The record-union., 1893-02-11
THE USE OF FIGURES.

The difference between the methods of
an expert using figures to corroborate
facts within his knowledge and expert
ence and those of persons having no
practical expert knowledge endeavoring
to create facts from the mere evidence of
figures, is well illustrated in an article ap-
pearing in the San Francisco Bulletin of
Februaryi9th, criticising Mr.. Curtis state
ment before the Senate Committee on
Constitutional Amendments.
The Bulletin says that the general ex-
pense account, which includes officers
salaries, clerks, legal expense. rents, etc.,
is excessive on the Southern Pacific Com
pany; that it amounted to S2,O69, 275 last
year. 1t says the Pennsylvania Railroad
got along with 1917, 499 for the same pur-
pose, the New York Central with $685.
423, and other roads are also cited in this
connection.
The fact is that the Southern Pacific
Company makes up the accounts in its
annual report strictly under the REQUIRE
ments of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. The older roads of the East
generally follow their old forms for the
purpose of their official annual reports,
redistributing the figures when reporting
TO the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, which requires that many items
OF expense, which, under the ordinary
railroad forms, are distributed under
other headings, shall be accounted for to
them as general expenses. The true COM
parison as between these roads is to be
found in the Statistics of Railways in
the United States" published by the In
terstate Commerce Comm ission. TAX
ing their report for the year ending June
80, 1890, we find that the Southern Pacific
Company Pacific System) general ex-
penses were, as reported under their
rules, g, 2OS,077 ION page 500 on 4,3IO.55
miles Of road page 299), or $512 per mile
OF line. Taking the mileage from page
l55 of this report, and the other statistics
from page 543, the general expense of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company is shown
to be 81, 81, 2S7 on 2,49O.26 miles of rail-
road, or 81, LAB per mile; more than twice
as much as the Southern Pacific lines.
For the New York Central and Hudson
River, taking the mileage from page 147,
and the other figures from page 541, the
general expenses are shown to be s., 1884,
$50, on 1, 42O.64 miles of road, or 81 ,SI9. per
mile; between three and four times as
great per mile of road as the Southern
Pacific.
Taking this expense per mile of road in
each of the ten groups OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission, similar results
are found, which show that neither the
Southern Pacific Company by itself or
group 10, in which it is situated. COM
pare unfavorably with Eastern lines in
this item of expense, even when the diff
ference in traffic, operating conditions
and all fair and proper allowances are
made.
The Bulletin writer has drawn on his
imagination in making the statement
that TO haul ton of freight one mile
ninety-seven-hundr of a pound of
coal is requiredin California, and one and
fifty-four-hundredths in Kansas. There is
no data in any railroad or Commissioners,
report on which to base these figures. No
railroad company shows separately its
coal consumption for different classes of
service. Mr.. Curtis statement did not
admit that eighty pounds of coal were
required to run a locomotive mile in
Kansas, against sixty-five pounds in
California, but, on the contrary, proved
that less coal is required on Eastern
lines than on California lines.
All of the figures put forth by the
BalLetin arejust about as reliable as those
referred to. 1t does not even attempt to
publish reliable data, though it could
obtain it without any trouble. 1t has en-
tered boldly upon course of wholesale
misrepresentation, and proceeds with the
most sublime disregard for the truth.