The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1897-02-19
'ON IOWA RAIL RATES.
PA 5 SENGER RViCE AND
RATES COMPARED.
EepIy of the State Railroad Commission
to Inquiries by Agricuiturists Regard
ing Average Receipts and Expenses.


ing Average Receipts and Expenses.
Des Moines, ,Iowa.-Correspondence Chicago
Times -Herald.-W. w. Field OF Odebolt, pres
ident of the State Agricultural society. anx-
ious to eplighten its members on the merits OF
the railroad question, sought for information
fscm the state board OF railroad commission
ers on the following points: What is the aver
age rate Of fare in Iowa? What does 1t cost the
are we the. .agriculturists) to ascertain what
rate would be fair on both sides? What Is
the opinion Of the commissioners on the Ques-
ticn? In reply an open letter has been writ
ten by w. w. Ainsworth, secretary of the
commission, saying in part: 1.-The questions
suggested by you have recently been con-
sidered by the board OF railroad and ware
house commissioners of Illinois in response to
an inquiry made, by the state grange Of that
state. Its conclusion was that it would be
unwise. unwarranted and unjust to the rail-
road interests of the state to comply with this
request The regular report says: Some Of
the great trunk lines in Illinois might be able
to stand such reduction, yet the smaller
roads and those which do almost wholly a
been for the last two years struggling for
existence. would be most seriously affected
by 1t. Such action on our part would simply
increase the heavy burdens under which they
are struggling now.
Decrease in Passenger Business.
"It is a well-known fact to those who have
taken the trouble to investigate the amount Of
passenger business done by the railroads In
Illinois during the last two years that there
has been large decrease in the number Of
passengers carried This is due, in our judg-
ment not to the amount charged for such
service, but to the general depression in all
lines OF business, the low prices of farm
products and the unsettled financial condi-
tions which have had their effect on the pas
senger as well as the freight business. This
question was before us VIXEN we revised the
freight schedule in 1895 and the whole ques-
ton was thoroughly considered. We did not
think then, and neither DO we feel now, that
In justice to both the public and the railroads
this reduction should be made at this lime.
II the country Was prosperous our conclu-
sions might be different The statistics In our
Office show that for, the last three years. 1884,
1873 ana 1876, the average amount charged by
lpe rai!foadS per passenger per mile is frac-
ton above cents. although the maximum
allowed them was 8 cents. For the reasons
above stated we do not feel that this redUc-
tion should be made by us at this time.
We are also asked to recommend this re-
duction to the legislature. In view of our
conclusion do not feel that it would be
consistent for us to do so.
Receipts and Cost Per Mile.
.'From the statistics given in the report of
this commission for 1895 1t appears the aver
age amount received by the railroads doing
business in Iowa for carrying one passenger
one mile during the year was 2.27 cents. The
tanned d" not include any passengers carried
Tree. The large number of passengers who
EaFc Travelled uTon reductions of rates as per
mitted by our statutes-lninisters of the gos-
pei. organizations of our military, excursions
on holidays, special rates to meetings Of many
state and county fairs-are fac
tors that reduce the average fare to the
amount above stated. 1t is obvious, there
FORE 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. The
Iowa report for 1895 shows only ten roads
which returned the average cost Of carrying
one passenger one mile. The average cost OF
these companies was 2.14 cents. This result
is less reliable than if it were founded upon
returns made by all the roads, which would
probably increase it. In arriving at the cost
of carrying one passenger one mile, as above
given. nothing is charged on account OF the
expenses of the railroads for interest, rents,
taxes and miscellaneous fixed charges, and,
of course, nothing for dividends on stock.
The passenger traffic should of course, hear
its proportion of these expenses. which con-
sttute rart of the cost of doing the business.
From statistics compiled by the interstate
commission it appears that TO
charge the passenger business of the rail-
roads with its proportionate share OF the fixed
charges, not including anything. however. on
account of dividends and crediting it with
nail and express earnings, would give us as
he actual cost 2.57 cents.
Figures on Reduced Traffic.
"The statement of the Illinois commission
lat there has been general reduction OF
business is undoubtedly confirmed
" the statistics. For the whasle United States
he number Of passengers carried one mile
or each mile CT railroad in 1890 was 20. 1Jl:
n 1875 T. was 6S, ,572. Though the number of
,assengers carried was less, the passenger
ar mileage was greater in 1885 than in 1890.
which. of course increased the cost per pas
enger. LIN 1890 the total nunsner Of miles
un by passenger trains in the gnited States
vas 2S5 557;J,sef; in 1895 it was Sf7, ,565615. In
S95 the revenues from passenger service IN
he United States decreased :js. Io3.5IS as |
S95 include g,o55.29 miles of road more than |
n 1894. The foregoing statements. which are |
ased upon the most accurate statistics OBJ
ainable. at this time Indicate That at the
resent time she average fare charged in Iowa
5 less than tine actual cost of transporting the
assenger. z That within the last three or
our years passenger earnings have decreased |
Without corresponding decrease m the sUsr /
f doing the business. Unless changes have
cen recently nHsIe that have not core to rfc /
office of the commission the following are the I
,ngIand-Firsr class, AZ cents: ssrond, 81
ents: third. p cents. France-Fifsr class, !
ents: second 3 cents; third, cents ItaiS
'irst class, S.s cents; second rs cents; rnlrr.
& cents Holland-First class. 5.2 cents; I
econd. &c cents; third. 1.6 cents. BeigluEf-
'irst class. "a CENTS second. is ceEts: th1ru /
3 cents Except In England no baggage IS
arried free
Density Of Population a Factor.
..The density of population also affects taa
oIume of passenger traffic. Whers'the prpu-
,tion is ,lensethere will be more travel tran +
\ sparsely settled districts. In iowa the
opuiation psr square mile is about So; in
ngland. 541;- Belgian, 5l4; Holland. $50:
.aiy. 26S: France Ts7: New York, 1Ss; Ohio.
J; New England, 60: Illinois; 7I; Missouri,
}; Wisconsin, "a; Nebraska, 10; Kansas: ~:
outh Dakota s. The population per mi3e of |
abroad in Iowa is about 247. in Illinois it is
bout S95: New YorIs. s13; New England. lla;
iissouri. 44E Wisconsin, 306: Nebraska. s6g; /
'ansas. 1OS; South Dakota. 129. The average
assenger earnings per mile. as SHOWN .T BY the the
nerating in Iowa are $780, The Kansas, re- 7
ort for 1895 shows ss44. the Illinois report
.5Se and. as shown by the report OF sfie m
,rState commerce commission. they: are 81. 422
, New England. s4,513 in New York and in
hio 81 ,951.
Quicker IN the Old Days
Tho Chicago Shade was in a con-