The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-02

and in their snnual report told their stock
holders that they should probably have to spend
quite as much as that during the current year.
Thus far this year 973 miles of new railroad
has been built against 1876 miles reported
at the corresponding time in 1882, BOG miles
in 1881, and 1,O96 miles in $780, 391 miles
in 1879, 267 miles In 1873, and 269 miles in
1877.
The Boston & Albany is probably. to use an
expressive western phrase, one OF the "best
liked" corporations in the United States. Its capt.
tai is $20,000,0 900: it's debt is SIC, 900, of
which S5,000.00O, at per cent, is due in 1892,
and s., 900, at per cent, Is due three years
later. All of this not cancelled from earnings can
doubtless be refunded at to per cent. at ma
turity. The surplus earnings above fixed charges
Lhe past five years have averaged nearly Sl,-
100000, a large percentage of which has gone
into improvements. The stock OF this road was
never watered.
THE BOSS CAR-CoUPLER.
r. NJ Brooks, mechanic at Atlanta, Ga, has
invented perfect automatic car-coupler 1t is
now in use on two Southern roads and perform
ing satisfactorily, and a company with 800, 900
| capital has been organized to introduce it gem
orally. The principle of Mr.. Brooks's patent is
that it is self-acting coupler that the COM
mon pin and link in which the link is allowed
free action in all directions, so as to aecOmmO-
date itself, without strain, to the swing of the
cars and in fact that works Just the link in
ola style couplers, coupler that is adaptable to
any style cars without change in their construc-
ton. The caT-couDler problem has been one OF
trouble and perplexlty. The Patent Office shows
over 2 1000 limitations of automatic couulers, and
out of all this number only three or four have
had the slightest possible merit. Ever since
railroads were invented, men have lost their
lives coupling cars, and it is estimated that a
greater percentage of accidents occur to this
class Of railroad employees than to any other, and
II the Brown coupler is what it is reputed to be,
laws should be passed enforcing its use on all
roads IN the country
MANAGER McREA's PROGRAMME.
The Pennsylvania Company expect to get
their new second city freight depot completed
and ready for occupancy by July L. Then the
programme is to do all the freight business of
| tho Indianapolis & Vincennes, and of the Jeffer-
sonvile, Madison & Indianapolis road in the
new dopot, and that OF the c., st. L. & P. in the
present city depot. All I. & V. and j., NJ. & l.
freight trains are to be run over the Belt road
on reaching the city, to the c., st. L. & P yards
in the eastern part of the city, and then deliv
cred at the depots and lower yards called for.
The system of tracks in the outer yards
Is to be greatly extended ana when
at no point on the Pennsylvania system will the
facilities for handling business he qualed
The old j., NJ. d L. depot and rOund-hOuse will be
torn down, and the engines of the j., NJ & J., the
|. V. and the c. st. l.. & P. will be housed
In the new rOund-house to be built Immediately
in the eastern part of the city: The present j.,
NJ. d L. yards will be used probably for the
commodation of local business. Cars loaded
with lumber, stone, wood, etc, consigned TO par
tleS In Jne CITY, VIII he lett there TO be unlOaded
Manager McCrea and Chief Engineer Becker
seem determined to make improvements here
which have been greatly needed for twenty
years or MORE
SOME DELICATE POINTS YET TO BE SETTLED.
The new passenger pool contract entered into
at the New York meeting, last week, includes
several additional differential fare points
| Among these are Indianapolis, Columbus, Clevs-
land, Kansas City, Atchison, Council Bluffs
and other DOinf9 in Missouri ValIaN la
rate to be based upon the present system.
question, however, still remain
ing to be settled, and in regard to which
there is considerable diversity of opinion, is
whether the weaker lines, that is, those which
offer inferior facilities in respect to time and
cominodatlOns, or newly-opened routes, such as
the l., Il. & w, the c., Fl. & D., the Chicago g.
Atlantic, shall be permitted to increase their
facilities SO as to bring them into more favora-
BILE competition with the stronger lines. This is
the rock on which the split will take place if
such "a thing occurs. resolution was intro
duced into one of the meetings providing that
the time should be increased some of the
roads, while the others, such as the Pennsyl
wanna and New York Central should not be per-
United to change their present running time
This met with strenuous opposition from the
roads in question and their connecting INES
since they would prefer to have the power to in
crease their facilities at WILL The new contract
is based upon the old one, and the differences in
regard to the division of the pool earnings for
the past six months business amicably set
tied by an agreement that a fund, consisting of
per cent. OF bne surplus earnings OF the larger
lines, shall be divided to make the deficiency
in the allotted receipts of the weaker lines in
such proportions as Commissioner Fink shall
think just when he makes the final award
THE PITH OF ARBITRATOR ADAMs's ARGUMENT.
The general freight agents of the five roads
interested in the east-bouhd livestock pool out
of East St. Louis have each been furnished with
| a copy of the decision of Arbitrator Adams
under which decision the per cents. were pub
l,uha dax-a t1,a
panying his decision is a lengthy argument Civ
ing the grounds on which it was based, the prin-
cpal points of which are condensed in the fol
lowing two paragraphs. Mr.. Adams says:
While the Alton, tine Wabash, and the I. & ST.
L. do not seem TO be clearly unequal to each
other. the Vandalia does, apparently, least for
the present, have an appreciahle advantage over
each of them. This appears very decidedly in
the traffic returns, and TO run through
them to an extent and with a degree of uniform
ity which do not think ought to be dsregarded.
While the local traffic of this line Is excellent, it
Ia also the central, short and direct route to
Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York nj Jersey
City and Baltimore II must, In fact. be cOnsid
cred natural competing route TO every con-
ceivabe destination of st. Louis live stock, ex-
cept Chicago and New England. When the prin-
ciple OF equality was applied to The four st.
Louis lines IN preparing the award of 1872 my
recollection is that the Vandalia was the line in
regard to which the arbitratOrs entertained most
doubts. The position and direct and close CON
nections Of the Vandalia would have justified
them in giving IL IA preference.
COnceding certain present advantage to the
Vandalia, therefore, 1t remains to in some way
measure it, Its claim is for 30 per cent of the
traffic, which would leave so per cent, for the
other three lines. According to the statistics of
the last three years the Vandalia mas carried 81
per cent. of the traffic, though during that time
it claims 10 have been out of the market, though
long under the direction of the commissioner
In 1882 it seems to have carried or turned over
tn others, 81 per cent. Nevertheless, the ad-
vantage which this line now enjoy over it's COM
petltorS does not seem to be so great GER
tain to continue as its representatives think
Taking per cent. In its favor from the other
three lines would, 1t seems to me, be approx
mately fair, and result in a practical apporton-
meut likely to cause as little general dssatisfac-
ton as any which could be suggested.
CONSTRUCTION FUNDS PROVIDED FOR.
PHILADELPHIA, May 1.-The directors OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company acted upon