The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-12-06
THE DUTCH RAILWAYS.
The Government Will Eventually Own and
Entirely Control All the Roads.

are IN any way Rcq u&lnGeQ WIN AOllhnu
know with what regularity, deliberation
and slowness the railroads OF that coun-
try are conducted. To q stranger, and
especially to an American, they seem at
fected with the same phlegmatic temper
ment for which the Dutchm8n himself
is Loted. The disposition has its draw
backs, but one Of them is not over haste
It is rare that a train runs off the line,
and the casualties that occur are rather
the result OF slowness than Of speed. For
an active, busy and enterprising nation
the railway mileage Of Holland is small.
This is to be accounted for in two ways:
First, the country is small, and then it
enjoys such an extent of nsvigsble water.
The total length of it's canal system is
1000 miles, in addition to which it has
5000 miles Of other kinds OF navigRble
waters. To country possessing such
advantages railway communication is
subsidiary matter.
At first the Dutch were slow to sppre-
CiRte the advantage Of railroads, and
when they began to construct their lines
the operation was q Glow one. However,
when they built, they built, as it
seemed, for all eternity. The Holland
railway was laid down in 1889. AT; the
Rhine railway in 1843 '56; the AK Mae
stricht- -Lsnden line IN 1858 -'56, and the
Dutch Belgian in 1853-'54 Other chief
lines, namely, that from MRestricht to
Liege, the Central railway, the Nimeg-
uRn line, the Almelo- Sulzberg line, the
state railway system, ETC., were opened
between 1868 and 1864. The principle OF
the state railway was settled in 1860, and
was extended in 1873 and 1875. The
whole country is now covered by net
work Of railways, many Of them built out
Of the state funds, and worked under
government supervision, though not by
government officials. In short, the lines
are let out to company which pays the
treasury q certain proportion Of the net
profits. There are several private roads,
but the tendency is to make them state
properties. The total length Of the Dutch
railways in 1890 was 1,7O5 miles, whereof
the state owned S33 miles, and private
companies the remainder. By 1891 the
total mileage had increased to 1889
miles, Of which the state owned 986
miles. In 1890 one Of the private COM
psnies was absorbed by the state. The
priY ,iple Of the state railways has proved
so successful and beneficial that it is
only a question Of time for the whole Of
the lines of the country to become gov
ernpent property. Even as it is, the
government keeps sharp eye on the
dolngs of the companies, holding that
they are but trustees of public money.
1t is largely on account Of this active
supervision of the state that the Dutch
railways form such an admirable system,
forming literally q network uniting all
parts Of the country with the chief CEN
ters of business and population and with
the frontier. Thus from Amersfoort,
Zutpher, Zwolle. Hsngsls, Boxtell, RoSen-
dsal, Venlo and MRestricht lines stretch
out in four directions, while Groningen,
Leenwarden, Meppel, Euschede, Hilver-
sum, Amsterdam, Hssrlem, the Hague,
Rotterdam, Breds, Tiburg, ETC., are each
the meeting place Of three lines. The