The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1907-02-07
pleted (its proportion). 3,408,1SS|
For terminals .......... s23,4O1
For double tracking 49,. 6,744,769

Making t0tal OIL WORK
done and contracted for
to prepare to handle the
traffic :. 1876, ,482, ,945
IT HAS INCREASED IT ROLLING
STOCK AS FOLLOWS:
Locomotives, from 623 to (receiv-
ed and contracted for) 1,544.
Freight train cars from 1924 to
(received and contracted for) 58,-
491.
Passenger train cars from 487 to
(received and contracted for) zoos.
This does not indicate fully the IN
crease made to its equipment by the
Company, because the increased pow
er of the locomotives, and the in
creased tonnage capacity of the cars,
have added much more to the equip
ment capacity of the Company than
the number of added units would
represent. For example, the average
capacity of the freight cars has in
creased 28.38 per cent.
A fair consideration of these fig
ures will demonstrate the fact that
the management of this Company has
not been unmindful of its obliga-
ton to increase its facilities in an
ticipation of the increase in traffic.
It has been, and still is, hampered,
however. bv two conditions: One is
the large amount of fresh capital re-
quired; and, the other, the difficulty
of securing adequate and efficient
labor, of promptly getting its con-
struction work done, and of obtain
ing the rolling stock, rail and other
material essential to improved faci-
lities.
Delay incident to obtaining rolling
stock will be illustrated by the fol-
lowing:
On November 1, 1905, contract was
made for ninety eight locomotives and
one thousand freight cars to be de-
livered in February and March, 1906.
There are still undeliversd one hun
dred and seventy~seven freight cars.
On February l, 1906, contract was
made for one hundred locomotives
and ten thousand freight cars to be
delivered on or before October, 1906.
Still undelivered seventeen locomo-
tives and two thousand two hundred
and eighteen freight cars.
The disappointing delay in con-
struction work will be illustrated by
the following:
The double track work on the main
line between Pomona and Spencer, N.
c., was all let during the year 1905,
and the last of it. should have been
completed by November 30, 1906.
Part of this work IS ten months late
and the rest of ii will be approx
mately five months late. This delay
is due to the difficulty of the contrac-
tors in getting labor and material.
The contracts for the double track
work between Knoxville and Morris
town, Tenn, were let in September,
1905, and April, 1906. That part of
the work which should have been
completed to date is approximately
ten months late. This delay is due
to the inability of the contractors to
get labor promptly.
The double track work between
Peyton and Austell, Ca, the contract
for which was let in April, 1905, and
which should have been completed in
February, 1906, will be more than IA
months late in completion. This de-
Law is due to scarcity of labor and
material.
The prosecution of this double
track work has necessarily caused
some of the delay to the traffic OF
which the public complains and nee
essarily results to the Company in
increased cost of operation.
The fact that the Company, in its
effort to improve its facilities to ham
die the public business, has not been
deferred from undertaking this work
at time when the cost of materials
and labor is on such an unusually
high plane, should, I think, be ac-
cepted by the public as an earnest
of the Company's oesire and purpose
to put itself in position to perform
acceptably its public duties.
One of the greatest needs of the
South is that its Railroads should
have additional track capacity. No
matter how many locomotives and
cars may be available, it is manifest
that the number which can be NOV
ed is limited by the track capacity.
The work of providing the necessary
additional track will require vast
input Of capital. How it is to be
provided is everywhere matter OF
grave concern to railroad managers.
It cannot be obtained from the cur
rent operations of the properties. It
must be borrowed.
looking forward to the need for
largely increased facilities, the man
agement last Spring authorized the
creation of the Company's Deveolp-
ment and General Mortgage bonds to
the amount of $20O,O00,000 OF
these bonds, $2O,OOO,OOO.OO were at
once sold and the proceeds are being
spent as rapidly as the work can be