Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-03-01


ger business like Messrs. Tucker and Rip
ley and Sage, than you would by listening
TO me, who have grown up mainly IN the
operative and practical departments of rail-
reading.
And if you had the time, although know
you are all very busy--if you had the time,
l would urge that you give these gentlemen
ample opportunity TO explain to you in
greater detail than they have been able to do
the reason why in freight and passenger af-
fairs things are as they are and as they have
been for a long term of years.
A man riding over railroad or living
alongside of it or having acquaintance con-
nected with the operation of the railroad,
as, for instance, engineers and conductors
and station agents, can get somewhat of an
idea in short time from conversation with
these men and from his own observations as
to about what the physical characteristics of
the road may be. He can see the rails and
see the ties he can see the bridges, whether
they are iron or wood he can tell whether
the roadway is ballasted. whether 1t Is
properly ditched. These things are taken
in readily, although the observer may not
be familiar with the acts in detail of
constructing the various parts
of the road. But for obvious
reasons II is not so with traffic. 1t is, per-
attention to the thought that the ablest
minds brought into public life in this coun-
try, either by business or politics, have been
devoted to the solution of the transportation
question and have no hesitation in saying
Mr. Chairman, that these able minds, backed
up by careful study, backed up by honest
intentions, backed up by the deSre-a
worthy one in every citizen of the coSntry
or the State in which he may liye-the de-
sire to promote the true interests of the
country or State, have failed-not entirely
failed-but failed IN part to accomplish the
objects in view not because of less ability
than the average man has, because 1t has
been lifelong study with these gentlemen
failed, not because of want OF a broad
and comprehensive reading and observation,
because these things have been given to the
subject; but they have failed for two rea-
sons-frst, because to-day railroading aud
the transportation problem and its solutions
have not grown TO manhood; they are in
childhood they are in q state of evolution;
they are being developed. And secondly,
because the transportation question in this
country and every country in the civilized
world, is the broadcast and most comprehen-
sive question before statesmen. Then it is
not strange that these gentlemen, although,
as have said, actuated by the best motives,
intent on accomplishing the best results for
all, have failed to do that which their desires
have prompted them to endeayor TO accom-
plsh.
We stand before you to-day as railroad
men, and not as men who understand or
comprehend or are able to settle fully in all
details and in general these questions. We
are not able to do it. But we are here TO
endeavor by comparisons and by suggestions
and by giving the results of our experience
to enable you TO arrive at conclusions that
are equally just to all citizens of this State,
be they private or corporate citizens.
The road that | represent is the Illinois
Central Some eight or ten months ago il
purchased the property of Iowa corporations,
the Dubuque & Sioux City and the Iowa
Falls & Sioux City Railroads. Compared
with the magnitude of other roads in the
State our mileage is small. Compared with
the results obtained on some other systems
of the State our results are poor.
The roads that have been operated hereto
fore by the Illinois Central Company in this
State have been operated, year by year, for
twenty years at loss. These roads, though
their stock is owned to-day by the Illinois
Central Company, are operated independently
by the Iowa corporations, and are being
operated at a loss within this State. The
singular feature that has followed the opera
lions of these lines for five years past is this
that while the roads have grown older,
while we had a right to expect that in
creased age would give increased revenues,
the revenues have decreased and have been
lower for1SS7 than they were for 1888. Nor
are these reduced revenues due entirely to
the fact nor might | say due in a great
measure to the fact, that the rates for trans
portatiOn of freight have been decreased.
no lyal,1 Ia /, tod Wi
roads is that the number of tons carried, the
actual tonnage of freight moved, was less in
the aggregate for the year 1887 than it was
for 1888. In both passenger and freight
traffic the important factor, l might say the
prime factor, is volume Of business. 1t OBJ
tains in passenger and freight as well as 1t
does in commercial transactions He who
has boot and shoe store can afford to sell
at a smaller profit per pair if he sells fifty
pairs in one day than if he sells five or ten
pairs. He who may sell sugar can afford to
sell at lower profit per pound if he sells
1900 pounds per day than he can if he sells
but fifty pounds. 1t is precisely so in sell
ing transportation for the carriage Of passen-
gers or the movement of freight.
The tonnage, then, being the important or
prime factor, it is a self-evident proposition
that if it be decreased even though the rates
remain the. same, the revenues of the prop
erty must decline. If the tonnage decreases
and the rates do not increase prop0rtiOnately
to the decrease in tonnage, revenues must
decline
Then it being, as l have said, fact that
| on these lines that stretch across the north
| ern part of your State the tonnage has been
| decreasing that these roads are declining in
earnings through no fault of theirs; that
| these roads are increasing from year to year
the loss that the owners make in their oper-
| ations, is it, / submit, fitting time to take
| up the question and act upon II of still fur
| ther reducing the revenues of this property
| and destroying entirely its value? The con-
| ditions as to these lines 10 which l alluda
are no different from those which obtain
upon other lines in this State lying southerly
| from them as to the volume of business to
| and from or within the State of Iowa.
Want of time prevents me from assigning
| the causes for all this. The reasons are
various. 1t would take long time to trav-
| erse the whole situation, so let us deal with
| the fact.
Chairman: When you speak of the Hi
| nois Central lines in Iowa being operated al
| loss, do you mean the traffic derived from
| the country along these lines brings loss to
| the Illinois Central road, or simply a loss,
| basng il upon the earnings of the Iowa part
| of the Illinois Central system-whether act
ually operated at loss?
| Me- Jeffrey: The Iowa Falls & Sioux
| City Railroad to-day, from its own earnings,
its own resources is making loss which will
| vary from seyenty-fye or eighty thousand
| dollars this current year to one hundred and
fifty or sixty thousand dollars to the owners
| of the Iowa Falls g. Sioux City property.
Chairman: Is that upon the basis of the
lease that was formerly in force between
| them and the Illinois Central?
Mr. Jeffery: No, sir; it is on the basis of
| the operation of the Iowa Falls IL Sioux City