The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-14
SHORT LINE Is
TO SPEND MONEY
Will Appropriate 100000
For Improvements.
-&
MUCH WORK Is TO BE DONE
POLICY TO BE INAUGURATED BY
OTHER ROADS.
MUCH WORK IS TO BE DONE

THE OREGON SHORT LINE is
planning to spend S2.5G00OO this
year I'm bettefments and new
work. The principal items Of eXpendi-
ture will be the California extension,
the eamington cut-off and tn Poca-
teHo shops. In addition to this viii be
a large amount of baIlasting, the lay
ing of heavier rails. the purchase of
new equipment and the accomplish
ment of a number. of other improve
ments tending to bring the Short Line
up to a nigh standard.
The principal work of baHastlng and
I laying ne. rails will be done on the
Idaho and Montana divisions work
that has been in progress for some
/ time n the Utah division, however,
thjrty-tWO miles of rOadbed between
/ Hot Springs and Cache Junction viii
be ballasted and put into better con-
ditiOn
There is a prospect that the estimate
of S2,500.Q00 for expenditures during the
year may be raised 4 large amount
Of new equipment was ordered last
year hut the business of the road is
growing so steadily and rapidly that
d. :
equipment win be necessary in order to
handle the business. The roads earn
ings each month show an increase
over the previous month.
Policy of Hartman.
This determination of the Short Line
in the direction of Improvement is in
line with the general policy inaug-
urated by Hartman ever since he be
came an important factor in the rail-
road world. 1t has been put into effect
on the Union Pacific with great sue
cess. Now an appropriation Of $4,000
0o0 is being expended in a similar man
ner on the Southern Pacific. The roads
must be put into better shape both as
To Toadbed and equipment in order to
handle the immense and growing trans
continental traffic. The Oregon Short
Line is getting share of this and
expects to handle more. and this is
one great cause for the large apprOpri-
atlOns Tor bettaTments.
In following out this policy the Ore
gon Short Line and other parts of the
Hartman system are taking "a cou, Sc
similar 20 all the other progressive
roads of the country. The Rio Grande
mas been working along these lines
for years, and George Gould has said
he intended to carry it out 10 a higher
decree.
Pennsy. vania the Pioneer.
The Pennsylvania railroad is ganer-
ally admitted 20 De a pioneer i'm this
policy Of heavy expenditures for bet
termentS. Its success is demonstrated
by the fat that it earned nearly $500
100000 last year. and it is now pro
posed To spend S25,Go0.000 this wear for
betJerments. The Pennsylvania was
nearly forced into this policy by the
clause in its charter providing that all
earnings over a certain percentage not
used i'm improvements should go to the
state, EFe result has been an extreme
ly liberal policy Of Improvement.
bringing the physical condition of the
road mp to a high standard.
Another eastern read, the Lackawan-
ma started out on this policy only a
few years ago. Formerly it paid at
teniou almost entirely to the coal bust
ness. neglecting other branches of the
business and paying SCant attention to
the physical condition Of the road Tt
went on earning its Z Der cent divi-
den1s. When w r Truesdale took
hold as president he started out on A
policy Of bringing everything up To a
high standard. This cost money. but
the expenditures we're shown by the
annual report for 1901 to be justified
for the road earned in that year 2iSs
per cent on It's capitalization.
Among the western roads. the North
western. controlled by the Vanderbilts
is pointed out as a shining example Of
the results Of this policy. coupled with
NEURAL advantages. tt is figured out
that this road is earning - per cent
on its capital stock.