Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-05-29


but it cost the officers of the road con-
siderable trouble until they could de-
termine from their records just what
cars had disappeared. The Philadel-
phia & Reading recently had a similar
experience through the sweeping away
of bridge at Wilkesbarre Among
the cars lost was one belonging to the
New York Central, which, with its con-
tents had to be paid for.
Every great railroad, like the New
York Central, the Pennsylvania, the
Baltimore & Ohio, and the Delaware,
Lackawanna g. Western, maintains a
record bureau, which keeps 80 strict
watch upon its freight cars that the
precise location of any given car may
known at any time. The cars belong
ing to the railroad itself are entered in
large book, ruled SO that a daily
record of the movements of from
twenty-five to fifty cars may be kept
for month on single page.
What are called foreign cars, that is
cars belonging to other companies, are
recorded in another book, ruled in such
manner that the numbers and initials
of the cars may be recorded. AS the
conductors reports are received they are
checked off on the record books OF the
home Office until every car has been &C.
| counted for. A second set of reporters
| is also received from stations at juno
tions with other roads, showing the
transfers of empty and loaded cars with
the line, number and initials of each,
If the cars are loaded, the contents,
the name of the shipper and the con.
signee are also matters of record
All station agents submit to the car
accountant at the main office record
of the cars loaded and unloaded at
their stations from midnight to mid
night. In fact, the car accountant
practically has a daily report of the To-
cation and condition Of every freight
car in the service of the road. Of course
the passenger system is the subject Of
even more careful record. &
In the case Of perishable freight
which must make fast time over the
railroad hourly reports are made to
the central office by telegraph. In addi-
ton to its own records the railway re-
ceives such parts Of the reports of con-
Meeting lines as are Of service to it.
In addition to serving as d valuable
record of the cars themselves, the ac-
counting system is a check upon the ac-
tions of the employees of the road. De-
lays are rare when the station agent
knows that he will be held responsible
for neglect of freight or rolling stock.
Clerks in the main Office of the road 60
over the reports at short intervals and
check off the cars which have not
been moved for five days, and send a
detention" report to the superintend-
ent of freight Such delays must be
accounted for by the agent in his re-
ports
1t is the practice of all railroads to
use the freight cars of other lines for
through freight only; drawing the cars
to their destination as rapidly us pos
sible, unloading them promptly and
starting them homeward laden with
other freight. At least that is the the
DRY. In practice the rule does not al
ways work
Occasionally some road will be de-
tected in using the cars of another com.
pany for its local freight, or sometimes
cars will not be sent homeward when
they have been unloaded at their DIES.
tination, but will be continued on their
journey away from the home terminal
l te al g +1,an H. 4 So
business to watch the movements of hit
company's cars on other roads and to
send request for their return when he
learns that they are being used for loca.
freight on those roads.
1t is also the accountants business
to keep track of the empty cars of hi
road in order that they may be brought
into instant service when they or,
needed.
From this great amount of detail /
} will be seen how similar the duties OF A.,
railway superintendent or president ar
to those of the commander of an army
No branch of executive duty needs NOR
ability to grasp details and no genera
needs better aids than the man who ha
in his charge the lives of millions o
travellers and merchandise worth NOR,
than any crown In Europe.
The Pennsylvania railroad alone car
ried last year more freight than all tn
fleets of the world while the passenge
J travel into and out of New York cit,
every day is equal to months passen
ger service of all steamships afloat.-
I N. Y. World.