The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-03
TAUGHT BY HARD TIMES
LESSONS THAT HAVE BEEN LEARNED
AS TO FREIGHT CARRYING.
Were Freight Rates Restored Sept IL
Numerous Official Changes with
the Coming of the Month.

The hard times have not been an unmiu
gated evil to railroads The diminished vol
ume of traffic moved during the long con-
tinued depression of business, with the ex-
cessive competition of the hungry and in
creased number Of carriers, forced upon
managers of railways measures of extreme
economy, enabling them to now transport
business at but a fraction of the cost Of
some years ago. 1t is true the burden of
taxes is constantly increasing, but notwith-
standing this the average cost Of the move
ment of each unit of traffic is at this time
considerably less than it has been in the
past, although the margin between the cost
and the average rates received has been
reduced to a narrow limit, corresponding
in this respect to the smaller profits in bus
mess generally. The railroads could not
afford to do business at all at current rates
if it cost them as much as, say, a decade
ago. Except IN the case Of some
few active and ambitious minds, a definite
end to be attained is g prerequisite Of earn
est endeavor and this end in the case of
railroads has been the necessity of keeping
the cost below the -receding level Of
the average rate Perhaps the first great
reduction in the operating expenses of
railroad came from the substitution of steel
steel Then came the replacement of wood
en- bridges by stone and metal structures,
and the filling in of many miles of wooden
trestles, in this way substituting for them
a solid embankment with culvert pipe to
provide for the waterway, thus largely re-
ducing the yearly expense for the renewal
of wooden structures. The ballasting of
the track, the use Of heavier rails and gen.
orally the raising of the track to higher
standard resulted in less wear to rolling
stock and fewer accidents from defects of
the permanent way. The use of heavier
locomotives, their more efficient handling,
with a greater regard to economy in fuel
and lubricants, the general adoption OF
cars of greater carrying capacity, the i'm
proved methods of administration, and of
shop and track practice, the use of safety
appliances, such as interloching railroad
crossings and better signaling as an insur-
ance against accident are, to speak in gen.
eral terms, among the principal causes of
the lower cost of the operation Of railways
For some years past, partly as an out
growth of the now almost obsolete carload
rate, and partly from the fact that the car
riers aimed at reducing the proportion of
dead weight TO paying freight as much as
possible, came the adoption of cars of larg-
er capacity, until now it Is thought the
economical limit in size has been reached.
With the larger cars there naturally fol-
lowed heavier and more powerful engines,
so that a freight train of to-day manned by
the same number of men in the time
of small trains, carries a very much larger
quantity of freight, and taking the ton as
the unit, reducing the cost of movement
per ton in that way. The use of heavier
equipment required a better track and
hence the heavier rails, stronger bridges
and tur1-t2 bles. Competition caused an
CELEBRATION in the speed and this brought
with it the necessity for interlocking rail-
road crossings and a better system of sig.
mailing generally. In the administration of
the affairs of the companies there was
brought about careful scrutiny of the
k,41r -
repair shops the adoption of approved APP
planes, the substitution of piece work for
day wo'k, the proper asserting and the US
ing again of old material have been fruit
full source of economy. Economical habits
acquired under the stress of necessity re-
main after the cause is past and in addi-
ton the element of competition as between
the men operating railroads leads each one
to strive to do better than some one else,
thus preventing a retrOgresSiOn; so, while
it is not likely that there will be on the
treasures of railroads an unwieldy surplus,
yet with the improved methods and with
the outlook for a good business. the net
results cannot fail to be encouraging in
the near future.
Rates Restored.
''Well," said an official of the Pennsylva-
MIA yesterday, II suppose ali the Indianap-
oils. the Peoria, the st. Louis and Chicago
lines the first of this month restored
rates on all classes of freight to tariff in
all directions. This was to have been done
July 1. then it was postponed until Aug.
], then to Aug. Is, and afterward to Sept.
l, and everybody is watching to see if COM
petitors are carrying out the programme of
the presidents and general managers. OF
course it will take some days for any
crookedness to develop, if there is any, but
it would be miracle were the freight Off
Gals who have been such rate cutters to
face about and live up to any agreement
made regarding the adhering to tariff rates.
So far as the Pennsylvania lines are con-
cerned, they some weeks ago gave posi-
tive instructions to their freight represent
tatives to adhere strictly to rates, so eX-
cellent were the prospects for business, and
while others were scattering their cars to
get business at low rates the Pennsylvania
was gathering them UP so as to be ready
for business when it did come and now
they are reaping the benefit of such precau-
ton" The speaker added that the fight be
tween the Baltimore 81 Ohio and Chesa-
peake & Ohio lines for export business via
Baltimore and via Newport News had been
a very interesting one and he did not think
the Baltimore q Ohio could be blamed for
he thought that both lines were making
money. He thought the increase in bust
ness with the Pennsylvania and the Van
the e. & o. and the c. & O. demanding
better rates, now that there is plenty of
business The Pennsylvania official said
that a few days would tell whether the
agreement to restore rates is being faith
fully lived up to.
To Strengthen the Association
A meeting of the executive committee of
the Western Passenger Association was
held in Chicago yesterday for the purpose
of considering the future of the association
and the best methods to be employed in
strengthening the organization. The asso-
citation has not been able to accomplish all
that the chairman and the executive COM
mittee would have liked on account of the
strong lines that have refused to become
members. 1t was decided that Chairman
Caldwell should arrange for a meeting of
ali the lines in the West which have inter
ests in the territory of the association and
ii general discussion will be had over the
situation and an effort will be made to
strengthen the association and remove
some of the h9~ dicaps under which the
chairman and The Executive committee