The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-25
RAILROAD NOTES.

Major I. B. Brown, superintendent Of
the Bureau Of Railways, in his report
for 1895, says the total cost Of railway
equipments as ascertained from the data
reported. Is $183. .S1l.3S. For the year
1894 1t was $176. ,962. .5S; 1893, $174.990,-
S45. Is; 1892. $163. 73S, ,31434; 1891, s1592 92S5.-
1878. The reports for the year just
closed indicate that the total cost of
equipment, lS3. 5S5. 81 .3S, includes equip
ment now In use as follows: 9,76O loco
motives, 6,7S7 cars in passenger service.
329. .606 cars in freight service and 1,43
cars in the service Of the railways for
maintenance, construction, etc. In ad-
dition to these there are in the fast
freight service, 29,426 cars. There are
also T,7SS leased cars. Major Brown
says: THE number of cars given here
does not include those in use on the
railways owned by private shippers or
by corporations or transportation COM
panies other than common carriers.
While the number of such cars is large
and probably increasing in a greater
percentage than the cars belonging to
the common carriers, no statistics Is
compiled by the Interstate commerce
commission to determine the number OF
them in use in the United States. nor Is
it possible to determine what percent
age Of the tonnage is carried in such
cars, or what inroad the owners of such
cars make upon the transportation in
terests, which it would seem properly
belong to the common carriers, or in
deed, to ascertain how far the proper
revenues Of the common carriers are d.
verted to the pockets of the owners Of
these cars. Certain 1t Is that the use
of shippers cars and the cars OF cor
porations, firms and individuals, other
than common carriers. furnishes the
80 ltyn nvt tVp,tt M IN
in the transportation problem that now
imperils so many business enterprises.
The scheme has fastened itself upon the
common carriers and deprives them OF
a revenue to which in all fairness they
are entitled, and, besides, 1t has for
years carried disaster to many firms,
corporations and individuals, not par
ties to the scheme. At a recent ma
tional convention of railway commits
sioners q representative from the de-
partment of Internal affairs read pa
per on this subject. which Is here in
serted. One has only to make careful
study Of this subject to be CONVINCED
that the scheme IL a most pernicious
one, and sound public policy ana fair
ness to all demand either It's abolish
ment or the most rigid regulation and
supervision"
"One OF the indications or improve
ment in the Northwest IL in regard to
immigration" says President ]. M.
Hill, of the Great Northern. Eight
years ago we were getting 10000 inquir-
les month. They dropped to 400 a
month, and now number 5000 to G,OOO q
month. Our land grant is about sold
and we shall not have the means to
| send the money which we have spent In
the past to induce immigration. At the
| same time we shall be glad to cooper
ate in getting settlers into this country.
The development has been wonderful.
AS late as 1882, l drove from the inter-
national boundary to what is now Graf
| ton, and did not see a vestige of settle
ment. Yet there today are counties that
| do not owe dollar and have an assess
ed valuation of millions of dollars. In
| 1878, the old St. Paul and Pacific rail-
road carried 1000, 900 bushels OF wheat
Judge of the growth when ! tell you
that of the present crop the Great
| Northern Railway will carry 65.OOOOOC
| bushels of wheat. which Is nearly three
times as much as will be marketed In
| Chicago this year by all the roads run
ming into that city. 1t amounts to over
IL per cent. Of all the wheat raised In
the United States"