Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-10-15
THE RAILWAY Problem.
Why There Should Not Be Govern
ment Ownership CT Railroads in

Why There Should Not Be Govern
ment Ownership CT Railroads In
This Country.
Mr.. Joseph Nimmo, j., in letter to
the New York Tribune, discussed this
problem. As he is regarded by all par
ties to be an authority, his letter is
given entire, being a complete answer to
all that has been said in favor of gov
ernmental ownership of railroads:
"In recent article I attempted to
show, from the experiences of other ma
tions, the impracticability Of govern
mental ownership and management OF
railroads in the United States. In the
following pages some facts are presented
in regard TO the practical results OF such
experiments by states in this country.
The states which have made the attempt
and abandoned it in favor of independ-
ant corporate ownership and control are
Massachusetts,, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
Illinois, Indiana, and Georgia.
MASSACHUSETTS.
eff the successful ownership and
management Of railroad by state
government were practicable, such sue
cess might have been confidently ex-
pected in the commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts. The Troy Il Greenfield Rail-
road company was chartered in 184S, but
after years ofstruggle, ending in fail
ure, the state took possession of the en-
tire road in the year 1866 and completed
it; the work embraced the Hoosac tun-
mel, the longest railroad tunnel in the
United States. Different plans of ad-
ministration were resorted to. but with
out success. and in the year 1887 the
entire property passed from the posses
sion of the state to that of the Fitch
burg Railroad company. Thus did the
good state of Massachusetts,, as the re-
suit of an earnest effort, yield its verdict
in favor of the proposition that railroad
transportation in this country must be
regarded as private enterprise and not
as public function.
PENNSYLVANIA.
1.-THE state of Pennsylvania made the
earliest, and perhaps the boldest, at
tempt in this country at state railroad
and canal ownership and control In
pursuance of Legislation adopted in 1925,
the state embarked in the construction
of transportation line frDm Philadel-
phia to Pittsburg. This line, begun in
1928. consisted of railroad from Phila-
delphia to Columbia, eighty -four miles
long, where it connected with canal
extending to the base Of the Allegheny
The mountain srmmit was
overcome by system of inclined planes
extending to Johnstown, and a canal
on the western slope completed the line
to Pittsburg. The boldness of this en-
terprise is indicated by the fact that
when it was inaugurated it was a debat-
cd question as to whether the railroad
portion of the line should be operated
BY locomotive engines or by horses.
The state Of Pennsylvania sold these
works to private corporations in the year
1859, as the result of conviction drawn
irom experience, and never shaken, that
the work of transportation must be re-
garded as private enterprise and not
- public function.
MICHIGAN.
Soon after the admission of Michigan
into the Union in 1886, the state gov
entered upon q scheme of rail-
road construction and operation, aided
by large land grant from congress for
improvements. The scheme
embraced the Michigan Central railroad,
The Michigan Southern railroad, and
other lines. The imPracticability of the
scheme was soon developed. In 1916
the Michigan Central was sold to pri-
vste corporation formed by Boston cap
italists. The sale of the Michigan South
6fn followed soon afterwards, and in the
year 1850 the people Of Michigan in
into their constitution pro-
vision which forever prohibits the state
from being interested in or engaged in
on any work of internal I'M
provement. Thus did the people of
Michigan express, as the result of prac-
teal experience, their conviction that
the work of transportation, as well as
the maintenance of a railroad, must be
RENTED to private enterprise; and that
IL CduuOt Dc lIcdles0 oS q PuOAAo AoASeAOns
This result is the mole striking in view
of the fact that, at the time it was at
tempted the conditions were much more
favorable to success than now, each one
of the lines in Michigan being an auton-
omy in the work Of transportation;
whereas at the present time each line is
essentially part OF gigantic and e1-
ceedingly complex national railroad sys-
tenn. This remark applies also to all
the other attempts made in this country
ut railroad management.
ILLINOIS
1.-THE state of Illinois in the years
1859 built, and for about two years
operated, the Northern Gross Railroad
extending from Springfield to Meredo-
IA, q distance of about fifty miles. This
work cost about 81, OO0,O It was OPP
Grated by the state for two years The
income from it was less than the expense
Of operating it, and It was eventually
sold for 500, 900. It is now . part OF
-