The St. Louis Republic., 1903-01-02
Great Systems Have Laid Thou
sands of Miles of Track Dur
ing the Last Year.
SOUTHWEST BEING DEVELOPED
Enormous Sums Expended for
Rolling Stocks, Additional
Lines and New Roa,ls-Of-
ficials Are Pleased.

show that during the year 1852 4 total Of
5.5iS9l miles of railroad we're built by $50
lines which brings the total mileage OF the
United States up to 2oi.32f rifles. All the re-
turns are not in yet. and it is expected
when every road has reported its increased
mileage that the grand total will exceed
that of 1929, when 800 miles of tracl: We're
laid. Even with the figures compiled it is
shown that the record OF 1891 IS exceeded by
1926 miles. the trackage laid then being 5.222
miles.
1t has been confidently predicted that the
total mileage in tha last year would be ZOO,
and it in all probability would have
reached that figure had it not been for in
cessant rains in parts cf the country where
road building, was being most vigorously
carried on. which delayed the work OF grad
ing.
way Age, the lines were built in forty-four
States and Territories. exclusive of s.dInSs
and without taking into consideration pri-
vate lines and logging roads. which have
been built for temporary use.
AS an evidence III the great developments
in the West, the tables snow that two
thirds $500 miles. OF all the mileage was
built in tha: section of the UniLed States.
The Southwest comes in for hons share
of this. with Oklahoma Territory. wlicn
has Il record of twelve lines. building 552. 26
miles of track; Indian Territory, eleven
lines. with 5io.s9 miles of additional
paths OF progress; Texas, - lines.
New Mexico. 6 lines. which have lad 95. IS
miles, and Missouri, with Ii lines. which
have laid 2lO.iS miles. Arkansas. where
railroad Developments of great Importance
will be made this year. has record for the
last year of IS miles OF track laid by u
lines.
The States east of the Mississippi and
south of the Ohio have built SIS miles of
track. leaving little over $50 miles built
in the States in other sections Of the coun-
NO ADDITIONAL MILEAGE.
New Jersey. Rhode Island. delaware,
Idaho and Wyoming have not reported any
additional mileage. wEi.e Maryland, YER
mont ana Massachusetts can only show
four miles each.
Most OF the road building has been done
by the great systems. which have chiefly
penetrated into new territories
Following is the estimated number OF
miles built by few of the most iElpor-
tant systems:
Miles:
Chicago Rock Island and Pacific. go
st. Louis and san Francisco "!
Southern Pacific.
Missouri Kansas and Texas...... 81
Missouri Pacific i3'
New lires which do not seem TO be ideE-
titled with any of the great systems nav
been built in New Mexico, Arizona ana
Texas, Arkansas and other States.
In the year 1857. 12.9SS miles of track were
laid; in 1855 the figures show that i,loo miles
Of track were built.
Since then the mileage gradually de-
creased, until ii struck the low-water marx
in 1895. when only 1888 miles were built.
For awhile the yearly mileage hovered
around these figures. until 1855. when II
crept up to 3,0s3 miles. and has kept 4
steady and impressive increase since.
EXPENSES OF RAILROADS.
The money spent by the great systems In
improvements additions of other roads and
building ones is too enormous to estl-
mate with even an approximate degree Of
accuracy.
The year 1901 was n record-breaker in eX-
penditures of this kind, and it is thought
that the last year will equal that year in
this respect.
The Pennsylvania recently appropriated
100000 for road building, and additional
equipment. and this has been done by other
roads in proportion.
According to the Railway Age orders have
been placed for the building of lS5,CD1 freight
cars. 1000 locomotives and 2.1Go passenger
cars of various classes during the last year.
In 1901 orders were placed for l95UV
freight cars. 4.S40 locomotives and 2,SI9 pas
senger cars.
When 1t is understood that these expendi-
lures are, to n certain extent a minor part
of the expenses of a great system. vague
idea can be formed Of the amount of money
which the great systems use in their bust
ness.
Almost without an exception the officials
of the railroads are pleased with the record
of the last year. and most confidently pre-
dict Ttlat 1905 will be Il record-breaker in
the railroad history of the United States
especially in the Southwestern TERRITORY.