The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-09-19
THE RAILROADS.
THE UNIVERSAL CLASSIFICATION
COMMITTEE To MEET AGAIN
IN NOVEMBER.
Railroad Legislation and Other Notes
About Matters Of Interest

A company has been organized with
a capital stock of 100000 to build a
union depot at Spokane Falls, Wash
Work on the Hudson River tunnel
has been progressing in successful
way during the past few weeks. EN-
ployed in the north, heading at the
western or New Jersey end, are about
100 men, divided into three gangs
working eight hours each. The daily
rate of advance now averages 81 feet
of completed tunnel.
The Illinois Central company is ex-
perimenting with the use of ordinary
lighting gas from the city mains for
illuminating its passenger cars. The
gas is pumped into three tanks in the
bottom of the car, and compressed by
a pressure of 200 pounds to the square
inch. The three tanks hold 600 cubic
feet of gas, which supply eleven lamps
for three nights use.
The Lake Shore road has just placed
contract with the Indianapolis car
works for 300 coal cars, October deliv-
cry, and with the Lafayette car works
for the same number, November de-
livery and the company is in market
for 300 more coal cars, 800 gondola
cars, and 300 box cars, all of which
contracts will be let this week.
The universal classification commit
tee made substantial progress at i S
meeting at Saratoga during the past
week. The number of classes was
agreed upon, and it is larger than the
classification that now rules in this
locality. About 500 of the 1000 arti-
cles embraced in general traffic were
disposed of satisfactorily, and after
five days of work the committee ad-
journed to meet November 10. An
other meeting will be held in Feb
ruary, at which it is expected the
classifcations will be completed, and
then submitted for ratification.
The Indianapolis car shops are get
ting fairly started upon an order of
500 coal cars for the Missouri, Kansas
and Texas railroad. These cars have a
capacity of 10000 pounds, and are
mounted upon iron trucks, the tran
SONS being made OF channel iron about
twelve inches deep. A well-propor-
toned axle, with 4xS journals, is used.
The design throughout the car is very
good, and one of its special features is
the liberal use of malleable iron for
parts generally made of cast iron.
Pressed steel stake pockets are used,
being lighter than either cast or NAL
leable iron.
Railroad legislation is theme that
never grows old with age nor thread
bare with argument. Like the flowers
that bloom in thesspring, it blossoms
forth with each meeting of the law
makers both state and national. 1t
will probably be interesting to know
what the leading railroad men of the
country think about the matter. The
Railway Age has just published
number of interviews and here is what
Mr., H. H. Porter, president Sof the
Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad,
is reported to have said:
~ think the attitude of the press
and the consequent temper of the
people are breeding greater panic
than the country has ever SEEM" said
Mr.. Porter. "If railroad rates are to
be fixed by the map as the law now
fixes them, bankruptcy is inevitable.
We have got law that rigidly holds
all roads to one rule. There must be
II way by which the roads can compen-
safe one another for the losses which
are incurred for the common benefit.
If relief is not at hand there must soon
come a crash.
"The real trouble is that the ma
tional law treats the railroads of the
whole country as if they were one cor
poration that the laws of each state
treat the railroads of that state as
if they were single corporation tf
the state; each state making laws
with reference to the operation of the
railroads within that state to secure
what they think benefit to them as
against the adjoining states; and the
general government treating the rail-
roads as a whole without reference to
any natural laws or any of the invest
ments of capital that have been going
on ever since the country came into
existence, different conditions of af-
fairs having been produced in differ
ent sections. In other words, law
makers wipe out nature and make
one plain, flat law, as if the country
was drawing board, not taking
into consideration at all the separate
ownerships, the kinds of transporta-
ton, or any known laws of trade. If
the railroads were allowed they could
fit themselves to almost any condition
of laws that the general government
could make; but whilst making these
laws, for fear the railroads will fit
themselves to it, legislators seem to
be Incorporating in these laws the
prevention OF the railroads doing any
thing to relieve themselves.
Mr.. Porter thought that the only
remedy was in some form of trust ar
rangement or consolidation by which
investors would have some protection
while the public would in no way be
injured.
Love In a Cottage.