The morning call., 1890-08-14
ALONG THE RAIL.
A New Departure in Utilizing
Empty Cars.

At recent consultation Of the traffic
managers of the Union Pacific at Omaha,
the question of a reduction OF the mileage
expense of hauling empty refrigerator cars
from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast
was discussed at length.
1t was decided to adopt the plan proposed
by Assistant General Traffic Manager I.
A. n. Kee. By this scheme the empty cars
on the west-bOund trip will be utilized IN
effectively reducing the expense accounts,
instead of hauling them 5000 miles empty,
for which the road receives no revenue.
The cars viii be filled up with shelves on
each side, SO as TO hold three tiers OF terra
Gotta jars, each having an alright cover,
to which is attached tongue reaching
nearly to the bottom Of the vessel.
BY an ingenious electrical contrivance
connected with the wheels of the car, these
tongues are made to osclllate and rev0lve
alternately. Just prior to leaving Omaha
the cars are stored with ice and each jar
filled about twO-thiTdS full Of the very best
cream.
The long trip across the continent and
the electrical appliance, combined with the
motion of the Car, will churn the cream to
butter, and upon arriving at Oakland the
buttermilk is drawn off, leaving the finest
OF butter ready for the table. IL is intended
to commence this service August 10Th by
equlpping four cars, and should the service
prov success, weekly trains Will be run
from Omaha, furnishing US the very best
creamery butter at price only traction
higher than the cost of the home product.
While the company does not expect 10
make large profit, they hope to reduce, In
slight degree, the expense OF hauling
empty cars westward. and at the same time,
III a novel and comparatively inexpensive
way, to advertise the route.
The last issue OF the Railway Age con-
tains an article on railway accidents IN
Great Britain. Some interesting statistics
are furnished which show a remarkable de-
gree OF similarity in cause and effect TO
those occurring on American roads, which
we are sometimes disposed to argue maze
worse record for railway management than
those OF any other country:
On British roads, for the three months ending
March 31sI, there were 30 collisions, causing
deaths and 100 cases OF injury, q derallments,
failures of machinery, 1Sl failures OF tlres IA
failures of axIes ana failures of couplings.
these also causing number of deaths and IN
juries. Accidents TO trains caused tie death OF
persons aud injury 10 100, and by other than
tram accidents $50 passengers were killed and
2lO lDJuTed-a very serious record. Some OIL
the causes of accident Will seem III This country
peculiar. THUS, III were injured "Dy falling
on platforms, etc.," 80 injured "DY the
clOSug OF car iage doors" 4 pecu liarily OF The
cOmpattment-car system, which is evidently not
an agreeable one, and were Killed ana . IN
juied "by falling out of carriages during the
travelling of Il aims" which is also TO be credited
10 The slde-dO0r plan IN distinction from cur end
door and continuous platform arrangement. \
large number of employees and others were killed
ana injured by various accidents not directly
connected with The operations of Trains, as, Tor
instance, In handling height and working on The
line. The tola number OF personal accidents re-
ported by The several railway companies Tor The
year shows 49, persons killed ana 2G27 injured.
lie operation OF railways III any county neces-
sary involves danger which cannot be eliml-
mated by the most careful management or The