Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-09-12

Texas has more miles of railway than
Italy or Spain, and more than any three
of the min,r countries of Europe.
The assets of the American railways
in 1905-S1c, .000000-equals the
wealth of the entire country in the year
Of Lincoius first election.
Contracts have been let by the New
York Central for nearly all the electrical
work in connection with its new termi-
nails in New York City and the electrif-
cation of its suburban system into and
out of that city.
1t is estimated that the 1905 yield Of
wheat for South Dakota will be 50.00O.-
900 bushels, as against 100000 900 bush
els last year, while the corn crop prob
ably will be 55000,O0O bushels, as
against 100000 bushels last year.
twenty-five switch engines of the
heavy type are being turned out of the
Brooks works for the Lake Shore road.
AS soon as all the switch engines have
been delivered, ten passenger locomo-
tives of the prairie type will be built
A short line of the st. Paul road, run
ming from Roscoe, S. D., to Linton. n.
D., is taken as a test for crop condi-
tiOns. Wheat, oats, corn, barley and
fax are raised along this line. Esti-
mates this year show that the increase
over 1904 OF all products, except flax.
will be % per cent, while the flax yield
will be 80 per cent higher than last year.
Wheat acreage is 10 per cent more than
in 1902 and 1903, and the yield an acre
is said in places to be 30 per cent greater.
The interstate commerce commission is
about to take steps to require all rail-
roads to increase the minimum percent
age of air brakes used on freight trains
to as great an extent as conditions of
equipment will permit. Recent acct
dents involving loss of life and property,
caused by the "buckling' of freight
trains, have demonstrated that they ara
not under the control of the engineer, us
required by law. As the impact which
causes "buckling' is due to the presence
of unbraked cars in the rear of the
train, it appears that such accidents may
be obviated by requiring a number of
cars in trains greater than the 80 per
cent now required by law to have their
brakes operated by the engineer.
The experiments made with wireless
on engines running over the
tracks of the Chicago and Alton have
proved so successful That the Alton man
agement has taken steps to equip all the
cOmpany's engines with the apparatus.
The equipment is being manufacture in
the Alton shops at Bloomington. I'm
der the new system adopted each engine
its own wireless signal appar-
atus constitutes the center of movable
block travelling with the train. Near the
engineer in the cab is an Indicator which
keeps him informed every moment of the
conditions within the block of which he
IS the constant center If train ap-
proaches within two miles to the rear a
green light shows on the indicator and
warning bell calls his attention. If the
train is to the front a red light flashes
and the bell rings. These signals are
and the engineers on both
trains receive ;ae warnings at the same
instant.
An erroneous impression prevails re-
garding the reasons for running presi-
dents specials" The popular idea is
is that railroads desire to cater to the
federal administration by operating the
Presidents trains as Specials while as
a matter Of fact tie real reason is
business one. Explaining this business
reason, General Passenger Agent Lynch
Of the Big -Four road said: The rail-
roads of the country do not carry the
President Of the United States in a spe-
cial train over the country for fun, for
glory or for advertising purposes but
because the chief executive may not be
carried on a regular train. | don't mean
that there is any rule against allowing
MIN on regular trains or any fear of
dynamite or other accident that would
not overtake a special but for the rea-
son that his use of a regularly scheduled
rain would handicap the general opera
ion of the road and work a hardship
IN the travelling public. that is, that no
regular train could possibly adhere any
where near to its schedule were the Pres
dent of the United States aboard it"
As is usual at this season of the year.
he great movement Of wheat is requiring
about all the freight equipment which
he western railroads can furnish Cars
If wheat are leaving Kansas City at the
ate of several hundred day, and with
n a month new corn and oats viii be-
gin to move.
Thus far in 1905 only FIVE small rail-
way companies, aggregatiag 20 miles,
ave defaulted in their interest and been
placed in the hands of receivers Accord
ng to the Railway Age this is a better
showing than was made for tne come
spending six months of last year, when
Xix roads, with 302 miles of track be-
.ama insolvent.