Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-10-25
The transportation Question.

GER cARB1AGE UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM
OF nA11RoADs-wHAT IT WOULD COST UNDER
THE THREE-rooT sYsTEN-TnE COST OF
rHREE-Foor LINE PROM LAKE CHAMPLAIN TO
TIDE WATER AT BOSTON AND NEw HAVEN.
In these days of attempts to improve and
comfort the business of the country, let us
look and see if something might not be done
for New England which would be- more like
ly to bring permanent relief than attempt
ing to make cash ont Of paper money. The
railroads of New England have cost too much
money. aud this first cost rests like a heavy
burden upon the shoulders of The business
community. Let us ask why this is, and
then calmly consider the proposed means of
relief. We viii frat attempt to show what it
costs the business of the country, or this sec
ton of it,, to support the lines of transporta-
ton over which every kind of industry must
carry itspro11cts or draw its supplies. TO
reach Boston we find TIA, Fitchburg railroad
with $ 600, 600 capital, bliug its business
upon prices to earn per cent. dividends, or
$50, 600 poranuum and with floating debt
in addition Of $500, 900, which amounts at 6
per cent. to S3O,0oD per aunum. Also, the
Vermont 4 Massachusetts, railroad with
capital stock of s., 500 OOO earning per
cent, or sl7l.GO0 per anuum, and SSG5,OOO
of floating or bonded debt. which ut per
cent amounts to Sil,9 800 per aunum, thus
making It necessary to earn for profits he
tween tins pout and Boston Si73, 800 per nm
mum. Is moi this a pretty largo tax to levy
upon business for 100 miles OF railroad to pay
these charga IS which these already constructed
railroads think they are entitled to- But,
suppose this route from here to Boston was
upon q thrac-foot gauge and built 10y the
route it ought to bs-N. SiJgtest. Thus
built and fully equipped, it would cost not
to exceed 81, OO0,O 900; per cent on this sum
is $40, 900, a difference of Sl53 800, or about
= $500 per mile per annum in the profits that
must be earned. In other words, Il railroad
business is now done which compels business
TO be taxed to earn sum for profits which,
if the same sum were the gross earnings of q
railroad constructed upon this new System,
would pay a handsome dividend upon its cost
In addition to this saving ia cost Of construc-
ton is the great saving in expense Of opera
ton of the road. Official returns show that
lllt IOhua VI hhnSitslltNttt~ Nliltl IlIbtit-
bly, managed as wella> my roads in the United
States cost about - per cont. OF their gross
earnings for operating expenses Even the
enemies of this new sgt m n luit that the
three-foot gauge can be operated Tor 30 per Ct
of the gross earnings. Now this item of saw
ing would very. soon pay for this new change.
| Putting the earnings of railroad at 3, 900
per mile, under the old system $500 of this
must go for operating expenses; under the
three-foot system $500 only is required,
making q difference on 100 miles of road of
| 500, OOO per annum. which is per cent. on
the entire cost Of u thrae-foo; road to Boston.
| This saving would pay for the first cost Of
the road in fifteen years but the capitalist
is going to get his dividends and more too out
of the 30 per cent. of the earnings, and the
saving will inure TO the benefit Of the country.
Now let MS take one more step in this
new field. The average cost of New Eng
land railroads exceeds $40, 900 per mile while
| the three-foot gauge can be constructed for
one-half that sum. One hundred miles Of
road at so, 600 is J 900, 900 the same at
| $50, 900 is $1,000. eco difference in interest
S120, 900 per annum, or $1,000 per mile
Now, taking Our former figures of 100 miles of
road at - 600 per mile, $500 600 per annum,
and operate for 20 per cont. of gross earnings
instead of 20 percent. as under the present re
gime and to this sum add 5000 COu. which isthc
roper cent. difference in operating, add inter
est saved and We have sam Of 500, coo.
or II per cent. Of the business done on the
! line. This percentage taken from the prese Mt
passenger and freight tariffs shows the gain
to the business community. Calling the nv
crnge tariG from Brattleboro TO Boston $500
per ton though it !, really much more-and
| you have a saving of -. 20 per ton on freight
taking IT per cent. from the average passt IL
ger tariff and the fare from this place to Bos-
ton becomes -, or a tribe less Would sGch
a scale Of prices as this add to the business
of the country; What more advantageous
way Of filling up our country resorts could be
conceived Of than to have the price of railroad
fares such that the thousands Of ely people OF
moderate means could afford to visit them?
What binders the available wntcr-power of
our country streams from being used Al
manufacturers will tell You it is the cost OF
raw material from the seaJoard. Reduce this
sum a per cent. and see how soon We shall
find every available place sought for, and the
busy hum Of industry bringing to our door
something better than the temporary cxpedi-
cucy OF "A greenhack FOR hard times. II briHy,
permanent prosperity Take place so locat
ed that it now pays Sl.a0 per ton freight on
coal, pig iron, cotton, wool. and similar prod
ucts deduct a per cent. and the tariff is
cents per ton. Would this saving be Of any
benefit to the manufacturer: 1t is n sum
large enough to change IA worthless bushes,
into a very profitable one. This is not idle
dreaming; the statements are solid facts and
| cannot be disproved. The time must come
when the expensive system Of railroads now
in existence must become obsolete, or thi,
country will gradually decay in its business in
terests. But, although We must have cheap
er transportation the managers Of the pres
ent system of railroads say they cannot re
duce their prices any more and live and they
probably speak the truth. The capitalist
working man, business man and manufac
turer, are all equally interested in this prob
lem. If New England is to thrive it can on
ly be made to do so by improving every op
portunity for economizing in the construction
and operation of these arteries of commerc,
and business life.
When this new system is talked abou
among railway managers, the first argumon
against it is the cost of transhipment from tn
common gauge to the new throe-foot gauge
But why have any transhipmcut; Let thi
system go from water to water; from lake t,
seaLoard. Build from some point on LAX
Champlain near its southern end to point OF
the Connecticut river and from there run T.
Boston aud New Haven-two arms-to Bosto
100 miles, to New Haven l2O miles,
these will form a very valuable line of railroads
capable Of doing their business without an