The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-12
AFFAIRS OF THE RAILWAYS.
Personal and Local.

Personal and Local.
E. b. Thomas, general manager OF the Bee
Aine, writes from Los Angeles, Cal that he is
dn fine TRIM and weighs 162 pounds.
| e. A. Ford, general ticket and passenger
agent of the Pennsylvania lines west of Pitts
burg, is to be in the city to-day on official bust
mess
Samuel DeBow, the newly appointed general
manager of the California fast-freght line, ar
rived in Chicago on Tuesday. and opened his
office at No 81 Clark street.
The earnings of the Cincinnati, Indianapolis
st. Louis g. Chicago road the first week in March
awere $5I, 926 % against $46,3191s corresponding
period 1884; increase this year S., 607.04.
Freight men say that lake navigation will not
open this year before May 10. if it does SO early
as that date. They base their prediction on the
opinion of experienced sailors on the lakes.
1t is now officially announced that the new
freight rates from Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chi
rcago, St Louis and Missouri river points to Pa
cifc coast points will go into effect March 90
Freight traffic is booming over the Bee-ine.
Dn the indianapolis division yesterday $50 loaded
gCars were handled, and more would have been
moved had Superintendent EVAN the power to
haul them.
o. B. Skinner, traffic manager, and Edgar Hills,
assistant general freight agent of the Bee-llne,
ARE in the city and will remain over to-day for q
conference with Traffic Manager Parker, of the
Peoria, Decatur 81 Evansville road.
The strikes at the shops of the Wabash com
sDany come in an unfortunate time for the road
as they are crowded with business and need all
1heir power. 1t is said there now fourteen
disabled engines in the shops at Fort Wayne.
A railroad man, well posted as to the affairs
sof the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad
company, says that without question at the an
'nuai meeting in June II. j. Jewett will retire as
president and will be succeeded by John King,
tpresident Of the Erie lines.
The new Seneca train over the c., l., st. L. &
&c which will be run in connection with the
chicago & Rock Island road, will haul through
car between Cincinnati and Davenport, la. The
fatrain will be known as the Flying Hoosler,"
fand will be run on fast-time schedule
| Traffic Manager Skinner. of the Decline sys
fem, states that the earnings of the Decline
proper for February are less than $4,000 below
EEhose of February, 1884. Notwithstanding the
enow blockades, the severe winter weather and
fthe low rates which they have been obliged to
contend with.
Nearly all lines are now short of cars to fill
orders, and lost car agents are hunting cars on
&ide-tracks and in yards, and on private switches
an all directions Some shippers are reported to
'be very negligent in unloading cars. This is all
wrong; worth So to $40 per day to the
sToads now, and shippers have no business to use
4hem AS their store-houses.
H. B. Hammond, president of the indianapolis,
Decatur Il Springfield Railroad Company; j. ID.
Probst chairman of the bondholders, and T. B.
Atkins, secretary and treasurer of the company
are in the city. To-day they will meet j. D.
Campbell, counsel of the l., b. & w. Railroad
company, for conference regarding surrender
of the lease of the former by the l., B. & w.
The resignation of VIM. M. Clements super
9ntendent of the main stem of the Baltimore &c
Ohio railroad, was before the board of directors
an their monthly meeting yesterday but the
matter was not acted upon. and there is hope
that when Vice-presdent Spencer returns to Bal
SimOre, the difficulty will be arranged so that
Mr.. Clements will continue in the service of the
road.
The Pennsylvania Company announces greatly
reduced rates for the annual meeting Of German
Baptist brethren to be held at Mexico, Pa, in
May Tickets will be good thirty days from
date of sale, with one stop-ever privilege, with
in limit of ticket going or returning. The
round trip rate from Chicago will be 80 and
Ifrom St Louis $l8 so, indianapolis $14. Mexico
AS 2O4 miles east of Pittshurg, on the main line
of the Pennsylvania railroad.
The fairness with which the per cents in the
Chicago and Ohio River pool are awarded is aptly
illustrated in the fact that the last monthly
statement of Commissioner Richardson shows
that the several roads in the passenger pool
earned, on the through business, 81, us, and
that there is difference of only s. 00.94 to be
settled between the roads-less than per cent.
an amount which could be easily frittered
away IN an even short railroad war.
Legislation Which Should Be Encouraged.
A bill has been introduced into the Legislature
of Pennsylvania which is attracting good deal
of attention, it proposes to make radical
changes and improvements in the existing meth
cd of constructing and repairing the common or
public roads of the State. The plan contem-
plated is to create road department., to make a
State appropriation of 81, 10000 900, and to estab
lish system applicable to the local highways
which will strongly resemble the existing public
school system. Il is said that the railway man
Agements of that State are much interested that
the Legislature may be favorable for the reason
that the territory practically tributary to their
lines would be materially enlarged if the ordi
nary thoroughfares were improved. One sug-
geStlcn is to the effect that special efforts should
be made to improve all the roads radiatng from
railway stations, and as they have become, to a.
great extent, the centers of traffic for many
neighborhoods, they would probably receive a
liberal share of the benefits of any marked i'm
provement in common road systems 1t is OBJ
vlous that railways might derive substantial
benefits from decided advance in the charac-
teristlcs of the common road connections be-
tween their stations and the districts by which
they are environed. William r. McKeen,
president of the Vandalia, some years ago pro-
posed to haul gravel at cost to improve the conn
try roads going out from the Vandala, putting
an Switches aC convenient points Tor ears TO De
run on to, that farmers might, in dull times,
gravel their roads and make them passa BILE at
all seasons of the year; and G. f. Henderson, of
the l., B. 81 W., made similar propositions to
parties along their lines west of here and in
both cases some took advantage of such offers
some sixty miles of country road leading to sta
tons on the Vandalia was thus improved This
Is matter in which both the business and rail-
road man is interested, as both would be greatly
benefited by better country roads
~-----N---
Promises To BE "a Sharp Competitor of the
Pennsylvania Road.
The six long tunnels on the Southern Pennsyl-
gania road are said to be half completed.
Officials of the road state that the road will be
completed and ready for operation by May 1886.
That road will be one of the most expensive