The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-12-30

& San Francisco, operating .4.749 miles
OF road, some of its subsidiaries,
operating 1000 more; the Western
Pacific, operating 943 miles; and the
Atlanta. Birmingham & Atlantic.
operating 633. miles. being taken out
Of the hands of receivers. while the
Boston & Maine. with $500 miles. and
the Texas e. Pacific. with 1,944 miles,
went into them. The number OF roads
put into receivers hands during the
year was eight. and their total mileage
4439. -.... j
Railways Operated Under Block
System,
The total mileage OF railways oper-
ated under the block system at the
end of the year is 99.SS5. OF this, S2,-
978 miles is automatic. an increase OF
Isis miles.
Comparison and Contrast Between 1906
and 1916.
In an article on The Railway Situa-
tion at the End Of 1916. The Railway
Age Gazette draws a comparison and
q contrast between the year 1916 and
the year 1905, just a decade before,
The year 1906. like the year 1916. it
recalls. was characterized by record
breaking traffic and earnings, by a
large car shortage" and severe con-
gestion of traffic and by extensive
er wages. On the other hand, the year
1906 came near the end of period of
great prosperity for the railways, dur
ing which there has been large ex-
pansion of their facilities. while the
year 1916 follows a period Of depres-
sion for the railways, during which
there was a relatively small expansion
Of their facilities.
In the five years ending with the
calendar year 1906" says The Rail-
way Age Gazette. there were almost
2S,5OO miles Of new railway built in
the United States, an average of all
most 400 miles year. During the
five years ending with 1915 there were
less than 10000 miles built, an average
of less than 1000 miles year.
During the five years ending with
1905 the average increase per year Of
all tracks operated was 10,346 miles,
while in the last five years it has aver
aged about 1000 miles per year.
In the five years ending with 1906
the number of locomotives ordered by
the railways of the United States was
22.40O, or almost 4,500 per year. In
the five years ending with 1916 the
number ordered by them has been less
than $4,000, or about $500 a year.
In the five years ending with 1906
the total number Of freight cars order
ed was about 100000 or an average
of over 21S,000 a year. In the Ave
years ending with 1916 the number
ordered has been only about 100000,
an average Of about 14s,000 a year.
The foregoing statistics set forth in
a striking and even startling manner
one of the most important facts to be
considered in connection with the pres
ent situation of the, railways. This is,
that the car shortage and traffic con-
gestton of 1906 came at the end of a
decade during which there had been a
great expansion of transportation
facilities, while the car shortage and
congestion of traffic in 1915 have fol-
lowed Immediately on the heels Of a
long period of depression during which
the increase of facilities has been
relatively small. Since our railway
facilities have proved inadequate at
the beginning of the present period of
what kind Of situation
will it cause to develop if industry
steadily grows more active and traffic
heavier, as it did for several years
prior to 1906?" |