As Burlington employes, you may be interested in what I am now going to tell you about the development of the coal business north through Galesburg. I need not tell you how much it has increased during the last four years, for you have seen it grow from practically nothing up to its present proportions. Some six or seven years ago the Burlington officers gave careful consideration to the problem of increasing the Company's business, and you must bear in mind that freight shipments do not just _happen_ to go this way or that. Well, they finally decided that the most promising opening was to try and develop a coal movement from Southern Illinois to the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the Northwest generally, where the winters are severe and fuel supply limited. It was found that if coal from Illinois was taken to the Twin Cities it would have to be sold in competition with coal from Pennsylvania and other eastern states shipped by water to Duluth. It was also found that the coal from Franklin and Williamson Counties in the southern part of the state, while of very good quality, would not bring the same price on the market in St. Paul as the eastern coal. It was also found that in order to be sold at a sufficient profit to the dealer, in competition with the eastern coal, the railroad would have to carry it from Herrin, Ill., to St. Paul, 648 miles, for not more than $2.10 per ton, or 3.2 mills per ton mile. It was also found that it was impossible to do this at a profit to the railroad, as conditions then were; that is to say, we could not haul coal at that rate and make money on a road full of one per cent grades. The engineers were put to work, however, and an estimate was prepared showing what it would cost to put the line from Savanna to Herrin all to a standard grade not exceeding sixteen feet per mile, the line above Savanna being all right. It was believed that it would pay to make the improvement--and you know the rest. The line was built from Centralia to Herrin, the Fenton-Thompson cut-off was built, grades were cut, and, altogether, more than $5,000,000 were spent to put the road in shape to haul coal to St. Paul in 3,000-ton trains. Of course, many new engines were bought, as well as new and high capacity cars suitable for the coal trade. It is a low rate business, and as you know, the cars as a rule return empty, but handled over low grades and in full trains it pays a fair profit; but every additional item of cost, of course, reduces the profit.