The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-27
0I|Is OUT DUTY
Sconttnssd from First Page,
'esp{ eheerfnily the prospect OF new
buk NnevltAblc burden oil taxation.

\ bukNnevltAblc burden oil taxation.
Mast Mecs Emergencies.
I II On the other hand, a railroad must
/ meet tho emergency of business de-
RfSesioE without the provision Of !.
new and deliberately created source
OF revenue, but by the disagreeabic
Il process Of retrcnchment. 1t has no
ether source, for it's usual means o.
increasing Its revenues TO Keep pace
with IL increasing EXPENSES. pamely
the growth OF general business and
hence the demand fer its service, have
been Interrupted by The very condi-
I lions which have created the cmer-
L gsncy.
do not repine at this difference.
do not venture to compare the ne
cessities OF the government with the
necessities of the railroads. except to
suggest the bare parallel which have
outlined. For the railroads We mus
and l believe can and will work out
our own problems. l ask no aid, bat
DO invoke the sympathy. the under
standing and the good will of the
southern people. ] mention our prob
lem here simply TO illustrate the mes
sage which 1t is my constant effort 70
carry to the people of the South, and
that In the paramount Importance to
the people of the South that their
railroads shall be prosperous. not on
facilities. but to be able to lay by in
times OF prosperity store for the
time OK depression. This. | venture TO
seAy. 10 particularly important to the
Efeat State of North Carolina with its
present rate of material deve lopment
and it, splendid prospects for the fu.
ture. ! believe that the people of
ssurth Carolina are vitality concerned
that Its railroads shall be prosperous
ana that their financial strength shall
be euch as 10 enable them to provide
addftsonai facilities that will be re-
\ 4uifEd Tor the prompt and efficient
xatflage Q. your constantly increasing
volume of trafyic In this respect the
j. need OF the railroads and the tust!f-
ration OF their Improvement is pre-
cisely that which has actuated the
Improvement of the wagon roads of
the State, for which the people Of
Mort Carolina have been wiliiaA, not
only to continue to pay the old rates
~ taxation. but to assume new and
heavier taxes. Enlightened men have
deemed this good investment as
uOne can gainsay II Is.
Ri speaking for Southern Railway
company ] claim tina, its management
has proved the sincerity of the views
am expressing by what II has done
! IN the past on its lines in North Caro-
sasanz- Those of us Who were familiar
! with the condition Of It's lines in this
State at the time when they were
taken over on the organization Of the
company in 1924 know that they were
4 on q par with the wagon roads of the
State at that time and they know
too. what we have already done 10 i'm =
prove them. Conspicuous as has been
s the Improvement of the wagon roads
! In North Carolina In the past twenty
. years. venture TO claim II has NOT
tuV l,av H. ~,
the railroads in the sa me period. This
has been possible In both cases be
cause the people of North Carolina
haye been notably prosperous.
Large Bettermcn. Expected.
The total expenditures Of the com
pany for additions and betterments
from Its organization to July /, 1919
amounted to st244o3.4s5. OF this
large sum, expenditures FOR additions
/. and betterments on cur lines in North
carolina have been greater per mile
4 III line maintained thnn for any other
state In which the Southern Railway
company operates, and We may fairl :
claim that the many millions of dol.
lars. which the company has disburs
I'd directly to citizens of this s, ate
I not only in the payment for addition
/ and betterments, but also Cor opera
Il lion and maintenance, have been a
material factor in the progress and
prosperity Of North Carolina 1t has
heen our ambition. not only to main
tain the high standard OF Southern
L Railway company a. premier carrier
of the South. bat constantly to ad
MTce it's standard OF maintenance
and operation until II shall rank sec
r ~ IL NO railroad In the United States
as an efhcient servant of the con.mu
Lies it serves. With this end in .1ew
u We have prepared programs OF i'm
y lrosements representing what 1t is
i desirable TO do on different parts of
the system. ! may summarize brief.
US no Of the important things that VIZ
have had In mind for North Carolina:
- AZ the double tracking of tnoSe
PARTS % our main line from the Vir-
aE1nia State lire on the north to the
& EDath Carolina State line on the south
I 1wer which we have at present but "A
single track. All of this work north
All Charlotte. with the exception OF
the six-mlle gauntlet between Rocky
river and Concord, is now under con-
&tyact and Will be carried to compile
ton The volume Of traffic between
Aaheviiie. y. C.. and Morristowr
: Fesfssz, rs su great tfTar. IN me interest
OF efficiency OF operation, this line.
thirty-nine miles Of which Ia In the
State Of North Carolina. should be
double tracked. To fit ali of our lines
In the State for the operation of heav-
Ter power equipment used on the main
lines. II II necessary for efficient and
economical operation not less than
ISL miles OF the lines of lighter traf-
nc should be ultimately laid with
heavier rail, and ballast should he put
In on substantially all of this track
age. To carry the heavier classes OF
power which we are now operating
On the main lines bridges on certain
branch lines built prior to 1909 with
the aggregate length OF 1880 feet.
Or something over three miles. should
be rebuilt. and wooden tresties with
m Aggregate length OF $4,000 feet
should be filled in and provided with
culverts er short span Orders for the
accommodation of the water courses
under them. To admit Of the pas
sage % the larger locomotives now in
uGe there Ii pTeksinr FOR the en-
larKement Of ten tunnels on
cur lines tn North na with an
aggregate length ~ % feet On
our lines within the ate where the
Volume Of traffic in noi so great as
10 Justify or require aouple tracking
In, the immediate ~ ure there Is. in
many places. urge- or increas-
ia ride track cs 4 additional
and longer pas~ :. We have
approximately ~ sidings in
the State Of -arolina, and