Supply Trade News.

The plant of the Detroit Seamless Steel Tubes Company, Detroit, Mich., was totally destroyed by fire on July 1. The loss is estimated at $300,000.

The Gould Coupler Company, New York, has let contracts for a 600-ft. x 150-ft. addition to its steel plant at Depew, N. Y. The new building will be equipped with cranes, compressed air, sand blasts, etc.

The Railway Motor Car Company, Marion, Ohio, has been incorporated with a capital stock of $200,000 to make motor cars for use in railway section work. The directors are: W. O. Worth, J. D. Worth, Hiram Beschore, G. R. Stewart and Eben H. Wolcott.

Louis E. Carlton, president of the Heywood Brothers & Wakefield Company, Wakefield, Mass., died at his home in Gardner, Mass., July 4, at the age of 50. Mr. Carlton was also president of the First National Bank of Gardner, and was a delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1908.

The U. S. Metal & Manufacturing Company, New York, will no longer act as agent for axles made by the Carbon Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. On July 1 the company took over the account of the Pollak Steel Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, manufacturer of heat-treated traction axles, tender and driving axles, crank pins, side and driving rods, equalizers, etc.

Charles H. Burt, recently an inspector for the Block Signal and Train Control Board of the Interstate Commerce Commission and formerly in the signal department of the New York Central & Hudson River, has gone to the Robinson Coupler Company, Washington, D. C., which company is introducing the Robinson automatic air and steam hose connector.

The General Electric Company, Schenectady, N. Y., has received an order from the Pennsylvania Railroad for substation apparatus, for installation on the West Jersey & Seashore, consisting of one 2,250 kw. 2-unit, 2-bearing reversible frequency changer set, three 700 kv.-a transformers, and one 20,000 cu. ft. blower set and switchboard. This machine will be used to convert 60-cycle power, purchased from the Atlantic City Electric Company, Atlantic City, N. J., into 25-cycle power to supplement the present power station of the West Jersey & Seashore for the operation of its electric division between Philadelphia, Pa., and Atlantic City.

The B. F. Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio, has purchased the properties and business of the Diamond Rubber Company, New York, and hereafter the two organizations will be operated as one. The officials of the enlarged company will be as follows: B. G. Work will continue as president; H. E. Raymond will continue as second vice-president and sales manager; C. H Raymond will continue as secretary; W. A. Means will continue as treasurer; F. A. Hardy, formerly president of the Diamond company, has been made chairman of the board of directors; F. H. Mason, formerly vice-president of the Goodrich company, has been made vice-chairman of the board of directors; A. H. Marks, formerly vice-president and general manager of the Diamond company, has been made first vice-president and general manager; E. C. Shaw, formerly manager of works of the Goodrich company, has been made second vice-president and works manager; W. B. Miller, formerly secretary of the Diamond company, has been made second vice-president and assistant sales manager; G. E. Norwood, formerly assistant treasurer of the Diamond company, has been made assistant treasurer. The Diamond Rubber Company will hereafter operate as the Diamond Sales Division of the B. F. Goodrich Company.

The Lima Locomotive & Machine Company, Lima, Ohio, has been reorganized as the Lima Locomotive Corporation. The new corporation has sold to Redmond & Company, New York, the entire issue of $2,000,000 first mortgage 20-year sinking fund gold bonds, callable at 110, on any interest date, the proceeds of which will be used for the erection of additional buildings, purchase of equipment and for working capital. The new plant will provide employment for 4,000 men. For many years the old company made only geared locomotives, but during the past ten years it has steadily increased its output of locomotives of all classes until further extensions have become necessary. The new

corporation owns 43 acres of land at Lima, Ohio, on which there is a modern plant, having a capacity of 400 engines per year. This capacity will be increased to 900 or 1,000 locomotives a year. The net earnings for the past seven years, after deducting for depreciation, have averaged two and a third times the interest on the new bonds. The directors are: A. L. White, Ira P. Carnes, W. T. Agerter, O. J. Thomen, George L. Wall and Merle Middleton, who is chairman of the Board. The company will be under the management of the same official staff as heretofore with the officers as follows: President, A. L. White; vicepresident, George L. Wall; secretary and theasurer. W. T. Agerter.

The plan submitted to the stockholders of the Hall Signal Company, New York, and mentioned in the Railway Age Gazette of May 24, has been modified. Under the new plan the preferred stock of the new company will be sold to the stockholders of the present Hall Signal Company at $80 per share instead of at $100, or par, as provided for under the old plan. Each stockholder is entitled to subscribe on or before July 15 for an amount of preferred stock of the new company equal to 621⁄2 per cent. of the stockholder's holdings in the Hall Signal Company. In order to make this change the authorized issue of preferred stock of the new company will be increased from $2,000,000 to $2,500,000, of which $1,250,000 will be sold to the present stockholders of the old company and $1,000,000 will be held in the treasury to be exchanged for the 6 per cent. 20-year convertible debenture bonds to be issued under the plan. The former plan provided for the payment of $500,000 common stock to the readjustment committee for its services, its expenses and its counsel. This committee has voluntarily decided to relinquish its claim to this stock and, instead, will divide it pro rata among all the stockholders of the Hall Signal Company, whether they subscribe for new stock or not, provided they assent to this plan. Therefore, each stockholder who has subscribed or will subscribe for new preferred stock will receive common stock of the new company equal to 25 per cent. of his present holdings in the Hall Signal Company, in addition to the amount of common stock which his subscription entitles him to. As an illustration, the holder of $200 of the stock of the Hall Signal Company will, for a subscription of $100, receive $125 of the preferred stock of the new company and $250 of the common stock of the new company. An underwriting syndicate has been formed which has agreed to take all the preferred stock of the new company not subscribed for by the stockholders of the Hall Signal Company. The stock will be sold to the underwriting syndicate at the same price and on the same terms at which the stock is offered to the stockholders, except that the syndicate will not get the additional 25 per cent. of common stock already mentioned. Each subscriber to the underwriting syndicate will receive a commission of 5 per cent. in cash and 50 per cent. in common stock.

Standard Railway Equipment Co., St. Louis, Mo.-Monarch wood boring machine, pneumatic hammers and drills. Represented by P. F. Flavill.

Standard Tool Co., Cleveland, Ohio.-Twist drills, reamers, milling cutters, taps, chucks, special tools. Represented by E. W. Thompson. Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing Co., Akron, Ohio.-Twist drills, reamers and wrenches. Represented by A. O. Wange.

TRADE PUBLICATIONS.

SUPERHEATERS.-The Locomotive Superheater Company, New York, has published an illustrated booklet entitled "The Use of Highly Superheated Steam in Locomotive Practice." Diagrams and tables are included.

CABLEWAYS.-The Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company, New York, has published Bulletin No. 31 on the use of cableways for lock and dam work. This bulletin is fully illustrated, and includes detailed descriptions of the different types of cableways. LITTLE GIANT COMMERCIAL CAR.-The Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, Chicago, has published a hand book for operators of gasolene motor trucks in general, and the Little Giant Commercial Car in particular. The booklet is entitled "The Little Giant Chauffeur."

ILLINOIS CENTRAL.-The passenger department has issued a very complete and attractive booklet entitled "Chicago for the Tourist," describing and illustrating with a great deal of instructive data many of the principal points of interest in the city, both from the sight-seeing and the commercial standpoint.

DENVER & RIO GRANDE. The passenger department of this company has issued a booklet giving a list of all hotels located on the lines of the Rio Grande system in Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, together with the rates, number of guests that can be accommodated, the names of proprietors, distances from station and kinds of conveyance available.

CHAINS AND ATTACHMENTS.-The Jones & Laughlin Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., has published an unusually attractive leather bound catalog of its chains and attachments, in which useful data is given on testing and inspecting chains, on the care of chains, and on the weights and dimensions of chains. The catalog is well illustrated, including several color plates.

EASTERN STEAMSHIP CORPORATION. The passenger department of this company has published a series of six folders entitled "Little Talks on Maine and Maritime Provinces," pointing out the beauties of this region for vacation journeys. These folders have been distributed among ticket agents of railways with the idea that the information contained in them will be of value to the railways in advising their patrons where to spend their vacations.

GREAT NORTHERN.-The passenger department has published two pamphlets on Glacier National Park, written by members of a party of newspaper men who explored the park last summer. The pamphlets are entitled "Over the Trails of Glacier National Park" by Tom Dillon of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and "The Diary of an Amateur Explorer" by W. O. Chapman of the Chicago Evening Post. Both are profusely illustrated with photographs taken in the park.

A railway is proposed from Carnarvon, South Africa, via Willston down the Fish and Zac rivers to Twee Riviers with an extension from Brandwagt to Calvinia, 222 miles. It is estimated that this line, exclusive of the extension to Calvinia, will cost $4,003,000.

Plans for the construction of a narrow gage railway from Ica to Los Molinos have been approved by the Peruvian government. The concessionaire has employed a corps of engineers and the work of constructing the line will be commenced

at once.

The time of the express trains on the Trans-Siberian railway is to be made faster. The time of the express from Moscow to Vladivostok will be 8 days 171⁄2 hours, and from Vladivostok to Moscow, 8 days 111⁄2 hours; from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok, 9 days 2 hours and from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, 9 days 5 hours. The time of the ordinary passenger trains from Moscow to Vladivostok will be 122 days, and from Vladivostok to Moscow 111⁄2 days.

Railway Construction,

New Incorporations, Surveys, Etc.

ALBERTA, PEACE RIVER & EASTERN.-Plans have been submitted to the Canadian minister of railways for a line from a point in the international boundary west of Milk river, via Cardston, Pincher and Happy Vally, to Cockran, with a branch line to Edmonton and another to Fort Churchill. The line is to connect with the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific south of the international boundary.

ASHERTON & GULF.-An officer of this company, which operates a 32-mile line from Asherton, Tex., east to Artesia Wells, writes that the company expects to build an extension from Asherton northwest to Eagle Pass, about 50 miles; also to build an extension from the eastern terminus at Artesia Wells east to Aransas Pass, about 135 miles. It is undecided when the work will be started, as details are now being worked out. W. McComb, secretary and treasurer, Asherton, Tex.

BROCKVILLE, WESTPORT & NORTHWESTERN.-This line, which has been operated as a branch line of the Canadian Northern Ontario, is to be brought up to Canadian Northern Ontario standards, and about 40 miles of new rail is to be laid and new ties placed in track.

CANADIAN PACIFIC.-An officer writes that a contract for about 60 miles of double track on the Lake Superior division has been let to the Dominion Construction Company of Toronto, to be finished by November. The contract covers grading, ballasting and track laying. About 20 miles of this work consists of extension of present sidings, and the balance is as follows. From Crete to Sudbury, three miles; Geneva to Cartier, three miles; Limbo to Roberts, 25 miles; Devon to Chapleau, four miles; Tarpan to White River, three miles; Port Arthur to Hedge, four miles.

An officer writes that on the proposed extension from Gimli, Man., north to Rivington, the only work that is being done this year is clearing. The officer also writes that the report that a contract had been given to Dutton & Timson, Winnipeg, Man., for work from Kerrobert, Sask., north to Redford is correct and that the contract covers 21 miles of new work.

CAROLINA, CLINCHFIELD & OHIO.-The Rinehart & Dennis Company, Charlottesville, Va., which has the general contract to build the extension of the C. C. & O., from Dante, Va., north to Elkhorn City, 35 miles, has sublet much of the work to the following contractors: W. B. Taylor & Co., Esserville. Va.; Perkins, Faulconer & Company, Willard; W. I. Steele & Sons, Mart; Harris Phipps, Bristol; Bunn & Co., Big Stone Gap; A. E. Ward, Coeburn; Childurs & Taylor, Clintwood; the W. H. H. Allen Construction Company, Washington, D. C.; M. F. Keefe & Son, Yonkers, N. Y.; Board & Reed, Charleston, W. Va.; Langhorne & Langhorne, Inc., Praise, Ky., and J. C. Zobrist & Co., Praise. All of these contractors have contracts for excavation work and for work on from one to three tunnels, also the masonry work on their section. The Rinehart & Dennis Company is carrying out some of the work, including a mile and a half tunnel and three other tunnels varying in length from 600 to 1,000 ft. They will operate about six of their own steam shovels on the work. The work involves handling about 3,000,000 yds., most of which will be through solid rock, and constructing about 50,000 yds. of masonry. There will be 22 tunnels on the line. A large force is now at work and the entire line will be under construction within the next few weeks. It is the intention to push the work to completion. Ward Crosby, chief engineer, Johnson City, Tenn. (June 7, p. 1262.)

FLINT RIVER & NORTHEASTERN.-An officer writes that this company, which operates a line from Pelham, Ga., to Ticknor, 23 miles, is relaying the line with 65 lb. rail. J. F. Lamb, Thomasville, Ga., has the contract for the work, which includes handling about 50,000 cu. yds., due to cutting down hills and making fills.

GULF, TEXAS & WESTERN.-An officer writes that the contract which was recently given to the Texas Building Company to build an extension from Jacksboro, Tex., south to Salesville, 23 miles, calls for the completion of the work within six months. and the company expects to have trains in operation to move

this year's crop from that section. The work will not be difficult, with the exception of from three to five miles, on which it will be very heavy, and involves the removal of considerable rock. (July 5, p. 37.)

KANSAS CITY, MEXICO & ORIENT.-An officer writes that everything has been arranged for the sale of $1,200,000 receiver's certificates, except a few necessary preliminaries. After these have been completed, bids will be asked for grading and purchase of track laying and other materials. There are 96 miles of main line to be built, 56 miles of which are now graded, and contract for 40 miles of grading is still to be let. There are about 25,000 cu. yds. of solid rock to be removed and 400 cu. yds. of earth in the 40 miles. The company will buy rails, fastenings, ties, bridge material, etc., for 32 miles of track laying at once. All track laying will be done by company forces. There will be seven combination depots, one eight-stall roundhouse and one 80-ft. turntable.

LITTLE FALLS & JOHNSTOWN.-The New York Public Service Commission, Second district, has granted a certificate of public convenience and necessity to this company, which proposes to build a double track electric railway from Johnstown via St. Johnsville to Little Falls, with a branch from a point in the village of St. Johnsville through the villages of Nelliston and Fort Plain to Canajoharie. The main line is about 28 miles long and the branch about eight miles. The estimated cost, including equipment, is $1,773,970.

LIVE OAK, PERRY & GULF.-An officer writes that this company, which operates a line from Live Oak, Fla., west to Waylonzo, 60 miles, with a branch from Mayo Junction southeast to Alton, 15 miles, is planning to carry out a considerable amount of betterment work on the line, but that the plans are not yet completed.

MANITOBA & GULF.-Under this name or the North & South Railroad a line is projected from Manitoba south along the west bank of the Mississippi river to Natchez, Miss., at which point the Mississippi river is to be crossed, thence through Woodville and via Jackson, La., Baton Rouge and New Orleans to Port Eads, on the Gulf of Mexico. Financial arrangements are said to be made and surveyors are now at work in Minnesota and in lowa. J. B. Dudley, Jackson, may be addressed; John M. Wiley, chief engineer, Minneapolis, Minn.

MEMPHIS, COLUMBUS & GULF-An officer writes that the plans call for a line from Okolona, Miss., on the Mobile & Ohio, southeast via Aberdeen, Columbus and Pickensville, Ala., to Demopolis. There will be one river bridge and several tresties, also stations at six cities. The prospects of building the line are good. The company expects to develop a traffic in lumber, clay products, hay and cotton. G. T. Heard, president, Brookville, Miss.

MEXICAN ROADS. It is reported that a concession has been granted by the federal government of Mexico to Luis Garcia and Francisco Contreras, of Hermosillo, Mex., for building a railway from Hermosillo, on the Sonora Railway, northeast to Agua Prieta, a little over 100 miles. Agua Prieta is on the Nac zari Railway, and is only a few miles south of Douglas, on the El Paso & Southwestern, with which the Nacozari connects. MIPLAND PENNSYLVANIA. Of the 44 miles from Millersburg, Pa, to Ashland, which is projected, 15 miles from Millersburg to Gratz has been graded.

NORFOLK & WESTERN RAILWAY.-An officer writes that a contract has been given to W. W. Boxley & Company to build about 20 miles of the Williamson & Pond Creek, into Pike County, Ky. C. S. Churchill, chief engineer.

NORTH & SOUTH.-See Manitoba & Gulf. OREGON-WASHINGTON RAILROAD & NAVIGATION COMPANY.— An officer is quoted as saying that, under the name of the West Coast, an extension is to be built from North Yakima, Wash., West to Tacoma, 140 miles. The new line will cross the Cascade mountains through Natchez Pass, and it will be the shortest line between central Washington and the Pacific coast. SAN BENITO & RIO GRANDE VALLEY INTERURBAN.-Incorporated in Texas with $500.000 capital and headquarters at San Benito, Tex The company plans to take over the rights and property of the San Benito & Rio Grande Railroad, which has already built about 60 miles of line, it is said, from San Benito. charter provides for the construction of about 200 miles addi

The

tional, as follows: From San Benito to Boulevard Junction, thence via Ohio station and Santa Maria to a point two miles north of Hidalgo, 45 miles; Boulevard Junction via Hicks to the canal of the San Benito Land & Water Company, nine miles; Hicks to Villa Neuva, 14 miles; San Benito to Hull Junction, 12 miles; San Benito to Point Isabel, on the Gulf of Mexico, 27 miles; from a point on this line six miles from San Benito via Anta Junction, Hull Junction and Cowles to Alton, 48 miles, with a branch from this line from a point 27 miles west of Combes to Mestenas, 20 miles; from a point on the Rio Grande north through Mission to Monte Cristo, 22 miles. It is understood that the new company is controlled by the Frisco interests. The incorporators include S. A. Robertson, W. G. B. Morrison, S. Spears and L. O'Bryan, all of San Benito; J. S. Rice, D. C. Dunn and R. C. Fullbright, all of Houston.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC.-This company has just let a contract to McArthur Brothers & Perk, New York, for the construction of Coos Bay extension, all on the line from a point 23 miles west of Eugene to Marshfield. The first 23 miles now are being completed by Twohy Brothers. Construction of 36 miles of the most difficult portion of the Natron-Klamath cut-off also is under way. When it is completed, which may be early next year, the remaining 80 miles can be built without much delay, as no heavy grades or curves will be encountered. See an item in regard to electrification in Oregon in General News.

TEXAS ROADS (Electric).-The Stone & Webster Management Association, which has charge of the following roads, writes that the progress on these roads is as follows: The Dallas Southern Traction began to build a line from Dallas to Waxahachie, about 30 miles, last year, and it is planned to have the line in operation by this fall.

The Fort Worth Traction Company began a line from Fort Worth to Cleburne, about 30 miles, and this line is also to be placed in operation some time in the fall.

Surveys are being made from Beaumont to Port Arthur, but the type of construction to be adopted has not been decided on yet. The line from Dallas to Terrell is also being surveyed, and work on the line from El Paso to Ysleta will probably be actually begun in a short time.

WABASH RAILROAD.-An officer writes that contracts for doubletracking work have been let as follows: To the Dickey Construction Company, South Bend, Ind., from Fairmount, Ill., west to State Line, about 20 miles, and to John Marsch, Chicago, from Worth to Orland, five miles. A. O. Cunningham, chief engineer, St. Louis, Mo. (April 26, p. 983.)

WEST COAST.-See Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company.

WILLIAMSON & POND CREEK.-See Norfolk & Western.

RAILWAY STRUCTURES.

CHICAGO, ILL.-The Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie has secured by condemnation proceedings nine parcels of land for its new freight terminal in Chicago, between Twelfth Place and West Fifteenth street, South Canal and South Clinton streets, in addition to land previously acquired by purchase. Although the company originally offered $174,500 for the nine parcels, the award of the jury was $137,238. Old buildings on the site are now being torn up.

DALLAS, TEX.-The Missouri, Kansas & Texas of Texas has purchased for $400,000 the Simpson building, now being completed, which will be used for the general offices of the M. K. & T. lines in Texas.

INTERBAY, WASH.-See Great Northern under Railway Con

struction.

Railway Financial News.

ARGENTINE CENTRAL.-The Denver Republican says that the district court has ordered the resale of this road, which was sold at a sheriff's sale a few weeks ago for $5,000. The road runs from Denver, Col., to Summit Mt. McClellan, 16 miles. CENTRAL OF GEORGIA.-The directors have voted to authorize an issue of $80,000,000 bonds, of which a block not exceeding $5,000,000 will be sold at an early date. The mortgage provides for the future refunding of all outstanding bonds. CHESAPEAKE & OHIO OF INDIANA.-The Public Service Commission of Indiana has denied the application of the company to issue $929,000 first mortgage 5 per cent. bonds, but has permitted the issue of $132,700 additional capital stock. (July 5, p. 38.)

INTERNATIONAL & GREAT NORTHERN. This company has declared an initial dividend of 1 per cent. on the preferred stock, of which $5,000,000 is outstanding. The preferred stock is non-cumulative 5 per cent. and it is expected that dividends will be paid quarterly, but the full 5 per cent. will not be paid until directors are fully convinced that conditions insure stability of earnings.

LEHIGH VALLEY.-The New York Public Service Commission, Second district, has authorized the Lehigh Valley Railway to issue to the Lehigh Valley Railroad $324,000 50-year 5 per cent. debentures to repay a debt of the Railway company to the Railroad company.

MIDLAND VALLEY.-Drexel & Co., Philadelphia, have arranged to buy the coupons due July 1 on the 5 per cent. prior lien bonds. In a letter to holders of these bonds the Midland Valley says that although earnings have been higher for the year ended June 30 than for any previous year, it is thought best to put the surplus into the property for improvements and betterments rather than to use it to pay interest. MISSOURI, KANSAS & TEXAS-This company has sold $1,500,000 one year 5 per cent. notes to Speyer & Co. The proceeds are to be used to retire $1,100,000 5 per cent. six months' notes, which matured June 30.

NEW YORK CENTRAL & HUDSON RIVER.-See New York & Harlem.

NEW YORK, NEW HAVEN & HARTFORD.-The New England Steamship Company has increased its stock from $250,000, all owned by the New England Navigation Company, to $6,000,000. The New England Navigation Company, all of whose stock is held by the New York, New Haven & Hartford, has heretofore operated the Sound steamers owned by the New England Steamship Company.

NEW YORK & HARLEM.-A balance sheet as of May 31 has been made public by the secretary in accordance with the request of the stockholders. This shows the cost of road and equipment of both steam lines and street car lines as $22,018,888; free investment and real estate not leased for railway purposes, $191,732; cash in banks, $166,592.

The liabilities are $10,000,000 stock, $12,000,000 31⁄2 per cent. mortgage bonds, $4,625 matured bonds, $2,872 unclaimed interest and $369,715 surplus.

NEW YORK STATE RAILWAYS.-The New York Public Service Commission, Second district, has given permission to this subsidiary of the New York Central & Hudson River to issue $50,000,000 50-year 41⁄2 per cent. bonds and to buy the outstanding stock of the Syracuse Rapid Transit, of which $768,000 preferred and $1,672,000 common is not now owned by the N. Y. S. R. Eighty dollars is to be paid for the common and $110 for the preferred. Permission is to be given to issue $4,736,842 bonds at once, to be sold at 95, to pay for outstanding bonds amounting to $4,500,000.

PERE MARQUETTE.-The principal and semi-annual interest of the 6 per cent. debenture bonds due July 1 was not paid, the coupons of the $10,106,000 4 per cent. refunding mortgage bonds of 1905-1955 all being paid by the Bankers Trust Company, New York.

RUTLAND.-Supreme Court Justice Gerard, of New York, has issued an injunction restraining the New York Central & Hudson River from selling to the New York, New Haven & Hartford the majority stock of the Rutland. The New York Public Service Commission, Second district, had previously given its authorization to this sale. It was on the ground that the Rutland and the New Haven were parallel and competing roads, and that such a sale was in violation of the Sherman anti-trust law, that Justice Gerard based his decision. Justice Gerard cites the Northern Securities case as authority. ST. LOUIS, IRON MOUNTAIN & SOUTHERN.-The stockholders have voted to ratify the new refunding mortgage to secure an issue of $200,000,000 bonds. It is not expected that any of these bonds will be sold in the near future. The boards of directors of both the Missouri Pacific and the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern have already approved of this mortgage. SEABOARD AIR LINE.-William A. Read & Co., New York, have bought and resold $2,060,000 equipment 41⁄2 per cent. notes, series 0, due in semi-annual instalments from January 15, 1913, to 1922.

A press despatch from Tampa, Fla., says that the Seaboard Air Line has taken over the Tampa Northern and has elected as executive officers of the Tampa Northern officers of the Seaboard Air Line.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC.-See an item about the acquisition of the Portland, Eugene & Eastern and the Corvallis & Alsea in General News.

TAMPA NORTHERN.-See Seaboard Air Line. WESTERN MARYLAND.-Winslow S. Pierce, chairman of the board, has resigned for personal reasons. E. D. Adams, a director, representing the Deutsches Bank, Berlin, has been made temporary chairman.

An appropriation of $60,000 has been made by the Chilean government for the construction of the Casablanca railway, work on which had been temporarily postponed.

A line is proposed in South Africa to run from Gairtay to the junction of the Barkly East and New England roads in the direction of Barkly East, about 17 miles. This road would cost about $325,000.

With the advent of summer, gangs of convicts from various prisons of European Russia and Siberia are being sent to work on the Amur Railway, Russia. The winter force of 2,500 men will be raised to 6,500.

For the past year railway construction in Chile made good progress, especially on the Arica to La Paz line, the Longitudinal line north of Valparaiso, and the Lebu to Los Sauces line south of conception.

In Transvaal a railway is proposed from Delarey to Schweizerreinecke, 36 miles, cost about $625,000. Another line is proposed from Vethal to Zandspruit via Morgenzon and Amersfoort, 75 miles, to cost about $1,757,000.

In Natal new railways are proposed as follows: from Ginginhlovu to Eshowe, 24 miles, to cost $473,000; from Schroeders to Harburg, via Wartburg and Single Tree, 28 miles, to cost $526,000; from Paddocks to Harding, 50 miles, to cost $811,000.

On December 31, 1911, there were 13,680 miles of railway in operation in Brazil, as compared with 13,250 in 1910. In addition to these, there were 2,450 miles under construction, and 3,130 miles of line for which plans had been approved, making a total of 19,260 miles.

The National Railways of Nicaragua, about 140 miles long, are to be financed and controlled, it is understood, by Americans. The Pacific Railroad of Nicaragua has been incorporated in Maine to take over the control of these lines, and Thomas O'Connell, an American railway engineer, who has been on the Panama canal, the old Mexican Central, the Costa Rica Railway, the Government Railway of Jamaica and other West Indian, Central American and South American roads, has gone to Nicaragua to become general manager, and after the operation of the road has been begun Mr. O'Connell is to make a report to the American bankers.

JULY 19, 1912.

THE

HE introduction of new locomotives on a road has seldom attracted as much attention from the traveling public as it has in the case of the new Pacific type engines on the Lackawanna. The prevailing types of passenger power on that road have been the eight-wheel and the ten-wheel "camel-backs," with the engineman's cab placed well forward over the barrel of the boiler. The new locomotives are much larger and more powerful; the diameter of the barrel of the boiler is so great that it was impossible to place the cab over it and it has been moved to the rear, as on the ordinary locomotive. The change in appearance from the standard types of power on the Lackawanna is so great that the new locomotives are objects of considerable interest to those who have been in the habit of using that road, and it is not unusual to see crowds of commuters gathered around them at the terminal station. This is the second lot of this class of locomotives to be built for burning hard coal, the first ones having been introduced on the Lehigh Valley several years ago. They were somewhat lighter than the Lackawanna engines, weighing 241,360 lbs., as compared to 284,000 lbs. for the latter. The ten-wheel locomotives on the Lackawanna have not been able to make time with the heavy fast passenger trains over the mountains and it has been necessary to double-head. The new locomotives will handle the trains easily, for they were designed to do the work on the basis of using saturated steam. The addition of superheaters insures their being able to haul the trains readily and to handle even heavier ones than are now being hauled. The extremely long main driving box, which has only been used on two New York Central locomotives up to this time, promises to give excellent results, and will undoubtedly be used extensively on future engines. These locomotives, which are described in another part of this issue, have an exceptional number of novel features.

THE

HE opinion rendered by Commissioner Lane of the Interstate Commerce Commission in the express rate cases looks to radical changes in the methods of making express rates and to heavy reductions in them. It also contemplates extensive changes in the methods of handling express business. A statement issued for the express companies sets forth that the proposed rates would so drastically reduce the companies' revenues that they would not cover the cost of handling the business. The position of the commission appears to be that the express company is merely an agent of the railway for handling certain kinds of business, and that it is not reasonable for it to charge any higher rates than it would be proper to charge if the express business were handled directly by the railway itself. The railways have in the past been compensated for handling express business by being paid about onehalf of the gross express receipts. Therefore, whatever reduces the earnings of the express companies will reduce the compensation of the railways for handling express business unless some change be made in the method of compensating the railways. The commission issues no order at this time, but has given the express companies until October 9 to show cause why the proposed rates should not be adopted. The past course of the commission in similar circumstances indicates, however, that after the hearing it will order the proposed rates applied. That the matter will end there seems most improbable. Appeal to the courts and protracted litigation are more likely. Meantime, intelligent comment on the commission's attitude is impracticable, mainly because of the novelty of the basis on which it proposes to establish the rates. One comment, however, it seems safe to make. This is that the proposed order, if enforced, would be a remarkable example of the exercise of power by an administrative commission. Whatever wrongs the express companies may have committed, the fact is that their properties have been developed, their securities have been issued, their rates have been made and their earnings have been built up over a long period of years