Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1914 — American Engines for Australia. [ARTICLE]

American Engines for Australia.

A striking and reassuring example of the present confidence abroad in American railroad equipment is being furnished by Australia in connection with the construction of its first great transcontinental line, Lewis B. Freeman writes in the World’s Work. No country or colony in the world is so zealous In forwarding home industries as Australia is. But in building this line an additional locomotive is required for every 50 miles of trade; arid track is being laid at the rate of a mile or two a day. This extraordinary demand is much beyond the power of the home manufacturers to supply. Bids from abroad showed that the Baldwin Locomotive company of America was the only concern that womd guarantee to make the deliveries at the Intervals specified, and as a result this company has supplied, and will doubtless continue to supply, all the locomotives for the great transcontinental line that cannot be built In that country. How much Australia’s commercial patriotism in buying home built locomotives at all is costing that country was shown in a recent debate in the commonwealth parliament, when it came out that the American engines were being purchased, delivered, at Port Augusta, for approximately $23,000, whereas Australian engines were costing more than $30,000 apiece.