The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-09-05
Railway Mansgeraent-I-eaks-C Indis-
pcnsssblc-What Is to be Done!

operations Of the managers seem to be chiefly
conducted with reference to the money and
stock markets. If there is a rise of few per
cent now and then, and if bonds can be dis
posed Of at any price, it is all that is deemed i'm
oltant The stockholders begin to see that
their investments are worthless and If they get
a dividend once in while, they have good rea
con TO believe ii is paid with borrowed money,
and is but an increase of debt. Every now and
then a pitched battle is got up between the
champions of rival routes, doubtless to turn the
attention Of the public from the real to the sp-
parent difficulties Of management, and while
the lockers on are clearing away the dust which
has been cast in their eyes, the contestants de-
comp with their followers. shake hands to
ge!her, and 90 On their way rejoicing.
In this manner The leaks are kept open as
wide as ever, the stockholders are told to wait
'or better times, and when there is no further
ruinous competition, when the fares and freights
are equalized, when the free ticket system Is
abolished, and when the sky falls, their pro
perty will become valuable. and they will catch
larks. Now, the TACT is, ali this fnanciering,
stoekiobbing and humbug arise from causes
public, ana ho.'-a1iattef Who the great
managers may be at the head of our railways,
and no matter how great their financial services
may be, there is no prospect whatever of an i'm
proved slate Of things in our railway manage
ment until the real leaks are stopped and new
policy is adopted. We have fallen into RI
diculous error Of supposing that financial talent
is oil that is required to operate railway sue
cessfnly; and thuswe see it has usurped and still
usurps the functions Of scientific and practical
minds. A president o. railway becomes by
his Office not whit more aa engineer than
director Of the Albany Observatory ipso facto be-
comes an astronomer; and the consequence is,
that our system is really broken down for want
Of scientific knowledge and the enormous cost
Of maintaining and working the lines. The
railways of the United States are operated. says
al unquestionable authority, at an annual out
lay Of Sl20,000 000-the English a. about
$s0,000000. The expense Of the maintenance
Of way Of the American lines is from thrty-one
to thirty-five millions per annum, while for
similar mileage in England ii is but twelve
millions and half. The cost Of fuel with us is
eighteen millions yearly, and in England bui
seven millions and half. 1t is wen worse
than this, for the cost OF transporting passen-
gers and freight is constantly increasing. Be-
tween lS49 and 1853 there has been an advance
OF nfty per cent in these expenses. Against
such downward tendency all the stockjobbing
in Wall street is unavailing. Now then, what
is the remedy? In what way can our railway
systeM be placed on q safer footing! How are
the stockholders to be saved from the total loss
Of their property?
II Is only by placing their roads in the hands
of thoroughly educated, scientific ard practical
engineers Let the financial part of the bust
ness remain in the hands ofsthe Morans and the
Cernipgs Of the day but let the road and its
earthways, Its drain and its ballasting, its rails
and its carr, and its engines, its fuel and its
drivers and stokers be under the actual control
Of those who understand the vital importance
of these interests, ard how they make or
destroy railway enterprise.
Let us take single instance: THAT of ballast
ing. This is placing on the road-bed broken
stone or gravel burned clay, cinders, or some
the bearing of the track as equally as possibly
over The earthwork, oonfning the track to its
place, securing TIE drainage Of the surface and
giving certain elasticity to the road" so that
it shall not react too rigidly on the machinery
Of the engines and working gear Of the trains.
A road that Is not properly ballasied is danger
GUS and expensive. Dangerous because it Is
cot firm or secure in its superstructure, and ex-
pensive because its ties get displaced and alter
every foot Of the grade by rising up or falling
down. These carry the rails with them, by
which great and injurious resistance to the
motion OF the train Is created, and more power
Is requisite to overcome the resistance. II Is
just as bad In practical and financial point Of
view for a train continually to run up heavy
grade, as to be overcoming the constant de-
pressions ard elevations OF the rail-
Now the New York and Erie Railroad. with
abundance Of material for the purpose, has. as
We learn from the statement Of one Of its engi-
neers, one hundred and sixty nine miles Of I'M
ballased road, two hundred and three miles
half ballasted, and also one million six hun
bred thousand yards Of ballast are required H.
put he road in good order. The increased
wear and depreciation in value OF the locomo-
tives from this cause alone in two years, end
ing in 1857, amounted 10 sum sufficient to
pay twothirds OF the whole ballastng The
repairs Of the cars were one hundred and forty
thousand dollars In a single year more than
they would have been If the ballasting had
been properly attended to.
Here is one OF the leak holes Of the Erie,
lying at the bottom, above which are found
others equally enormous. Is il any wonder hat
It now requires $50 miles Of new iron, I'D new
ties or sleepcrs for 200 miles! The New York
Central furnishes similar well known difficulties.
If we had time we could illustrate our v;ews