The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-07

The indications are that this contry is on the
eve of entering into railway extensions and the
construction of new roads to a mileage which
will compare favorably with that of former
years. and unless some unforeseen circumstances
of detrimental character arise, the construc-
ton of next year, when the scores of new
projects are we'll under way. will reach well up
to that of 1892 the most active year ever known.
when Ii, sos miles of new road were constructed.
Within the last sixty days six Indiana railroad
projects, which were shelved when the hard
times came upon the country, have again come
to the 'front.' and several extensions of old roads
are now being agitated. In Illinois the mania
for building new roads is fully as marked as in
Indiana, and when one looks further to the
Southwest or the Northwest it is found that
never before were there so many railroad extern
sions under way, and never before were so many
new roads talked of to develop new country
which now has no railroad facilities In COM
mentiDg on the tendency to increase largely the
railway mileage of this country, the Boston Ad-
vertser says: Occasionally the construction Of
new railroads in the United States exceeds the
demand for them, as was the case In 1882; but
the railway not only accommodates traffic al
ready in existence-it also creates new traffic
1t penetrates a wilderness, and transforms it
into fertile farms and smiling villages, and it
carries enlightenment aud the multiplied wants
OF higher state of civilization into sections
whose communion with the outer world had
previously limited the requirements of its in
habitants to the simplest necessities Of exist
ence. 1t is not surprising. therefore, that after
the lapse of two or three wears of moderate rail-
way construction like 1884 and 1885, the appar-
ent excess of previous years has been offset, and
a renewal of activity in railway building occuSA
once more. And the railroads not only develop
new territory and afford highways for traffic on
the one hand, but they present opportunity for
the investment of capital and the employment OF
labor upon the ether. Despite all the many and
varied criticisms of railway securities which are
very properly made from time to time, the
fact remains that when a new issue of bonds is
to be put out, or stock issued for construction
purposes by any well-managed railroad, the COM
petition for the securities by bankers and in
vesters is immediate and active. The total cost
of the railroads and equipment in the United
States to Dec. 81 1885, had been ST. OBJ, 627, $780,
Troubles Of the Central Traffic Association.
Although the Central Traffic Association has
decided to make no change in the present sys-
tenn of weighing live stock at Buffalo, the COM
mission merchants there are still protesting, and
have sent the following protest to Commissioner
George r. Blanchard: eve, the undersigned
commission merchants doing business at East
Buffalo, protest against the manner of weighing
stock from the West by the Central Traffic Asso
citation. Should this association weigh all stocks,
at all points alike, would not object to its be-
ing done at Buffalo, but until we have positive
proof that this is the case at all other competing
points, we protest and refuse to pay any excess"
The names of thirteen prominent commission
merchants appear on the protest. The
Chicago Inter Ocean. in commenting
on the protest, says: ''The position of these
merchants is not we'll taken, because cattle are
weighed at Pittsburg and other points the same
as at Buffalo. Shippers claim that freight
shipped from Peru. Ind, for instance, to Buffalo,
have to be weighed, while if they send them from
Peru to Chicago and then to Buffalo. they will
not be weighed. This is mistake, for the
freight will be weighed all the same at Buffalo,
besides being charged extra the local rate from
Peru to Chicago and keeping the cattle on the
road so much longer The great trouble with
these shippers who are protesting is that
they want to get something for nothing they
want more than they are entitled to- Formerly
the length of cattle cars was twenty-eight feet,
but lately some cars have been introduced that
are thirty-four feet long. Formerly the mini
mum weight was 10000 pounds. Now the ship
pers are able to squeeze 10000 pounds into the
car, but DO not want to pay for more than the
old minimum"