Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-01

the line from Chicago to Kansas City. The
ore docks at Escanaba, Mich, we're doubled
In capacity. The Milwaukee quits the year
with a mileage OF s.ssf.42.
what the Frisco Has Done.
The ST. Louis G San Francisco has been
busy acquiring new properties. IL has in
creased its mileage from 4.s24 to 6,5s1. and
gone a long ways. therefore, toward the
realization OF President Yoakum's dream
OF being president Of the longest railroad
In the country. Its acquisitions we're: Adj
ditional properties Of Fort Worth, Rio
Grande, Red River, Texas g. Southern,
Blackwell, Enid & Southwestern, Oklahoma
City & Western, Birmingham Belt railway,
Worlds Fair Belt railway. Kansas South
western, Chicago q Eastern Illinois, St.
Louis, Memphis & Southeastern. and III
miles of sidetracks. The aggregate mile
age OF these acquired roads is 1857. An
other 1000 miles may be added to the
'Frisco's growing system, but at any rate
will be, according to unofficial reports
which, however, are held to be reliable.
This new mileage will come through the
acquisition Of the Pere Marquette Railroad
and Steamship lines, whose total mileage
is 1000 miles.
-EIkhOrn's Important Extension.
The Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley
has confined it's construction work almost
entirely to the completion Of its branch
from Verdigre, Neb., to Bonesteel, S. D., a
distance of 69h miles. This branch is
commonly known as the Verdlgre branch.
1t runs through Boyd county, Nebraska, and
Gregory county, South Dakota, being the
only railroad to enter the famous Rosebud
Indian reservation. a large section of which
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sumably next spring. This road is now in
operation and shows good results. A short
spur line has been constructed from Dead
wood to Lead, a distance Of three and a half
miles.
EOrtbwestern's Double Track.
The year 1902 forms an era in the his
tory and development Of the Chicago &
Northwestern railroads, for It marks the
consummation Of one OF the largest and
most important tasks ever undertaken by
this pioneer line to Omaha since it's en-
trance into the Gate City via Council Bluffs
thirty eight years ago. This is the com
pletion of the double trackage from Chi
cago to Omaha. 1t gives the Northwest
ern the only continuous double track be-
tween these two cities and completes the
long chain Of double tracks which the,
Vanderbilt line began building over a
decade ago. 1t links Omaha to New York
City by means Of the Northwestern, Lake
Shore, Michigan Southern and New York
Central, all Vanderbilt roads, and there
fore practically one system. The North
western has done considerable improving
of roadbeds, grades, bridges and depots at
various places on its numerous lines in
Iowa. Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois
and Wisconsin. The completion Of the
Il
covered in the resume Of the work Of the
Elkhorn, may be included under the North
western improvements, since the Elkhorn
is a part Of the Northwestern system of
$3.50 miles OF track.
Missouri Pacihc's Move.
Among the more important steps taken
by the Missouri Pacific during the year we're
the acquisition of the Denver & Rio Grande
and the Rio Grande & Western. The Gould
road built a line from Scotland to Grandy
and to Maear's mine. two miles beyond
CRANKY; completed its river division from
Jefferson City 10 Boonville, Mo-, and has a
great deal of construction work in progress.
A new road is being built from Batesville
TO Carthage under the name OF. the White
River railway, and another from HALEY,
Ark, near Arkansas City, to Clayton, La.
az 10 ph AhO ANNW OAApnh ~ " IA
western. It is reconstructing its Little
Rock g. Fort Smith road and reducing
grades and putting in detour lines between
Little Rock and Van Buren,, also from
Carthage to Neck City.
Achievement of the wabash.
At a cost Of S25, OOO, 900, which involves
the outlay for its new Pittsburg depot, the
Wabash has gained an entrance to the
Smoky City which marks a victory over the
Vanderbilts. 1t is now building its line
from Jewett, o.. to Pittsburg, which, when
completed, with the Wheeling & Lake Erie,
recently acquired. will give 1t through
tracks from Omaha to Baltimore. In ad-
dition to the Wheeling & Lake Erie, the
Wabash has acquired the Western Mary
land, which skirts the scene of the battle
Of Gettysburg, penetrating a rich coal min
ing country. 1t has also bought the Ann
Arbor road from Frankfort, Mich, to To-
ledo, a distance of POI miles. The most
important developments on the line near
Omaha was the relaying Of the track from
here to Brunswick, Mo-, with eighty-pound
steel rails, and the bsllasting Of the same
with burnt clay and rock, thus replacing
the old trackage with one Of superior quail
ity. The Wabash has moved into new
quarters at Sixteenth and Farnam streets
in Omaha.
Years New Mileage.
A careful preliminary estimate made by
individual canvass of the railroads, and
supplemented by the Railroad Gazette's own
records, figures furnished by the state rail-
road commissions and other sources OF in
formation, shows that approximately 6,O2e
miles OF new steam railroad have been built
within the United States between January /
and December 81. 1902, The figures are ex-
elusive OF second track, sidlngs and all cleo
trio lines. Rebuilt mileage is also excluded
except where the work involved such ex-
tensive changes In alignment that a new
route was established, as in the case Of the
Southern Pacific between certain points in
Nevada.
Railroad building was reported done in
forty-two states and territories, and Okla
homa leads the list with track laid on $40
miles of new line during the year. Texas
comes second, with 4s6 miles; Arkansas is
third. with 81 miles, and Indian Territory
is fourth. with 1853 miles. Georgia built $50
miles during the year.
In addition TO these, Illinois, Iowa, Mis-
souri, and New Mexico show. returns of over
200 miles built. and Alabama, California,
Florida. Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi. Ohio. Pennsylvania, Washing
Ten ~ Wet NHrwFnE. h,.4Is 49, - ]