Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1914-12-16
SUIHERN lPAClRC
ACTIVITIES n 1914

during the last twelve months Is al
forded by brief review OF the South
ern Pacific compsny's activities.
During the year. the Southern PACT
fie expended In the neighborhood OF
ten million dollars for replacements
and betterments. OF this amount. ST.
4o0, ,00e went for the constructions Of
fifty-one miles of additional double
track forty-one miles of this being
on the Sacramento division in the vi
cinity of Blue Canon. Gold Run and
Lawton and eleven miles being on the
Salt Lake division west OF Rose Greek.
In addition to this, new and heavier
rails were laid ON ITO miles OF exist
ing main line dobule track at a cost
of 100000. Replacement o fifty-six
miles of gravel ballast with crushed
rock ballast required an expenditure
of another 100000
During the last year, the construc-
tion of the double track between Sac
ramento and eBnicla was practically
completed. To avoid sections of the
track across Yoio basin from being
washed out during flood periods, nine
miles of track were raised to a suffi-
cient elevation at an approximate
cost of $225,O00 AS protection for
the city of Sacramento against high
water, the Southern Pacific, with the
city's assistance, constructed new
leyees and raised existing ones sur
rounding Sacramento to height Ave
feet above the water plans. In all.
forty two hundred and sixty feet OF
concrete seawall was built and about
sevent and half miles OF levees. The
total of this work was about 5000, 900.
or which 100000 was borne by the
railroad.
During 1914, 1850 steel underframe
cars and 300 all steel cars were ord
cred by the Southern Pacific. There
are also being constructed Is sfikado
passenger locomotives, to cost $780,
600; others to cost $4,000: 10.
switch engines to cost s125.O 900; so
.all-steeI passenger coaches, to cost
vooOtOVpy anu OtiS SSccI pOSItl car TO
cost $4,000
With It's 1914 block signal work.
the railroad now has 1871 miles of
track protected by these electric safe
ty guardians; representing an outlay
of almost s6.OOo,o0O. 1t also installed
eleven additional interlocking plants
at a cost OF s1O5,0OO. making a total
of % o fthese now In operation.
The only stretch of elevated railroad
west Of Chicago was completed at the
Oakland terminal, 1t accommodates
the electric suburban and trains, car.
rying them through the second floor
of the, depot
The new Fernley and Lassen branch
was completed to westwood early in
the year. On the Colusa and Hamii-
ton railroad, from Hamilton to aar-
rington. forty.one of the fifty-two miles
OF track have been laid. over one
fourth of the projected Willamette
Pacific, which is to run from March
field to Eugene, Oregon. has also been
finished. The Southern Pacific now
has more than one-half the combined
mileage of all the steam and electric
railroads in California and by far the
largest percentage In Oregon.
New depots were built at San Fran
cisco, Los Angeles, Coalinga Porter.
vile, and Suisun-F'airffeld
The year 1914 saw the completion
of the steel ferryboat AlaiSedas and
the starting Of fits slster.ship; the
Santa Clara The Alameda is lhe
largest and fastest ferry vessel on tbei
bay. and one Of the largest Of it's Kind
anywhere The ear ferry Contra Cos
Ia was completed to run between Be
nicia and Port Costa, where additional
ferry ships were built to accomno-
date it, The Contra Costa is the, Iarg-
est car ferry of It's kind in the world, |
Tho Alaineda. Contra Costa and Santa !
Clara represent an expenditure of half |
q million dollars a piece.
These facts aumrnsrlze the most Inn
portant work done during the year.
They do not. however. lnelude the
company's tremendous outlay for MA |
terial and supplies purchased of
merchants and manufacturers at home
nor do they take account OF the sum
that goes out each to employees in the
form OF wages An iden OF the latter
may be GAINED from the annual pay
roll for swepty-two representatives
cities on the Pacific system twsnty.
nine million doilars The ysariy ex- |
penditures Of The Southern pacific are
II ia not uniiksIx that
during 1915 there may be Ices rail-
road activity everywiiers rfe slack /
enip9 is ths Inevitable rea,,s os tY,e