The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-30
Evils in American Railway Methods.

A recent article in Hayper's Maga-
zine on "English and American Rail.
ways as seen from tho standpoint of
the traveller, was a revelation TO large
numbers. Our railways have SO long
sung their own praises, and a subservi-
ent press has 80 readily rechoed these
boastful strains, that we have been de-
luded into the belief that we possessed
the fastest trains, the finest passenger
coaches, the largest supply of conve-
niences, the grandest stations, and the
cheapest rates to be found in the world.
Now it ought not TO be necessary to
say that the reason why one rejoices TO
see the publication OF an article de-
signed to dispel such illusions is not
that one likes to see the institutions of
ones own country decried. No; the
reason is the hope that an insight into
the actual condition of things may
lead to an improvement in these insti-
tutiops.
A residence of several years 10 Eu-
rope leads me to the belief that the au-
thor of that article has given even too
favorable view of our railways as
compared with European railways.
The reader will find it an interesting
and profitable pastime to compare the
railway time tables of fifteen or twenty
typical American railways with the
time tables of as many European rail
ways. He will then obtain some idea
of the slow average rate of travel with
| us.
Other features of our railways do
not fare better in the comparison. Our
stations are inconvenient and ugly,
sometimes even filthy. Our cars are
uncomfortable, and it is difficult to see
how one who has lived long enough in
Germany to become accustomed to her
institutions should not prefer second
class travel in that country to frst-class
in the ordinary American railway, al
though the average charge is thirty,
forty, and occasionally even more than
fifty per centum lower
A still more important element is the
safety of travel, and it can be said
without fear of successful contradic-
ton that the reckless prodigality of
human life, which as part of our rail-
way history has astonished foreigners,
is elsewhere unknown.
But the chief evils of American
railways appear when we come to
treat OF them as performing economic
services in the transportation of goods,
and when we view railway property as
an important element in our national
resources. 1t is then difficult to tell
where to begin Or where to end an ac-
count of abuses, as they are so numer-
GUS and momentous. Equally diff
cult is it to find language in which to
portray the sober scientific truth in re-
gard to these abuses, for their enor-
nifty is such as almost to battle descrip-
ton.
The present article will treat of a
few points selected out of the vast
number which present themselves, Ell
ther because they have not generally
received satisfactory treatment hither-
to,or because they are specially weighty
in consideration of railways from an
economic point of view. These points
are the waste of national resources in
the railway world, the evils in the
manner in which railway shares are
bought and sold for speculative, or per-
haps more properly gambling, pur-
poses, and finally the great injury to
our economic life by Determinations in
railway charges.
My thesis is this: the needless waste
OF railway competition has been suffic-
lent to provide good, comfortable
homes-a whole house to family-for
that part of the entire population of
the United States not already pro-
Yided with such homes.
The first item in the count is needless
expenditure in railway construction.
This has has been estimated at one
thousand millions of dollars, ard it is
certainly low estimate, for two need
less railways, the West Shore and the
Nickel Plate, alone account for one
fifth of this sum. 1t must be born in
mind that needless expenditure is
waste of national resources which
ought to have benefited the people
This is very simple, yet it is often ne
cessary to repeat it. Now, one thous-
and millions of dollars is sum suffic-
lent to build homes for one million
families, or five million people.
Second, every needless train is a
waste, and parallel and competing
roads necessitate vast number Of |
them daily.
Third, our railways have not been
planned according to any intelligent
scheme, SO that they should become
part of one grand system of means of |
and transportation, sup
our natural and artificial
waterways and other highways. On
The contrary, they were often designed
10 injure other public highways, and
are still managed with that view.
Rail ways run along by the side of Ca
mails, and drive them out oe existence.
At times they buy the canal and stop
using it, lest it should longer render
any service to anybody. The Rich
-N.A@ s'iAN ]AhS Sohohy iealltOhu VI IT.
ginia is an example. Here is a great
waste of resources expended in canals.
Railways prevent the use of natural
waterways. Thus the Pennsylvania
Railroad and the Pacific railways dis
crlm'nate against those who use the
Ohio River and the Atlantic and Pa
,ltic oceans respectively. These are
of waste of nature 5
bounty.
Freight rates are often so much
cheaper between competing points
han from an intermediate point that
'reight frequently passes twice over
he same track-a waste of labor and
,apital. Freight is thus sent from
to Philadelphia and New
7 York, and then right back through
to Western point, 80 as
% get the competition rate from one of
he large cities. Freight has likewise
been sent from Rochester, N. Y, to
New York city, then back again over
he same tracks through Rochester to
he West. Last Winter freight was