The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-02-01

surplus. Then what is to become OF our
credit?
1T is safe to assume that some way
VIII he found to meet This Increased en-
pensc: Perhaps 1t will b" found ncccs-
! SarE 10 effect rigid economics by cur
failing expenditures which should hc
made. by reducing tho wurking furrc ana
taking other steps in IN" same general
direction. AT any rate it is All outlook
Of 1uStih9blr alarm.
Rolling stock Of Roads.
Another phase nf tn" railroad situa-
ti"n OF interest is tho record of the car
fits Tor the purchase of new equip
nrnt. During several years past, and
; until the last two yraRs, the American
I railroads had purchased an average Of
-"V'oUo new freight cars each year 10
take care Of renewals and provide the
rolling stock with which to move the
tountryS growing business. During the
| last Two years. however. for REASONS
which have explained. The roads have
purchased an average of 10000 Il year.
! rus equipment is admittedly inadequate
| lc take care Of requirements but il
mas been found the best that the car
| ri"rS could do Let us scr something
about The cost Of now railroad equip
| mint lriur To two years ago. tho Bal:
| t'Horc ana Ohio purchased freight cnr1
| AT an arfrag" cost Of $Sl3 each. while
the cars ordered recently wrrc contract
! ed for at mn aNcrag" Of $1.640 each.
| Those last mentioned cars arc OF tho
Si,inc general type that were bought for
half The cost previously. and they will
earn tho company Il penny more. II will
simply mean that the Baltimore and
| ohio viii have II meet an increase OF
, one hundred per cent in interest charG-
eS and charge nf just twice the money
| for depreciation.
Increase Freight Rates.
! Let NJ" say something also about the
rate situation in the United States. You
will all recall that the railroads made
; application Ia the Interstate Commerce
| commission recently for permission 70
! Increase freight rates i per cent. PrcSi-
! dent Daniel Willard. of III" Baltimore &
Ohio had rharg" Of the ease for the
carriers. The first decision refused
the application. but after rropcninG the
case the commission announced that the
IS per cent increase had hren allowed.
! Let us sec how this AFFECTED the Ralti-
moro 81 ohio. Five per cont WAS al
/ lowed ON certain classes Of freight. but
| O. per cent If the traffic handled lr
our company WAS exempted from an adj
vance. Thai means that only ~ per rCHt
I of our business was affected. and it
mad" It difference in the revenue If
about S2.Ghn.00n. This has already hccn
/! absorbed Ivy Increases in pay.
81 desire to say something about tho
! Baltimore ~ Ohio and its relations 10
: West Virginia. When President willard
| returned to the Cunpany rs it's chief
/
campaign Of expansion seldom apprnurh-
I'd. To IN" present time Sl40.UQh.h00 has
been spent for bettrrmcntS. \ larg"
Share "f this money WAS expended in
West Virginia. where on thu mountain
slopes additional tracks were rrnvidrd
tunnels removed. grades reduced and
curves taken out. You have probably
all noticed a great deal Of work while
riding over the line between Wheeling
and tho east.
baltimore & Ohio Record
"Of these expenditures approximately
$50. ONO. ono went for new equipment.
The Baltimore e. Ohio did better than
Other companies during the same period
/ in buying new equipment AMI strength
cning that in service Forty thousand
now cars have been purchased. I!l large
freight locomotives bought and thou
sands Of cars have been fitted with
steel underframes. steel centersills. etc.
When Mr.. Willard took charge only So
per cent of the freight equipment was
OF steel or steel supported, while to-