The evening times., 1896-07-27
COMMITTEE OF OFFICIALS
Impossible to Fix a Rate That Would
BE Renunerativet to All Companies.
Lower Rates Granted the Govern
ment Than the Public-Improved
Service Is Not Costly.

VI eoiblShsitiohi ioi
transporting mails by electric and cable
cars on city and suburban railways, has sub
mitted its report.
The last postoffice appropriation bill, ap-
proved June 8, last, contains provision
'for transportation OF mail by electric and
cable cars, on routes not exceeding twenty
miles in length. 81 90 ,OG0.'' A committee
was consequently NAMED to ascertain
reasonable rate OF compensation for this
class OF service. '--'sS
The committee addressed a circular let
ter TO the various street railway companies
in different parts OF the country request
ing them to present their views on the
subject Several companies replied, al
though a majority OF them took no notice
Of the communication.
THE REPORT
On June IL and IL representatives OF
the more important. companies met the
committee in New York, and the whole
subject was fully discussed. The report
says:
'On account of the widely varying condi-
items, by reason OF the difference in cost
OF labor, fuel, frequency of service, length
" lines, character OF construction, char
acter OF motive power and restrictions en-
forced by city ordinances, it is impossible
to FIX a rate which would be equally re-
munerative to all companies.
"Some companies for example, are al
lowed 10 run separate cars without con-
ductors. Others are required TO have 4
brakeman or guard on trailer railway
postoffice cars, and some are required
I,.,x n ,f.n Il
THE committee does not think 1T eX-
pedient, however for the Department. To un-
dertake to adjust the rates OF Compensation
SO as 10 meet az of these conditions, the
practicable course being to fix rates which
would be fair for the service under normal
conditions and which would at least meet
the ACTUAL additional expense to which
The Companies would be subjected i'll per-
forming this special service, together with
a small allowance for profit.
ION account of the incidental protection
which the transportation Of the mails af-
foIds against distractions to their lines,
such rs street paving, sewer construction,
professions, teams, etc, the companies
appear 10 be willing to perform service
for the government at lower rates than they
would be willing to accept from the pub
lie, and while the rates herein submitted
for Your consideration are in Some cases
below those to which the companies think
they are entitled, we do not ANTICIPATE that
they will refuse them.
THE Capital Traction Company OF WASH
ington places the cost OF operating trailers
at Ia cents per mile, allowing nothing
for general expenses or fixed charges. This
line, however. places the cost OF power
at only Ia of cent per mile, or about
one tenth of the average cost of power on
electric roads, which is probably an error,
as the cable road managers claim that it
is more expensive than electric power.
This company bids 10 cents per car mile.
THE MAIL CARS.
ut Is claimed by come companies that
it is as expensive to provide space in
compartment cars as to provide independ-
ent mail cars, for the reason that a
compartment car is practically useless for
passenger service; but this We do not think
sound, as We only have such apartments
in very long cars, in which sufficient space
is left for passenger accommodation. While
at certain times of the dag the space occu-
pied by the mail apartment would pay
better If available for passengers, 1t should
be borne In mind that the mail apartment
is being paid for at all times, while the
passenger space is not always filled.
"our conclusion is that rate of 16 cents
per car mile for cars not exceeding sixteen
feet in length, inside measurement, would
cover operating expenses and in most cases
allow a fair margin of profit. Assuming
that this rate is adopted, it will be noted
that it will form the basis for very con-
venient unit of measure, namely, cent per
linear foot OF car space, full width of car,
per mile. This rate of pay, think. should
apply TO apartment space in combination
cars.
..Inasmuch, however, as the cost OF oper-
ating longer cars does not increase direct
ly with the length, we would suggest that
for space exceeding sixteen feet the rate
should be one-half cent per mile per foot up
TO and Including twenty feet, which would
make the rate for "A car twenty feet, inside
measurement, Is centsp per mile.
"For trailer cars We would recommend
the rate of 1-2 cent per car-foot mile
for twenty feet or less and l. 4 cent per car
foot mile for space in excess Of twenty
feet. While several companies argue that
the cost of a trailer car is more than half
of that of n motor car, we believe that in
cities which do not require a brakeman
or conductor to accompany the trailer
the cost per mile for trailers is not much
| in excess of half of that for motor cars,
since the items for wages for conductors
| and motormen and repairs of motors are
| saved entirely, and all other expenses
except general expenses, considerably re-
| duced.
| These rates, OF course, contemplate that
| the cars shall be furnished with the neces-
sary fixtures, lighted, heated painted, and
| lettcred in accordance with plans furnished
by the Department, and include transporta-
ton of clerks actually engaged In dis
| tributiop, messengers accompanying reg
istered mail, and postoffice inspectors in
the discharge of their duties.
COST OF THE SERVICE.
SIN the matter of compensation for car
| rying the mails in closed pouches the re-
plies of the railroad companies throw little
| or no light upon the subject. There is nc
way TO arrive at the cost of performing tfis
service. The quantity OF mani to be handled
| is usually small, and, even at compare.
| lively high rate, the total earnings Of the
companies from this source would he insig
| nificaDt, and there is therefore little money
inducement to perform the service. Onac
count, however, of the other iDducement,
mentioned above, most companies are will
ing to handle the mails.
1--WE would recommend rate Of cert.
per car-mile for transporting mails in closed
| pouches, regardless of the space occupied