The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-03-27
HAVE MADE RECORD.
SPLENDID WORK OF AMERICAN
RAILROAD BUILDERS.
Comprehensive System of Lines Now
Exists in the Philippine Group
Means Much for Prosperity
of Islands.

Two years ago party of engineers
sailed from Seattle, their destination
being the principal islands of the
Philippine group; their object, the con-
struction of the comprehensive system
of railroads outlined in the early days
of the Taft regime, writes P. E. Fans
Ter in Van Norden Magazine. These
young American college mentor
nearly all are graduates of Purdue,
Cornell, Wisconsin, Boston "Tech" and
other engineering schools, and the
average age of the entire party is
barely 3O-have succeeded even be-
yond their enthusiastic hopes. They
have settled beyond a doubt one of the
most vital questions that confronted
the American administration-whet
er or not the Filipino can be directed
from his wild and unsettled ways into
the paths of industry, thrift and prog
reSS.
And they have accomplished the i'm
mediate object of the expedition, for
to-day there are several sections of the
railroads in operation, and those re-
naming will be opened within the
next few months The work has been
done under unusually adverse condi-
tons; it has been we'll done, and it is
probable that the standard Of con-
struction is higher than that Of any
of the pioneer American lines. All
of the bridges, culverts and drains
and fully three per cent. of the entire
length of the system is made up of
these-are of concrete or steel or
both.
The roadbed has been carefully
graded and the track we'll ballasted.
The rolling stock is of American
manufacture, the best of it's kind that
can be produced. The cars have steel
frames and are finished in teak, a
wood that is immune from the attacks
of the ever-hungry white ant.
American money, to the extent of
20 to 30 millions, will be invested in
this project, and it is expected, bas-
ing estimates on the balance sheets of
steam railroad now in operation,
and Of lines in China, that the returns
will amply repay those who have had
VAN
most unpromising field.
Little can be learned of the part of
the system that is laid out on the
Island Of eLuzon. The concession for
this island was awarded to interests
almost entirely British, although it
was the intention of the United States
government to restrict the conces-
sions to American capital. The ex-
listing road from Manila to Dagupan
will be extended northward, through
the rich Lepanto-Bontok province,
while another trunk line will strike
into the rich Cagayan valley, where
is produced some of the finest to-
bacco in the far east Another line
will run southwark to Bantagas. and
yet another into Albay and Sorsogon,
the fertile provinces in the extreme
south.
The freight cars, too, are consider.
ably smaller than standard box cars
in this country, as the Filipino farmer
ships in small quantities. The ques-
ton of equipment has been carefully
considered by technical board,
which has studied the practice of
the Natal government railway, LIE
Chemin du Fer du Kongo, the Sudan
Government Military railway, the
Great Indian Peninsular railway and
other tropical properties. No expense
will be spared in the initial equipment
and extensive shops will be built in
which all repairs can be made. It is
even possible that such rolling stock
as may be needed in the future may
be entirely built by native workmen.
Experience in the shops Of the elec-
trio railway at Manila has shown
this to be feasible.