The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-07
Such Activity in Construction
Not Seen Since l879.'80.
BOTH LONG AND SHORT LINES
New Companies Are Being Organized
and Old Ones Are Reaching Out
Central South is Not Tagging
Rehind-Other industries.
tBy Associated Press,

(By Associated Press.1
BALTIMORE. June 5.-The Southwest,
= great empire in extent and resources,
is the scene of an activity in railfcao
construction such as has not been VII
Ressed anywhere in the United STATES
rince the days OF 1880 when railroad
building was at its highest point. Soiii-
cidcnt with this activity, with old systems
building new lines and new companies
projecting long reads as well as short
ones, there are indications of great ad-
vance in manufacturing. mining and TN
ancial interests The Manufacturers
Record is covering the many Interests
Ing phases Of this development IN special
correspondence and this week publishes
a survey of the railroad situation with
reference largely to the lines centered
at ST. Louis and stretching into the mid
die South, the West and the Southwest.
These lines opening up in many instances
almost virgin Territory cnd innrnring
the transportation facilities of regions
where the lumbermen. the farmer and
the miner have already found their way.
vii; play an important part IN the up
building Of the Southwest. For example,
the Frisco. which within a year Will be
operating 1856 miles, is putting forth
energetic efforts in the direction IF IN
dian Territory, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
II has within twelve months contracted
for s5oo0.oO0 worth OF new equipments,
which will be auxiliary to its efforts to
attract new industries and settlers TO
points along its lines particular Efforts
he,ng made TO develop the ponltry and
dairy industries.
ALL INDUSTRIES.
Almost every conceivable interest Is
represented in the business handled by
the Gould line Lead. zinc. coal. lumber,
cotton, cattle, early vegetables, fruits,
grain, oil and various manufactured pro-
ducts are handled by them The proven
zinc territory in Southwest Missouri from
which s1o,G00ooo worth Of ore has been
taken in a, single year, is likely to be eN-
tcllded into Indian Territory. after
fh..rnurh nrnsnertirE and the zinc Of
Arkansas is also becoming attractive.
willie the timber industry keeps some
branch lines in Missouri. Arkansas and
Texas busy, the lumber and timber go
ing North in large quantities to st. Louis
:nd elsewhere, but also into the newly
settled Oklahoma country.
In the work Of drawing settlers to the
Sctth the Cotton Belt is making consider
able progress. especially In the prairie
section of Arkansas. and Eastern Texas.
where the acreage in fruit raising, cot
ton and wheat is steadily growing. How
great activity there is in the lumber in
dustry is indicated by the fact that from
Delta south along the line of the Cotton
Felt, sixty additional new mills have
been erected during the past sixteen
moths. With the clearing of the forests,
fruit and truck lands are made available.
Peaches. tomatoes. strawberries are some
of the products Upon which erterprtsing
settlers are growing independent. In
dustrial development is progressing. The
Gotten Belt has purchased in the past
year 1,750 freight cars of $4,000 pounds
cana citv and has under contract 2.135
more with 50 modern locomotives.
LARGE EXPENDITURES.
Expenditures authorized by the Santa
Fe for this year are larger than ever
before. Some of them are for the equip
ment Of its Texas line for burning fuel
oil from the Beaumont fields. This in
wolves the erection Of a number Of inn
uense steel storage tanks and the in
stallation of minor supply plants, from
which the locomotives Will take the
oil
Olner railroad projects are mentioned
as follows:
Take look at the map of Iowa. for
instance. and see how that State
is crossed with railroads and then re-
call that when the Indian Territory is
added to Oklahoma. as it will be one
day. there will be bigger and better
State in the southwest than Iowa It
Union in soil, climate, variety Of re-
sources and proximity to great markets.
1t will be the heir of all the ages of
progress. the very incarnation OF twenti-
eth century civilization
The very great activity in the south
west Is fully duplicated in the central
South, stretching all the way from Vir-
ginia to the Mississippi River. The i'm
provement Of railroad facilities and the
constructor Of new lines keep pace with
the industrial activity. which was never
greater than at present Along the en-
tire coal belt from Wesr Virginia through
Southwest Virginia. Kentucky Tennes-
see and Alabama the output of coal is
being very rapidly Increased. but the de-
rand keeps ahead Of the supply. In he
Carolinas the married. revival in cotton
mill construction finds a counterpart in
the phenomenal activity and prosperity
IN The iron resions of Ala hana.