Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-15
lanes ]. Hill Asserts Five Bill
lion Dollars Worth of New
Trackage is Required to
Take Care Of Business,
ROADS MUST KEEP PACE
WITH GROWTH OF COUNTRY
Delay of Traffic Threatens 10
Bring Industry TO a Stand
still Radical Remedies
Suggested.

t'' "'H'h"i Pptttdf ttaseu wire.
st, Paul, Mimi, Jan. 14.-Governol
John A. Johnson Today received a Ions
letter from James j. Hill. president
Of the Great Northern in
which the magnate deals exhaus-
lively with the various phases of the
railroad problem.
Mr.. Hill sets out at length what in
his opinion, is responsible for the ex-
isting situation and what should dona
to remedy it. The western country
has grown so fast hat the railroads
have been unable to keep pace with
IT, Mr.. Hill says. and he believes the
building of additional trackage is the
best solution of the problem.
He says it would require Il perman-
ent Investment of $1,100, 600, 900 a
year for five years to provide the
railroads of the country with means to
handle properly the business already
in sight. and not allowing for future
growth.
Mr.. Hills lepef follows in part:
During recent years the volume OF
business has increased and is %increas-
ing with extraordinary rapidity, while
the necessary additional trackage and
terminals have not been equal to the
demands unon them. The resulting
situation is a freight blockage of enor-
f|DAR RboBVANApihHs NNltAiaiAA az blI
terminal points. How to remedy this
Is a problem, financial. mechanical.
ard physical. No time should be lost
in applying such measures of remedy
as. may be. possible.
The following figures, compiled
from the official reports of the inter-
state commission and Gov
ering the growth of the railroad bust
ness for the last ten years, exhibit the
significant facts:
= For tho year 1S95-Total single
crack mileage. lSO,667; IN 1905 2tew
1o1. increasc y per cent.
Locomotives in 1895. 80, 500; in
1905. 1885,. Increase 35 per cent.
Passenger cars in 1895, 33,112.
in 1905, 40.71S. Increase 2S per cent
Freight cars in 1895, 1,l96,119; IN
1905. 1.731,409. Increase As per cent
Passenger mileage in 1895, 12.lSS,-l
446.271: in 1905, 23,S00, 149,436. In
crease IS per cent.
Freight ton mileage in 1895, So
227,515,S91; in 1865, 1864 3,l09,5l0
Increase is per cent.
THE figures show the cause of de-
day in the national traffic movement
which threatens to bring industry to a
standstill. Equipment is being in
creased as rapidly as capital and labor
can do 1t. There are and will be cars
tliOuHh ~ AdliN lit AOdAiAlN . "a
il the cars can be moved, but engines
and cars must ave tracks on which
they may run.
The limit of service Of a common
carrier has been reached when it is
moving at all times over its system as
many cars as can be run on its tracks
with safety and transferred and dis-
patched from its terminal and juno
ton points without unreasonable de-
- rp..A..I +l.t .gf,.f tIa- innpg4E SO f
of business cannot be handled by IN
+creasing cars and engines. The dis
parity between the growth of traffic
and the additions to railroad mileage
II the extension of terminals, shown
by new mileage Of less than n ana
per cent a year since 1909,
to take care Of a traffic Increase 4
averaging IL per cent a year for ten 4
years past, presents and explains the
real problem. The best judgment "l
many conservative railroad men in the
country is that an immediate addition
of not less han five per cent per an
mum to the railroad trackage or ne
country, for say five years, should De
made to relieve the situation and put
an end to unreasonable delays.
Investigations show that the RAN
roads of the country have been en-
deavoring to meet the growing de
mana on llGfl. MI tilN W." ~
per zen more locomotives ana -
per cent more cars in service in 1909
in 1895. but each engine ana car
did much more work. Trains run
faster. cars are larger. locomotives
are more powerful n methods OF
handling the business have so I'M
proved as TO increase the general ell
ficiency.
No additions to equipment ana NO
increased efficiency in operation "a"
the place of the im%uerattvelN re-
anired new trackage and terminal IA
.eiiities. The country must nave, Z"
rapidly as ii can build addltloHdi
tracks and terminal facilities.
NO practical man would accept 4
for furnishing the facilities
required. including additional equip
ment and terminal facilities TOT 10
than $4,000 a mile. The question -
terminals alone is almost prohlol.N1
Terminals on the Great Northern were
when property was cheap
aud can be enlarged only by heaNN
IN many cities 10 is not even Il
OF cost. since the area heces-
to handle railroad business prop
efty is not to be had at any price tHe
new work then. would mount 10 80
500. coo. 600 in round numbers, ut
yearly average of S1.io0, 0Vu,uvV. n''
Us the sum which should pc spent ~
fore the Of the ounlF 80"
bee moved properly. IL l. JUST we.
The total amount of the bonded ueD,
lf the United States amer the close vl
HE civil war. II Is most IMAM t"l.
The entire currency in circulation p
The country, aud only "a litle ie~s lnen
The deposits in an the aafinH
BANKS in the rniicd States p"'
The average speed of ll'ihnt
rain b. from twelve tu b. miles ~
hour. The average uiftHnrf Nf'f'l"
o. frrlrhl fIr b. annuI tN NA
hye miles a das, That is lhe sN'N