Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-01
TWO HUNDRED MILES AT ONCE
Union Pacific to Build Same Amount
Each Year.
PORTION ALREADY IN OPERATION
Half of Distance Between Gate City
and Ogden.
OMAHA TO SAN FRANCISCO
Oregon short Line VIII Also BE
DOubIe-Trncked from Granger,
WyOminE, to Portland,
Orc~ou

NEW YORK, Jan S.-The executive
committees OF the Union Pacific and
Southern Pacific lines today voted to
complete the double tracking OF the lines
from the Missouri river to San Francisco.
They also voted to double track the Ore
gon Short Line from the junction with
the Union Pacific main line at Granger.
Wyo., to Huntington. oregon. also the
line along the Columbia river in oregon
TO Portland, a total distance Of 1873 miles.
The cost OF the double tracking of the
lines as determined upon today will aggre-
gate upwards OF $4,000 10000 which will
be distributed over period Of five years.
Statement by President BOvett.
In a statement accompanying the an
nouncement of the double tracking project
President Robert S. Lovett commented on
the reasons which had impelled the roads
to reach their decision.
President Lovett said that by July the
lines west OF Omaha would have about
$50 miles Of double tracks.
The entire country served by the Union
Pacific and Southern Pacific systems, "
Judge Lovett continued, lis developing
rapidly-indeed II is only in it's infancy
and we are convinced that its growth in
population and its agricultural and com
mercial development must continue; and
II is our purpose to provide, II we can
transportation facilities necessary to ac-
commodate the growing business.
True, the outlook in many respects is
unsatisfactory. With an increase Of wages
ali along the line, with the right to in
crease our rates suspended by law and
further regulation and hostile legislation
threatened. and with investors still timd
and asking high rates for money required
by railroad companies. 1t may seem a
time for curtailment rather than increased
expenditure by railroad managers But
we believe these unstable conditions are
temporary. The growth and development
OF the country-at least that portion of it
served by our lines-Is bound to continue.
Nothing can stop It long. We are sure it
needs our railroads and all these facilities
we are going TO provide.
Real OhIectioR 20 DelsE.
I'VE believe that in the long run the
people are going to treat railroad invest
ments just as they treat all other invest
ments for the development OF that section
They cannot afford anything else.
"If we wait until all difficulties are out
of the way we shall probably find our
lines falling behind instead of doing their
share in the development of the growing
country in which they are situated. We
have kept abreast thus far and we intend
to continue that policy as long as we can,
regardless of temporary disturbances of
| any kind.
Plans for the construction OF a number
Of extensions and new lines tributary to
| the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific
/ in the west and northwest which for some
/ time have been under consideration were
also approved today, the expenditures
therefor to extend over a period of six
years"
The Union Pacific now has double track
for about half the distance between Omaha
and ogden and is preparing already 10
build about 200 additional miles OF second
track this year
Double track Is now in operation from
Omaha to North Platte, from Archer to
Laramie, from Lookout to Dana from
Rawlns to Waumsetta from Point of
Rocks to Green River. from Green River
to Granger and about five miles this side
Of Ogden
IL is proposed to build second track
this year from North Platte to Julesburg
and from Dana to Rawlins. It is the
policy of the Union Pacific 10 build about
200 miles of double track each year.