, 1873-07-14


fcw facts will holp to chow tho jnstioo Of those
estimates, and tho effect OF changes in the.cost
Of iron sinco 1860.
According to records published by tho Amori- |
can Iron and Stool Association tic nvorage cost |
Of railway bars In 1900 was $48 por ton, md IN |
1879 1t was e85.1219. At 100 tons to tho milo,
rnils which cost s4,so0 in 1860, now cost
s8,512.60, and tho inorcnso in cost Of rails
a1ono Inns boon about e3,71250 por milo. |
spikoBt chairs, flsh-platca, bolts md nuts,
bridge iron, whoels, axlaB, and iron uHod
for othor parts OF cars and enginos, has |
increased quito aa much In cost as |
tho rails. OF other iron In all forms, at /
loast twice aa much Ia lsod "a In tho rail alone.
Every otght-whoolcd car usos about throo tons |
In whools mud nxlea alone, ongnoa weigh about |
thirty tons, and nro almost wholly OF iron and |
stool. II twico as much Iron is consumed per |
milo in other forms aB In the rail, tho cost OF |
iron alono Is $25, 600 per milo, and tho inoroaso
OF cost since 1860 is e11, 60 por milo. Upon
this greater cost the road, whom built must pay |
intorost. Under the prosort tariff, tho Increased
cost Of iron used in building roads oompe1B |
ovory road built since 1862 to earn 4770G2 more
thnn 1t otherwise need earn, in order to pay por
cont interest on its cost. This is perpetual tax
upon all transportation over Buoh roads. The
main lines in Illinois earn about $4,000 por
milo, hut tho average for all roads In the State is
probably not more than $1,000 per mile; If 80,
tho roads OF this state might reduce all charges
about one-alxth, and yet make as much money
aH thoy do now II tho cost Of building roads 1,ad
not been increased since 1860 by tho thrift on
Iron. The reduction might bo much greater 1t
thoy could uHe Ateol instead Of iron.
Tho track onco 1aid needs constant rclnying.
Experiments by Mr. A. s. Hewitt, given iii ro~
porta OF Massachusetts, Hallway Commissioners,
show that the average duration Of iron rails on
tho Eric Railroad was about 394 yoars, and that
on roads with tho hoa7iest business iron lasts
but threo to four yoars on roads with fair bust-
neas five years, and on roads doing small busi-
ndss from twelve to fifteen years. Reports az to
tho Michigan Southern, tn 1870, ehowod
TINT tho avorage Of iron raila in that
track was four years, and noticed that
foro tho War. The Eric usod 1000 tons
per month, Or 28 a-10 tons yearly per milo OF
road In operation, which, at tho ratio OF 1860,
would have cost s1,so3.2o per milo yoarly, but
at tho rate Of 1872, s2,41H6oper milo ycarly,-an
incroaso Of s1.054.70 per milo yoarly caused
aololy by tho greater cost Of iron rails used in
rolaying. On small roads, whero rails last
twelve years. the cost Of 815 tons per milo
ycarly ut tho rate Of 1860 would be s408
and at tho rate of 1870 1t would DO s723.50 m
increase In cost Of s3l5.50 per milo yearly
But tho former is upon road whose gross ro-
ceipts we're $4,000 por mile tho latter upon
roads OF Bhortor limo or lighter business, whoao
receipts average perhaps $4,000 por milo. Tho
higher cost Of iron for relaying, therefore, may
canso not more than one-eighteenth Of tho
whole charges Of q large road, doing q
heavy through business, md yot equal
ono.sixth OF the entire receipts OF , q
smaller rond, or ono depending upon local
traftic. II tho roads Of Illinois average receipta
Of ct, 600 per mile probably tito Increased cost
Of iron for relaying is at least $500 por mile. or
ono-tenth Of entire receipts. We llavo yat to e.
timate tho cost Of repair and replacement Of
engiues cars, wheels, axles, brakes and all otl-
or iron uaod, which, though exceeding. the railH
in quantity, wears out loss rapidly. Yot tho year.
II supply Of new wheo1s and axles alone, as con-
sus reports elow, was about $4,000 tons when
only $4,000 miles OF roal were in oporation,-an
average Of ~ tons to thomilo Thonumber Of ell
gines mado was i, ,197, probably averaging 80 tona
each or nearly 7-10 Of ton to oaoh. mile operat-
| cd. The increased cost OF 1t tons to tho milo
is e297. II we add only $3.50 por mile moro for
Increased cost Of all other iron uaod In re-
| pairs and renewals, We have 1888 por milo
| yearly, or ono-slxtA Of tho ayerago receipts.
| Thus, II tho average OF charges on all our roads
has boon increased ono-fifth, and no more, Binco
1860, that increase has just covered tho creator
expense caused by high tariff On iron used in
renewals and requirements, and yields the roads
no additional profit.
! One-aixth Of present receipts for tho increased
expense Of iron used every year, and one-sixth
moro for interest On the increaso in original cost
Of iron used In building, makos ono-third II
/ one-third Of all present charges has boon added
since 1861, that is, ii rates have Increased ono
half,-tle railroads only recoivo enough moro to
pay tho extra expense caused by tho tarif on
iron, and tho interest on tho extra cost Of
iron used in building. Get rid Of tho
tariff on iron only, and tho roads can
charge one-tlirl loss--two dollars where tloy
now charge throe-and yet mako as much money
as they 10 now. It will bo objected TINT tho
railroads havo not Increased their average rules
ono-half since 1860, and that ia uuquestionably
true. They nro doing much larger buainoss in
the aggregate, aud, ILL wo have aeon, the larger
tho business tho lightor the burden becomes.
Tho largest roads, on heavy through b,Biness
Charge no increase; the great volume OF buai-
ness onablos them to bear tho added burden Of
mill nr,HT In, T1.4