The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-11-04

perience of the New York Central &
Hudson River railroad has been typical
of and strictly analogous to that of the
chief railways throughout the country.
The average reduction of goods traffic
rates over the period under considera-
ton has been quite one cent per ten
per mile. This means an average an
nual reduction on the present goods
traffic movement of the United States
of quite S4S4. OOO, 900 per annum-
What other economic movement of
recent times has accomplished such n
result? Let us try to appreciate what
these figures mean.
''The sum of s4S4, 900. 900 per annum
is considerably more than the total an
nual income of the United Kingdom for
army, navy and all other expenses for
the government 1t is about one
seventh of the national debt, so that
our enormous fiscal burdens might be
wiped off within eight wears by the
savings of which the railroads of the
United States have within the last de-
cade annually made 4 present to the
people of that country. This S4S4, ,OOO,-
900 is Sl45, 200, 900 more than the total
annual income from all sources of the
railways of the United Kingdom, and
nearly double the present total annual
income from British agricultural rents.
1T is, therefore, not too much to say
that the railway rate wars and reduc-
tiOns in the United States have not been
the least potent cauSe of the seriously
depressed condition of commerce and
agriculture throughout Europe at the
present time, and that they have exer-
cised an equally potent influence III the
development of the same interest in the
country in which they have occurred.
''On seven of the principal American
railroads, therefore, the average rate
per ton per mile in 1880 was less than one
cent, while on one line, the Lake Shore
& Michigan, it was only about Gree
quarters of that humble coin This, be
it remembered, was the average charge
for all traffic, and not for one descrip-
ton only. 1t compares very favOrably,
indeed, with the lowest European aver
ages, which we have shown elsewhere
to be OF. 50 per ton per mile in Holland
and OIL. "a per ton per mile in Belgium.
On the great coal carrying lines, where
the lowest rates are to be found,
the average ton-mile charge for the
transport of that material to the
metropolis in full train loads is as near
ly as possible identical with the aver
age of the United States railways for
1850, as applied to all descriptions of
traffic. 1t is probable that the average
ton-Inile rate on English railways will
not be much, if any, under three cents,
which is just three times the amount
charged on the principal American
lines, as already ascertained. If the
assumed English average were now
charged on the American railroads, the
income of the latter, on the freight car
ried in 1884, would have been s96S, S,000,-
900 more than it really was.
Among minor sources of economy,
but yet important ones, may be named
the consolidation of connecting lines
under one management, with the effect
that, whereas, in 1880, it rarely hap
pened that 500 miles of railroad were
under the same administration, the rule
now is to have from 1000 to 5000 miles
so controlled; the running of freight
trains at higher rates of speed; the
adoption of a system known as run
ming locomotives, first in, first out, un-
der which, by having more crews than
locomotives, nearly 30 per cent. more
service is got from the latter, with less
deterioration, due to frequent altera-
tions of heating and cooling; the run
ming of cars through from the centers
of production to tidewater without
increased terminal facil-
tiles and improved methods of sig
Mailing.
IF Canada and India had to-day
ually as the United states have long
since done-if the railway facilities
were as abundant between the pro-
ducers and the ports, and if the rates of
freight were as cheap and as entirely
adapted to the development of trade
there would be no need for the depend
ence upon American supplies that now
exists.
The development of the foreign trade
of the United States has been greatly
helped by the low rates of freight which
the greatly increased volume of traffic
at command has enabled the railway
to concede. This is point
of the utmost Importance in considering
the means of colonial development
Between 1870 and 1854 the railways of
the United States had reduced their
freight rates by fully one-half over the
whole of the enormous traffic which
they carry. In relation to this fact, if
the same average rates of freight pre-
vailed at the present time as in 1870,
the agriculturalists and trades of the
United States would have been paying
S4s4. .000, 900 more than they actually are
for railway transportation.
in 1850 the railways of the United
States carried over 1000, 900 of tons of
agricultural produce, out of a total
traffic of 300. 600. 900 of tons. being close
upon 30 per cent of the whole freight
carried. On the transport of this traffic
from the place of production to the
ports the agriculturistS of the United
States are now paying about Sl54. .20O,-
900 n year less than they would have
been required to pay at the rates OF
twelve years ago. As a result of this
reduction in the cost of
the agricultural exports
of America have. since 1870, been more
than doubled in value and greatly more
than doubled in volume.
THE increase of traffic in the United
States has, however, been more remark
able than anything that has occurred
elsewhere, and it NAV therefore be
cited as a notable example of what a
judicious policy designed to stipulate
traffic by working on very narrow
margin of profit is capable of bring
ing about The average gross receipts
per mile open in that country have
been:
In 1871 90