New-York tribune., 1918-05-20
Expenditures Three Times
as Great as in Any of Last
Three Years Approved
Neglected Work
Now Will Be Done
Extensions Discouraged,
but Large Grants Made for
Equipment and Repairs

additions, betterments and equipment,
or approximately three times as much
as in any one of the last three years
Total capital expenditures approved
by the railroad administration as an
nounced to-day are $937,961,31S. Of
this big sum $44O, OIL 900 will be spent
for additions and betterments, such
as stations and other property i'm
provements, s479, $4,000 for equip
ment-cars and locomotives already
ordered through the railroad admins
tration-and SlS,203,000 for track ex-
tensions.
Neglected Work to Be Done
The figures disclose Director General
:IcAdoo's determination to let the rail
roads make many improvements which
they had neglected during the last
three years through permitting tracks
to run down and postponing all pos
sible projects requiring big expendi-
lures of capital 1t also is shown that
the Railroad Administration is not en-
eouraging many extensions of lines
during the war emergency, as practical
y all sums approved for extensions are
to continue those already under con-
struction, and IN some cases projects
already under way have been disap-
proved and work discontinued.
Railroads. in submitting budgets of
proposed capital expenditures this
year. asked much more than was actu-
ally approved, and the Railroad Ad-
mnistration eliminated $349,247 900, or
nearly one-fourth of the proposals. In
pairing down the budgets to this ex-
tent, the administration made it plain
that most Of its decisions are tentative
ana may be rcconsidered later IN the
hsht OF any growing necessity or lack
! Of need Of betterments.
Eastern Lines Well Treated
In general, the Eastern trunk lines
were given generous Gums for improve
nents and equipment, to enable them
better to handle the great food of traf
nc to the Atlantic seaboard for move
ment to Europe. In many cases. how
ever, the budgets of Eastern roads
were cut sharply.
fart OF the capital necessary will be
supplied by the government from the
soVo,OOO,0OO revolving fund of the rail
ROAD administration, although advances
viii be repaid eventually by the in
dvidual railroads. Wherever possible.
railroads will finance their own enter
pr.ses without government aid, but the
faiiroad administration may buy the
oonds or other securities issued by the
railroads to finance the capital prop
ositions
examination of the roads budgets
mas oeen directed by Robert S. Lovett
cnie1 OF the railroad administrators
d1lylslon OF capital expenditures. and
Jonn Shelton Williams, director of
"hance and purchases.
Many Projects Must Wait
Na',roads were asked two months age
~, ~ submit estimates of proposed capt
iarrp sr sApehaltures this year, making their
"sures adequate to cover really neces-
saFy projects. They were told. how.
ever, to bear in mind that MANY better.
~ meh's and extensions which might an
m paar necessary under private manage
e"a' "'sne could be dispensed with under
tEn'''iGh t;an control and pooling of facili.
,au. ~, dlSapprovlng certain items the
eoniSi amioad administration explained thcv
Ivuiu ~ i oe postponed until after the ,var
ad Cd .hls way Director General McAdoo
adopls the same policy for railroads
h%,ieh, as Secretary OF the Treasury
.S. aS ASKS other business interests to
suUp. as a war measure.
tra. w only does the railroad admins.
over a,.0" ~ exercise restraining power
@ nro;o Iaiiroads' expansion of capital
romss' uyeo,s' put 1T also has authority tn
sionpp ipea roads to make certain eXten-
"hlch appear necessary.
pennsylvania Gets $112,ooo,O 600
me figures show that tho 7Jou, vo.,.
central was given $40 900 N 600 'sIM sn1 ,a 1ork
r.aiIy alb the road asked. PennspiSe vi a."
INA INA Ilnes'East received s64 oo ono va va
oOo pennsylvania Lines West S4S oon
cs;vod ne n, pennsylvania altogether W.
ance Of eaairII,Voo,OOo, ~ the largest allow
Balt;nora' al ,he country's systems. The
Es;e Els''eofe eof o d Ohio got 943, ,000. 900 the M
s.s,e ssi S24 100000 and the %VeV,0ou' %ev une
cimS, ciL,Svoo'ooo. Other big allowances ;s
puasa: pse;sa Santa Fe. sal 900 900: I2n;nn ln
500 sefmc' nno ~ S5o,000,00O; Southern pac;Gn tE,'
jjno;sO T; Southern, $29. 900 COO. II
& Pa.Jtral central S26,OoO 0Oc; Philadeinb;a
OooooHou. $24,o00,00O; st. Paul. SEA
900. r r. " ok Wectern, S23 OOO- |
ton & g. AZ; H. =. q st. H., s22 900 900: Bos-
Cent ~ name, an, $22,0OO,0O0, and Mich o loan
eMW.ral' s2O,000.O0O. 'N'''sa''
tem's raSs' o Of the Southern Pacific svs-
par;sso snare went to the Soutbe,,,
s2,SssO ono r'ad; 1t got s21,Sa7 900 with
betteYr,wuoo eliminated; S7,081 900 is for roar
mNseerments mens and An 900 So for asr as iOr
San A The me Galveston, Harrisburg {,
Cent rnih'onio. and Houston g. re-
eo. eno,.rai..southern Pacific snhs;d;ar;as. ivaas
spsct;. sct S4'o95.0o0 and s1.9as' COO re ses
r TpecC'vey. For extensions i'beo' tbe II re-
A.. sasss sSI ooo oSosss,ooo, and the G. II e. s
tho o1 I'M sne Upion Pacific svstem.s toto,
kwitb ocion cn Pacific itself got sa5Sse aIua noo
(is for sso9S.527 eliminated; s,VvH; 81 s3o ooc
..squ;nmno mnoeetl'crments. and 1000. 600 for
SRorpt 1 The shares of the SDy Oreeon ro,
/ Railro. L'he and Oregon Washin rfon /
uninno "a 4 Navigation Comnanv
900 and drss'5e &C 5sa subsidiaries are $27S4.
anu sz'2S3 5000, respectively.
~, What Each Road Gets
setaIn Diner divisions by roads Of tho
San. approved are as follows:
Il ga sssa ons ooe. re. s17,757,000 bettcrmepts |
Sons IVY equipment, s7O1.o 900 exten,
2. { o, slso22.ooo bctterments.