The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-09-22
BILLIONS NEEDED
FOR RAILROADS
WlNCHEtl OF FRISCO AND
MARKHAM OF ILLINOIS GEN.
TRIAL DISCUSS BUSINESS.

San Francisco railroad, in an inter
view published in this weeks issue
of the Manufacturers Record takes
the ground that $S,500,0O0,000 will be
needed during the next five years
to provide facilities TO meet the
growing needs OF the country. Mr..
Minchell says:
The transportation facilities of the
southwest are already taxed TO their
capacity, and there is bound to be
an embarrassment later on. There
has been no increase in mileage in
the southwest in keeping with the
previous increase, because there is
no encouragement to people to put
! their money into railroad construc-
ton. No way has been found to COM
pei men to invest their money in
railroads. There ought to he thou-
ands of miles of development lines
constructed, going back into the in
terror from present lines to keep up
with the development of the country
! that has already occurred. The only
way railroad can make develop
ments is by borrowing money or
earning it. Present rates, in connec-
ton with the greatly advanced wage
scale will not permit the railroads
TO earn the $500, 600, 900 that will
be required to provide adequate
facilities and maintenance to plant in
the next five years, nor can the
money be obtained by the sale OF
securities, or by borrowing, unless
the railroads can be reasonably as
sured that freight rates will not be
further reduced. The current in
crease in railroad facilities is wholly
Inadequate. This means that there
should be not only more cars and
locomotives, but more tracks, sidings
terminals and everything pertaining
to equipment and maintenance.
"The present enormous crops Will
demonstrate the inadequacy OF the
railroads of today in such a way as
ought to secure the friendly, earnest
co-operation of the people and the
lawmakers in an effort to change
conditions and the public attitude
as to make is possible for the rail-
roads to get in line with the couh'
try's tremendously rapid and VIDE
spread development"
President Markham OF the Illinois
Central, in discussing crop and BUS
mess conditions OF the country III
the Manufacturers Record, says:
Some idea of the tremendous
flood of prosperity which has come
upon the whole country may be gath
cred from the fact that the increase
in this years corn and oat crops
alone over those of last year is
greater by 142,OOO,OOO bushels than
the entire wheat crop of the United
States for this year. The total wheat
crop is 690,OOO,0OO bushels, as against
a gain of S32,OOO,OOO bushels of
corn and oats, and the wheat crop
is AGA, 100000 bushels larger than
last years and the oat crop 36S,OOO.-
600 bushels greater while the hay
than
last year. The south will have
large share in the great and wide
spread prosperity which the big
crops have brought.
THE presidential year is having
less influence on business than ever
before. People have been holding
back for three or four years waiting
for something to happen. Something
has happened, that something being
big crops, and there is no reason
why everybody should not be busy
now. Big crops scatter busy times
everywhere. More labor is required
to gather, handle and transport the
big crops; more supplies, machinery, !
implements and transportation ia
cilities are put in use. There is
more money to buy things with and !
the big crops favorably affect the |
balance of trade, so that every in
terest and all the people everywhere
receive the benefits that ensure.