The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-09-07

past twenty-five years AS matter OF
carried at so low a ratio by rail
roads as during the year 1890. The
decline has been gradual from year to-
year on all lines. and particularly on trunk
lines In 1855 the cost of the carriage of y.
ton of wheat from Chicago to New York
was S3l.59; IN 1870, S16.0S; in 1880, SS64. and
in 1881 only $50. The charges for carrying
AS, Sm tons of vegetable food from Chi
cago 10 New York IN 1850 was $685. l97, 9S7 less
than il would have been in 1870: the freight
charge per ton of the seven leading Eastern
trunk lines in 1863 Mas 30 cents per mile;
IN leeS the charge was 0.609 of a cent. or
little over mills less than a cent per ton.
This is a reduction of 10 per cent; or, TO
make IL more striking the seven trunk
lines received bnt S2l In 1888 for the same
service for which they got 500 In looo. me
six leading Western trunk lines collected
from freight. IN 1865, 3.6i2 cents per ton
per mile. but in 1883, they received
but ..34 of a cent for the same servlce-a
reduction of 73 PEE cent. Inc average
reduction of freight charges per mile per
ton for the whole country is now over 10
per cent less than IL was at the close OF the
war. The earnings of all the roads during
the year 1890 from the carriage or ireight
was .935 of q cent per ton per mile-the
lowest figure yet reached, which is % per
cent less per ton than in 1882 In the CEN
trai Northern States-Obio. Michigan, lndi-
ana Illinois and WisconsiE-the falling of
ner mile per ton from 1882 to 1880 was from
l63 cent to 70 of one cent. which IS more
than 80 per cent, or to make it more vivid,
the people of the States mentioned did not
paw quite half as mach per ton for railroad
transportation in 1880 as they did in 1882.
ENORMOUS TRAFFIC.
In 1882 there were 112e9i,545 tons of
freight moved N the central Northern
States alone referred to at a cost of $780,
1856, which was equivalent to moving
1855, $50 tons one mile at 1853 cent
mile. During 1890 204. 659,6n tons were
carried at cost of S22l. s57. 56l. which is
equivalent to moving 27.s9l. O74, 8o1 tons one
cent a mile at 79100 of cent mile. If
the same charge per mile per ton had been
made in 1890 as in 1882 the carriage Of the
freSht IN these ss 80; States t n. wS1id of hafo
S75,561. Again. i'll $780, 70l ,544. 40 tons of
freight were carried by the railroads of
the country n distance which was equiv
aleut to moving ~, l92. $50, l35 tons one mile,
which. at 931OO OF a cent a mile. paid SI40,-
374,Sl4 Suppose this freight had paid the
rate per ton per mile the average charge
per mile of all the trunk lines for the year
1865, namely, 3.27fl00 cents the cost would
bave been s2,5S9, 510,613 instead of S74O.-
374S14.
The reduction in passenger rates has been
less marked, though it has been large, but
not in proportion to the evident increase of
travel. Early figures would present to
view the wonderful increase in travel since
the railroad era. Indeed, there may be said
to have been very little travel until the
railroad came. so that the person who had
travelled from Indiana to New York and re-
turned was a local celebrity and an ad
venturer, and If he were gifted with tongue
could always have an admIring coterie OF
listeners whe rever he chose to "ope his
month" and tell of his expioits. But now
travel has become general. The man of
middle age who has net become familiar
with the wonders of Chicago or has not
visited New York is rather behind the
times. Indeed, the persons who have
travelled over Europe have become SO
numerous that if they attempt to
pose as remarkable because of their
trlps abroad they run the risk of being the
objects of amusement if not of ridicule.
Later statistics show how widely the habit
of railroad travel is gaining III this country.
During 1882 the railroads carried 2S9. 020, 7e3
passengers, which was equivalen to giving
each man, woman and child in the country
almost SIX railroad rides n year at cost
of Isl cents mile. During 1880, $40. Ala. 0S2
passengers were carried at the rate OF 9. u
cents mile, which was equivalent to CIV
ing each inhapitant of the Republic eight
and one-half railroad rides during the year
No one thing has done and will do so much
TO unity the American people as the assOci-
alton of those of one section with those of
another by means OF cheap railroad trans
portation. Years ago the pecuiiaritles
Of speech and customs of the inha bitants of
the different sections of the Republic were
dence could be fixed at sight; but now there
are very few local characteristics in speech
or custom. because the people of different
sections have mingled so thoroughly and
have gone from one locality to another to
4, make homes. The railroad teaches object
lessons in civilization and progress to q
whole country.
HOW CHARGES HAVE BEEN REDUCED.
How have the rates of railroad trans
portation been reduced throughout the
country more than 75 per cent. for the same
freight service since the warl At the out
set. let US dismiss every notion that phi
lanthropy has been factor in the work,
as there is not particle of that sentiment
in n railroad corporation. 1t is the result
of competition and practical brains. Com
petition made reduction nect ssary, and the
best brains In execution. invention, en-
gineering and mechanics have made it pos
sible. In the early stage of railroad devel-
opment it cost vastly more to do business
than now. even If the profits were larger.
experience. First. short lines, built
by local companies. had to be con-
solidated into general lines. This be-
gan within twenty years after the first
plished by bankruptcy and foreclosure
Original investors. who took stock to help
railroad enterprises along. saw il swa allowed
up in reorganization OF by bondholders
parent injustice TO shareholders. and the
men who obtained control and onsOlida ted
short lines into systems were called hard
names. Railroad wrecking came In at this
period in the development of systems. A
few men got controlling interest Of stock
in lines, and managed the whole in such O
manner that small stock holders either
chose to take a small figure for their stock
Or were frozen out altogether. More
fortunes and millionaires were made by
the deals incident to consolidation than
the country knew before that period. And
necessity TO the creation OF trunk lines and
the command of the vast capital necessary
to make the railroad system what it is.
Mere consolidation aud leasing have done
away with an army of high paid officials
while the fusing of several short
lines into one has facilitated traf-
nc. Competition has been another
factor in the cheapening of TRANSFORMATION.
1t is u potent one to-day. as the wars of cut
rates show. A large business inspired the
construction of rival lines, and these lines
entered into competition. Nor has il been
competition TO haul only merchandise at
the lowest figure. but competition TO de-
wise methods to do business nj lower cost
to the com panies. Indeed. this has been
the great struggle In railroad competition.
The reduction of the cost of transportation
has been most remarkable. In 1861 1t cost
the New York Central railway 1.3f3 cent a
mile 10 haal u ton OF lght; in 1870 il cost
that company 1.l53 cent, and In $780, .5i2 of
cent. That is, in ten years the cost of
hauling ton of freight was reduced more