Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-08-02
HAVE NO FREE
LAND TO OFFER
DIFFICULTIES SOUTHERN RAIL
ROADS MEET IN SOLICITING
IMMIGRATION.
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES
Western Lines Have Vast Areas Of
Government Land-President Finley
of Southern Shows contrast-Indus-
trial Department co-operates.

Washington, D. C.-The radically
different conditions that confront the
railroads of the Southeast as COM
pared with those of the Northwest and
Canada in the work of soliciting agri-
cultural immigration into their re-
spective territories are striklngly
shown in a statement made by Presi-
dent w. w. Finley of the Southern
Railway company, replying to criti-
cisms made in an interview recently
printed in progressive Southern
newspaper. in which it was stated that
the railroads of the Southeast are
not doing their full duty in endeavor-
ing to attract desirable immigrants
into the South, their efforts being con-
trasted with the activity of a railway
in Canada. President Finley says:
"In comparing the work of this
character being done by the railway
companies of the Southeast with that
being done by the Canadian company
referred to, and by some Of the wes-
tern transcontinental lines in the
United States, we should not lose
sight of the fact that many OF these
western lines, both in the United
States and Canada, are owners OF
large tracts of agricultural lands,
granted to them in aid of their con-
struction. The revenues which they
obtain from the sale Of these lands
constitute funds on which they can
draw for expenditures in connection
with the solicitation Of immigration
and other development work.
1.-THE companies operating in the
Southeastern States, however, must
draw on their operating revenues for
all expenditures of this character.
What this means may be mace clear
by citing some figures from the last
annual report of the Canadian line
mentioned in the interview referred
to. The land grants to that line have
amounted to 33,416,202 acres, of which
J2,O13,S16 acres were still unsold as
of June 80, 1910. In the year ended
on that date it's revenues from land
sales amounted to O6,4SS.15 and its
aggregate revenues from the sale Of
lands had amounted to the very con-
siderable sum of $50, ,418,141.59.
"The Southern Railway company
has no such large tracts Of land
which can be disposed of to imni-
grants and, consequently, does not en- :
joy the advantages of large revenues
from land sales, but must draw on its
operating revenues for expenditures
in connection with the solicitation of
immigration and other development
work. The western lines mentioned.
in addition to having large sums OF
money at their command, realized from
the sale of lands, for use in the soil
citation of immigrants, are in posi-
ton to offer their own lands direct to
immigrants at definite prices; where
as, the lines of the Southeast, having
no such large bodies of lands Of their
own, can do no more than bring pros
pective buyers into touch with those
having lands for sale, and cannot al
ways be certain that the prices Of
lands may not have been advanced
since they were quoted to our immi-
grafton and industrial agents.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Southern Railway is without these ad-
vantages enjoyed by some of the Wes-
tern lines, it has from the time of its
organization maintained a land and
industrial department for the purpose
of cooperating with the communities
along its lines for their development.
1t is striving to make its work in this
direction in the highest degree help
full and in the year ended June 80,
1910, it's expenditures for develop
ment work exceeded those of any other
railway company in the United States
with the single exception of one Of
the transcontinental lines"