The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-10
The B. & O.'s
Steady Growth
WAVE OF PROSPERITY KEEPS
THE RAILROAD susY-Ex.
TENDING ITS DOUBLE
TRACK.

AZ tAt hAbA hAAGAaEu OF tmClenCy
in management and operation. roadbed
in first class condition and e avail
able locomotive IND car kept on the
go handling the business. the Balti.
more and Ohio Railroad has had the
most successful year in its history.
The wave Of prosperity sweeping ov-
er the country brought out volumes
Of traffic from all lines of Industry n
kept the road busy handling 1t, says
the Baltimore Sun.
Coal and coke furnished a large per-
centage OF the freight tonnage hauled
over the road. There was an increase
OF about 2.75o.ooo tons of coal over
that handled last year n nearly l..
600 900 tons of coke. In the cereals
about 10000 tons more of corn were
carried than the rear before and
about $4,000 tons more of wheat.
There was also mUcht ravei over the
road, n the passenger receipts show.
cd substantial gains.
The gross earnings of the entire
system for the fisca, year ended June
80 last amounted 20 So. sos. I19, being
the largest in the roads history and
exceeding the earnings of 1905 by
about $4,000. 0o0. Ia the face of the
heavy growth of receipts the earnings
continued to increase. aud the state
ment for November showed gross earn
ings to be nearly sT.0O0.oO0.
While the operating department was
kept busy handling the traffic the engi-
neering department was hard at work
laying new track. cutting out curves,
reducing grades and increasing the ex-
ceilent condition of the roadbed. It
was maintained in au up-to-date con
dition and in shape to do business to
the best possible advantage.
The large amount of work that has
been done and is in progress at Bal.
timere and vicinity represents only u
small portion OF what was done and
Ia being done over the entire system
OF the Baltimore and Ohio. Many i'm.
proyements were made that escape
the eye OF the casual traveller but are
important in connection with success
full railroading. and the cost amounts
10 millions of dollars in the aggregate.
During the year considerable double
tracking work was done. until the road
has double track on the main line from
Philadelphia to Pittsburg, with the eX.
caption of about Il m:.=s on the Met,
ropolitan Branch VICE, IS now in pro.
gress filling in gaps a several places
between Pittsburg and Chicago. 1t is
the intention to keep this up until the
main line from Philadelphia to Chi,
cago is doubletracked.
To meet the demands Of largely In
creased business. important terminals,
such as Baltimore. Philadelphia,
Brunswick, Pittsburg, Wheeling and
Parkersburg, have been considerably
enlarged and thoroughly modernized
with improvements or the work on
them is still in progress. Several new
passenger stations were erected and
others put in first class condition. A
number of new locomotives and
freight cars were delivered during the
early part OF the year. which added
largely to the facilities for handling
the traffic. The locomotives are given
very close attention by the motive
power department. 10 that the Mkt
mum mount of work can be gotten
out of them.
Much Improvement work was lone
In and around Baltimore during the
past year, or is atilI in progress. The
interests Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad and the city are closely link
ed in that one receives much benefit
from the other. Since the start vas
made to build the road about so years
ago. many millions OF dollars have
been spent on Improvements and IN.
largement Of the conpary's terminals
in this city n in paying salaries
and wages to officers and employees
here, until now they number about
10000, TO whom is annually paid be.
tween s6,000,O 900 and 1000. 900. In that
period of nearly so years the city has
doubled in population. and much OF its
growth came from the Baltimore and
Ohio'S connection with the CITY