South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-13
GOVERNMENT HAS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
IN USE ALREADY
Railroad, Nine, Power Plant,
Telephone and Telegraph
Systems Now Under Control
of U. S. Agents.
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

WASHINGTON. March 15.-De-
spite the mistaken impression 20 the
contrary brought into prominence by
recent discussion of the proposed
government railway in Alaska, Uncle
sam already owns and operates a
railroad
The road y hich the government
now runs Is located in southern Idaho
on the Boise river. five miles east OF
the city Of Boise the capital OF the
state. Every detail Of construction
WAS planned and executed by gov
eminent employees, and every train
which IS run over the - mines of
track is operated by men on the fed
eral pay roll.
When the government reclamation
engineers entered upon their stupen-
dOus task OF constructing the famous
Arrow Rock dam. they faced a most
serious transportation problem. The
cost OF hauling supplies by wagons
rom the terminus of the nearest
railroad branch. 10 miles away. was
eight dollars per ton. The cost was
so excessive that the governments
engineers Immediately began 10 plan
Tor better transportation facilities.
More than 10000 barrels of
cement and thousands of pounds Of
chinery and large quantities of sup
plies viii be demanded during the
construction Of the immense dam
which viii require I'VE years work.
Construction Approved.
The construction OF "A reclamation
service railroad was mediately APP
proved as a solution of the transpOr
tatiOn problem. This road begins at
little place called BarbertOn, on the
Boise river. and runs to the site OF
Arrow Rock dam. 10 miles away. In
one place the road crosses the Boise
river. and at another point "a spur of
the line recrOsseS the river on deck
bridge TO Arrow Rock dam.
The government has constructed
this single-traCk standard gauge rail-
road with a minimum of cost and
maximum of efficiency. SiXty-pOund
rails are used on steel tie plates rest
ing ON a good grade of chestnut ties.
The cost of building the road was
approximately $4,000 per mile
which is considered by engineers TO
he a record ON economy in railroad
construction IN a rough western
country.
Government Practiced Economy.
According 10 statistics, the original
cost of construction of railroads in
the United States runs from $4,000
10 as high as $50. 600 per mile SO II
can be seen that the government has
practiced considerable economy in
the building Of this southern Idaho
line
While the equipment of the recla-
nation service line is small, II is eff
cient. and is entirely government
owned and government operated. In
fact most of the engines and cars
were built on specifications and plans
prepared by service engineers VINO
wished TO have an equipment which
was both economical and suitable Tor
the kind of service which the road
would be called upon TO give.
on this little government line the
rolling stock consists Of two locOmO-
tives. two passenger ears, three box
cars and four fiat cars, all costing
about $4,000
The road is expected to save the
government not only many thousands
of dollars in the cost OF transporting
supplies TO the Arrow Rock dam, but
il is expected 10 help the engineers TO
quicken the work and complete the
project before the end of the next
five years.
Uncle Sam. IL might be added, also
owns and operates a coal mine. This,
too is under the direction of the
reclamation service, and II mas a
power plant little less than a mile
north OF Williston. y. u here coa .I
IS mined to supply fuel for the power
house in which electricity is gener-
ated for the pumping station on a
nearby irrigation project
Aside from running a railroad and
mining coal. the government has
given attention 10 the management
of other public utilities for a number
OF years. As is generally known, the
telegraph lines of Alaska are operat-
ed 10y "A signal corps of the army. and
the forest service of the department
~ agriculture, number II years ago,
entered the telephone business by be-
ginning the construction and opera
ton of more than $4,000 miles of
lines in "a ne work over the 10000
acres Of national forests.