The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-29
An Exhaustive Resume Of Con-
ditIOns on the Santa Fe.
Many Difficulties Have Beset
Management During Year.
DECREASE In TONNAGE.
But All Things Considered the
System Did Remarkably Well.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

In the current issue of the Railway
World is a comprehensive resume of
the conditions on the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe system during the recent
fiscal year, and in commenting on the
financial condition of the road consid-
cradle attention is given to the Difficult
ties which have beset the management
during the last II months. Among 9TH
er things the article says:
In addition to the increase in oaer-
ating expenses there was a decline of
.01S cents in the earnings per ton mile,
and although the ton mileage of the
company increased $7,S20.4S this de-
crease in the rate was sufficient to ac-
count for a decline of $35S.671 in freight
revenues, which was, however. more
than offset by a gain of $611,606 in re-
ceipts from passenger operation.
From the foregoing it is evident that
the increase in the operating cost of
the AtchiSon indicates no decline in the
efficiency with which the road is man
aged. On the contrary. the average
tons of revenue freight carried per
freight train per mile was 281 tons and
the train mile revenue in spite of the
decline in rates, above mentioned, in
creased from $275 to $2.85. The decrease
SOON
measure, been extended by a decline of
% cents in the cost of coal and 80 cents
in the cost of fuel oil.
The past year was remarkable for ex-
cessive and widely distributed rainfall
over a large portion of the Atchfson
territory. It is in fact stated that there
was hardly week, during the Ia
months ending June 80, but that some
portion of the main line in Arizona and
New Mexico was interrupted on three
occasions from four to eight days; for
weeks it was necessary to advise ship
pers to employ other routes; 9,55l teet
of bridges, 30 miles OF track, ana 1.OuV.o
900 cubic yards of embankment were
carried away, and the cost OF repairing
the damages is estimated at S2,OOO,OO0.
In addition to this, large expense was
incurred in caring for delayed paSsen-
gers, detouring trains over other lines,
overtime paid employees OF delayed
trains, and wrecks due to washouts, so
that nearly all the decrease in net earn
ings can be ascribed to the damages
sustained by floods. 1t will be remem-
bered that in 1904 the Atchison sus-
tanned severe damages from floods in
Kansas, and this was only a repetltloh
of a similar disaster in 1903. All the
rivers in the central and eastern Dor
ton of the state by 1904 were out of
their banks on two or three occasions,
and, large amount of track was oe-
stroyed This damage occurred so late
in the fiscal year that most of the ex-
maintenance charges of 1905.
Deducting these extraordinary ex-
penses due to the flood damages. and
the maintenance charges of the Ateh-
ison remain practically the same as in
1904. The average charges to this ac-
count, it should be remarked, have
increased considerably in recent years.
The expense of maintaining equip
ment was also materially increased,
the addition of $90S,729 to this ac-
count representing an increase of
1898 per locomotive. The increase in
maintenance of equipment, however, is
$5S6,S6S less than was reported for
1904.
. The increased competition of fuel
oil throughout the southwest appears
in a decline of $4,000 tons in the ton
mage of coal. The effect of the de-
ficient harvest is also seen in the some
what smaller tonnage in most of the
items under the heading of classical
ton manufactures which represent
MED, that, when compared with the
preceding year, this statement of
traffic is disappointing. The decrease,
however, is not so serious as to call
for extended comment, and the excel
lent harvests for the current year
should furnish an entirely different
showing for the next fiscal year.
Extension of the Atchison system,
which has been proceeding with great
rapidity in recent years, was arrested
during 1905. The total increase Of
mileage during the year was only
seventeen miles although the increase
in the average number of miles ope-
rated was 125 miles. The company is
now occupied in completing a large
amount of branch line mileage, main
ly located in Oklahoma and Texas.
which has been recently undertaken,
and in reconstructing the line wher-
ever such improvements are demand
ed. During the year the very large
sum of IS, 664,S 97 was applied to these
various purposes. the funds being pro-
vided from an issue of convertible 4
per cent bonds, of which $10,10S,2
was provided during the year.
The most important extension under
contemplation is the Arizona and Cali
fornia railway which is projected
from Wickenburg, Arizona, across the
Colorado river to Bengal, a station on
the main line in California. The COM
pletion of this line will materially
shorten the distance between. the Salt
River valley and all points in Cali
fornia: it will afford an alternative
road for through business in case of
of traffic on the main line.
and it is also expected to develop a
considerable tonnage in minerals.
About forty miles of this line has been
uo to the end of the year.
1t is also proposed to construct ISL
miles of second track.
The Atchison. TOpeka e. Santa Fe