The Winslow mail., 1925-05-15
1924 900 900 is SUM
SPENT BY SANTA FE
FOR IMPROVEMENT

During the ten-year period dat
ing from 1914 to 1924 the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe railroad ex-
pended the sum of $284,000000f for
the extension and improvement of
its property and in providing loco
motives of greater tractive power,
freight cars of greater capacity,
other equipment, and for improved
machinery.
This is the statement issued by
President w. B. Storey of the Santa
Fe in reviewing the decade of the
big system, and calling to public
attention some of the accomplish
ments in providing service for mill
lions of patrons. Here are some Of
the facts briefly set forth by Presi-
dent Storey:
Passengers carried by the Santa
Fe one mile during the year 1914
numbered 1,300,000,000, and in 1924
the total carried one mile was
Id dill luCISdOS VI IL pCA
cent.
while the total volume of traf-
fic increased Is per cent during
the period, the number of passen-
gers transported declined from
14,973,000 in 1914 to 8,040,000 in
1924, or 46 per cent, as the average
distance each passenger was car
MIL IN
1914 to 1890 miles in 1924, or ia
per cent, conclusively demonstrate
ing that the short haul business is
fast being diverted by the motor
buses.
"This illustrates forcefully one
of the problems confronting the
Santa Fe, in common with other
railroads; viz, competition of motor
buses and trucks for the short
haul passenger and freight traffic.
Motor buses and trucks operate
over public highways, constructed
with funds raised by taxation, of
which the railroads pay a very
substantial proportion In other
words, the railroads are being
taxed to pay large part of the
cost in construction and mainte
nance of public highways upon
which their trackless competitors
operate free of charge.
1.-THE total operating expenses of
the Santa Fe for 1914 were $6,735
per mile of road operated. and for
1924, $14,396 per mile, an increase
of ia per cent. Taxes for 1914
were $500 per mile and in 1924,
$1,499 increase of 1876 per cent. The
operating expenses and taxes COM
bined were 1924 per mile in 1914
and $15,S95 in 1924, an increase of
120 per cent The average cost for
maintaining a locomotive in 1914
was $4,464 and for 1924, $10,605, an
increase of 1877 per cent. The aver
age cost for maintenance of pas
senger car increased So per cent
during the period, while cost of
maintenance of box cars jumped
155 per cent.
s"The average pulling power of
Santa Fe locomotives increased
from 71,3O7,1SO pounds in 1914 to
S5,446,S45 pounds, increase of "a
per cent, while the capacity of the
Santa Fe freight car was increased
from thirty-four to thirty-seven
tons, or increase of 8 per cent. To-
tai capacity of freight cars in 1914
was 2,359,11O tons, and in 1924, 81
1851 tons, or 81 per cent.
"In 1914 the Santa Fe hauled
1900 900, 900 tons one mile, and in
1924 it hauled 13,OS0,000,0OO tons
one mile, an increase in volume of
70 per cent. The average distance
per ton of freight increased from
292 to 321 miles.
"The revenue received by the
Santa Fe for hauling one ton of
freight one mile in 1914 was 1.OO7c,
and in 1924 12S5c, an increase OF
% per cent. In 1914 the Santa Fe
received 2.175c for carrying a pas
senger one mile, while in 1924 1t
received 1880, or increase of AZ
per cent.
Summing it up, the important
facts are that there was an in
crease of 70 per cent in volume OF
freight handled and Is per cent in
crease in passenger traffic, ia per
cent in operating cost, 1876 per cent
in taxes, AZ per cent increase in
passenger fares and 2S PERI cent
increase in freight charge. All ac-
-complished by expanding $2S4,OOO,-
600 and efficiency in operation and
management.