National Republican., 1885-09-25
RAILWAY NOTES.

The earnings of the railroads making latest
reports show that they are doing less profit
able business than when prices were 20 per
cent. lower than those now ruling.
Through travel from Mexico to the United
States Is Interrupted by two washouts on the
Central railway, one at Culera and the other
ut Encaracien. the latter extending nearly
half mile.
The governing committee OF the stock ex.
change have admitted to the list siJOO 600 first
mortgage G per cent bonds of the Chicago and
st. Louis Railway Company. The company
has purchased the Chicago, Pckin and South
western railway.
Two freight trains collided near Johnstown.
on the Dayton and Michigan railroad, Wedues.
day. Twenty-Five cars were entirely demol-
ished. The two locomotives were completely
buried from sight, ana freight and merchan-
disc, were promiscuously scattered along the
track. Fortunately no one was killed.
The secretary of tho Philadelphia and Read.
ing Railroad Company coutradicts the pub.
lished statement that the managers have In.
structed President Kcim to confer with the
officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pnny with view to securing harmonious rela.
tions between the two corporations
The system of paying commissions to ticket
agents, scalpcrs, and others for the sale Of
tickets is gradually being wiped out. One by
putting II stop to this evil, which has done
more than any other thing to demoralize the
passenger traffic of this country The latest
Is the Texas Traffic Chicago
Tribune.
A meeting of stockholders of the South Penn.
sylvania railroad was held at New York ycstcr-
day for the purpose of harmoni2ing the con.
It twas was understood % that the meeting had been been
called at he suggestion of Mr.. Vanderbilt but
beyond an interchange OF views on the part of
those present no action was taken. Now that
the ice has been broken, however, 1t Is prob.
able that something decisive will be done at
another meeting to be held shortly.
The statement of the business of all lines of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company elSt of
Pittsburg and Erie for the eight months of 1855,
as compared with the same period of 1881,
shows decrease In gross earnings of Sl9.9,23,
decrease in expenses OF S653,2S), and de-
crease Of net earnings of S2,S!5,0i5. All lines
west of Pittsburg aud Erie for the eight months
of 1885 show deficiency In meeting nll llabili-
ties of Sl,lS73li, being nu Increased deficiency
as compared with the same period Of 1851 of
S41i,e23.
1t is isbcginning to leak out that tho meeting OF
presidents of the trunk lines in New York city
OH Tuesday was not us harmonious as was
stated after the meeting adjourned. Excuses
were found for the representatives Of the Bal
timore and Ohio leaving the meeting, and the
fact that the l.ackawanna was not represented
was also claimed TO be unimportant as 1t WAS
alleged that the company was In hearty sym.
pathy with the efforts of ths presidents to
restore rates. II Is now stated however, by
persons intimate with some OF the mcmbers Of
the meeting that II broke up in a row and that
there was no scmblanGe ofharmony, during
the latter part of the proceedings especially.
The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and
Coal and Iron Companies on Tuesday filed, u.
Harrisburg, n bill In equity against the South
| Pennsylvania to rcStrai 1t from transferring :
| its leases and contracts and syndicate and
| praying that the defendant be compelled to
| fulfill their part of the contract entered into
and complete the road. Accompanying the
| petition are the agreements made between the
Philadelphia and Reading and the railroads
| and construction company, whereby the con-
| struction the South Pennsylvania railroad
| and its connection with the Philadelphia and
| Reading companies were entered upon. Tho
| complaint of the attorney general previously
| filed was for the violation of the constitutional
| provision The tpresent bill complains of vio-
| ntiOns Of the contracts entered into by the South
| pennsylvania Company with the plaintiff.
| There are over thirty complaints filed In the
| present papers.
| Next week there will be q series OF meetings
of the general managers and traffic men OF
| southwestern railroads, commencing Oot. /.
| Matters of great Importance Will have TO be
| decided. one of the meetings VIII be that OF
the Southwestern Railway Association; another
| WILDE the Southwestern lumbcrpOol; another
| the roads interested in the COloradoU pool
| also meeting of the Pacific Coast Association
| (roads interested In tho Pacific coast business
east of the Missouri river. owing To- the com
| pliCRtions between the roads in the TranscOn
| tinental Association, and the competition Ol
the Southern Pacifc's Sunset route, the affair
|
shnpe, and unless the Southern Pacific Joins II
as far rs its business via Now Orleans Is con
| cerncd, which under existing circumstances
Is not probable, IL will no doubt have TO be dis,
continued until the TransContinnntal and
| Southern Pacific troubles are settled,
In an editorial review of the existing cond
| tlons--thc more important commercial and In
| dustrnl tacts-whiCh combine to warrant hOpai
| of improvement In business, the New HOrk
| Tribune says "The manufacture of new rail
ways, rolling stock, nId other equipments had
very much to do with the improvement in in
dustry IN 1879. But the railways are neither
able at this time to extend their lines yory
largely nor are they In position to add liber
ally 10 their equipment The records show
that only 1927 miles OF railway have beer
built thus far during the year 1885, against 2, ,SS
miles TO the same date In 1851, 8,5A miles IN
1883, and G,0iO in 1857 We have to go back t,
construction within the first eight months o
prOyements and equipments the railroad com
ranies are almost universally exercising great
economy. Nor is this without reason, for rates
are lower than ever before, aud there are
gloomy prospects of prolonged and disastrous
controversy, both in the northwest an IN the
southwest, where the transporting interes. ha
for some years been comparatively profitable
IL seems certain that the profits of the railway
system per mile operated must be less In lSS
than in any previous year since 1878.
There is reason for great caution until Visible
dangers have been cleared away There I'M
been and Is improvement, llut " clearly
there Is need Of greater caution and Of u nor,
moderate ana prudent hOpctllneSS, bOth II