The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1906-11-16
HILLS DEFENSE
; OF RAILROADS
Declares Agitation Against Them
Hampers Nations Growth.
ADVOCATES MORE TRACK BUILDING

President of Great Northern Says
From 115 900 to 12O, 600 More Miles of
Rails Must De Laid-Aslks Who VIII
Furnish the Four Billions to Build
ing Outluvvcdf - Illinois Central
President Says More Cars Are Need
ed, Not Tracks.
In an indignant outburst In the midst
of a speech the other night at Chicago
James J. Hill, president Of the Great
Northern railroad, protested against
the agitation against the American rail
roads and plans for government own
ership Of the lines. He declared polit-
ical agitators are hampering the ma
tons growth.
Mr.. Hill spoke at the dinner Of the
Merchants club In the Auditorium ho-
tel. His theme was the necessity of
free trade with Canada. In his preface
on conditions in the United States he
took up transportation difficulties.
To-day the entire country Is suffer
Ing from want of transportation facil-
tiles to move its business without I'M
reasonable delay" he said. THE pre-
vailing idea with the public is that tho
railways are short of cars while the
fact Is that the shortage Is in tracks
and terminals to provide a greater OPP
portunity for the movement of cars"
After few remarks of the same
tenor Mr. Hill suddenly paused and
shook his head. 1t was evident to all
that he was about to say something on
q subject on which be was deeply in
earnest.
He called attention to an editorial in
a Chicago morning newspaper dealing
with the railroads side Of the present
troubles. He said the newspaper had
seen the real point Of the transporta-
ton question.
ut has been noticed" ne said en-
phatically, that from June 80, 1895,
to 1005-ten years-the growth in ton
mileage was 40 per cent The growth
in the mileage of railroads to handle
that traffic was 90 per cent. There's
where you stand today. You can see 1t
In that brief comparison. The traffic
Of the country is congested beyond
Imagination. The commerce of the
country is paralyzed, which, contin-
ucd, means slow death.
More cars? Yes, we need more cars,
but we need also cars Of greater ca
pacity, heavier trains and more miles
Of railroad to haul them over. In ten
years the railroads of the country eX-
panded 20 per cent for the handling Of
4 business that increased 40 per cent.
Suppose you are able in the near fu-
ture to Increase that expansion 80 per
cent? That will still leave 40 per cent
q year Of the business without any
facilities for taking care of 1t.
1T Is estimated that from 115,OO0 to
10000 miles Of track must be built at
ness But to build that amount will
cost as much as the civil war cost at
least. 1t will cost from $4,OOOO0O,0O0
to $5OOO,OOO,OOO. A thousand million
dollars year for FIVE years will scarce
ly suffice. Why, there is not money
enough or rails enough in all the world
to do this thing.
"And IL the rails were piled up ready
for the undertaking and If the money
were In bank today it would be impos-
sible to get the labor with which to do
It. Labor In the mines, in the forest,
In the quarry, are behind stone wall
which they cannot scale.
II tell you there is no question since
the civil war of half the consequence
Of this one WHY You can't go out and
contract with any railroad In this coun-
try to move 500 cars Of freight from
here TO- New York In thirty days. And
the railroad could not deliver 1t If 1t
should contract to do 1t.
There Is not money enough available
70 bring. relief to this situation under