The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-04-18

THAT ID, IF we charge pro rata to the distance
we drew nearly six times larger proft per ton per
mile from a person who lsbors under the disad.
vantage Of living at a long distance from market
(sixty mies) than we do from o man living at q
short distance item miles,. Column four shows us
that even extracting the same profit per ton per
mile from person at sixty miles as from one at
ten miles, we should charge him only IL per cent
as much per ton per mile as we do person at ten
miles. Upon railway sixty miles long the rela.
tive areas Of territory accommodated by a uui.
form and by graduated tariff are, respectively,
2 Gle and S.577 square miles, Ard hereiitis that a
graduated tariff not only benefits the public and
the railway company by extending carrying fscili.
ties to wider territory without loss, but by con-
stantlv attracting business, so that 1t can be
carried in gross IN such amounts as greatly to
duce the train expenses per ton, and thus, IL the
railway deal fairly with the public, allow general
reduction Of charges"
"ln the management Of the passenger traffic.
the pro rata per mile policy is not so troublesome
nor likely TO work unfairly, because The difference
IN cost between long and short passage per mile
is lot so wide, from the fact that it costs nothing
TO handle passengers while il does cost some shing
to load and unlosd freight. As matter of fact
the great majority of managers think IL policy to
commute the fares or short routes, charging from
one and one quarter of cent to two cents per
mile for season passengers, while for trau.
sient passage the rate averages four cents per
mile. Fer a through passage of some hundred
miles, the rate is about three cents per mile"
The distinguished editor Of that able periodical,
De BOWS Review. remarks as follows 10 late
number of the New Orleans Bulletin:
L" There are very few roads whose freights bal.
snce-'hat is, which carry ss much freight one
way as the other. We may mention a road not a
thousand miles from New Orleans which does
not carry twenty per cert. of the tonnage up the
road that il brings down. II lie, however, obvious
that it costs within an imperceptible amount to
run the trains up road that it does down. 1t
guYprisn fhCup IN whom the cubiaet ia moi
familiar that II costs almost as much 70 run a
train empty as If il were full The cost of run
ming train consists OF certain constant aud con-
tiDgent quantities. The constant charges are :
Interest on capital stock, deterioration and insur
snce of perishable structures salaries and wages,
These charges 90 on If the road stops. The con-
tingent expenses are: Wear and tear, Insurance
and cost Of running engine and cars, abrasion of
rails. etc.
Eve have seen these constant charges esti-
mated at nearly eighty per cent. of the whole ex
penses Of a road. There are very few roads on
Which every train is loaded to the inll capacity Of
power, which il is the interest Of the company to
utilize. 1t follows, therefore, that IL freight
train be made up TO run over road with less ton
mage than the engine can draw, IL will be economy
10 put more cars mp TO the full capacity OF the
engine. If train is TO depart with only seventy
five tons of freight, when the engine could draw q
hundred, it is obviously better to take on twenty.
five tons of through freight especially If 1t comes
ready loaded on the cars OF another company at a
lower rats per ton per mile than that at which il
carries its own local or way freight.
"We say safely, go further. II company takes
through freight which il could not oiher wise get
at anything more than the contingent or Running
expenses such excess Is clearly net gain which
would be lost TO the company If refused. So far
therefore. from the local and way shipper being
injured by such accession 10 the trade of the road
it enables the company better to comply with its
chartered contract. IL moreover improves the
dividends of the community locally interested in
the road by bringing foreign money into the COM
psny's treasury"
In conformity with the facts stated In the above
extracts and the views expressed, which coincide
fully with those of the board, we have endesvored
persistently for some time back Notwithstanding
some discoursging failures owing TO the number
Of routes which had to be brought into the ar
raDgementj TO build up as already stated a
through freight line over several connecting
roads. We have every reason to believe that our
efforts will now be crowned with success.
In concluding this report desire to tender my
thanks TO the members Of the board, especially
the chairman Of the executive committee, Mr..
W. Henderson, for the assistance they have
afforded me in conducting the affairs of the com.
papy. and | take pleasure in calling your atten-
ton to the able and faithful manner in which the
general superintendent. Mr.. T. S. Williams, aud
the other officers of the company, have discharged
their lsborious duties.
Respectfully submitted,
G. T. BFAvREGAHD President