Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-05
THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
[From the Globe-Demoerst.] I

fFrom the Globe democrat
n The report OF the railroad commits
sioners OF Missouri for the years 1877!
and 1880 is incomplete tor the latte
year, on account of a conflict in tn,
statutes by which full statistics can no
be obtained until March next, vet i
contains much that is OF interest TO ths
public and has the merit of being en-
tirely free OF the meaningless verbiage
that so often incumbers the reports o.
state officials. A glance at the com
Plete and neatly executed railroad maI
OF the state which accompanies it reveals
the fact of great preponderence in
Erailroad development in that portieti Of
the state north OF the Missouri Pacific
Road. While there is network. of
railroads covering that section, the re.
gion to the southwark is pierced only
by the trunk lines OF the Iron Mountain
and the St. Louis and San Francisco
systems. The latter stretches, its tor
tuous length from Pacific to Sprin gfield
a distance of over 200 miles, without
putting forth single branch, except a
| snort spur from Cuba to. Salem. ln the
npge triangle between it and the Iren
Mountain Road lie some twenty coun,
ties which are practically without rail
road facilities. and which are in a man
ner cut of from communication with
the rest OF the state. .Ihe IronoMeant.
ain Road runs almost due south -toE 18O
miles TO the state line, and while, it eper.
ates nearly 200 4 miles of tconnecting
lines to the left, puts off nothing to the
right except a side track from Mineral
Point to Potosi, less than four miles
long. 1t looks as if these two great
trunk roads had formed conspiracy. to
keep out ol the territory lying between
them and maintain it as. neutral ground
to be undeveloped for their mutual safe.
ty.
On the -31st of December, 1880, there
were in operation IN the state 4.OO7
miles OF railroad. The .Sa9 miles Of the
Wabash, st. Louis and Pacific is.ihe
greatest mileage operated by a single.
company. while the Missouri Pacific
stands next with a mileage OF 79S miles.
During the year 1880 there were 800
miles Of new read completed and put in
operation against 3OS miles lin 1879.
ihe average cost per, mile OF the,
railroads as represented BY their stock
and bonded debt is $55 .594, but what
proportion of this belongs to Equipment
is not stated, and indeed the.rsport is
seriously detective in presenting no Ia
bles gef. the equipment :, ,oi the, various
roads. The gross earnings OF the roads
in 1879 wele SIS, ,357i per mile, or an,
aggregate "oti $19 ,374, ,126. J. The; earn,
ings Tor 1880 can not be. given until
March, but from what is known OF the
increase of business it is assumed theyI
can not be less than $21,00O,O0 The
percentage of earnings consumed'by ex-
Psnses varies from 50 to! 40, the former
beng the proportion OF the, st. Lonis
and San Francisco, and the latter tfiat
OF the Wabash. st. Louis and Pacific.
Ihe condition of the roads has been
greatly improved during the two years,
about thousand miles OF steel rails
having been LAID and large additions
made to the rolling stock and motive
power OF the principal lines. and the
managers are awarded the credit OF
havDg done everything in their power
to improve the lines under their charge
The report would have been more val.
liable to the general reader had it con-
tained list Of the roads now building,
with their prospects as, to early compile.
tlon, although such statistics are not
strictly in the line oil the commissioners
official duties. Fe .,.. -,
The inspection of the roads by Com
missioner Harding appears to have
been very thorough, taking in the minu-
test details of track and structures, and
carefully noting needed repairs. The
chapter OF accidents is chiefly occupied
with discussion of the fall of the st.
Charles bridge, on which there is
special report by Mr.. Harding. who is a
civil engineer OF experience and speaks
with the authority of an expert. From
his knowledge OF the proportion -of the
span which gave way, he considers it
impossible that it could have failed on
account Of the effect OF the load upon it.
He adopts the theory that the disaster
was caused by the derallment of a car,
in the absence OF any positive evidence
on the question. The bridge as now
built will sustain the shock of car off |
the rails. q system of guard rails and
strong hoofing being provided, With an
especial view to safety. against such an
accident. Mr.. Harding is careful to re.
mark, however, that the new 8 PAM is
constructed with wrought iron ton
chord, and that the cast iron top chord. |
OF the remaining spans are to be removs I
cd and wrought-iron chords substituted
1t has never besn, limited. by any of the
experts who hays. reported on the aeci-,
dent that it might have been caused by I
q fracture Of the top chord throd Oh IN.
equal pressure atone Jof its Joints, but
the tact that, the cast-iroa. chords are tod
be- discarded seems to Indicate that
such 9 possibility has not escaped their
attention. A good deal passes in the
mind Of! engineers when isconfronted /
with such q rude experience which thew
10 not like to express, but 50. long as
heir mental reservations do not yitiate
he lessons which they draw from it the
public is not injured by their. silence. |