Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-08
S. P. PURCHASES
NEW EQUIPMENT

SiNty'fvH new, locomotives. costing
I0Hre than two and half million dol
lars, are OH order for the Pacific sys.
TEN lines OF the Southern Pacific, ac.
cordtnS to an announcement by VIM
| Sproulc, president Of the company.
| Ten Of the locomotives are TO be built
AT tho company shops. This --latest
order brings he total expenditure;
for new equipment by the Southern
Pacific and ruc.ic Fruit Express, OF
which it is half owner. to S24,5CO.CCC.
This great building program" said
Mr.. SprUule, is evidence of what he
Southern Pacific is doing to make its
facilities equal % the unusual demand
for equipment Dccasioned by the war
situation ana ."Lc al business expar.
sion.
The total rumbcr OF freight cars
we have had built this year, or are
having built, reaches almost ten thous.
and, and comprises geo box cars, 1CC1
fat cars, 9CC stock cars, eco oil tank
cars, 1CCC automobile cars, ACC EOn.
! dOlas, 80 ndIrow-gauge fiat cars. 80
CahO15cs. and 2,7CO modern refrigeTa-
tor cars for the Pacific Fruit Express.
! One thousand of the PEE. refrigcra.
tors. as well as ten locomotives, are
to be built on the coast.
There have already been delivered
To us undcr this program $3.50 freight
cars aud five mail and baggage cars
the refrigerator cars will begin ia
arrive early in September. We have
now building in the east go oil tank
and mail cars. We are about to star
on the construction OF 3.2iO freigh
cars announced some time ago, ant
this work will be done at home.
ut is very difficult during thcs,
times to make any predictions as t,
. when equipment can be delivered, be
cause the orders of our government
; and the governments of the allies, 70
cars and locomotives are being giycI
preference,
we are making this expenditure
responsive TO the needs of the prescn
emergency. although the prices of Ia
Dor and materials are the highest Il
the history of railroading.
while the acquisition Of this nc'
equipment will afford great relief I
; shippers. II must be borne in min
that car supply Is really a matter q
|. keeping cars moving to- the west n
rapidly as they are moving 10 uI
cast. No matter what quantity q
cars railroad owns, II will dl;;1ya b
quickly drained of its car supply III
less there Is promptncss In rCturnin
the cars. II is like an endless chain
! cars moving out on the chain mus
! be replaced by cars coming In owe
J. the same chain. Promptncss wit
j which shippers use cars Is the othe
!. great factor in creating car supply.
Discussing the labor supply of tn
I railroads. MIR. Sproulc said that
I the 1880 men at present in the scr'
ice Of the Southern Pacific. ncarl
1900 had registered for the arm
4 draft and more than $500 had bee
{ named in the first draft. II is nj
I possible TO tell yet how many me
wiil be drafted into active service"
Aside from this" said Mr. Sproul
I "wc are feeling the general shortae
" labor There are Just so man
units of labor available, The raj
! roads have 10 compete for this labt
with all other industries. and II
Z largely case of shopping cmplo
2 mcnt to NJ the attractions offered.
\ our maintenance OF roadway, bridg
/ buildings and structures we are sho
& about $500 men These figures al
& without reference to the draft Re
y haps when the crop season Is over "
. may get some relief by the return
Il the men to railroad work. Our disp
3 sltion Is TO employ men In place
= where they can 1T into our work.