Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-02-02

With the proceeds Of more than
half the fiscal year figured up, and
the prospects for the remaining half
"as good as wheat In a MILL" the
earnings OF the Santa Fe railroad up
{ To June 80, next, will show the most
satisfactory increase OF any year In
the history Of the company. and ru-
mors OF a 5 per cent dividend rate
may not be far wide Of the mark.
This increase Ia In spite OF the fact
that some Of the expenses Of the last
fiscal year had to be figured n the
expense OF this year for the reason
that certain repairs started bef0rel
June 30 last, were not finished or
nearly finished on that date. For In,
stance, the floods Of last spring along
the Santa Fe will be remembered by
tourists mostly with reference to de,
lays and scarcity Of square meals; on
/ the Santa FEES books they are repre.
scented by 100000 to the bourne
from whence no filthy lucre eel re-
turns. Even that did not represent
the total loss. as the necessary trans.
fer of a large amount Of the com.
pany's business to other lines while
temporary repairs were being made
Is on the books for many other thou.
sands Of dollars at the never.more
variety. The 1000. 900 were expend-
ed entirely on rebuilding. and this
years accounts carry q part Of the
expense.
For the first five months OF the
fiscal year large gains have been
shown in both net and gross earnings.
as we'll as surplus over taxes and rem.
tails. So far the largest months gros
was that Of August. totAling $685.
O32, and the smallest, Jr,.v. S5,6S4,91a.
The largest months net was Novems
Der, 1885, 1872, and the smallest, July,
$780, LAG. The total gross earnings
up to November 30 last was $685..
735, as compared with $2S, 379.9 O5 for
the same period OF the preceding fis'
cal year; total net earnings, $12.2S5.
O7S, as compared with $10,3S9 $40.
The five month"; surplus over taxes
and rentals was $11.304.163. as COM
pared with $685. 54. The operating
ratio was much less during that per.
iod than in the same period Of the
! preceding year.
All this makes II, look AZ though
common stock might get as per cent
dividend. but two factors are against
tt-three, probably. The earnings for
the year ending last June entitled the
common to 5.92 per cent dividends,
but It didn't get 1t. Lean" years. II
not further flood damage, must be
provided FOR, and finally, the manage
ment Of the Santa Fe is noted for its
conservatism. Still, with the optimis-
tic views OF Assistant Passenger
Traffic Manager Byrne, for heavier
overland travel and the big Shriners'
convention to further verify the be-
lief, Pacific coast holders of the Santa
Fe common have hopes.
Three Killed in Engine Explosion.
The explosion Of an engine at or
fefle, a small station this side OF
Dodge City, Kan, Sunday night, fol
lowed quickly BY another engine
stripping herself, was the cause q
three deaths and the serious wound
ing Of a fourth person. Fireman =
N. Sheldon and Frank Gibson ant
Brakeman George Nicodemus were ths
men killed, while Engineer Georgt
Plumb was seriously hurt,
The train was a double header, on
Of the engines being the Inflated No
47s, which has several times been y
accidents OF this kind. Among rail
road men 1t is we'll known that a.
engines Of the 400 class are liable 4
explode, owing to the peculiar con
~struction Of their boilers. The sam
engine killed q fireman at Florence
kan, and also dropped crown shee
It Walton station not long ago. I'm
mdiately after the explosion on
Cured, killing the fireman and TN
head brakeman, who. was riding Il
the cab, and wounding the engineer
the other engine stripped herself an
the other fireman was killed.
All the men concerned in the affai
we're new employees and young mel
sheldon and Gibson had been IN =
employ OF the company only . fe'
month";, coming 70 Newton from tn
Frisco system. Nicodemus was oil
charged from the regular army onl
few mouths ago and has, been fuI
ming q . brakeman . short time. H
a I brother q 6. w. M.coedmus'
secoud.hand storekeeper Of Newton
Kan. His nother aiso livss 10 Nes
ton. Hs wss mot married. pof re'
The firernen Who we're killed. Non
- the men. wefe we'll known ysmDu
santa Re railroaders. The engine'
had only recently been hired BY Il
Santa Re. -,
elohsssn Ssaslsns on cvt-ofs.
~ N. Brown, representing q CT
caro- contracting firm. spent Tuesds
faA ar~eR ~ tha "a