The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-06-23
THE VAST PURCHASE or THE
RAILWAYS.

The Railway Aee. publishes Htatss-
ties n an editorial On Is current issae
showing 2hat the total expenditures ~
Class ] railways, exclusive 81 switch
ins TIE terminal companies. fog fuel.
materials. and supplies "a 1899 amount
"a 70 approximately Ea.20o. 900. zoe.
THE total amounts spent 81 AL rail-
ways % the United States for these
things" Il SAYS. were substantially
larger than this because this figure
ineludes nothinR Tor Glass and 2
railways or the switching and termin-
al companies. which together operate
about 90 Geo miles II line. Statistics
complied ~ the Bureau ef Railway
Economics make Il practically TO
state more definitely and IN more de-
tail what the purchases of the rail-
ways IN q year are than has ever been
the ease before
III should hardly DO necessary 20 do
more than give these fiaurxsa 10 show
bow important 10 the general business
% the United states are the purchases
made 81 fha railroads and the effects
upon general business which inevitably
produced by vide fluctuations Ia their
amounts. When the railways are fl
nancioily able 70 make purchases on
the scale required los the adequate
maintenance ard development of their
properties. they are the largest market
Tor some q the largest industries 20
the country, especially those q coal
mining. iran and steel and lumber
manufacturing. On the ether hand,
when. - has been the case within re-
cent months, Il Is necessary Tor the
railways arastlcaiiy to reduce .heir
purchases % all kinds and practically
20 suspend buying % materials and
supplies. the adverse effect produced
upon general business in tremendous.
It vii be an suspicious day for the
gsHgral business Of the country when
the railroads financial position Ina
proves enough 70 enable their purchas-
- and stores departments To resume
buying and handling fuel. materials
and supplies IN normal quantities.
In the year 1899 The expenditure II
the Class l railways. exclusive II
switching ard terminal companies. Tor
fuel VAS 67a.saf.a6f Tleg charged -
operating expenses si4s.9s2. sac fer re-
tifement sand depreciation and s1.e68.-
1es.see Ger materials. supplies ana
II we assume that oue-
lair Of their capital expenditures Is
naasia Cor materials. the outlay for me-
terlais charged 60 capital account were
over s2ss.eeo. eco. This makes a total
for Glass ! railways exclasise 81
switching and terminal companies, of
approximately se.fsT .ooo. 600 which was
spent ln 1870 Ter fuel. materials and
supplies.
safow greatly the expenses of the
railways. ether than those Tor labor.
have increased j. indicated by con-
paFfsou ct these figures with these for
The year 1915 In that year the same
railways paid only ses0.ssa So f0r fuel
The charges % depreciation and re-
siremenss, watch tn the long run reps
resents materials and supplies amount
81 together 90 ss6T.iol 500. The fore
going expenses were al ehargeable e
operation. The expenditures for ma
lerfsis used ga improvements were
about k2os. 20 ooe. making the total
expenditures Tor fuel materials and
mppses about s1.02T. zoe. a8o. Thls COM |
pares with The s2.fs7 eos. e0e ~ 1929.
and shows there was an Increase IN /
these items IN four years q III per
cent