ceeds Mr. Mullen. E. J. Worden, assistant superintendent of the La Crosse division at La Crosse, Wis., has been appointed superintendent of the Galesburg division, with office at Galesburg, Ill., succeeding S. H. Shults, assigned to other duties, and W. T. Sadler, trainmaster at Galesburg, succeeds Mr. Worden as assistant superintendent of the La Crosse division. F. A. Brainerd, trainmaster of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle and the Oregon Trunk Railway at Metolius, Ore., has been appointed trainmaster of the territory between Portland and Bend, with office at Vancouver, Wash., succeeding C. A. Vermillion, transferred to the office of the general superintendent at Portland, in charge of car service and telegraph departments; and the office of trainmaster at Metolius, has been abolished. G. E. Johnson, chief clerk to the general superintendent at Portland, has been appointed trainmaster of the Astoria division, with headquarters at Portland. W. H. Clark, trainmaster at Spokane, has jurisdiction over the Second and Third districts, Fallbridge to Spokane. C. L. Mayne, superintendent of the Southern Kansas division of the Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain system at Coffeyville, Kan., has been appointed superintendent of the Arkansas division, with office at Little Rock, Ark., succeeding J. A. McDougal, resigned. R. G. Carden, superintendent of the Northern Kansas division at Atchison, Kan., succeeds Mr. Mayne, and W. E. Merrifield, who has been on leave of absence on account of illness, succeeds Mr. Carden. D. E. Ouellet, trainmaster of the Arkansas division at Little Rock, Ark., has been appointed trainmaster of the River district of the Eastern division, with office at Jefferson City, Mo., succeeding F. J. Avery, assigned to other duties. M. F. White, trainmaster of the Louisiana division from Monroe to Lake Charles, at Monroe, La., has been transferred to the Arkansas division, succeeding Mr. Ouellet. J. L. Kendall, chief train despatcher at Wynne, Ark., succeeds Mr. White. J. R. Gilhoula, trainmaster of the Valley division between McGehee and Clayton Junction, and of the Warren, Eudora and Hamburg branches, at McGehee, Ark., has been transferred to the line between Little Rock and Monroe, succeeding C. H. Reeder, resigned, and Mr. Gilhoula will continue to have his headquarters at McGehee. J. F. Burnett, chief train despatcher at Little Rock, succeeds Mr. Gilhoula. Robert Rice, who has been appointed general superintendent of the Iowa district of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, with office at Burlington, Iowa, as has been announced in these columns, was born at Galesburg, Ill., in 1874. He graduated from Knox College at Galesburg in 1896, and did two years' post-graduate work at Harvard University. Mr. Rice began railway work as a section laborer on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy in 1898, and he has been in continuous service on that road. He was consecutively Traffic Officers. Robert Rice' George F. Hobart has been appointed soliciting freight agent of the Tennessee Central, with office at Atlanta, Ga. L. S. Shuler, commercial agent of the Vandalia Railroad at East St. Louis, Ill.. having been assigned to other duties, that position has been abolished. James J. Livingston, traveling agent of the Chicago & North Western, in charge of Northern Illinois territory, at Chicago, has been appointed general agent, with office at Indianapolis, Ind. Walter J. Moore, chief clerk to Vice-President C. F. Daly, of the New York Central Lines, has been appointed assistant general freight agent of the New York Central & Hudson River and the West Shore, with headquarters at New York. C. Bourne, Jr., agent of the Lackawanna Line at Memphis, Tenn., has been appointed agent, with headquarters at St. Louis, Mo., succeeding O. F. Spindler, resigned to accept service with another company. W. S. Nunnery succeeds Mr. Bourne. Samuel F. Miller, general freight and passenger agent of the Nebraska and Wyoming divisions of the Chicago & North Western at Omaha, Neb., has been appointed general freight agent of the entire system, with headquarters at Chicago, a new position. James W. Munn, chief clerk in the general passenger department of the Chicago & North Western at Chicago, has been appointed assistant general passenger and ticket agent, with office at Chicago. Mr. Munn began railway work in 1880 as clerk in the local freight office of the Chicago & North Western at Boone, Iowa, and a year later he was transferred to the local freight office at Council Bluffs, Iowa. For five years from 1885 he was clerk in the office of the general agent at Omaha, and was then made chief clerk in the general passenger department of the Fremont. Elkhorn & Missouri Valley, now part of the Northwestern System. In 1903 Mr. Munn was appointed chief clerk in the general. passenger department of the Chicago & North Western at Chicago, from which office he has now been promoted. J. N. Githens, who has been appointed freight traffic manager of the Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain system, with office at St. Louis, Mo., as has been announced in these columns, was born on a farm near Fellowship, N. J. He studied stenography while employed with a wholesale commission house in Philadelphia in 1888, and began railway work on the Illinois Central as secretary to the assistant freight traffic manager. He was subsequently made secretary to the traffic manager, and on June 1, 1900, was appointed assistant commercial agent at Chicago. On April 1, 1906, he went with the Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain system as general agent at Chicago, and in December of the following year was made general freight agent of the same system, in charge of solicitation, supervision of outside agencies and interchange of traffic with connecting lines, from which position he was promoted, effective September 1, to freight traffic manager as above noted. J. B. Trimble, general agent in the freight department of the Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain system at Pittsburgh, Pa., has been appointed assistant general freight agent, with office at St. Louis, Mo., in charge of the solicitation of freight traffic, including the supervision of soliciting agencies and interchange with connecting lines. Mr. Trimble will report to the freight traffic manager. L. D. Knowles, general agent at Denver, Colo., succeeds Mr. Trimble at Pittsburgh; and R. M. McWilliams, commercial agent at Cairo, Ill., succeeds Mr. Knowles. R. B. Wilson, traveling freight agent at Minneapolis, Minn., has been appointed commercial freight agent, with headquarters at Minneapolis, a new position. R. R. Trimble, commercial freight agent at Joplin, Mo., has been appointed commercial agent, with headquarters at Buffalo, N. Y., and N. A. Beach succeeds Mr. Trimble at Joplin. A. L. Trowbridge has been appointed commercial agent, with headquarters at Indianapolis, Ind., a new position. Incident to the separation of the Toledo, St. Louis & Western from the same management as the Chicago & Alton, the following officers, who have had jurisdiction over both roads, have been appointed to the positions designated on the Toledo, St. Louis & Western: Charles E. Rose, chief clerk in the passenger department, has been appointed assistant general passenger agent, with office at Chicago; J. W. Graham, assistant general freight agent at Chicago, retains that position with the Toledo, St. Louis & Western at Toledo; R. L. Dore, assistant general freight agent at Toledo, Ohio, has been appointed assistant general freight agent, with headquarters at St. Louis. J. E. Rheiner, commercial agent at Toledo, Ohio, has been transferred to Detroit, Mich.; C. J. Wiffin, contracting freight agent at Chicago, has been appointed commercial agent, with office at Chicago; A. A. Reinhardt, traveling freight agent at New Orleans, has been appointed commercial agent, with office at New Orleans, and Frank O'Brien, traveling passenger agent at St. Louis, has been appointed general agent, with headquarters at St. Louis. Herbert A. Hinshaw, whose appointment as general freight agent of the Southern Pacific, with office at Portland, Ore., has been announced in these columns, was born at Winchester, Ind., on September 3, 1872. He attended the public schools and also normal school in Kansas. Mr. Hinshaw began railway work in March, 1890, with the Southern Pacific. He was agent at various places for a number of years, and was appointed traveling freight agent in May, 1906, retaining that title until September 1, 1911. He was then made assistant general manager of the Salem, Falls City & Western, with office at Dallas, Ore., which office he held until August 1, 1912, the date of his recent appointment to general freight agent of the Southern Pacific. H. A. Hinshaw. Engineering and Rolling Stock Officers. J. A. Clough has been appointed master mechanic of the Southwestern Railway, with headquarters at Archer City, Tex. S. J. Wagar has been appointed chemist and engineer of tests of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh, with headquarters at Du Bois, Pa., succeeding H. B. Burnham, resigned. D. E. Pendleton has been appointed roadmaster of the Houston & Texas Central, with headquarters at Hempstead, Tex., succeeding A. G. Ackeroyd, roadmaster at Mexia. James W. Waber has been appointed engineer in charge of construction of the St. Paul & Kansas City Short Line of the Rock Island Lines, with office at Carlisle, Iowa, succeeding W. C. Beach, deceased. J. W. Stone, assistant engineer of the Pennsylvania Railroad, at Philadelphia, Pa., has been appointed acting division engineer of the Philadelphia Terminal division, succeeding W. T. Covert, granted leave of absence. J. W. Brewer, master mechanic of the Baltimore & Ohio at Mount Clare, Baltimore, Md., has been appointed superintendent of shops, with headquarters at Mount Clare, in charge of locomotive work at that point. George C. Cleveland, assistant chief engineer of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern at Cleveland, Ohio, has been appointed chief engineer, with office at Cleveland, succeeding Samuel Rockwell, whose appointment as consulting engineer has been announced in these columns. M. Larkin, roadmaster of the Second Washington district of the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company, at Colfax, Wash., has been appointed roadmaster of the Third Washington district, with headquarters at Spokane, Wash., succeeding T. Keaveny, transferred; J. L. Twyman succeeds Mr. Larkin. S. J. Dillon, master mechanic of the Trenton Terminal division of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Camden, N. J., has been appointed master mechanic of the West Jersey & Seashore and the Camden Terminal division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, with headquarters at Camden, N. J., succeeding F. G. Grimshaw, promoted. Equipment and Supplies. LOCOMOTIVE BUILDING. THE MISSOURI, KANSAS & TEXAS is in the market for 50 Mikado locomotives. THE NEVADA TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, Palisade, Nev., is in the market for one second-hand consolidation locomotive, or tenwheel locomotive. THE INTERCOLONIAL has ordered 5 consolidation locomotives from the Montreal Locomotive Works. These locomotives will be equipped with superheaters; will have 221⁄2 in. x 28 in. cylinders, 56 in. driving wheels, and in working order will weigh 200,000 lbs. THE CENTRAL OF NEW JERSEY has ordered 3 eight-wheel switching locomotives from the American Locomotive Company. The cylinders will be 24 in. x 30 in.; the diameter of the driving wheels will be 55 in., and the total weight in working order will be 227,000 lbs. THE VIRGINIAN has ordered 2 Mallet (2-8-8-2) locomotives from the American Locomotive Company. These locomotives will be equipped with superheaters; will have 28 in. and 44 in. x 32 in. cylinders, 56 in. driving wheels, and in working order will weigh 540,000 lbs. THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL is figuring on 50,000 tons of rails. THE BOSTON ELEVATED has ordered 2,000 tons of structural steel from the American Bridge Company. THE BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS & NORTHERN has ordered 5,000 tons of rails from the Illinois Steel Company. GENERAL CONDITIONS IN STEEL.-September opened with continued good buying. Although shipments in August were heavier than in July, it is estimated that the orders for new business exceeded shipments by about 10 per cent. This means that the unfilled tonnage of the steel corporation on August 31 will show a considerable increase over that of the previous month. Prices are firm, but it is believed that there will be some increases if the orders continue to come in at the present rate. The mills are as busy, if not busier, than they have been at any time during the past three years, and the fulfillment of contracts is even more deferred now than it was during July, although the shipments are larger. Supply Trade News. The Keith Car Company, Chicago, has increased its capital stock from $30,000 to $100,000. The Halcomb Steel Company, Syracuse, N. Y., has opened a sales office at 95 Liberty street, New York, in charge of F. W. Ross. Henry C. King, treasurer of the American Safety Tread Company, Lowell, Mass., has been made president and general manager of that company, succeeding William S. Lamson, who died at his home in Lowell on August 16. Olin, Giberson & Hilands, Inc., eastern selling agents for the Sligo Iron & Steel Company, Connellsville, Pa., maker of iron bars for bolts; the Keystone Tube Works, Inc., Uniontown, Pa., maker of light gage tubes; and for the Central Tube Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., maker of conduits and pipes, have moved their offices from 2 Rector street, New York, to 30 Church street. The Hall Railway Signal Company, New York, was incorporated in Maine on August 30 with $2,250,000 7 per cent. cumulative preferred stock ($1,000,000 of which will be held in reserve for conversion purposes), and $3,000,000 common stock. This company has bought the business and assets, with the exception of the franchise, of the Hall Signal Company, under the reorganization plan mentioned in the Railway Age Gazette of July 12, page 79. It has issued $1,000,000 6 per cent. sinking fund, 20-year, debenture bonds, which are convertible into preferred stock; and $250,000 first mortgage bonds. Through the sale of the bonds and preferred stock the company has obtained sufficient capital to enlarge its factory at Garwood, N. J. These enlargements will enable the plant not only to increase its output of block signals and signal appliances, but also to make mechanical and electric interlocking. TRADE PUBLICATIONS. UNLOADERS.-The Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company, New York, has published an attractive booklet on its unloaders for discharging dirt, ballast, rock, or ore. These unloaders are described in detail, and the economy of their operation is pointed out. The booklet contains many excellent photographs of the unloaders in operation. LUBRICATORS.-The Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., has published catalog No. 35, illustrating and describing all the company's products, including Detroit locomotive lubricators, force feed oilers, oil cups, air cocks, water gages, radiator valves, etc. Diagrams are included which will be found convenient in ordering parts. MAXIMUM WATT DEMAND INDICATORS.-The General Electric Company, Schenectady, N. Y., has published bulletin No. A4002 on its Polyphase Maximum Watt Indicators, Type W. The instrument is suitable for recording the maximum load of alternating current circuits, irrespective of the power-factor and voltage fluctuations. This bulletin supersedes the company's previous bulletin on this subject. MOBILE & OHIO.—The land and industrial department of this company has published a small booklet entitled A Fertile Region, describing the territory along the Mobile & Ohio and the Southern Railway in Mississippi. The information given in this booklet will be found interesting by homeseekers, manufacturers and investors, as its accounts of the industries, opportunities and advantages of this region are concise and convincing AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY COMPLETED.-The Port Alma Railway, Queensland, was opened to traffic on May 22 and the official opening took place in the first week of June. NEW STATION FOR LYONS, FRANCE.-The question of a central railway station in Lyons, France, has been discussed for a long time. It has been proposed, instead of building a new central station in a different part of the town, to rebuild the present station to enable it to accommodate a larger number of tracks. It is believed that the building will cost about $12,000,000. Railway Construction. New Incorporations, Surveys, Etc. BOYNE CITY, GAYLORD & ALPENA.-This company now operates a main line from Boyne City, Mich., southeast to Gaylord, 27 miles, and a number of branch lines, in all about 100 miles. According to press reports, plans have been made for an extension from Gaylord east to Alpena, about 60 miles. W. H. White, president and general manager, Boyne City. CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL.-A contract has been let to Morris, Shepard & Dougherty for second track work from Glencoe to Bird Island, Minn., 371⁄2 miles. CHICAGO & WESTERN ILLINOIS TRACTION.-Incorporated in Illinois with $200,000 capital, and office at Canton, Ill. The plans call for building from Pekin, Ill., north to Peoria, thence west through the counties of Peoria, Fulton, McDonough and Hancock to Hamilton, thence crossing the Mississippi river to Keokuk, Iowa, about 100 miles. J. T. Adams, Columbus, Ohio; C. P. Williams, Chicago; A. L. Ralston, Grove City, Ohio; W. R. Curran, Pekin, Ill.; and L. M. Ash, Canton, Ill., are directors. FREDERICK & BRUNSWICK (Electric).-See Frederick Railroad. FREDERICK RAILROAD (Electric).-An officer writes that under the name of the Frederick & Brunswick, work is now under way on a nine-mile extension from Jefferson, Md., west to Petersville, thence south to Brunswick. A contract for work on one mile in Brunswick has been given to Charles H. Klipp. O. B. Coblentz, chief engineer, Frederick. JACKSON & EASTERN.-Application has been made for a charter in Mississippi to build from Jackson, Miss., northeast to Union, about 65 miles. S. A. Neville, J. A. Perdue, Meridian, are incorporators. LOUISIANA RAILWAY & NAVIGATION COMPANY.-See an item under Railway Financial News. MASSASCHUSETTS ROADS.-Preliminary surveys are being made for the directors of the port of Boston, Mass., to determine whether it is possible to build a belt line around the congested section of Boston, to connect up the various railway lines now entering the city. Hugh Bancroft is chairman, and Frank W. Hodgdon, chief engineer, J. B. Russell, first assistant engineer. MINNEAPOLIS, ST. PAUL & SAULT STE. MARIE.-An officer writes that a contract has been given to Fred Baxter, Superior, Wis., to build a three-mile extension of a mining spur to the mines on the Cuyuna range, Minn. C. N. Kalk, principal assistant and signal engineer, Minneapolis, Minn. NORTHERN PACIFIC.-Announcement is made by President Elliott that the line between Seattle, Wash., and Sumas, on the Canadian border, 126 miles, will be rebuilt next year with better grades, reduced curves and heavier rails. Several steel bridges have been built by agreement with the Canadian Pacific for trains to enter Tacoma and Seattle over the line. The double tracking of the Tacoma-Portland line will be finished in October. The Tacoma-Tenino line will not be completed for about 18 months. (Apl. 12, p. 872.) ORANGE & NORTHEASTERN.-Incorporated in Texas, with $100,000 capital and headquarters at Orange, Tex. The plans call for building from White City, San Augustine county, Tex., east through Sabine and Newton counties to Burkeville, thence to a point on the Sabine river; also for building a 14-mile line from Orange to Nibletts Bluff, La., a total of about 126 miles. The incorporators include E. Kennedy, C. Shaw and J. C. Simmons, Houston; F. H. Farwell, G. E. Holland, J. B. Sargent and G. M. Sells, Orange. QUANAH, ACME & PACIFIC.-According to press reports, contracts were to be let, on September 3, to build a 40-mile extension from Paducah, Tex., west. The plans call for building west via Roswell, N. Mex., to El Paso, Tex. John A. Knox, chief engineer, Quanah. (August 16, p. 329). RALEIGH, CHARLOTTE & SOUTHERN.-An officer writes that work is now under way from Varina, N. C., west to Colon, about 23 miles, to connect the Raleigh & Southport division with the Durham & Charlotte. Lane Brothers Company, Raleigh, N. C., have the contract. The company has no information at this time to give out in reference to the reports that an extension is to be built from Troy, or Mount Gilead to Charlotte. F. L. Nicholson, chief engineer, Norfolk. (May 10, p. 1079.) SAND SPRINGS RAILWAY-An officer writes that the plans call for building from Tulsa, Okla., northeast via Owasso and Collinsville to Nowata, about 45 miles. The maximum grades will be 0.8 per cent., and maximum curves 3 deg. There will be two steel bridges, each 100 ft long. The company proposes to use both steam and electricity for the motive power. Charles Pahe, president; W. H. Hendren, chief engineer, Tulsa. TWIN MOUNTAIN & POTOMAC.-An officer writes that work is now under way from Keyser, W. Va., southeast to Burlington and Twin Mountain, 261⁄2 miles. Grading has been finished on 221⁄2 miles and track laid on 16 miles. There will be one 90-ft. steel bridge and one 60-ft. span. The company expects to have the entire line in operation by October 15, and to develop a traffic in lumber, fruit and miscellaneous merchandise. H. L. Heintzelman, president, Fairmont, W. Va.; E. A. Russell, general manager, Keyser. RAILWAY STRUCTURES. ALBANY, GA.-An officer of the Central of Georgia writes that contracts were to be opened about September 3, for putting up a union station, to be built at Albany by the Albany Passenger Terminal Company. The building is to be one story high, 40 ft. wide, with a wing, and 224 ft. long. It will be of brick construction, with clay tile roof, and will have concrete floors and platforms. There will also be some covered sheds. The improvements, including some grading work, will cost about $70,000. The station will be used by the Central of Georgia, the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard Air Line, and the Georgia Southwestern & Gulf. BAYONNE, N. J.-Application for riparian rights at the foot of East Forty-ninth street, Bayonne, has been made by the Bush Terminal Company, of Brooklyn. The application asks for 2,500 ft. of shore front, and if the price fixed by the authorities is satisfactory, a terminal plant will be put up about four times as large as the one in Brooklyn, which consists of a system of warehouses and factory buildings, space in which is leased to various manufacturing concerns. BUFFALO, N. Y.-After many months of negotiations, the Buffalo grade crossing commission has come to an agreement with the Erie for the abolition of nine grade crossings along the Erie's belt line. Subways are to be built under the tracks. The cost of the work will be about $1,000,000. Bids will be asked for at once by the commission for the grade elimination work at Delaware avenue, and for the crossing at Main street. HUNTSVILLE, ALA.-The Southern Railway will let a contract soon for remodeling the passenger station at Huntsville. The building will be of brick construction with slate roof. A new frame baggage room will be constructed 50 ft. east of the passenger station. LAMBERTS POINT, VA.-In connection with the enlargement of the yard at Lamberts Point a new roundhouse and shop buildings are to be put up. Contracts for the new structures have been let to John P. Pettyjohn & Company, Lynchburg, Va., and work is now under way. LOUISVILLE, KY.-Plans providing for spending $1,800,000 on new freight terminals, at Nashville, have been approved by the directors of the Louisville & Nashville. VOL. 53, No. 10. Railway Financial News, ARGENTINE CENTRAL.-This 16-mile road has been sold at Sheriff's sale to William J. Rogers for $20,002. The former sale on June 15 for $20,000 had been set aside. This road runs from Silver Plume, Col., to the summit of Mt. McClellan. MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.-According to press reports, the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha is filling in land on which a roundhouse, machine shop and other buildings will be put up on the river bank north of the Minneapolis union station. ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE.-The stockholders are to vote on the following questions on October 24: SALEM, VA.-An officer of the Roanoke Railway & Electric Company writes that a contract has been given to Rhodes & Wade, Roanoke, Va., for putting up a combined office building, passenger and freight station at Salem, to be of brick construction, two stories high, 20 ft. x 60 ft. The cost of the building will be $6,000. TULSA, OKLA.-See Sand Springs Railway under Railway Construction. The sale to the Southern Pacific of the stock and indebtedness of the Sonora Railway and the New Mexico & Arizona. The acquisition of the stock and indebtedness of the California, Arizona & Santa Fe and the Dodge City & Cimarron Valley; of the stock and bonds of the Verde Valley Railway, and of the railway and physical property of the Eastern Railway of New Mexico. The mortgage made between the A. T. & S. F. of the first part, the California, Arizona & Santa Fe of the second part and the Guaranty Trust Company of New York, trustee, of the third part, dated March 1, 1912. The two leases, each dated March 1, 1912, executed to the A. T. & S. F. company by the California, Arizona & Santa Fe, one leasing to the A. T. & S. F. the line extending from Needles, Cal., to Mojave, and the other all other lines of the California, Arizona & Santa Fe. The execution on behalf of the A. T. & S. F. of the lease dated January 1, 1912, made by the Southern Pacific to the California, Arizona & Santa Fe, of the line extending from Mojave, Cal., to Bakersfield, and of the instrument dated January 1, 1912, whereby the California, Arizona & Santa Fe has transferred its rights under said lease for the time therein provided for to the A. T. & S. F. The acquisition of the stock and indebtedness of the Sunset Western, the Sunset Railroad and the Sunset Railway; the last named is a consolidation of the first two companies. EAGLES MERE. This newly reorganized company has authorized a mortgage securing $100,000 30-year 5 per cent. bonds. There is $50,000 stock authorized. LANCASTER, OXFORD & SOUTHERN.-F. R. Williams has bought LOUISVILLE & NASHVILLE.-The directors have voted to increase ROCK ISLAND SOUTHERN.-Lewis Brothers & Company, Boston, Mass., are offering $500,000 first mortgage 5 per cent. bonds of 1908-1947 at a price to yield over 5 per cent. Of the total $2,500,000 authorized there are $2,282,000 outstanding. The bonds are a first lien on 45 miles of road; on the electric equipment of 20 miles of a leased line, and on about 200 acres of coal lands, power house, equipment, etc. The Rock Island Southern runs from Monmouth, Ill., north 31 miles to a connection with a branch line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, which it leases, and so gets to Rock Island, Davenport and Moline. The road is electrified. Managing Editor. ROY V. WRIGHT B. B. ADAMS G. L. FOWLER WILLIAM FORSYTH W. E. HOOPER 11. F. LANE F. W. KRAEGER S. W. DUNNING Subscriptions, including 52 regular weekly issues and special daily editions published from time to time in New York, or in places other than New York, payable in advance and postage free:" United States and Mexico.. Canada Foreign Countries (excepting daily editions) Single Copies $5.00 6.00 8.00 15 cents each Engineering and Maintenance of Way Edition and the four Maintenance of Way Convention Daily issues, North America, $1.00; foreign, $2.00. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as mail matter of the second class. NUMBER 11. 455 456 457 .458, 494 460 464 468 469 477 466 472 474 476 467, 477 478 The first THE HE Master Car Builders' Association is taking a special letter ballot on two proposed changes in the Rules of Interchange, both of which, if made, would, it is believed, promote the freer movement of traffic at interchange points, and have a material tendency to minimize congestion at these vital points during the period of heavy traffic this fall. proposition is to abrogate the rules penalizing the delivering line for certain defects in cars which, under the present rules, become delivering line defects when cars are offered in interchange. The second is for the addition of 10 per cent. to the present M. C. B. repair allowances for labor and material charges. Both are submitted to the members with the recommendation of the arbitration committee that they be adopted, An argu and with the approval of the executive committee. ment in favor of the first proposition is that it has been found that approximately half of the present carding is for owner's defects for which the car had been carded already, and that the proposed change would obviate the delay to traffic now caused by carding, which does not in any way promote car maintenance. The second proposed change is intended to overcome the present reluctance to repair cars promptly, which is due to the fact that under existing allowances for repairs the repairing road is virtually penalized. The allowances contain no provision for the cost of facilities and tools; and the cost of labor and materials have both increased in recent years since the present allowances were adopted. To increase the allowances so as to enable the repairing road to break even, or even to make a slight profit, would undoubtedly reduce or eliminate the reluctance to make repairs, and should have a direct effect in reducing the proportion of bad order cars. To seek to apply remedies for delays at interchange points is to attack the problem of congestion at its very heart, and the measures so strongly recommended should have an especial appeal at this time. DU URING the eight months of the present calendar year from January 1 to August 30, the Railway Age Gazette reported in its news columns the placing of orders for 94,985 freight cars, 1,475 passenger cars and 2,720 locomotives. The orders during the same period of 1911 were for 41,426 freight cars, 1,436 passenger cars, 1,477 locomotives. For the entire calendar year 1911 the total orders, as compiled for our annual statistical number of December 29, amounted to 133,117 freight cars, 2,623 passenger cars and 2,850 locomotives. With twothirds of the year gone, therefore, the total number of freight car orders reported thus far in 1912 exceeds by about 6,000 two-thirds of the orders placed last year, and is over twice the number ordered in eight months of 1911. In the case of passenger cars the number falls slightly short of a corresponding proportion of last year's orders. The orders for locomotives in eight months of 1912 are only 130 less than in all of last year. Furthermore, our current reports are not as complete as our annual reports of equipment orders; therefore the orders during the last eight months have been larger in proportion than the figures given here indicate. In our issue of May 17 it was shown that orders were placed in the first four months of the year for 62,464 freight cars, 1,076 passenger cars and 1,476 locomotives. It is evident, therefore, that the amount of equipment purchased during the last four months has fallen considerably below the mark set in the earlier part of the year. However, because a very large proportion of the 1911 equipment orders were placed during the last two or three months of that year, this year's orders are running very far ahead of those in the period of 1911 with which they should be compared, and, especially in the case of locomotives, indicate a strong effort on the part of the railways to prepare themselves for handling the large volume of traffic expected this fall. The failure of orders in the past four months to keep pace with the record set in January, February, March and April is probably due to the fact that the rush of orders in the six months beginning about November 1, 1911, so filled the equipment plants with business that many manufacturers were unable to handle any great amount of new business during the summer months. After the heavy tax on all of the facilities of the railways which the bumper crops of the West are expected to impose this fall, and following the consequent increase in the earnings of the roads, it is only reasonable to expect another large increase in orders which will make the number in the latter part of this year equal the number placed in the latter months of 1911. If this should prove to be the case the calendar year 1912 will stand out very prominently in this respect in comparison with the preceding five years. 142,500 for the year, while the average for the past five years Freight car orders thus far this year have been at the rate of |