The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-22
96S ENGINES BUILDING.
Grades Being Cut Down and
More Elevators Built.
Traffic Officials Think They
Can Meet the Rush.

Chicago, April 22.-In view of the
governments forecast Of the biggest
winter wheat crop in the history Of the
country and the prospect of an inn
mense acreage Of spring wheat and
corn. il is asked. will the railroads be
able to handle their freight throughout
the season rapidly. or will there be an
other congestion like that of last fall
and winter2
The question is being asked seriously,
even a this early stage and not a rail-
road man of the west so far as heard
from is bold enough to say there viii be
no such hindrance of traffic. Without
exception. however, traffic managers
and other officials talk optimistically
and cite various reasons why they be-
Meve the experiences of the past season
win not be repeated
Brihy stated, here are the reasons for
a hopeful view:
First-Car capacity and traction pow
er are being greatly enlarged.
Second-Therminal facilities are I'M
dcrgoing great extensions and improve
ments.
Third Better methods for returning
and utilizing empty cars are being for
mulated.
0AA AAA a AAIAC u 1AdyA% Viii bE ~
big coal strike and attendant conse-
quences to upset calculations and dis
turb natural movements of freight.
Fifth-Eievator and storage facilities
viii be better than heretofore.
Sixth-Much freight passing through
Chicago to the east VIII lie diverted to
Canadian and southern lines, going to
the Atlantic by rail through the pro-
vinces and by water from New Or
leans
-Roadbeds axe being hard
ened, grades reduced and curves elm
mated. thereby increasing the drawing
power of locomotives.
Slason Thompson, formerly of the
Record Herald. now special news repre-
sentative of the roads centering in Chi
cago. has received a numebr of replies
TO inquiries sent out by him to general
managers of railroads. asking infOTma-
ton and statistics bearing on the
freight equipment prospects. These
answers give fair idea of the efforts
made by all lines to meet any emer-
gency.
The figures returned show that in the
last three years the roads in question
have spent a total of s170 053 600 for To-
ciomotlves and freight cars, counting
The average cost of locomotives 81, 600
ard of freight cars $1,000
The returns show an increase in
equipment of nearly 43 per cent in To-
cOm0tiVes and Al per cent in freight
pacity the new equipment marks an adj
vance of almost half as much again as
these percentages indicate. Fourteen
roads report that at the present time
they have 968 locomotives under con-
struction which, when completed. viii
make their total power equipment 2.769.
They are also building 1927 box cars
and Alb of other kinds. including
stock refrige orator and fat cars. These
will bring their total equipment in this
line up to 46 697 box cars and 1851
miscellaneous Other Chicago systems
report an addition to their equipmen,
since 1900 Of $50 locomotives and S0,656
freight cars.
Since 1900 percentage of increase in
car capacity and traction power has
been as follows for the roads indicated,
the figures being important as showing
the general trend among the various
roads i'm adding to their traffic facilities.
Car ca Loco
Railroads pacity motives