The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-06
ORIGIN Of Fnst Freight Dimes.

"Kasson's Dispatch was the first insti-
tuition denominated a fast freight line"
Kasson's only investment in the scheme
consisted in Office rent and the salary he
paid his men, he paying the roads their re-
spective local rates, and the $40 per ton ex-
ira left him a liberal margin as a clear
profit. The cars carrying Kassons Dis
patch goods were furnished by the re-
spective roads and were not run on any
faster schedule than were the regular
freight trains OF the road; in fact, they con-
stituted a part of each west-bound freight
train, and the only thing that entitled them
to the term was the fact that the goods
were promptly transferred to other cars at
the transfer points and they were promptly
dispatched from there. But the great point
gained was safety, and besides, what
started from New York as corload ar
rived at it's destination as that same car
load though the packages might have oc-
cupied several cars en- route.
"Kasson's Dispatch" reached Cleveland,
Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville. Indianap
oils, ST. Louis, Toledo Detroit, Chicago and
some other Western cities and the cars
were kept moving toward their respective
destinations without unnecessary delay at
transfer points Before very long several
that Mr.. Kasson had bonanza and they
formed syndicate and bought I'm out, he
making a big profit, and they rged the
name to the Merchants Dispet h." the
New York Central continuing toels It's route.
The popularity of this improved service
increased so rapidly that the other two
routes between New York and the Western
cities (the New York & Erie and the Penn
sylvania CentraD in order to secure fair
share of the west-bound traffic were obliged
to adopt similar tactics. The New York &
Erie name since changed to New York,
Lake Erie & Westerly at that time boasted
of a 'siX-foot gauge" and claimed great
superiority on that account. The Great
Western Dispatch was organized, running
its freight over the New York & Erie to
Dunkirk, where it was transferred and went
west over the same routes as, the "Mer-
chants Dispatch" and under similar ar
rangements.
The originator of this through freight
line" was Mr.. William Thaw. Mr.. Thaw
called upon the president of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroads. Edgar Thompson, of
Philadelphia--and submitted to him a plan
for doing the through business without
breaking bulk and thus avoiding block
AIDES in the future, as well as being more
economical and satisfactory in every re-
spect. Mr.. Thaws plan was, in substance,
to build few hundred cars specially for
this high-class through business; let the
gauge be four feet, eight ana a half inches,
but have the tread of the wheel so broad
as to reach out over the 4-10 track of the
Western roads sufficiently to pass any
curves safely then cars loaded at Phiia-
delphia or Perth Amboy (the then place OF
loading the New York goods) could be run
through TO Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago
and the intermediate points, uIIIoaded and
sent back Last with less average uetenJlon
and at TAR less expense than is encountered
at PIttsburg transfer. IN January, 1904, the
Legislature OF Pennsylvania chartered the
Union Transfer and Insurance Company,
winch corporate name was subsequently
changed 10 the Union Railroad and Trans
porIauon Company, the Insurance feature
at nrSt contemplated being eliminated The
Union Railroad and Transportation Conn
pany, which was the proprietor OF the Star
onion line, owned and controlled the cars
OF its lire, which were new and of broad
tread, intended 10 run through between
Eastern and W estern cities irrespective OF
the change of gauge. About 4 year after
the Star Union line went into operation the
Empire line was organized, running between
Chicago and Erie over the Lake Shore a
Michigan Southern Railway and reaching
Philadelphia and New York Via the Phlla-
delphia x Erie Railway About the year
lS60 the New York Central * hudson River
Railroad, in connection with the Lake Shore
& Michigan Southern, organized q red line,
each road contributing its quota of cars ac-
cording TO the mileage the Boston a. AL
bany joining for Boston business and con-
tributing its proportion of cars. They We're
of uniform size and pattern, by whichever
road they were owned, ana being painted
bright red, they were exceedingly SNOWY
and attractive as we'll as substantial.
Whether these roads had by this time
adopted uniform gauge of four feet eight
and a half inches or whether they adopted a
compromise gauge of four feet nine and
quarter inches does not matter, since the
cars ran over without transfer of contents
and that was the great desideratum.
The White line was established about the
same time as the Red line and trayersed
the same routes as far as Cleveland, whenca
il took several roads leading to the South
and Southwest The Michigan Central Rail-
way Chicago to Detroit, was thus placed AT
a great disadvantage its eastern connection
after ferrying over the Detroit river at
Windsor, Canada, being then the Great