Evening star., 1924-12-20
NEW RA|LROADSARE|
| BIG FACTOR IN 1924
Program Involving Millions to
Extend Through Much of
Coming Year.
BY j. O. ROYLE.

Special Dispatcn TO Inc star.
NEW YORK, December 2o.-"Tvt
been working on the railroad" Thai
half century old song accurately de-
men during the past year. and there
is every indication that fully az
many handlers of the pick and tamp-
ing bar will be found along the rights
of way in 1925. The present cam
paigns of construction undertaken by
the carriers of the United States rep
resent about the best insurance
against unemployment OF itinerant
labor that could be presented today
Western Railroads Spread.
Construction and betterment work
has been active In all sections, but
the West has witnessed moro new
construction OF rail lines than all the
remainder of the country combined
Lines are being built into hitherto
untapped territory and moving pic
ture directors have had to abandon
some Of the broad open spaces where
men are men" for fear of getting a
crowd of 1925 tourists into an ls47
background.
The construction program OF the
Southern Pacific called for the ex-
penditure of s49,0o0.o0o. and about
half this sum will be carried over for
disbursement during the coming year.
Altogether 3S2 miles OF new road
were started by the company In ore
gon, California, New Mexico, Nevada
and Lower California The construc-
tion in the latter district will serve
to link tho West Coast OF the United
States with Mexico City and prom
ises to develop valuable trade with
Mexico by tapping a region rich In
possibilities.
Outlay by Santa Fe.
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Re
road laid 1873 miles of new rails this
year and will spend $11.0oo,0o0 for 119
miles OF additional double track the
coming season. providing a double track
system all the way from Los Angeles
to Chicago. Each road has ordered
thousands of new refrigerator cars
and other equipment to handle the
traffic which these improvements will
open UP.
number OF entirely new lines in
the Pacific Northwest will open lum-
Der territory hitherto untouched and
will mean the building of whole
towns and employment OF thousands
of men. The effect OF these and SINH
lar projects on merchants manufac-
turers and producers Of raw material
all ever the country can scarcely be
estimated. The crushed rock neces-
sary for ballast by one carrier alone
has necessitated building Of at least
three new rock crushing plants dur
ing the year.
Gold Mines I'm Sand Pits.
A gold mine has always stood az
symbol Of riches and prosperity. but
the rock Quarries and sand banks of
California in the past year yielded
moro than the entire gold production
OF that State. Gold production from
California mines yielded approx
mately $14.o0o.oo0 in 1924, but the
amount of cement produced there was
valued at s26,ooO,0o0. while sales of
sand. gravel and crushed rock totaled
SIS 5,ooo.o 900. Development OF lime de-
posits for Industrial uses increased
100 per cent.
In spite Of the fact that there was
a general revival OF mining in the
late months of this year, tho part
played by coinage In case OF the pre-
cious metals was minor compared
with other years, The value of the
gold used in the arts and sciences to-
tailed $fo,o0o,o 900 more than the total
amount produced during the year in
the United States.
Copper Values Advance.
Copper owed its advance In value
to industrial consumption during the
large part in development OF new
uses, and this was true also Of lead
and zinc. Silver mine owners made
determined and successful attempt
to increase the use of the white
metal and production was pressed in
consequences. Alaska alone turned
out s4,200.ooo worth OF gold and sill
yer and $1o,321,6 worth OF copper
in the first II months Of this year.