Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1907 — RAILROADS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RAILROADS

Responsibility for the wreck on the Southern, Thanksgiving day, which caused the death of President Spencer and six others, has been placed upon G. D. Mattox, the block operator at Rangoon station, Va. It is believed that this winter 10,000 persons from the middle West will visit New Orleans and tuba. Last year the Illinois Central carried about 5,000 tourists. The moderate cost of the trip to either New Orleans or Cuba and the time consumed are factors in the popularity. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad has announced the issue of SIOO,000,000 of new stock, to be offered to shareholders at par on the installment plan, bearing interest at 5 per cent, the proceeds to be used in financing the Pa-, cific coast extension and numerous branch lines. The Northern Pacific railway announces a plan to increase its stock by $93,000,000. The whole issue will be offered to stockholders at par on the installment plan, although the Northern Pacific stock has been selling at 210. The proceeds will go to the development of the property. The annual report of the Union Pacific railroad showed an increase of nearly $8,000,000 in gross transportation receipts, while the income from investments amounted to $10,329,815. At the same time the fixed charges were reduced over $2,000,000 through the retirement of bonds. The total surplus was $12,252.249 after allowing 8 per cent on common stock and a charge to the reserve fund. •A machine that will hurPcoaT into ths firebox of a locomotive at the rate of 200 shovelfuls a minute, if necessary, will lighten the labor of the firemen on many of the engines of the Northwestern road. An order has been placed for 700 of these mechanical stokers at a cost of $350,000. The General Managers’ Association, representing the Now York terminals of the Erie, Jersey Central* Lackawanna, Lehigh and Baltimore and Ohio lines, announces that it will stand by its offer togive 4 cents an hour advance to yard conductors and brakemen, but would not concede the 5-cent increase demanded.*