, 1874-05-12

Paper Iktad by MIR. Il. II. nl0rohoust
NofOro the Society or Civil Engt.
EANGE1A

Paper Head by MIR. u. II. n1orchouso
IsofOro the Society or Civil Engi-
laoers.
Tho regular nooting Of tho Chicago Society Of
Civil Engiuoors was hold, yesterday ovening, in
tho rooms Of the Academy Of Soiouco, Tho
chair was taken BY Mr.. Ohosbrough, President
Of tho Association. After tho roading and adop-
tion Of the minutes Of tho previous meeting,
Messrs. D. $. Williams. OF Milwaukee, and I.
W. Clark, Chief Engineer Of the Chicago Tsanait
Rnilwny Company, wero admitted to membership
In tho Society.
hTr. L.. r. Morofiouse road q paper which 10
bad prepared upou 'The Cost OF transportation
on Railways" Tho speaker held that the b,iBi-
noaB Of transportation had hardly yet attatned
tho position Of IN oxaot soienco, and it would
aeom that tho worry foundations which undorlay
the whole subject we're not yet vol estab-
lshcd, or, at least, not universally
acknowledged. Tlle object Of tho papor
was to bring more clearly to vow two or
three faots TINT might bs called the foundation
stones OF the subject.
Ono of tho most important questions involved
WaH IN rotation to the
nEAgoNABLENEBs or THE 1ATEB,
and It was right to make inquiry to ascertain tho
principles governing the establishment Of charges
for transportation. It was evident that the cost
OF performing any work waB very important
element in dotarmining tie receipts ct tho per-
former. According to atatiAscB, tho average OK
pouBe OF running a train ono mile, on all the rail-
roads Of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York.
and Massachusetts for the year 1879 WAS 81, but
a glance at tho figures SHOWED that this varied
from 85 cents IN Ohio to Isl cents In MnesacAu-
setts, aud examination showed that tho lattor
amount represented MI averageof amounts vary
Ing from 10 cents to ITS cents. These figures
jSu4 H-3t,
expense Of running train for a milo was limited
in Its application. The speaker asked, What is
the cost Df transportation on Western roads
aud stated that tho field Of Investigation waA 20
vast that ho would only be able in his paper to
touol, upon its borders.
1t WIS a wsll-known fact that the expenses of
q railroad for single yoar might not fairly show
the proper average for number Of years, nor
Was it aafe to tsaKo tho average of . number Of
increased @ and decrcasod M thor business ali ako
It wRs more reliuble to take the BtatiBtics Of a
single representative rond for Il term of yoarH
aud draw conclusions from them. From the
published reports Of tho
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD,
1t was found that the average lougth Of road op-
Grated was os2 miles. and tho exponHe per train
VI cents.
moments confederation showed that the point
lad not yet been reached where the cost Of any
particular portion Of the business could be
stated. It Was desirable to ascertain what part
Of tie whole expense was due to actual tranB.
portion or dependent on the movement Of tho
trains. and what part waa due to tho general OBJ
Grafton of the road. Unoor tho former, which
lnignt DO called
TIE DIRECT ExrENsE,
would bo oaAaed tho expenses Of tho mAinto
nance nnd service Of engiuea anu cnrs, wAgeB
inc1uds repairs OF fencoB aud hnlldlngB, and oil
exonses tEat lore no direct relation to actual
transportation.
: The speaker in opening confined himself to
THE FREIGHT BUSINESS.
From the report he found that the direct ex-
ponses Of freight business for train expenses,
were $40, ,82a. 1910. Tie total freight Inlleags
was a, SAG, ,44O miles, 10 tho expense per
tnle due to train service would bc "a. .45 cents.
Ihe expense for maintenance Of way. should be
divided between tue passenger and freight busi~
nesB in proportion to the damnge done by each,
which was in proportion to the speed and weight
OF trims. The weight Of freight trains wns about
psa sS ts5 sa Of opsS ss sssD' ana rosat f
trnin OF the sano weight as passenger tain,
would do two-thirda na much damage to track,
and one of twica the we,ghts oue-third moro.
The passenger train mileage therefore repreacut-
ed, freight train mileage Of tllreo~fourths That
amount. Switching traiuB might bo considered
AZ representing one-third Of freight trains, and
construction mud general trans might be taken
US equivalent to freight trainB
For tho eight years, tho expenss tor mnn,
teuance Of way per nile run Of I'LL traiua waa
1886 cent?. Tho milonge Ut froight-traina was
2i,34G,aa0 miles Of passensor"tralns II, l54,~
307 miles switching trains. 4,850,252; other
tratna, s72, ,757 miles; total 46,225, 1888 miles,
Relucing paaAougor and switch,ng--traipB to
their equivalent lnileago. IT. WIS fouud that
three.fourths Of passenger mileage was 7,6l3,-
79o miles; onothra Of awitohiug Mlileaso,
161G751; freight, 24,3i6, 4lO other, 872, 75o,-.
mixing total mileage representing freight
trains Of 81, AIS. TAO miles.
THE COST PER MILE
on this basis would be 29.Gl cents, inntend of
1886 as found for all trainB. 1t WAS mol now
ever, proper to. take tho whole Of this expoEho
as tie iton,s which made UP this amount were
dun purity to the movement ot trains, as the ao-
tIou Of lie elomouta in caualng tho destruction
OF tic roadway, bridgey, etc., had to ho con-
ndered. They could bo divided as follows:
Renewals of rails. all duo to train movements,
direct as psr cent: joints, spikes, ,nuking frogs
and switches, diroct7 por cont; ties, divided
equally, indi.ect per cont, direct per cent;
labor on track, divided equally, Indirect al per
cent. direct q per cent; repairs Of bridges, and
direct per cent; other items, in
direct per cont direct per cont; tic to.nl
rercentage being Indirect Sc and direct Oh for
tile division Of exponsca Of maintenance of way.
amount should be taken. or 1895 cents, for tic
(root maintenance OF Wny for d train of any
character equal In apecd tons to the average
freight-tratn. The amount, 2ool cunts, did
not Include tho whole sum chargoabIo to Tho
| freight, businoss. for the mileage Of trains
producing The revenue had boon Included. Tho
proper amount WAS obtained by considering oniy
| the mileage Of
TRAINS PRODUCING REVENUE.
| Upon this onsis WAS obL4inod 81 cents; for
maintenance Of WAY, Including direct expense,
1895 cents, mud Indirect, l2.W. 80 far ns could
be ascerta,ncd, tic .d'recs tranhportation OK
ponAoa wore: for traln service, ALAS conts; for
maintenance Of way, 1896 cents; total for rln-
ulng freight.train one mllo G3.40 aeats. Ihcre
waa no absolute rule by which the indirect
expansos could be divided exactly BIO.
twoon the freight and passenger bust
noBH. Assumed that they should be
divided In the same proportion as tho direct
expenses for train service ia por cent to ffeight
and 81 per cent to pasHongor tra'n5,-tLo ~, @ total
for maintenance Of MY, 25 per cent; other sx'
psnHes, 30 per cent; taxed, per cent. Ihs
amount for taxes was exceptionally large in THO
caso Of tho 1inois Cen.rat Rattroad. Taking 7s
nor cent Of the undivided itons, aud dividing by
Il 4,oF Ma.