The Pulaskian., 1918-02-08
Pulaski Heights Line 10 Be Double Tracked Al
 Once Street RailOay Announces Improvements

near the Hillcrest entrance. and to push 1t as rapidly as possible. This will greatly relieve congestion on tha1 line, and by doing away with the two switches between the end of the pres ent double track and Ash street we shall be enabled to give better service on the whole line. The materials have been bought. The rails have al- ready been distributed and we shall begin hauling the ties and other ne cessaries the first of next week. The remainder of the extension, as far as St. Mary's convent, will follow as | soon as possible.
 forders have been given for the crossties and other materials for the East Ninth street extension, anr this work will be hurried.
 Our total expenditures for inn provements in 1918 will approximate $40OO
 Under Great Financial Strain.
 This company has done all it could do, or could fairly be asked to do, to help build up Little Rock. It has been put to the greatest financial strain that it has ever undergone, but it has succeeded. The cantonment has benefited all business interests and all labor interests, and we feel that we ought to have the good will, support and help of all our citizens, rather than constant attack.
 "We feel quite sure our efforts are appreciated by the mayer, who has been fully advised throughout of all our troubles, and who has shown fair ness and desire to help us over troublous times, for the ultimate good of the city Many members of the council have shown a like sense of fairness and cooperation, and we ap- preeiate their course in the matters.
 We have always endeayored to give the very best service possible to citizens, and we have always done so. For many years it has been the pride of our citizens and of ourselves that Little Rock had the best street car service of any city of it's size in the United States, and much better than many cities a great deal larger. The public must remember that the cost of rails, the cost of ties, the cost of wire, the cost of copper, the cost of wages, the cost of coal, the cost Of everything which We use, has gone up on an average of 150 per cent, but our rates for current and our street car fares have remained the same. Only one result ,eould follow, and that is that the marlxiE between income and outgo has narrowed until there was no income available to pay the owners of the road any interest upon their inyestmene in December, 1917.
 Had To Pass Dividend in 1917.
 sIn 1911, when this company was very prosperous, it paid to it's com mon stockholders a 10 per cent div1- dend out of it's earnings, and an ad- ditional dividend of 10 per cent out of it's surplus accumulated over a period of many years. In 1912, 1915 and 1914, it paid it's common stock holders 10 per cent dividends. In 1915 it was only able to pay six per cent. In 1916, five per cent; and in 19l7, three per cent. It paid the customary semi-annual three per cent dividend in June, 1917, but was unable to pay any dividend on the latter half of the year. Tn the meantime, it's liabilities have been increasing. Its losses In December, and particularly in Janu- arv. were extremely heavy, and the present prospects are that it will do l, well to earn it's fixed charges during the year 1918.
 "The unprecedented sleet and snow storm in January put coating or from three to six inches of ice over our tracks, which could not be remov- ed except by pick and shovel. our lines were opened up just as quickly as they could possibly be opened With the amount of labor which we could hire We were not alone in this pre- dicament Memphis, Kansas City ana Chicago were out of business as long, ond longer. than we were"