Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-19
MOHLER OUTLINES BIG PLAN
General Kanagsr Of Union Pacific Tells Of
Immense Improvements Coming.
NEW SHOPS, HEADQUARTERS AND ROADS
Millions 20 he Expended by Com
pany in Next Year that
VIII Promote OmahR's
Interests.

During the next year the Union Pacific
will build in Omaha and Douglas county
new headquarters building. Will complete
the new locomotive shops. will prepare
plans for immense car shops which VIII De
built in the early part OF 1906. will build
a double track road from South Omaha to
Lane and double track the present road
from Lane to Valley. and in a few days
will let the contract for double-tracking
three long stretches Of the present road in
wyoming"
This is a condensed statement of the
facts given out by Vice President and
General Manager Mohler OF the Union Pa
cihc on his return from New York Satur-
day morning.
THE eastern terminus of the Union Pa
cifc railroad is Omaha, and Omaha is the
city which the Union Pacific railroad Is
most vitality interested in building UP OF
any city in the United States. and to that
end the Union Pacific will spend an i'm
mense amount OF money during the next
year to assist in the building up of this
city The Union Pacific runs through an
immense territory that is naturally tribu-
tary to Omaha and this is the eastern
terminus Of that road, so that anything
the upbuilding of Omaha will be done.
Not Land Grabbers.
I'VE are not asking for a few streets
of this city to he land grabbers. We are
building these tracks at a great expense
to help the jobbers OF the town. This city
is now in a position to give the jobbers
concessions which are enjoyed by jobbers in
a very few cities of the United States and
this concession will, in many instances.
represent just enough saving in the cost
Of goods to the jobbers to give them a
good selling edge on any other competitors
in other cities. The privilege of having a
track at their door is not enjoyed by job
bers in very many cities and the saving
of drayage amounts to great sums in the
course of year.
'These streets for which the Union Pa
| cifc is asking the city are in a section of
the city which might much better be given
up TO jobbing houses than for the use to
which 1t is now prostituted. Some of
| that property has been nOnrevenue-produc-
ing for years and If tracks are laid it i'm
mediately will have a much greater value.
There is piece of property on Ninth
street which was offered for sale a few
months ago for $4,000, and since the Union
! Pacific tracks have been run up Ninth
street the owners of this property have re-
| fused $4,000 for the same site. The rail-
road did not damage this property much,
did it?'' CThis is the old cathedral)
Great JObbing Center.
Omaha is destined to be a great jobbing
center and the Union Pacific, probably more
than any other ROAD, is interested in help
ing make it such because of the immense
territory which the Union Pacific covered
to the west of Omaha. The Union Pacific
| is essentially an Omaha road and the up
building of Omaha will benefit the Union
| Pacific.
| I'VE already are spending about $3.50, 900
| In the work now under way at the shops
! but we will build new car shops in the
| spring that will be the equal of anything
in the country. These are not to be a
| little two by four affair but will be i'm
mense. ! cannot say, at this time, what
| they will cost, but they will be on a par
with the big locomotive works which are
| now building. The new plant will be ex-
tensive and thoroughly modern and will
result in the employment OF many more
men than are at present employed at the
shops, and you know that is quite heavy
now. Our present pay roll in Omaha is
about $2.500OOO.
I'VE have fully decided to build a new
| ai bilNt bullulnB ana IL won't De lCng
before we are in home of our own which
will be a credit to Omaha. The plans are
being prepared for the purpose and the
heads of the departments have been asked
to send an estimate of the amount Of
space they will require. We have not de-
| cided upon the site. This will depend
largely upon the amount of space required
We may need 200 feet square and maybe
| we can build a smaller building high
enough in the air to give US room. At
any rate this road will have home that
will be large enough TO handle its bust
ness and be a fitting monument to mark
its eastern terminus.
Contract Let In Few Days,
THE contract will be let in a few days
for the heavy double track cutoff between
South Omaha and Lane. This will be an
expensive piece of work, as there are
many heavy grades. The contract is al
ready let for the double track between
Lane and Valley and we will install many
miles of double tracking in Wyoming. We
announced sometime ago the Union Pacific
would double track as fast as possible, and
the next year will many miles of
this work accomplished. The work be-
tween Topeka and Kansas City is pro-
crossing nicely. although 1t is quite task
10 heep tue Hhe opehs Win all OF the union
Pacific and Rock Island trains using the
track when 1t is being raised as much as
nine feet in some spots and double tracked
all the way.
The Union Pacific is not going to stoI
in its upward march at the improvements
which l have mentioned but there are
several other extensive projects which the
company has in mind that have not as
yet sufficiently materialized to give tc
the public. but these will be announced
at the proper time"
While Mr.. Mohler did not give out any
figures. IL is thought the new car shop,