Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1901 — THE RAILROADS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE RAILROADS

I. O. Walker of the Nickel Plate line has been elected president of the Roadmasters’ Association. The Santa Fe Railroad Company has surveyed for building 815 miles of railroad in the Southwest. The Big Four handled 722,715 passengers during September, an increase of 71,353 over last September. Earnings of the New York Central for September were $6,686,671, an increase of $811,822 over last year. After several years of opposition the Erie road will join the other eastern lines in selling half-fare tickets to clergymen. Four large consolidated engines have been received by the Milwaukee and St. Paul road. TW order calls for eighty. A new line of the Illinois Central, for-ty-two miles long, from Rosedale to Davis, Miss., will soon be opened for traffic. Recently one day’s receipts of cattle in the Chicago market was 32,472 head. This is the largest single day's receipts on record. The recently finished line of the Northwestern road from Pelican to Crandon, Wis., seventeen and one-half miles, has been opened for traffic. Net earnings of the Rock Island for August were $1,333,749, an increase of $193,274 over last year. Gross receipts amounted to $2,869,894, an increase of $400,118. One of the northwestern lines has started a reform in the direction of allowing passengers to occupy but one seat if they hold but one ticket. Conductors have beeii ordered to enforce such a rule. There will be no more homeseekers’ excursions between Chicago and St. Paul and Minneapolis luring the present year. It is likely that rates for all homeseekeni’ excursions will be advanced to a fare and a third for the round trip. Miss Hattie M. Banfill of Riverdale, 111., has been awarded $20,000 against the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company for injuries received by being rup over by a train at a Chicago street crossing in June, 1898. Preparations are l»eing made to extend the Eastern Illinois road from Paijucah to a point south of Joppa, about twenty miles. Burneys for a right of way are being made. Five thousand employes of the Illinois Central Railroad, including conductors, brakemen, switchmen and yardmen, will receive an increase in wages within the next month. It involves an increase in expenditures on the part of-the company amounting-to between $400,900 and $500,000 annually. It is the largest single increase in wages granted by any western road for ten years.