Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-03-25

The passenger business of the Peoria
and Eastern on its eastern division is
showing improvement.
Articles of Incorporation have been
filed at Pierre, S. D., for the Dakota
Western Railway Company, with a CAPT
tai of $2,000.00O. The incorporators are
South Dakota men.
According to statements made in East
ern financial circles the Northern Pa
cific appears to be in excellent financial
condition with close to SJ0.000,000 cash
capital on hand in addition to large cred
its and assets on its books.
Figures compiled and made public by
the Pennsylvania show that during the
between New York and Chicago arrived
at Chicago on time 315 out of 800 days !;
at New York 314 days in the year.
1t is understood that when Edmund
Pennington, vice president and general
manager of the 500 line, succeeds formal
ly to the position of president, made va
cant by the death of Thomas Lowry, he
viii retain the title of general manager.
Though not following the policy of re-
trenchment. adopted generally by the
railroads of the country, but rather spend
ing more for equipment and maintenance
of property during the last six months of
1908 than during the corresponding period
of 1907, the st. Paul road has earned
enough in the half year ending Dec. 81,
1908, to pay dividends at its reguler z
per cent rate on its preferred and COM
mon stock, and still leave a surplus of
S5,O7S005 to be used for betterment.
Rail officials will watch with interest
the outcome of the new form of organi-
cation of the Hartman system, which
changes the title of master mechanic, resi-
dent engineers, trainmaster and travelling
engineer to that of assistant superintend-
ent."
The interstate commerce commission
has ordered a big reduction in freight
rates to Spokane, Wash. Spokane ship
pers complained because they were COM
PEELED to pay the through rate to Puget
Sound, a distance of over HOO miles, plus
the local rate back. although shipments
| never went to the coast.
Owing partly to an increase in tonnage
Of nearly 81 per cent in the past eight
NtdlS. lliC VI tAiS SANTA L Z
has been compelled to divide its system
into two operating sections with head
quarters at Topeka, Kan, and Amarillo,
Tex. respectively.
The plan of the Western roads, to
| make cents a mile the minimum pas
senger fare in territory where 2-cent fare
laws prevail, and TO abandon all lower
| excursion fares was nullified by the ac-
ton of two roads. Roads in the Western
Passenger Association will coHTinue to
make special rates for conventions and
| fairs until Nov 1 at least.
In reply TO an inquiry from the Civic
| Federation about the possibility of abat-
ing the smoke nuisance in large cities.
the Pennsylvania Railroads superintend-
ent of motive power has prepared statis-
tics showing that even by using bitumin-
Gus coal the fuel cost of a railroad is
| from s to 10 per cent of the operating
expenses, and that any other form of
practical fuel would increase the item to
| an impossible figure. The education of
| trained crews in scientific firing is said
to be the most effective remedy in sight.
Official announcement has been made
of the completion in the immediate fu-
| ture of the Chicago, Milwaukee and Gary
Railroad at cost of 100000.