The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-02-28

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ings were made on a greater scale
and more substantially than ever
before ata cost of SI6o, 100, 2Se, all
charged TO operating expenses.
New construction cost $268,773,-
1853, of which SI4o,I7I,I67 was
charged to income and sos, $685.
592 to capital, the rest being taken
from profit and loss. An adequat~
description of the new construction,
would, it is said, require a volume,
but the most important was the
mountaineering of the Western
lines finished on the Fort WAYNE
division and in progress on the
panhandle division; also the extern
sion, both east and west, of auto
matte signals, the completion of
four-track line practically all the
way from New York to Pittsbure
and the building Of branch lines
as feeders. For large part of the
distance between New York and
Pittsburg a double track freight
line, independent of the four-track
line, is also provided. Besides
! this, grades and curves were re-
duced and eliminated, grade cross
ings were done away with, and
much other work, such as the
building of bridges, tunnels, sta
tons, ETC., was also engaged in.
During the six and a half years
ended June so, 1906, the cost of
material and supplies bought by
the purchasing departments was
S4I2, 4o9, 698.
The increase in the volume of
business is shown thus: The tons
OF freight moved one mile increas-
ed from 1S,84S,947,I42 to 32,25o,-
172,7o3, or over II per cent, and
the passengers carried one mile
increased from I,S75,5S8,476 to s.
37o,368,992, or over 50 per cent.
For the year 1906 the approximate
earnings were, from passengers,
S67,365,392; from freight, S2o2,-
616,535; total, 6o,o81, 947. 1t
may be noted that during the same
period the population of the coun-
try increased about IS to II per
cent. The increased volume of
this business made necessary an
increase in the number of officers
and employees from I25, 725 to 1881
$50. Since 1900 two advances OF
10 per cent. each were made in the
pay OF all employees whose wages
were less than $500 a month. The
increased volume of business also
necessitated large increases in
equipment. Thus the number of
engines increased from 4SI3 to
6o29, with an increase in tractive
power from 73,I99,933 to 66,oS2,-
AL, altogether 1858 engines hav
ing been built or rebuilt at a cost
OF 500, 551,48I. There were also
I22,71S freight cars built or re-
built at cost of SI24, S4I,31o, the
increase in capacity being 1927
1872 tons. There were also I741
passenger cars built or rebuilt at a
cost OF SIo,4I3,746, making total
expenditure for new equipment of
SOS, 500, SAT.
Thus in the period of six and a
halt or seven years under consider
alton the Pennsylvania Railroad
spent a total of S1,Ioo, sos, 6o4 for
real estate renewals, new construc
ton, materials, supplies and equip
ment-that is, over eleven hundred
millions of dollars to enlarge its
capacity for doing business. This
was done by only one system, and
reflection upon the magnitude of
other systems, not to mention
many small lines throughout the
country, may give to the reader a
faint conception of the vastness of
the sums which are being spent by
railroad corporations to keep pace
with the demands ofcommerce and
industry.