New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-16
RAILROAD CLEARING HOUSE.

The annexed interesting account of a Clearing House
for Railroads established in London in which IS Com
panies are represented, is from pamphlet published
by Mr.. Charles Babbage. 1t is worthy the attention
of our railroad managers:
Soon after the establishment OF railways 1t was ioud
that great inconvenience occurred, both To the puoc
and TO the proprieors from the change of carriages,
trucks &c. al the functions of different lines belong
mo Ia different companies "While the measures best
adapted for obvating these admitted evils were under
consideration it occurred, about the same time, TO
Mr. Robert Stephenson, and To Mr.. ~ Morrison the
present manager of the railway clearing house, that
central office constituted on the principle OF Inc Guy
clearing house would furnish the remedy sought
When the idea was suggested tn MI Giyn ne saw
glance, it, practical bearing lent the whole weight
of his great influence to procure its beng realized IN
practice and mainly instrumental IN accomplishing
that object. ,,,,
occurred 10 the minds of men OF busness but the com
pcaed conditions necessary to be fulfilled IN adapting
Il 10 the use of RAILWAYS required the undivided and un
in ing energies of mind exclusively devoted 10 tho
snbiect Fortunately. Mr.. X. Morrison who had the
charge of the audit department of the London ana Dir
Minis cham Railway, and who had also drawn up an QUE
lire OF the system he proposed, was lhtrusted WIN ITO
ON The I'd January 1872 the system Of the railway
Clearinghouse came operation on the railways eN-
tending from London to Darlington III one dlrecuoh'
and from Hull TO Manchester in another.
Al the nrcsent time 1856 il unites 70 companies
THE main principles of the system thus widely DIT
fused are-frst, that passengers shall be booked
through all the principal stations, and conveyed 10
their destination without change OF carriage; that
holses and cattle shall likewise be sent through wh-
out change of conveyance; and that goods shall nths
same way be carried through without being either
shifted or re-assOted. Secondly that the companies
respectively shall paya fixed rate per mile for such
carriages and wagons not their own property ma they
NAV use; and further sum per day by way OF hne or
demurrage for detention, II kept beyond prescribed
length OF time And lastly, that DO direct settlement
shall take place between the companies IN respect OF
any traffic the accounts of which have passed through
the railway Clearinghouse.
THE portion of the clearing system which relates
o the settlement OF accounts consists of arrangements
With ara simple in character and capable OF unlm-
tied extension From each of the clearing house sra
ons there sent daily to the central once III Lon
don: /. return of The passengers booked througn'
, return of the hOrses, private carriages and cattle
backed through g. A return of the parcels booked
through. T. A return Of the goods traffic lnyoIcod
through j. A return of nil the carriages, wagons,
&C. which have arrived or been dispatched c',ne.
loaded OF empty D. Along with these returns are sent
all the thrOugh tickets collected, and all the parcels
wsy-bills received during the way.
From the returns thus transmitted, after they nave
heep examined comprised and analysed other returns
are drawn I'D in the railway clearing house and tor
warCed TO the respective companies III a lorm WHICH
admits of their being verified by the parties Receiving
hon and exhibiting in detail the portion Oi the re-
ein,s of the through traffic to which each company 10
entitled and the liabilities it has incurred oy using the
carriages and wagons of others lie ina settleineht
~ he
having or receiving the balances as the case may be-
through the hands of the bankers who act a. agents In
ond0n 10 the several companies. In this way all the
transactions of company with all the other copt
MES amounting frequently ~ many thousand POUNDS
D.r week are cleared weekly, by the remittance oI
.1ms seldom exceeding few hundred pounds
oThe railway clearing house is under the control Of
q Committee composed Of a delegate from each rail-
uav company which IL party tn the clearing arrange
nei f. he committee holds four general meetings IN
the oure of the wear and special lungs a. often
n. there NAV be occasion he resolutions Of the Com
u,tee are passed IN the form of recommendations 10
the companies 10 adopt the measures proposed and
have no force until they obtain the confirmation vi the
respective boards OF directors The expense OF main
tanning the establishment is divided rateably GmoIg
the companies in the ratio OF the extent OF bus ness
transacted for each sffer fixed sum has been hIN
carried to the debit of each company, for each OF It's
stations from which accounts are sent TO the clearing
house.
The great the browning achievement OF the clear
ing y stem is the facility. the economy and the tAPe
dillon with which il enables the railway cOHlPanieo
work the through traffic II had IL origin a. has De.u
-bCwn, in the desire OF railway coinpaii'. ~ P
their own interest in the ONLY way ia which they can
be .ifectually promoted placed in position VI IT,
manent iecurty-hat il, by consulting Puoi p,arn :
IL has grown tn the growth OF the rauHay syi,aJ
and unes. the public accommodation DC .;
srd tic evcercias Of tie commercial mAnnia ,,u'io
and agricultural interests disrcgarded II lu' -
TO the limits TO which continuous
railway extend ,-x lsr,ai,c,o.ss
~ 80; - has taken place during the last ten
80 e,Sre, lime 1875 and 1857 Number Oh EslFoais
sixteen In ls45 seventy three IN io' iel Vi olI,
ne IIO miles in iS55; number OF Carriages ot al
- SO as in 1876 9o7 LIS IN 1870; number oil goods
sinu,, Is0 COS in 1886 ii0l eco in 1855; amount
nssc"o5n,. cleared EiOl 65l in 1915; fi,5i9 6p Is
yeS - Is55. number Of miles the rolling stock OF the
somnspes ran on lines Other ttse theu own, i6s ga