Evening star., 1896-07-18
RAILROAD CIRCLES
PROGRESS of the Rate War to Southern
Points.
ELECTRICITY ON STEAM RAILROADS
Pennsylvania Line Making Some
Interesting Calculations.
CHICAGO's ELEVATED SYSTEM

The Southern Railway Company has
scored the first inning-and a very i'm
portant one at that-in the rate war be-
tween the Seaboard Air Line and itself,
and in consequence the Seabcard has al
ready withdrawn its new schedule, which
involved reduction of 33 1-3 per cent In
the rate from Boston, New York and Phil
adelph.a to southern points.
The combined action of the steamship
lines from the three eastern cities of the
Atlantic seaboard defeated the Seaboards s
purpose by refusing to recognize the cut
tariff or handle any freight under the
same.
The decision was communicated to the
Seaboard and 1t decided to withdraw the
New York, Boston and Philadelphia re-
duced rates for the present. The reduced
rates from Baltimore, which have already
gone into effect, will, however, prevail.
1t is stated by the Seaboard people that
there will be no withdrawal of the new
schedule of passenger fares from the east,
Baltimore and this city to southern points,
and the rates. which in many instances are
90 per cent below the former rates, will be
still further reduced if the new rates are
met.
Just what action the Southern will take
is as yet question. The reason why the
water connections of the Seaboard refused
to recognize their reduced tariff was that
Freight Association. and were bound by
its fixed rates and rules
1t is believed among railroad men that
the fight will become general, and that
any action looking toward the Seaboards s
cuts will have to be taken by the associa-
ton. The Seaboard Air Line officials say
they are in the fight to remain. and that
they intend TO make matters very inter
esting for all parties concerned.
Big Electric Roads.
apio
Railroad Company has been estimating the
initial cost of installing the road with an
electrical equipment, and he has arrived
at the conclusion that If the change were
made il would result in saving in operat
ing expenses of 16.4 per cent annually.
Four methods were used to determine the
amount of power required First by taking
the total number of miles run per year by
all trains and reducing to an hourly traffic
and multiplying by the power required per
train. This gave a total of 140.290 horse
power required. Second, by taking the
yearly movement of freight and passengers
and reducing it to hourly basis with
proper allowances This method resulted
in 1870 horse power required. Third by
taxing the number of locomotives and null
tpiyinS by the average power developed
by each. making proper allowance for en-
gines not In use This gave a result of 1884,
$50 morse power required, and, fourth by
taxing the coal consumption and assum-
ing certain consumption per horse power
per hour This gave 147,573 horse power
required.
The last estimate. being the largest, and
II Is thought, probably the most accurate
was taken as basis. and % per cent was
adeed TO allow for increased traffic al GER
tam seasons OF the year, and again 25 per
cent to cover the heaviest demands during
Ine Gay ar SUCH times The grand total was
-,o.ee' morse power, and as this was the
amount estimated as required delivered on
the track 1t was considered necessary To
have $4,000 horse power in the stations
Ihe plan OF estimate then divides the
hhe INTO sixty sections of forty-fve miles
each and gives each section a power DIant
or 5000 horse power. The total cost for
Inc sixty stations is given at $1,000 900
OF Leo engines was added, and the cost
Tor the entire electric equipment of the
system amounts to si3, ,62OOOO
Inc cost for the operation of this plant
was given at 8. 800 and subtractIng
this from the saving In operating expenses
which was given at s7,6O6 4i224 the net
annual saving would be S4,SS1, ,64224. or
the installation.
Continuing. the official said:
III the claims made, as the result of
tnese experiments. are well founded cleo
tricity would prove cheaper and safer
would increase the comfort of passengers
and render more rapid transit possible
such being the case, why should 1t not
supersede steam? If railroad managers
We're convinced that these claims are true
transformation of their lines would at
once be undertaken, but they are not con-
WINGED. and will not be until they learn
the facts In their own way and that NAV
well be by going slowly and trying a
branch road here and another there, until
they have obtained a sufficient amount of
data from actual experience to dispel all
doubt.
When that point Is reached the trans
formation Will be rapid and the complete
invasion of the steam railway field will
take place at a pace equal to il not greater
rail
Already the New \ ork, New Haven and
hartford and the Pennsylvania are feeling
thelr way by experimenting in branch
roads with light equipments This work
VIII no doubt be followed up BY the euuip-
ment of mere important branches with
heavier rolling stock. until a sufficieht
amount or practical data is obtained TO
Justify change OF entire systems. This
same course will. in all probability be fol-
lowed by other railroads, and IL So electric
ity may gain strong foothold on trunk
line railways much sooner than its most
sanguine friends expect"
To He Sold.
Chieago's first elevated railway. the South
SIDE Rapid Transit. better known as the
Alley L. is soon to be sold under forec,os-
ure to protect its bonds to the amount of
s1O,5Do,OoO.
Inc road. which was opened at The time
or the worlds fair has not proved profita-
Ole since then, not having made the ex-
pected inroads Into the traffic of the Illinois
central and of the cable roads which il
parallels. and the holders Of the 81 500 0;o
OF capital stock. which Is now quoted at
ahout cents on the dollar nave no show
tor any return on their Investment unless
hey VIII submit to heavy assessment
fer reorganization purposes with no GER
,ainty OF getting their money back then
fhe fact is that this elevated road like one
or two others in Chicago, was built in ad-
vance of the need and in a region we'll sun-
Piled with transportatio facilities and the
3lS,ooo.oo0 which the eight and one-haIf
miles of road and its equipment have cost
Will have TO wait some time for profl;ab
results.
Railway Postage.
Referring to the recent order of Post
master General Wilson requiring railroad
companies to buy postage stamps instead
OF using the letters "R. r. b." for letters
In transit. prominent railway official said
to Star reporter: This proposition of the
Post Office Department to require railroad
companies to pay postage on their own
mail matter when carried over their own
road Is not new one In 1888 a similar
order was Issued by the postal authorities
but the railroad companies manifested SO
ftf,n ok