new line during the year
Plans for extension and improvement OF rail-
road properties upon an exceedingly heavy
scale have been made. The Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company. for instance. is said TO intend to
expend for such purposes during the next two
years. about $190.OOOOOO. among the items
being s5OOO0000 on it's New-York tunnel and
ington, $25.000OO0 on improvements on the
subsidiary lines east of Pittsburg, and $780,
100000 on improvements and new equipment
for its lines west of Pittsburg. The Union Pa
cihc. to give another example. is building near
Salt Lake a cutoff which Will shorten its lins
to the coast by only thirty miles. and which
will cost the company S15O00CO0 Many iu-
creases of capital stock and issues OF bonds
have been made this year. with the object In
some cases of paying for betterments, and IN
others of acquiring subsidiary lines. Recent IN
creases of stock have been by the Chicago and
Northwestern. from $751; 500. 79S TO $1O0000Ooo
and by the Chicago. Milwaukee and st. Paul
from S104. .S66 800 to S129. .S66, 300
Practically every railroad of Importance IN
the United States has within the last year
increased the wages OF it's employees. the rate
Of increase in most cases having been lU
pany, TO take single instance. has It's pay
rolls 10000 persons employed on its lines east
Of Pittsburg. OF whom $4,000 receive less than
500 a month All of these $4,000 persons have
had their wages or salaries raised 10 per cent
at total additional expense to the company
of between S5000.000 and Sc, 100000 a year.
increases so large would make havoc with the
net earnings of some roads. and to Offset them
the railroads restoring freight rates to the
higher level which ruled a few years ago. At
S estimated that the total increases in railroad
wages throughout the United States VIII
amount to $4,000 900 a year.
The tendency toward combination among rsh-
'oads, as among industrial corporations anu
financial institutions. continues strong In the
rear 1902 several systems in various parts o.
he country were enlarged by the acquisition ol
'ther roads. and IL the United States supreme
-ourt shall affirm the legality Of the forrsfpn
II the Northern Securities Company Il Is un-
Ierstood that more than one similar ralNdAf