The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-22
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To-day. Too y, Ie' erday
RAILROADS.

MUCH talk 10 heard lust now Of General
Gordon's Florida road, and if completed,
as originally contemplated, to Augusta, 1t
will make one of the most important rail
roads in the south.
A report by the French minister of public
works states that the total mileage of
French railways on January ! last was H.
$40 miles, of which 10 miles were con-
structed during 1882,
The Berlin Elevated railroad, crossing the
city from east to west, is seven miles long,
and cost about $l6CJ0,000 Ii Is chiefly
used by third-class passengers for short dis
tances, and the gross receipts for the first
year will be but 81 per cent on its cost.
Superintendent Dudley, of the Texas N
Pacific railroad, has been engaged since
Thursday on the New Orleans branch
putting the road in trim as the waters re-
cede. Our gravel trains are busily en-
gagged in the transportation OF sand and
gravel for ballast west OF the mouth of Red
river.
The Buffalo Express says: All will re-
member the pro rata freight clamor in this
state few,years ago, and,the efforts made by
the merchants and business men to intiu-
enCe the legislature to pass q pro rata freight
law. The Central Hudson was the line the
pro ratists were after. The company, with
out any law, has, since that time, doubled
the number of its tracks, and reduced
charge on freight fully one-hali.
The Chicago, Burlington n Quincy an
nounces that in addition to Its present
routes to San Francisco and the Pacific
coast, il will soon have another via the
Denver &c Rio Grande's Utah line. The
through time via Denver, over the Denver
& Rio Grande cannot yet be given, but it is
expected to do so within the next two
weeks. This route runs from Denver
through Colorado Springs west to Galida,
thence through Marshall Pass, crossing the
Grand and Green rivers at Salt Lake City
and Ogden, where the connection is made
with the Central Pacific trains.
The new baggage agreement adopted by
the Chicago roads abou, three months ago,
by which the weight of sample trunks is
limited to go pounds each, and the total
weight allowed each travelling man is not
to exceed 7G1 pounds, will be carried into
effect on all the roads which are members
of the Western Association of General Pas
senger and Ticket Agents April !, 1855.
The system, which has been inaugurated
and gone into effect on the Chicago roads
about two months ago, has given general
satisiac ion and works much better than
was expected, 1t is claimed that the inter
ests OF both the railroad companies and the
commercial houses are better served as q
rule by adopting this new plan, 1t is pre-
dicted that within one year every road in
the country will adopt the new plan OF
handling baggage, as 1t is found impossible
to properly handle the increasing amount
OF baggage now transported on the baggage
cars with the limited facilities at many OF
the stations The new plan not only re-
stricts the amount to be carried in one
trunk, but also restricts the total amount
| L.. .n1 l..,. nd Ea.
ciitates greatly the handling OF the bag
gage.
Ii there is any country where the official
regulation OF railway charges and railway
service generally ought to be efficient and
impartial one would naturally suppose II
is little Switzerland, where the temptations
to iavoritism and corruption are probably
fewer than with governments with larger
patronage and covering q much wider area
of territory. But even in Switzerland, 1t
would appear, things are not going ON as
well as they might. A serious dispute ut
this moment is pending between certain OF
the railway companies and the federal
council, involving q grave charge OF
fayoritism AGAINST the latter. The council,
1t would appear, had refused to sanction a
reduced tariff on the Swiss Western rail
way, which had been introduced in conse-
ouence of negotiations with the Parls,
| Lyons IL Mediterranean railway com
| pany with view TO promoting
traffic win Marseilles aud Cette
ana the railways OF western Switzerland.
Thereupon IL was charged that the Federal
council had acted in the interest OF the
Gothard and Italian route, whereupon the
Federal assembly declared the refusal to BIO
illegal, and the reduced rates will therefore
come into operation. 1t appears that the
| Federal council did not urge the confirma-
ton of its action or issue u statement OF It's
own upon the subject; II merely adopted a
report presented by the railway depart,
mcnt; but the complaints OF the commercial
classes were so urgent and persistent that q
public opinion was created which the Fed
eral assembly did not feel at liberty to an
tngouize. The circumstance is worth mem
tioning as another illustration OF the dliii'
culties attending endeavors TO regulate
railway traffic. railway fares, etc., through
the intervention Of third parties, even under
a government which Is proverbIal for a
polity which unqcestionnbly. aims to dis
countenance monopolies aud to do justice
to all classes OF ite people.
The Chicago Times has figured out the
question OF freight rates somewhat, and
gives the following among other examples:
| A barrel OF the best -four, worth In New
York 81, will make $50 loaves Of bread cost
Of making the loaves is 3d. whole cost, $40;