The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1916-01-28

Inex ~ Coos peo0nooFo, 0oe unne
Appsars pest Te o1sefse Te ~ own-
ere-the Psaasvivanla.
tBy q. c. Melntosh)
Huntington, January 17.-Ths facts
and figures here presented. al Of
which are proof that the demand ot
the N. Z w. ~. for advanced rstss
on coal transportatioa u not justified.
come from . highly reliable source.
and are trustvorthy.
Nearly eighty pr cent Of the total
tonnage Of the NovSolk q western
for the year 1915 was hituminous coal
and coal products. To b exact. n Vas
1918 Der cent This vas . gain Of
about one Per cent over the report for
1914 About nvs anA ons-haif Per cent
Of the total tonnass was lumber: nine
and one-haif PER cent vas manufac-
tured articles: about tour Per cent a.
ricultural products: nearly two pr
cent was cement brick and lime.
Other commodities sank into Insignia
canoe.
The construction OF the road and tt
equipment IL especially designed for
the carrying Of coal The stability Of
the road and its capacity to earn
money depends almost wholly on the
movement OF coal. The road was built
from the mines to the markets served,
BY the most direct route possible. and
without special view toward the trans
portation OF other commodities. The
N. & w. depends on coal and has
prohtsd In exactly tie proportion that
the coal business Aas grown and pros
persd- While there Vas . falling Oh
last year OF 5000 tons in total
traf1c. there was . gain Of about one
per cent In coal tramc, - has been
shown.
In 1902 the N. 4 w. carried about
nve and one-half million tons OF coal:
In 1912 IL carried nearly twenty MIL
lion tons:: In 1918 nearly thirty MIL
lion tons.
The N. 4 w. apparently obtains
rates s-2l per cent higher for coal
transportation than the c. 4 o. The
average rate appears 70 Be Sass cents
per ton transported AZ this rata. the
present trafnc Of coal on the N. 4 w..
which IL placed at 1885 900 tons for
the year. means . revonue from that
source OF $2S.7s7. 800.
The gross earnings Of the n. & w.
are now said TO Be running 11.7 Der
cent ahead Of last year. An estimate
has been made and given circulation
showing that the total net income Of
the road for the current year VIII
amount to $1o.22o. 900. Estimated
charges and taxes to come out OF this.
amounting to $s,3es.S00. win leave .
surplus for dividends for the year Of
$13.S53,500. These figures. Il 10 pro-
vided. come from rough estimates. Cd
vance figures not being available. Il
IL claimed. however. that the estimates
should be fairly close.
Norfolk 4 Western common stock
Is now earning lis per cent. - com
pared with SIT Der cent in 1915: 1o.l7
per cent in 1913: ILL Der cent In the
very prosperous year 1910.
Norfolk 4 Western stock n DE-
clared to be one Of the most stable
and conservative investments anonr
all the railroad stocks OF the world.
The funded debt 10 not 20 large q I've
years ago. and the nxed charrss have
been reduced TO low proportioas. This
statement appears: 1T n doubtful n
another road In the United States can
According to the theory Of West
Virginia coal producers. this amas-
ingiy prosperous railroad. serving IN
amazingly prosperous coal section. =
TO be made the victim Of q consp1ruoy
on the part OF the Pennsyivania ran
road tits owners). and certain nnan-
cial interests having the power 70 d.
clare what shall be the policy Of ne
Norfolk 4 Western and other Wsss
Virginia railroads.
49, "~.~~@-<~8< VII O<8E IODDLxt00
that II 10 unbelievable that the oGcsrs
and others interested In the n. q w.
and other West Virginia carriers ere
In this tight for . rate incrsass Win
any heart They have been nsAs the
puppets In . scene contrived BIZ intsr-
ests outside the state.
IL can not be believed that the Won
derfui state OF prosperity outlined
above for the ". 4 w would exist N
the rates that are asked for should
be granted by the Interstate Co..
merce Commission. The ioss Of buek
ness that 10 bound 10 follow would
abound In III to the railroads q ven
a. the coal producers.
The corresponding advantage IN the
stimulation OF the coal Industry slss-
where and the railroads servine n.
viii explain the Interest taken N ~
rste-raising project IN West virr1nia
by the Pennsyivsnia railroad anA the
strong fnancisi interests" thaf Are