The Washington herald., 1912-03-11
DWARF RAILROADS.
There Are $50 I'm This Country Les.
Than Eight Miles Long.

Than Eight Miles Long.
Ffom the Railroad Mans Magazine.
OF the I,lS0 railroads in the United
States, $50 are less than eight miles long.
OF these only twenty-nine are more than
seven miles in length. while twenty-five
just reach that distance. Eighteen are
six miles long. forty cover Ave miles.
sixteen run four miles. twenty-five
three miles, nineteen two miles, and
eight are a single mile from end TO end.
Every part Of the country furnishes
specimens OF these dwarf roads They
are found in mining districts and scenic
sections: they are the handy helpers
around Industrial plants and terminal
centers; they climb mountains that would
be impossible otherwise.
The Johnstown and Stony Creek Rail-
road. which Is only mile long. connects
with the Pennsylvania and the Balti-
more and Ohio In Pennsylvania at the
two points named in its title. Freight
Is the speciality OF the road, and in the
| two years OF its existence IL Is said TO
have made a very satisfactory financial
return 20 It's owners.
| Ever hear Of the Due West Railroad?
No? Well. it's hardly to be wondered
at. seeing that it's scarcely three miles
long and slowed in an out-of-the-way
corner OF South Carolina Yet il has a
unique history of its own. The road runs
| from the town Of Due West to Dowell.
Its construction was the outcome OF the
craving Of the inhabitants OF Due West
| for easy transportation to Dowell- So
| the people OF Due West. in the name Of
their town, issued $ll.0CO OF railroad aid
bonds on behalf OF the Construction Of
the line, which was opened for traffic in
1905.
The road was a financial success from
the start, and is comfortably paying its
way 1t has neither debts nor bonds OF
| its own, in which respect IL is almost
WITHOUT parallel in railroad history. The
total cost Of the construction OF the road
and hts equipment. including its two To-
oufotiyes, one passenger and one bag
gaae car. is said TO have been less than
SEQ Co.
one mile is the length of the Indiana
and Northern Railroad that connects
MyIer with South Bend. Ind. II has been
in operation since 1891. and is vest
pocket corporal alton OF a iourishing sort,
having no funded or other debts.
Small as Il is, II Is Of considerable I'M
portance as belt line, for IL Is the con-
Meeting link between the Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern, the Grand Trunk
Western. the Vandalia, the Michigan Cen
trail, and the Central Indiana and South
ern railroads. All the stock Is held by
manufacturing corporation of South Bend.
Last year Il yaid S. 200 in dividends, Its
net earnings being 1900
Mary Lee is the sentimental name OF
a little freight railroad that runs be-
tween East Birmingham and Boyles, Ala,
a distance Of seven miles. 1t connects
with the Queen and Crescent Route,
Southern Railroad and the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. Mary. accord
ing TO published balance sheets, Is pay
ing proposition.
Fulton Chain Railroad Is only two
miles in length. but this Lilliputian line
has brought enjoyment to thousands OF
summer yacationists. 1t runs from Full
ton Chain TO Old Forge. n. Y. and is op-
Grated by the New York Central lines
mainly In connection with the hot wealth
er traffic. Last year II carried $3.50 pas
sengers: its net earnings were ss.ol9. and
IL had the comfortable little surplus OF
SIs.3r tucked away in its jeans.
The Granite City and East St Louis
Terminal Railroad has been paying
per cent dividend for several years. II
is a subsidiary road. rented for an in
definite number of years by the ST. Louis
Merchants Bridge and Terminal Rail-
road. The tracks are less than two miles
in length.
One of the most prosperous OF the lit
tie fellows is the Lake Champlain and
Moriah Railroad. that runs from Port
Henry to Minesville, N. Y. a distance
of between seven and eight miles In 1910
its net earnings were $1,000. and this
year, so 1t is claimed, that amount will
be greatly surpassed. II was opened In
1859. so that Il is quite an old timer. It
has six locomotives, three passenger cars.
and s26 ore cars. 1t is operated almost
entirely in connection with the iron
mines of Minesville. Last year II moved
e2663l tons OF freight. Its surplus Is
N2s, $50 Not so bad for a dwarf road
Public interest in the work of the Tus-
kegee Institute, Ala. OF which Booker T
Washington is founder and president, to
a very great extent Is explanatory of the
present prosperity OF the Tuskegee Rail-
road This road runs from Chehaw, Ala,
to the institute. a distance OF about six
miles. 1t has only two locomotives. one
passenger and one mail and express car
yet in 1910 II earned net. Bate, carried
2I.s27 passengers and paid a dividend Of
IA per cent.
But the little road has had its troubles
II was incorporated In 1S60: was reorgan-
lied in ISL after its public sale for debt;
chartered In 1S02. and opened for traffic
about a year later. Between its incor-
poration and its first operation its his
tory Is that OF tedious and intricate nti-
cation.
The picturesquely titled Yreka Rail-
road Of California links the town OF that
name with Motague. the distance be-
tween the two points being less than
eight miles. Its rolling stock consists
OF two engines, two freight and two
passenger cars The road makes a
profit. In 1910 It carried 2Loll passen-
gers, It's net earnings were ss.2ss and
its surplus. t555
The Otis railroad Is away up in the
CatskiIl Mountains in New York. and Is
used to carry summer visitors to Otis
summit. which Is all that its name i'm
plies. When vacation time Is on this
six-mile road and its transportation ia
eni;ies are pretty wen strained. II con-
meets with the CatskiIl Mountain and
the Cairo railroads. II has one station
airy engine. two passenger and two bag
gage cars. Last year the net earnings
of the little road were t1.O1.
Fishermen and Eportxmen know OF the
Adirondack and St Lawrencs Railroad.