The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-19

coulu i0au. The deGtination or Sucu shipments are very widely distribnted. In general way. may say, all points in the United States. east of the Mis- sissippi River. including St. Louis and Boston. and large shipments to Euro pean countries. Consumers in the Uni- ted States are not as provident as they might be. Instead of distributing their shipments somewhat uniformly during each month in the year and storing same until such time as they desire to manufacture fertilizers, many of them seem to walt until they are ready to en- ter upon the manufacture of fertilizers. The result Is a congestion of orders to phosphate shippers.
 However. from your enquiries. you evidently desire Information as to the conditions, existing on all of the lines operated by the Louisville and Nashville RaiIroad Company, and in reply beg to say that the property offered for shipment fs greater than the company can promptly move, and cars, which shippers may desire to load with prop erty in carload quantities. such as coal. phosphate rock, pig-iron, grain, hay, lumber, etc, are not in all cases prompt. 1y supplied. This is not because the car equipment Is inadequate, but be- cause, owing to lack of other facilities the cars, after they are loaded, cannot be promptly moved to destination, and. in many cases, are not promptly un- loaded by the consignees at destination.
 The company has, for years past. been energetically endeavoring to in- crease its facilities by making large expenditures to create terminal facili- ties, having, with the N. c. X St. L. By. expended a large sum for that purpose in the city of Nashville and vicinity. which are now inadequate, and notwith- standing such inadequacq, efforts are being made to take the use of such fa- cilities from the companies creating them.
 Large sums have been. and are be- ing. expended in increasing the capacity of lines by reducing grades, curvature, etc. As an illustration of this expen- diture. take the line from Nashville to Henderson. KY. Du-. the last five years tto Nov. 30. 190S). $1.472,579.74 has been expended between Nashville and Guthrie, Ky. a tunnel between four and five thousand feet in length has been. constructed. eliminating the dan gerous and almost impossible grade and curvature on what is known as Bakers Hill The estimated cost of completing the work Is $275,0S7,s7. This work has been, and is being. delayed by the oppo- sttion of property owners from whom rights of way are desired. To utilize this large expenditure, 1t is necessary
 
 the line between Guthrie and Hender- son to correspond. estimated to cost Sl,- 66t,090.92. This work has not been en- tered upon because of the inability of the company to sell securities, except at an unJustifiable sacrifice.
 Large expenditures have also been made to increase the equipment of tho company. During the thirteen years ending June. 1906. there has been ex- pended on this account $14, 7,s15.59. The total expenditures during the same period for equipment, additions to prop erty, betterments, etc., was $T4,723,. 320.32.
 During the four years ending June 30, 1906, the number of locomotives has been increased from sos to 745. or g per cent: and in tractive power, from 1S.s72.70o pounds to 1s,477,700. or s3 1-s per cent.
 During the six months ending De- 3i. 1906, the number of Iocomo- tives was increased from 145 to SIS, or 1S, equal to nearly 10 per cent. and the tractive power was increased from 1S,- cent.
 During the four years ending June 30, 1906. the number of freight cars was in- creased from 27,6s9 to 3615S, or S,45s, eauaf't to 31 per cent
 During the same period. the capacity of freight cars was increased from 943- Os4 to 1,s27,9s6 tons. or 41 per cent.
 During the six months ending De- cember 3i. 1906. the number of freight ears was increased from 36.15S to ST. 70s. or I.54S. equal to .043 per cent; and the load capacity from 1.S27.9e6 to l. 39T175 tons. equal to .052 per cent.
 Contracts have been made. and con- struction authorized. for n locomotives to be placed In service during the cur rent calendar year at an estimated cost of $97e,O5S.2o, and construction of 4,075 freight cars, and 25 passenger car equipment during the same period at estimated cost of S3,0s2,15o; total. $4,- O5S. .2Os.2o.