The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-14
AFFAIRS OF THE RAILWAYS.
Personal and Local,

given oIl each tlcheJ SOlu
Stealing grain and flour from cars standing on
side tracks, west of the river, is giving the rail
roads considerable trouble They have gone so
far as to break cars open and steal 100-pound
sacks of flour and the railroad companies have
determined to do something to break up their
nightly depredations.
An official of the indianapolis Rolling mill
Company says that it is highly probable that
the steel rail rolling-mill will be converted into
a mill to roll heavy structural iron, such as
girding beams and heavy bridge material. At
the present time there are but seven manufac-
tories of this character in operation in this
country, and all are busy and highly prosperous.
President Sloan of the Lackawanna, and off
GERS OF the Nickel-piate, are on a Western trip.
There is a report that the Laekawanna will put
on through Pullman sleepers and drawing groom
cars to Chicago, via the Nckel-plate. Freight
Is IS now sent by that route The Niekel-plate is
the only Vanderbilt line on which Pullman cars
are run, the right having been obtained before
Mr.. Vanderbilt bought the road.
The report of George w. Cobb, secretary of
the Railroad Mems Christian Association for the
past quarter makes the following showing: At
tendance readers co; attendance at services,
351; total, lob number services held, 15 letter
writers, 8; visits to sick and injured 8; calls at
railroad homes, II; total 21 funerals attended,
|; visits offices and shops, 81; visits switch
houses 6; total 3S; papers distributed 440 pa
pers donated for distribution, POI.
The c., l., st. L. & c. people have decided to
open an Office up town in which shall be repre-
sentative of both the freight and passenger de-
partments and also the Office of the Continental
fast freight. The probabilities that they
will take the lease of the uptown office of the
Union Railway Company off of the latter's
hands. After Nov. l the Pennsylvania people
will occupy both rooms in the Claypool lock
which fronts on Washington street The pas
senger and freight departments will then have
the nobbiest offices in the West.
Tn his address hefore the Fin o1iSh hondbO1ders
President Joy, of the Wabash system, told
them that the peril of the Wabash road was
caused by its acquiring more lines than 1t
justified in doing. The road had good future,
but was unable to raise money to pay its float
ing debt and remain an harmonious corporation.
The alternatives were a receiver. hostile fore
closure or an amicabe arrangement He rec
commended the conversion of the debt, which,
he said, would leave the road in good eondi
ton to earn enough to pay its fixed charges and
very soon to pay interest on all Of its bonds, in
GLIDING the interest on the income bonds en-
braced in the proposed reorganization.
The c., I. st. L. & c. people have for a few
days past been testing new system of auto
matte electric train signals, the invention of Mr.
j. D. Fee, of this city. By adapting electricity
to this purpose, signals from conductor to en-
gineer are passed rapidly and sure from the
rear OF the longest train as easily as the length
of one car, which cannot be done by the old time
bell-rOpe now in use. The signal as given to the
engineer is repeated back to the baggage car au-
lO1naJlcally, and may De registered there, pre-
venting misunderstanding of signals and en-
abling the managers to properly place the fault
for dlsobedlence of signals when accidents oc-
cur Another valuable point is when trains are
accidentally parted the alarm is given to all
train men, and accidents from that cause are
prevented. The results are pronounced by rail
way experts to be eminently satisfactory for the
purpose The Kankakee lines cars will be
fitted with the apparatus as rapidly as possible.
The Link and Pin Automatic Coupler.
There seems to be a general desire, on the part
of railroad arrangements, to do something to
render less hazardous the making up of trains.
No good results can come from such move I'M
less there is harmony of action between roads,
and between States where there is legislation on
the subject. Safety to train men necessarily in
wolves uniformity in the use of the coupling
that may be selected, because of the vast inter
changing of freight cars between the many
roads. One device here and another there.
which, probably, will not work together auto
matically, in the interchange of cars, could not
lessen the present risk, but would rather serve
to increase it, Next to be considered are
strength and durability, beng essential to
safety. Some of the leading master car builders
earnestly advise the adjustment of the old link
and pin coupling, and the adoption of some new
device for automatic coupling, which shall OPP
says the Boston Herald should be cautiously
acted on as it discards the experience of fifty
years to speculate for the future A long expe-
rience has brought the link and pin coupling
into universal use and with very few eX-
detrimental exceptions 500, 900 freight-cars in
use in the United States and Canada are to-day
equipped with the link and pin coupling To
make a radical change which should abolish the
link and PIN and substitute some new device
would demand the expenditure of over
$4,000, 900, which would put uniformity out
of the reach, and consequently deprive the
present investigation of valuable results" Elk
perience has taught that. the link and pin coup
ling is the cheapest, strongest most durable
and most reliable as is proved by it's universal
adoption, and there needs but the adoption of
automatic action, which will avoid the present
peril to trainmen in the use of the link and pin,
to continue that coupling the best. Can that be
done! is an inquiry of primary Importance. That
the old we'll tried link and pin coupler can be
operated automatically is attested by some dozen
or more devices which have been exhibited in
Boston recently, and can be put on at such
triting cost.
Can Now Do Without Spoilers.
The Thomas cash and ticket indicator is at
tracing some attention with railroad men, The
device has for its object the prevention of di-
version of cash receipts from their proper dest-
nation being intended to prevent conductors
from fobbing moneys collected on the trains, and
keeping and selling uncanceled tickets, the ap-
planee at the same time furnishing the compa-
ny with a full and complete record of all passen-
gers carried on the trains, whether they pay
cash, present tickets, or hand in trip passes. 1t
consists of box with a glass front, one of these
boxes being placed on the panel between the