The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-27
PREPARED FOR BUSINESS
THE EQUIPMENT OF INDIANA LINES
IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
A Popular Mileage Book Not What Is
Desired-The knickerbocker the
Destroying Through Train.

that at no time have the railways been
in better condition to handle the large bust
ness in prospect; certainly such is the case
with the Indianapolis lines Despite the
depressed times, most of the roads have
kept the shop men employed eight or nine
hours a day in building new and repair
ing old equipment, and this remark ap-
plies to passenger as well as freight equip
ment Especially in the way of power are
the indianapolis lines in good condition.
Expert mechanics and mechanical engin-
GERS express surprise over the high stand
ard Of the locomotives which arrive and
depart at Indianapolis. The Big -Four, on
all its express trains uses the large, fine
looking Garstang type of locomotive; the
Monon its large new Brooks engines; the
Vandalia its Schenectady engines, and the
Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton several
types of locomotive either new or recently
rebuilt, and the Pennsylvania still main
tains its high standard for passenger loco
motives. Less is seen of the freight loco
motives on the Union tracks but on the
line of the Belt road can be seen monster
freight engines hauling from thirty to fifty
cars each. Strangers speak of the hand
some appearance Of the passenger trains,
a large per cent. of which, if not new, have
N~NAA
months. The freight equipment was never
before in as good shape to handle the bust
ness as now. A large per cent. of the cars
have been fitted with air brakes, automatic
couplers and put in the best physical con-
dition. The Improvements to roadbeds,
heavier steel rails stronger bridges and
better ballasted track have kept pace with
the improvements in the equipment; cOnse.
quently, If the freight men can only be con-
WINGED, said one of their number that there
will be business enough at tariff rates for
all, and that 1t is better TO get more reVe-
nue. out Of the freight traffic. the season
of railroad prosperity is surely at hand.
The New Mileage Book.
Yesterday a Journal reporter remarked
that it was evident the new mileage book
which will be placed on sale Aug. 1 will
not be popular. To this a passenger official
answered: I'VE don't want the mileage
book to be popular; that is just what is the
matter with our revenue Sixty-five per
cent. Of our passenger business is now car
ried on mileage books and some of that at
less than cents per mile, when but Is
per cent. of it should be. Until the last
two years not over Is per cent. of our bust
ness was carried on mileage books. The
book which the Central Passenger Commit
tee Will issue will be good over thirty-two
roads IN this territory. The traveller who
uses it must pay $50 for | 900 miles and
when used he receives a rebate of $40 /
think any reasonable travelling man--for ii
is for them chiefly the book is issued-wil
be when he investigates the matter, con-
Ylnced that 1t is just to the roads" The
form OF the ticket will be different from
any ever issued There will be no name
on the tickets nor will there be any de-
scription of the purchaser. In buying the
ticket the purchaser will sign an agree
ment under which it will be only for his
own use. The conductors will nor take up
this mileage for passage. The holder of a
mileage book will present it at the ticket
window, where there will be torn out the
number OF miles represented in the trip the
person is to take, and a ticket will be given
good for the trip The holder of the ticket
will be required to sign the back of the
ticket and when the conductor takes up
the ticket, given in exchange for the strip
torn out, he will also sign this ticket. The
trip taken out by the ticket agent and the
ticket taken up by the conductor will be
sent in to the chairman of the Central Pas
tract signed by the purchaser will be on
file. If all the signatures agree until the
entire LOCO miles are used the purchaser
Will be refunded $40 upon giving up the
book.
Good Prospects for the Atchison.
The officials of the Atchison road are
hopeful that the movement of the seasons
crop of grain in the West will give the road
the largest earnings it has ever had If
the threatened rush of the grain shippers in
the direction of Galveston can be averted
by the railroads it is thought that the
fol