The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-30
Passenger Trains on the r. D r. I. Ry.

pers along the line OF the Peoria q Rock
Island Railway rather severely criticise
the action of Mr.. billiard, the Receiver of
the road, for Withdrawing one OF the pas
senger trains that formerly run over that
road. When the policy of withdrawing
the train was first announced we too re-
GREETED that it was to be done and felt dis
posed to join in the clamor for its return
but before doing so we concluded to inves-
tigate the matter and be sure that we had
good ground for so doing. We found, from
the published reports of the earnings of
the road for the two years prior to the APP
pointment of the Receiver, that the entire
gross receipts from passengers only reached
the sum of sixty-three cents per mile per
train run, deducti1g nothing for passengers
carried on freight trains or on excursions.
All the receipts from passengers go into
the passenger account, but we estimated
only the regular trains, giving them the
benefit of all money received from the
sources named. If these deductions are
made the gross receipts per train run
would probably not exceed fifty-cents per
mile run, which, we are told, is consider
ably less than the actual cost of running
them.
In common with our contemporaries, we
would, of course, prefer to have two trains
per day between this city and Peoria. And
we would like it still better if we could
have a train every hour, not only on this
road but also on all the roads running to
this city, for then the people could ride
when they pleased. Such trains are run
between New York and Philadelphia, and,
. we doubt not, when Rock Island and Peo-
ria become as large as those cities we shall
8 have similar accommodations here; but
until that day arrives we will have to put
I'D with such conveniences as the public
; patronage warrants.
Mr.. billiard was appointed by the court
. to operate the road and make what money
he fairly can for the bondholders while the
Q suit for foreclosure is pending. and he
4 would have no right to run trains merely
y to accommodate the public unless he coule
y thereby make at least running expenses
g Indeed he might render himself liable tt
o removal by the court for improperly vast
J. ing the resources of the road, were be
g tn run trains simply to please the public a
y the expense of the treasury of the road.
Under the former management the roat
did not earn enough to pay the interest OIL
% the money borrowed to build it, or even t
/. fence it and keep it in such condition as t
make it reasonably safe road to ride On
o. and the public ought to rejoice if a MAJ
has been found who can render the roat
Re reasonably safe and make it a paying in
+ stitution, for if it cannot be made to pay
will, of course, have to be abandoned
We knew but little about Mr.. billiard a
as railroad manager, previous to his ar
pointment as Receiver,-in fact our opin
ion of his appointment was rather unfavol
able. for the reason that he was connecte
with the former incompetent management
But since he has been untrammeled b
the incompetent set displaced he ha
n shown good business qualities which "
'i did not before think he possessed, and "
are glad to learn that he has been able
add materially to the net earnings of ii
ry road, and we hope that he or somebod
u else will cause it to earn enough to make
en- 6rst-class road, over which people ca
ey travel without feeling that they do SO
a the hazard of losing life or limb. Tha
es. however, cannot be expected until it
a fenced and put in proper repair.
lty Some Of the papers alluded to also cor
he plain of the slow rate of speed of the mike
25, or accommodation trains which run dai
from Galva each way to make up. in PAL
for the taking off the other regular passe
ger train. We are not enough acquainte
ast with all the circumstances in regard
these trains to say whether these cor
L. plants are just or not,-and we doubt
y any but railroad man is. The time r
quired at stations varies with the bushes
es- The locomotive which hauls the train
ex compelled to do the switching at station
'er for the reason that there is not busine
enough at those small stations to warra
~ the keeping of switching engine at eac
- At some stations there is good deal
work to be done, at others very little, oil
" that fact must be taken into account b
fore judging whether the time card is pr
perly arranged or not IF it is not prope
10. ly arranged we are sure that experien
On will show what ought 10 be done to CORE
ed it, and that Mr.. Hiliard will be very reat
and willing to do everything he can to a
commodate all the patrons of the roa
provided he is not required to waste Il
we money of the road in running trains wifi
ng, do not pay. In the absence of Il
is, knowledge to judge of that matter, al
no until the road is fenced and put in prop
lb- repair, we would say, the slower trains r,
for the better. We do not think our cotel
for poraries wish to be unjust towards N
IN Hilliard, or to find fault merely for t
the sake of finding fault, and we doubt nj
OF when they come to look on both sides
ley the case, they will more kindly judge t
lis matter.
lis ---------------
Call at Fred Hass's and examine that G
amelled pipe.
cad [ hereby respectfully invite eyervbo,