The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-20
RAILROAD WORLD.

The earnings of the Chattanooga Sou thern railroad for the first week in July amount to s212s. against s90e4 for the same week last year. The increase in earnings for the week amounts to szs-
 The aggregate exhibit of ninety roads reporting to the Wall Street Journal for the month of May. and eleven months of the fiscal year. give gross earnings to the total amount of s102,6s7, 264. against s104, ,7s1. .555 for the same period in 1908. The decrease amounts to S2,o44.2s1.
 The largest single order given for cars in some time past was the recent order of 5000 placed with the American Car and Foundry company. by the c. H. ss D-Pera Marquette system. It Is understood that the cars will be built in Detriot.
 The Wall Street Journal quotes D. c. Bolssevian as writing to that publication: srhe four per cent obligations issued by the Holland railroad company are quoted on the Netherland bourses at 104 and in- terest. The quotation Tor the four per cent bonds of the Louisville X Nashville railroad company ranging between s7 and 100 and interest. These prices indicate that the bonds of both companies rank among the best securities issued by trans portation companies"
 Over 1000 employees of the Southern Pa- c. recently been discharged. The cutting down of operating forces on the system has been in effect from Texas to Califor- nia.
 A decrease of $25O.O00 in gross and ssOo.- GOO in net Is given in the report of the earnings of the Illinois Central railroad for May according to the Wall Street Journal. It says:
 illinois Central earnings for May show a decrease Of s25oOoo in gross and $500 ooO in net. The bring forward results from May 31 as a net decrease of $1, ,50o, ,000. The gross earnings for the eleven months, be- cause of the increases in the early months of the year, are not bad. The show an in crease of sl.7oo.0o0, which is about four per cent. The real difficulty in the ex- hihit of the eleven months Is the in- crease in expenses, amounting to ss.20O,- 900. For the year ending June 20. 1908, there was heavy increase in transpor- tation expenses compared with the year previous, but this increase is yet greater. l Illinois Central was one Of the last roads to raise wages Of It's men. Generally speaking. all the roads had accomplished the transition to the higher wage level by July l. 1908. but in the case of the l Illinois Central the date is sometime in l September 1903. Therefore. until Sep tember we shall be confronted with exs cessive increases In expenses as compared with the year previous. owing to the in- crease in the wage schedule"
 union of the Grand Army of the Republic at Boston. Is contemplated as a result of the announcement of several of tha eastern lines regarding fares to the re- union. The Michigan Central has an- nounced that 1t would make as low q rate as any other line between Chicago and Boston for the benefit of the old sol- diers. The rate originally agreed upep by the roads bound from Chicago was one cent per mile, figured upon the short line mileage basis. This would make the rate from Chicago to Boston $2O. for the round trip via all roads. This Is several dollars below the regular one fare rate between the two cities.
 Further changes in the official staff of the Rock Island have been announced from headquarters ein St. Louis. The changes are all in the operating depart ment and are as follows:
 O. l.. Brown appointed superintendent of the Dakota division, with headquar- ters at Estheryille la. vice G. A. Merrill promoted; W. M. Whltenton, superinten- dent of the Arkansas division. headquar- ters in Little Rock, vice F. B. Steward. resigned; G. A Merrill, superintendent of the Panhandle division, vice W. M. Whit enton, promoted H. M. Hallock. superin- tendent Of the Oklahoma division, head quarters In Chickasha. vice T. H. Bea- com, promotent ID. II. i'SeS't' sNPNst tendent of the St. Louis division, vice w, E. Morse, resigned. MT. Beacom's head quarters will be in Eldom, Mo.
 The official staff of the Rock Island sys. tenn is In process of reorganization. Since Mir Loree assumed the chairmanship of the Leeds properties there has been score of changes. and 1t Is the prevailing opinion that many more changes will be effected. The changes so far have been principally in the operating and execu- tive and financial departments and few changes have been made in the traffic department
 Wheeler Rifles Left Monday.
 Florence July 19.-The Wheeler Rifles