The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-02-20
PASSENGER SERVICE FIGURES.
Ocinion of iowa state Board of Rail-
road Commissioners,

information from the state board of rail-
road commissioners as to the average rate
of fare in Iowa; the cost to railroads of
carrying a passenger 4 mile; how the agri-
culturists may ascertain what rate would
be fair to both sides, and asking for the
opinion Of the commissioners on the SUBJ
ject.
In reply an open letter has been written
by W. W. Ainswo-th, secretary of the
commission, saying in part:
The questions suggested by you have
recently been considered by the board of
railroad and warehouse commissioners of
Illinois in response to an inquiry made by
the state grange of that state. Its con-
clusion was that it would be unwise. I'M
warranted and unjust to the railroad inter-
ests of the state to comply with this re-
quest"
The matters suggested by you have re-
ceived our long and careful consideration,
and, unless the questions were presented in
a more formal manner, We doubt the pro-
priety of expressing our own opinion with
freedom. We will state some of the more
salient facts, and these will aid you TO form
your own conclusions in the matter.
From the statistics given in the report
of this commission for 1926 it appears the
average amount received by the railroads
doing business in Iowa for carrying one
passenger one mile during the year was
2.27 cents.
The returns from which these results are
obtained do not include any passengers
carried free. The large number Of passen-
gers who have Travelled upon reduc-
lions or rates as permitted by our statutes
ministers of the Gospel, organizations Of
our military, excursions on holidays, spe-
cial rates to meetings of many organiza-
lions, state and county fairs-are factors
that reduce the average fare to the amount
above stated. 1t is obvious, therefore, that
the average must always be lower than the
rate fixed by law. The character of the
business renders it impossible to make any
rate that will be absolutely uniform.
In arriving at the cost of carrying one
passenger one mile, as above given, Moth
ing is charged on account of the Expense
of the railroads for interest, rents, taxes
and miscellaneous fixed charges. ard, of
curse, nothing for dividends on stock. Tho
passenger traffic should, of course, bear its
proportion of these expenses. which con-
stitute part of the cost of doing the BUSH
ness. From statistics compiled by the in
terstate commerce commission it appears
that to charge the passenger business Of
the railroads with its proportionate share
of the fixed charges, not including anything,
however, on account of dividends and cred
iting it with mail and express earnings,
would give us as the actual cost 2.57 cents.
The statement of the Illinois commis-
sion that there has been a general reduce
ton of passenger business is undoubtedly
confirmed by the statistics. For the whole
United States the number of passengers
carried one mile for each mile of railroad
in 1880 was IS. 751: in 1885 It was 6S.5I2.
Though the number OF passengers carried
less, the passenger car mileage was
greater in 1885 than in 1890, which, of course.
increased the cost per passenger In 1872
the total number of miles run by passen-
ger trains in the United States was
265, So. SOL: in 1895 it was 81, 565, els. In 1895
the revenues from passenger service in
the United States decreased $50, l03. 37S as
compared Will 1894, though the figures for
1895 include 2,055.29 miles of road more thar
in 1894.
The foregoing statements, which are
based upon the most accurate statistics OBJ
tainable, at this time Indicate:
1. That at the present time the average
fare charged in lows is less than the actual
cost of transporting the passenger.
.. That within the last three or four years
passenger earnings have decreased without
u corresponding decrease in the cost of do
ing the business.
Some of the considerations tending 70
throw light on this subject are the rates
of fare elsewhere, the density of popula-
ton, the earnings per mile of road derived
from the passenger service, and whether
a decrease in the rates would increase traf-
fic SO as to render it practicable 20 per-
form the desired service at the decreased
rate.
Unless changes have been recently made
that have not come to the notice of the
commission the following are the rates
prevailing in the countries named:
England-First class, ~ cents; second,
80 cents; third, 2 cents.
France-Firs class, 4 cents; second, 3
third. 2 cents.
J.aIv-E irct class . e oDnES- carOni 96 I
cents: third, is cents.
HolIand-First class, 80 cents; second.
&c cents: third, &c cents.
Belcium-First class, "a cents; second.
is cents; third, IL cents.
Except in England no baggage is carried
free, and the accommodation in the small
er foreign countries are IN every respect
much inferior to those furnished in Amer
lea.
The density of population also affects
the volume of passenger traffic. Where the
population is dense there will be more travel
than in sparsely-settled districts. In Iowa
the population per square mile is about IS:
in England, 54l; Belgium, 514; Holland, $50:
Italy, 2GS; France, 1S7; New York, 1S9;
Ohio, 90: New England, So; Illinois, IS; Mis-
souri,, IS: Wisconsin, "a: Nebraska, Is:
Kansas, 10; South Dakota, 8.
The population per mile of railroad in
is about 247, in Illinois it is about 295;
New York, S13; New England, 10; Mis-
souri,, Az: Wisconsin. So6; Nebraska, 2G9;
Kansas, los; South Dakota, 129.
The average passenger earnings per mile,
as shown by the last report to this COM
of the roads operating in Iowa are
$500. The Kansas report for 1926 shows
1914, the Illinois report 81, $50, and, as shown
by the report Of the interstate commerce
commission, they are s4,+22 in New Erg-
land, A,51S in New York, and in Ohio 1851.
1t appears frcm the report Of this COM
mission for 1895 that the average distance
roads during the current year was 3112
miles. The average fare therefore paid
by each passenger was 1884 cents. If the
was two cents n mile the average pas
senSer would save 81 cents. Whether and
people to travel more than they do now on
account of business. necessity or pleas
nre, you can determine for yourself.
Other matters worthy of consideration
In this connection are the present eff
cheney of the passenger service, what eff
feet, If any, a decrease in passenger earn
Ings would have upon the passenger service
generally, and especially upon the num-
and character of the local trains.
1t is evident that as yet the Iowa rail-
roads have not been brought up to a proner
condition. With scarcely an ex-
-eption, every line IN the state demands
larSe expenditures, and some of tfran, in
the very near future, for ballast, ties ney
steel, changes in grades, double tracks and
equipment.
I