The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-01

| tIthht1 III " lhb DEODOIiOui hctcbV'ht ~
present six railway passengers for each in-
habitant OF France. These results are I'M
| pressivc, but they will not bear comparison
| with the record OF the state or Massachu-
setts, which in 1915 had six times as much
! iron road in operation to the square mile,
md could show no less than twenty-one
messengers for each unit of her population.
A tremendous impetus was given to rail-
way development by the law of lsOj, which
| authorized the COuucils-Gencrdl to pro-
mote local lines in their several depart
mcnts and 1t is now probab o that every
considerable town, or productive rural dis
trct in France. will ut no distIut day en-
joy rail communication with the CONNER
cinl centres. II is to be noted, however,
that few important aud lucrative roads,
assured from the start OF an extensive
traffic, remained unconstructed Mt the date
just mentioned, and therefore most Of the
branch lines undertaken of late years,
however conducive to the public interest,
have proved bad investments for share
holders. or the thirteen thousand miles
of railway under trafflc il appears that
only about n quarter yields u dividend OF
81 per cent, while nearly third returns
less than two per cent, aud more than
tenth only pays running expenses.
We learn from q late official report that
the average gross receipts of local aud
! branch roads in France fall short OF $500
per mile, whereis the mean running ex-
penses absorb 5000. A low estimate
places the cost of construction, including
rolling stock, at fifty thousand dollars
! II Ia I,xi, tharafora that atIpl
lines could only pay dividend of three
per cent, provided they were built aud
equipped exclusively with the proceeds OF
stock taken ut par. As q matter OF fact.
! the necessary capital ~ usually borrowed
by the smaller companies ut relatively
high rate of interest. seldom less than seven
and half per cent. Granting, moreover.
that local roads may sometimes borrow at
the same rate as the great through lines,
say at SIX per cent, including sinking
| fund, even this charge would involve an
annual deficit Of fifteen hundred dollars
per mile. Under such circumstances the
nsuficiency of receipts is naturally met
with the proceeds of new mortgages, an
expedient which speedily turns the road
over to the bondholders, unless, rs some
times happens in France, and more fire.
quently in the United States the develop
ment of the country keeps pace with the
augmented burdens.
In other words. the further extension of
the French railway system encounters pre-
csely the same problem which is present.
ed in many parts of our own territory,
namely, how to secure reimbursement OF
the construction fund from district COM
petent to pay little more than the run
ming expenses of an ordinary road. The So
luton would sem to bea narrower gauge,
and this innovation isnow attracting great
attention in France. IL is calculated that
wltha gauge OF thirty-nue inches the out
Law for building and equipment might he
reduced to $4,000, and the cost of operat-
ing to $500 per mile. should the earn
ings OF lines in sterile and thinly peopled
regions fall considerably below the ave-
rage above named, and yield for instance,
only $4,000, instead OF e., 500 per mile, they
would still slffice, where roads were con-
structed on this principle, to pay dividend
OF four per cent. on the capital invested.
There is, OF course, an objection to the
narrow gauge which has considerable
weight in the United States. No doub
| the breakage of bulk necessitated by the
transfer Of freight to tracks of the norma
/ breadth, entails extra expense for handling
, as well ms loss of time aud certain dote
I riontion. These draw backs, however, ar
OF less consequence in France. where thu
r system OF through transportation Is mucl
less thoroughly organized. IL appear
from the latest statistics on the subjec
that nearly eighty per cent OF the mer
ohandise passing from branch roads 4
trunk lines OF the same gauge, Is subject
cd 10 "A change of cars. At the time, in
deed, of the official inquiry in 1861 as 4
the operation and construction OF Frencl
railways, the commission was Obliged 4
accept breakage of bulk as the genera
rule in railroad transportation.
We are led to think that resolute ndop
ton Of the narrow gauge might confer oil
France network of railways not los
' complete and intricate than that OF Massa
r chusetts. Certainly no country has NOR
= urgent reason for augmenting her faclli
S ties OF communication, and expanding L
T the utmost her productive forces. TIL
Y load OF debt which she now sustains
= greater than was ever borne by any natio
= on the earth, and the burden is not likel
z TO be lessened in the future complication
a NJ Euronean politics