Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-15

freight equipment OF the country Is
employed TO the fair limit Of its ca
pacity, only two hours out Of the
~twenty-four. on single track lines
freight must wait on sidings. While
passenger trains have the right OF
way; cars stand for days or weeks III
YARDS or at transfer points awaiting
their turn.
line pressure Of traffic Increases
III a constant progression. 1t has
reached its greatest severity just at
she time when railroad construction
IS at its lowest ebb.
The number OF passenger miles
Travelled in this country for each mile
OF fatlroad in it has increased 80
per cent IN the past live years, and the
lumber OF tons for each mile OF track
mas grown is per cent. The highest
ana best economy is to have trackage
equipment and other facilities prop
efly adjusted 10 the volume Of BUSH
ness ana then keep moving it in a
harmonious and useful way.
The problem and necessity are
enormous. At t40 tons 10 the mile. it
would require 1000. 000 tons of steel
rails every year to furnish the 1900
miles Of track required. This Is only
tWo-thirds of the product Of all the
rolling mills in the United States. 1t
would call for the labor Of 200. 600
men in grading, beside track layers.
bridge builders and others. Labor
even for such ordinary extensions and
improvements as are now being made
is not to be had In sufficient quanti-
ties on any terms. And it demands,
as has been seen, the investment in
permanent railroad plants Of St,100,-
600, 600 a year for five years to pro-
vide the railroads of the country with
means to handle properly the business
already ia sight not allowing for flu
growth. This Is the real railroad
problem of the United states.
Two remedies must be found. The
orohibitory expenses now attached TO
enlargement of terminals at many
and the absolute lack of avail
able space at any price. may be met
1v a decentralization Of traffic. A
fifteen foot canal or channel from st.
louis to New Orleans would go fur
her to relieve the entire middle west
southwest than any other work
hat could be Undertaken With such
depth of water, a single powerful
ug boat would carry from thirty to
orty trainloads. The solution of the
criminal problem would admit Of a
nore general diffusion Of business, (
itI tillAIlilH ~ iiNlIiC " 10 lfifAt 49,
.orWarding to be done where land can
e secured in adequate quantity n
t more reasonable prices. To this the
systems of the country must
e adjusted. The heavy transfers
lust be made away from the larger
1T is not by accident that railroad
uilding has declined to its lowest rate
ithin a generation, at the very time
hen all other forms Of activity have
cen growing most rapidly. The IN
declines to nut his money into
Enterprises under ban Of unpopularity,
nd even threatened by individuals
nd political parties with c"ontiscation
r transfer to the state. This feeling
rust be removed and greater conf
snce be mutually established If any
)nsiderable portion of the vast sum
ecessary is to be available for the
ork
There must be a realization by the
of the embargo on business
nd Of the fact that the cause Is in-
railroad traekage. It VIII (
'quire the best thought and the best
fort of this generation TO avert the
I'll that now casts its shadow on
manufactures and merchant; )
arrest the progress Of the pafaly- F,
s thai is laying its grip on the heart :
commerce and to restore the whole
circulation without which there !
lnnot be life and the growth ineither :
dividual on the commonwealth n
D..