Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-02-08
PASSENGER FARES
Railway Question Discussed by a
State Board.
SOME TIMELY INFORMATION aIvEH

In Reply to Questions Asked OF the Iowa
Board Reported In . Similar Case-Two-
Cents-a-Mne Fare Not Favored and the
Reasons for That Position - Statistics
That Are Pertinent.
Des Moines, Ia, Feb S-W.W. Field Of
Odebolt, president Of the State agricul-
tural society, anxious to enlighten its
members on the merits Of the railroad
question. sought for information from
the state board of railroad commission
ers on the following points:
What is the average rate Of fare in
Iowa?
What does it cost the railroads to car
~ passenger q mile?
How are we (the agriculturists) to as
certain what rate would be fair on both
sides?
What is the opinion Of the commits
sioners on the question?
In reply an open letter has been writ
ten by w. w. Ainsworth, secretary Of
the commission. saying in part: THE
questions suggested by you have re-
Gently 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 conclusion was that it would be I'M
wise, unwarranted and unjust to the
railroad interests of the state to comply
with this request
Why It Was Held Unwarranted.
The reasons in brief were that while
the strong roads might be able to stand
1t the weak ones would be badly en-
barrassed. The number Of passengers
carried was much less in the last two
years than previously because Of the
general depression, not because the
rates were two high. The roads were
allowed a maximum of cents a mile a
passenger. and carried them for a lit
tie over cents. The Iowa secretary
then proceeds: THE matters suggested
by you have received our long and care
ful consideration, and unless the Ques-
lions were presented in q more formal
manner We doubt the propriety of ex-
pressing 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 Off 1895 1t 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 Passengers Carried Free.
''The returns from which these results
are obtained do not include any passen-
gers carried free. The large number of
passengers who have Travelled upon re-
auctions of rates as permitted by our
statutes-ministers of the gospel, organ
izations of our military, excursions on
holidays, special rates to meetings Of
many organizations, 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 bus
mess renders 1t impossible to make any
rate that will be absolutely uniform. In
arriving at the cost of carrying one pas
senger one mile, nothing is charged on
account of the expenses of the railroads
for interest, rents, taxes and miscellan-
eous fixed charges, and. of course, moth
ing for dividends on stock.
Reduction of Passenger Business.
1.-THE statement of the Illinois COM
mission that there had been a general
reduction OF passenger business is un.
doubtedly confirmed by the statistics.
For the whole United States the num-
Der of passengers carried one mile for
each mile of railroad in 1890 was Is, ISL |;
in 1895 it was Ss.572. Though the num-
Der of passengers carried was less. the
passenger car mileage was greater in
1895 than in 1890. which. of course, in
creased the cost per passenger. In 1890
the total number Of miles run by pas
senger trains in the United States was
2S5, SIS, S04: in 1895 it was 81 .565,615. In
1895 the revenues from passenger service
in the United States decreased $33, 1O3,-
1913 as compared with 1894. though the
figures for 1895 include 2,05529 miles of
road more than in 1894.