The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-04-11
Millions
To De Expended Before
Railroads Recover
From Badly Crippled COndl.
tioas By Recent Floods:

A year will elapse before the rail-
roads resume normal condition, is the
statement of railway officials regard.
ing the damage done by high water
On the southwest system of the
Pennsylvania, no less than 40 bridges
were destroyed or SO badly damaged
that replacement will be necessary.
Two of them-one over the Tuscara-
was west of Dennison and the other
over the Olentangy at Columbus--are.
or were, big structures, either one be.
ing key to the movement Of traffic to
Columbus, indianapolis. Louisville and
st. Louis. Until these two bridges are
replaced, through trafiic on the Pan
handle must necessarily be impossible.
While the Pennsy will be able to reach
the major points served by 1t. 1t will
be by a series Of indirect routings
with consequent loss Of time and In
creased expense. The monetary loss
estimated for this system alone Is ap-
proximately fifty millions Of dollars.
Aside from Pennsylvania and New
York, there is more railway mileage
in Indiana and Ohio than In any 9TH
er two states in the union. In the
figures arranged by the interstate CON-
merce commission for compiling and
classifying earnings, Ohio and Indiana
are known as group three and include
the following mileage: Twenty-six
thouasnd one hundred and seventy-two
miles of first track, 4,372 miles OF sec
ond track, S07 miles Of third and fourth
track and 1898 miles Of yards and sid
ings, total of 45,1S1 miles. That mile
age, which compares with 49,749
miles for New York and Pennsylvania,
makes up over IL per cent of the coun-
try's total mileage. The Pennsy, N. T..
c., b. & o., N. & W., and G. 4 o., and
all the other trunk lines pass through
Indiana and Ohio, besides the dozens
of east-and.west local roads and sys-
TENS that extend from the. Great Lakes
south. The relaying Of tracks and
the rebuilding of embankments will be
comparatively short work. The real
task will come with the rebuilding Of
bridges. Here will come the greatest
loss in time as well as in money
Every railroad In the flooded dis
trict has lost a half dozen or more
bridges. and II is a small bridge that
does not cost at least 100000. Some
of the structures lost by the Pennsy
and b. & o. will cost $l,000,000 or
more. and months will elapse before
the damage can be fully repaired. In
some places, the construction OF even
temporary bridges. working with night
and day shifts, will take from ten days
to two weeks. Until that makeshift
work is completed. traffic will be dis
continued or diverted over other lines.
In one case gross earnings will be af-
fected and in the other operating ex.
penses will be increased.
Besides the heavy property losses,
the March and April earnings Of the
roads will be affected by last weeks
catastrophe. In its annual report for
1912, the Illinois Central showed a de.
crease OF over $3,36l 900 In gross earn.
ings and an increase of $3.236,0O0 In
operating expenses, due largely to the
floods which occurred In the Missis'
sippi valley.
'1nasmuch as Indiana and Ohio are
covered by network Of railroads, II
Ia not likely that there will be any
prolonged congestion Of freight traf
fc. On the other hand 1t Is safe to ex
pect that the annual reports made by
the roads for 1918 will devote consid
erable space to flood losses. Those
losses win be reflected first In the
income account and next In the bal
ance sheet. for In replacing the tracks
bridges. stations. embankments. equip
ment. etc, either floating or perma
| nans haht t,,,,ct ha ivct,rrod