The Detroit times., 1908-11-10
GRAND TRUNK HAS
SPENT s53, 900, 900
ON ITSELF
ENTIRE LINE PRACTICALLY r.
BUILT AND STANDARDIZED-L
coMoTIvEs NOW CAN HANDLE
A TRAINLoAD.

CHICAGO, Nov. e.-The reconstruc.
ton and standarizing OF the Grand
Trunk railway system. which began
under the management of &. M. Hays
ten years ago. has been completed and
as a result this road. stretching be-
tween Chicago and Montreal and Que
bee. Is ready to take its place among
the great trunk lines Of the east.
In comprehensive pamphlet issued
by Vice President c. NJ. Hays the re.
suits OF his ten years struggle to bring
the Grand Trunk fully abreast Of the
times are given In an instructive fash
ion. The pamphlet Is the story of the
expenditure OF approximately $53,000,-
900 with q view to making a railroad
system At to handle large volumes Of
traffic at the lowest possible cost per
ton per mile. For example, Ii became
necessary, X the Grand Trunk de-
sired to compete with the great trunk
roads leading east from Chiacgo to the
seaboard, to reduce the grades to a
point where the companys engines
could carry as large train1oad as
could those of its competitors and do
1t as expeditiously. The Grand Trunk
Western was a stumbling block in this
respect and the removal of it's grades
cost the railroad company the effort
and the expense OF cutting down en-
tire hills from the right OF way. BY
doing this, however. the company Sc
cured grade Of less than 81 feet to
the mile while 1t had formerly had a
grade OF approximately SO feet east
bound. Westbound the grade was re-
duced from approximately 20 feet to
approximately 80 feet.
Almost equally heavy grade reduc-
ton work was done on the eastern end
of the road, or the Grand Trunk prop
er, with the result that Grand Trunk
engines no longer labored over the
road with half trainload behind
them. The result Of this work, to-
gether with other expenditures. is seen
in the statement that In 1897 the aver
age revenue trainload en- the Grand
Trunk was 1S9 tons. This had in
creased in 1907 to 285 tons, an In
crease Of almost SO per cent. During
the period, also, there had been an In.
crease in the number of tons carried
one mile Of approximately 1900 mil
lion tons. How would the Grand
Trunk have been affected In trying to
take care Of this increased tonnage
under the old conditions Of ten years
ago.
1t Is stated In answer that had the
trainload remained the same as II was
In 1897 an additional freight train milo
age of approximately 100000 miles
would have been required. Fig
ured on the basis OF the average net
expense per train mile for 1907. the
additional cost to the Grand Trunk
Of moving this tonnage would have
been $8,470,000. This sum Is more
than 16 per cent of the expenditure
made by Mr. Hays during the ten
years of rebuilding. 1t Is also inter
esting to note that during the same
period the gross earnings of the COM
pany have doubled, the net earnings
increased S5.7 per cent, while the op-
Grating expenses have increased 97.7
per cent and the pay roll has increased
1873 per cent.
The company has not been unmind-
full of the comfort and welfare OF It's
men during this period, for the report
shows that In ten years there has been
expended a total of $776.484 for the
benefit OF those working for wages.
Nearly $4,000 OF this amount has
gone to the establishment Of railroad
Y. NJ. C. A. branches and nearly $3.50.
900 to approximation and pension
funds. In the rebuilding Of the road
total of 500 additional miles Of
double track have been constructed as
cost OF s15.0OO,000, which is an in
crease IN mileage Of 140 per cent, and
which gives the system a total double
track mileage OF 1904 miles. The cost
of new rails was nearly $4,000, 900
concrete, and the company laid 395
miles OF rails which weigh 100 pounds
to the yard. Nearly $S,000,000 was
spent In renewing and strengthening
bridges. including nearly $4,000, 900 ex-
pended upon the great Victoria bridge.
Nearly $13 900 900 was spent In buying
new freight cars. more than $4,000, 900
in purchasing locomotives, and near
ly 100000 in providing new passen-
ger equipment.
Sob Printing done right Times Print.
ang Co.. 16 John R.-st Phone 1<e1