New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-08

as low as 50 do, but on others rs high as 20 Nv
in Greece So 80, and in no other country less
than SO, or 3 cents per mile in Great brle1lh'
Germany and Switzerland on some ROADS inc
rate is S311, but on others is higher, going as
higlras So in England. In Sweden IL Is 20 o4
in Holland and Denmark So 30; IN ltaly anu
Portugal So so; in Austro- Hungary 90 %
in France So SO; in Spain 81 OS; In turkey
s. GO, and in Roumania 81.
II is estimated by competent authority thaC
more than nine-tenths of all the travei IN 'his
country is first-class. If so, the average Vi
first-class rates on all roads in the country can
not be as much as So as, and is lower than the
lowest rate for that class in any country Ill
Europe except Belgium and Norway. Com
muters and trim tickets are included here, and
reduce the average some, but similar ticKets arc
also included in the averages for most Oh 'iie
European countries 1t is the TACT thaC tiie az
commodations afforded in Europe at hrst-ciasS
rates are in some cases better than the average
in this country, but railroad men affirm that tne
average here is decidedly above the second
class accommodations in Europe. Now the
second-class rates are higher than the average
of rates in this country in Great Briiaih'
France, Spain, Portugal, Austro- Hungary,
Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark anu
North Germany; are lower only IN SCUM yer
many, parts of Russia, Sweden, Belgium NOT
way and Greece and average decidedly mgher
than all rates In this country, where tnere Is
practically no second class travel.
There remains the objection often made, that
American roads ought to supply second, third
and fourth class accommodations, NJ CORE
spending rates, for those who desire them. In
Europe tbs said nearly three quarters OF all inc
travel is at third class or lower rates, and men
infer that lower rates here would be CORE
spondingly popular. The difficulty is that ex-
perience teaches the contrary. The use OF
second-class rates is so insignificant here that
there is no encouragement to provide sun
lower; on the contrary, many roads that Irleu
secOnd-class trains and rates for time nave
found it necessary to abandon them. Inc feel
ing of equality in this country is so pervasive
that those who are willing to accept second
class accommodations for the sake OF second
class rates are too few to keep such trains awe.
There is one oSher fact to be taken into con-
liberation. In q densely populated country
railroads can live with much lower charges
than in land where population is sparse and
the possible travel small. In the United States
the population is $50 persons to each mile OF
railroad. In Sweden it is 800; in Switzer-
land LIPS; in Great Britain LIT; IN Ger
many 1000; in France 2,312; in Belgium
1920; in Denmark $3.50; in Norway
2,73O, in the Netherlands 5000; in Austro-
Hungary $3.50; in Spain $500; in Russian
Europe 4,5OO; in Italy $500; in Portugal
II a. o1o ~ m
about $1,000; and in Greece about 100000.
There is not country in Europe in which there
are not three times as many people to support
mile of railroad as there are in the United
States. But for the enormous freight traffic
here higher passenger rates than in Europe
would be unavoidable.