The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-21
Where the Leaks in Earnings Are.


Where the Leaks in Earnings Are.
The Railroad Gazette of the 18th publishes
the addresses of both M. f. Ingalls,, president
of the c.. L St L. & g. road. and j. II. Deve
reux. president of the Bee-line, before the meet
ing of presidents and general managers recently
held in Chicago. Both make hints which should
receive the attention Of friends of railroad inter
Fests. Mr. ingalls, especially was pointed in his
remarks. Among other things he said: II be-
lieve the managers here should agree to restore
rates here to-day. You say it can not be done
and would not be kept. You had better let the
past alone. You had better assert your man
hood and say that you can control your railroads.
1t there is a manager here who will say that he
cannot control his general freight agent
or his general passenger agent let him
say SO and we will have some sympathy for
him. If there is a man here who cannot con-
troll his general passenger agent, leu him make
1t known, and we will determine what we shall
do to meet the case. l do not believe there is
man here in this room who believes there is any
money in doing business at less than twenty
cents ard If there is not let keep the rate for
thirty days. 1t will be maintained, and we will
not lose any money, and | believe that the re-
quest that we make of the trunk-lines to help us
maintain east7bound rates will be used to carry
this out and believe the Western roads will
also help us in that. Then | would go further
and, either to-day or at some other time would
make pool of the entire earnings of the roads
in this Middle States territory but if this is too
radical, would pool the entire traffic in grain
and its product in this territory, and the passen-
ger business. am a firm believer that the time
is going to come when the only remedy for rail-
roads in this country is clearing house. to which
all their earnings shall be sent to be divided out
to the roads on a fair basis and then managers
will have time to look at their expenses and
save their money, knowing they are going
30 11an1 -. Il
Il think they had meeting called the other
day by Mr.. Fink in Louisville. 1t was a reform
meeting, and the reform asked was that the
gentlemen should agree not to pay more than
10 per cent of their receipts over othe ticket
agents. But did it preyaill No; it was voted
down. i consider this matter of paying COM
missions fraud, and am against any species
OF fraud / would be willing to agree with the
managers that we never pay another conIlnis-
sion to an agent In addition to that expense,
lookat the advertising bills you have to pay;
look at the number of travelling men you have
all over the country, and think of the bills you
are paying for that one item alone and when
ever you have paid for all these things | have
mentioned if you have credit on the balance
size of your ledgers, you are very fortunate
roads and say that knowing that have as
good passenger business as anybody, and know
what It costs. IL we should pool all the passen-
ger traffic in this Middle States territory, see
what would save You would save your
travelling men, a large part of your advertising
bills, and, if you wished you could wipe out
commissions
Evidence: that Rates Are Maintained.
One Of the best evidences that east bound
freight rates are being well maintained is the in
crease in business over the Pennsylvania lines.
Last week the c., st. L. & p. was the only east
ern line out of Indianapolis which showed an in
crease. forwarding 919 loaded cars. For months
past the Bee-line, the l., B. & W., and even the
c., Fl. & I. have much of the time led the c.,
st. L. & F. on east-bound shipments; while,
since the better maintenance of rates. ithe c.. st.
L. g. p. has steadily increased its east-bound
business The same is true of the vandalia at
St Louis and of the Pennsylvania lines out Of
Chicago. The Chicago Times says that last
week the percentages show marked change.
The Fort Wayne steps to the front with %. g.
and the Chicago < Grand Trunk follows with
205 The Michigan Central falls off as much as
the Grand Trunk gains. The Chicago e. Allan
tic tonnage decreased just one half. and did not
take out pound of provisions owing, probably,
to the withdrawal of the Great Western Dis
patch line. The increase in Grand Trunk ton
mage is due to the fact that about four hundred
carloads of milwaukee, -four went eastward by
way of Chicago. The Fort Wayne took num-
Der of round lots direct from elevator 1t is be-
ieced that rates have been generally maintained.
There were rurnors of slightcuts that could not
be traced to authentic sources and it is fair to
presume that there has been departure from
tariff especially as shippers yesterday were pay.
ing 20 and % cents without question