The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-02-19
ON IOWA RAIL RATES.
PAS NIGER RVICE AND
RATES COMPARED.
Reply of the State Railroad Com mission
to Inquiries by Agriculturists Regard
Ing Average Receipts and Expenses.

shb SA'Chako hocciPtb EApohScbs
Des Moines, Iowa.-Corresponden Chicago
Tmes-Herald.-W. w. Field Of Odebolt pres
ident of the State Agricultural society, anx-
ious to enllghten 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 aver
age rate OF fare in Iowa? What does 1t cost the
railroads. TO carry passenger a mile? How
are we the agriculturists) TO ascertain what
rate would be tair on both sides? What Is
the opinion OF the commissioners on the ques-
ucn! 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 recently been con-
sidered by the board of railroad and ware
house commissioners of Illinois in response to
an inquiry made by the stats grange of that
state. Its conclusion was that 1t 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
local business. and which are now and have
been for the last two years struggling for
existence, would be most seriously affected
by IT, Such action on our part would simply
increase the heavy burdens under which they
are struggling now.
Decrease In Passenger Business.
1T is 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
mas 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 or business, the low prices Of farm
products and the unsettled financial condi-
tons which have had their effect on the pas
senger as well as the freight business. Thi1
question was before us when 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 tine railroads
this reduction should be made at this time
II the country was prosperous our conclu-
sions might be different. The statistics in our
office show that for the last three years, 1894,
1895 and 1896, the average amount charged by
the railroads per passenger per mile is q frac-
tion above cents. although the maximum
allowed them was cents. For the reasons
above stated we do not feel that this reduce
ton 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 we do not feel that 1t 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 passenger
one mile during the year was 2.27 cents. The
returns from which these results are OBJ
tanned dc not include any passengers carried
Tree. The large number of passengers who
have travelled uTon reductions of rates as per-
mitted by our statutes-ministers of the gos-
pei organizations of our military, excursions
on holidays, special rates to meetings OF many
organizations 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 PA cents. This result
is less reliable than If 1t 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, anu
of course. nothing for dividends on stock.
The passenger traffic should, of course, pear
it's proportion of these expenses, wnlcn con-
stitute rart of the cost of doing the business.
From statistics compiled by the interstate
commerce commission it appears that 10
charge the passenger business OF the rali-
roads with it's proportonate share of the fixed
charges, not including anything, however on
account of dividends and crediting II win
mail and express earnings, would give us as
the actual cost 257 cents
Figures on Reduced Traffic.
1.-THE statement of the Illinois commission
that there has been a general reduction OF
pasScmgcr business is undoubtedly confirmed
by the statistics For the whole United states
the number of passengers carried one mile
for each mile, of railroad in 1890 was Iol;
in 1875 il was 6S, ST. Though the mum .r of
passengers carried was less, the passenger
car mileage was greater in 1879 than III lo9o'
which, of course, increased the cost per pas
senger In 1890 the total number of miles
run by passenger trains in the United States
was 2S5, $50, S04: in 1895 1t was 3l7565,6l5. IN
1896 the revenues from passenger service IN
the United States decreased $50. 1878 as
compared with 1894, though the figures for
1895 include 2,055. 20 miles OF road more than
in 1884, The foregoing statements, which are
based upon the most accurate s'I Tbat 81 tbe
present time the average fare charged in iowa
is less than the actual cost OF Transporting the
passenger. 2. That within the last three vi
four years passenger earnings nave decreased
without corresponding decrease In the cost
of doing the business. Unless changes nave
been recently made that have not come TO the
notice of the commission the Following are the
rates prevailing in the countries named:
England-First class AZ cents; second. 32
cents: third, cents. Fgapce-First class,
cents; second, cents; third' cents: H tsi.a
First class $50 cents; second 20 cents; thlrd'
/ g cents. Holland-Frst class, 81 cents;
second. &c cents; third, 1.6 cents. BelgiunlI1
First class "a cents; second, l.o Genus tnlru,
/ . cents Except in England no baggage Is
d carried free.
Density of Population a Factor.
1.-THE density of population also anects the
vo,ume of passenger traffic. Where the popu-
lation Is dense there will be more travel than
in sDarsely settled districts. In Iowa the
POPULATION per square mile is a ioTaf SS s5o
Itni,, oeS. France, 1S7; New York, 1879; Ohio,
90, New England, SO; Illinois. '9 missouri,
IS Wisconsin, 84 Nebraska. IS; Kansas Hs;o 10;
South Dakota, 5. The population per mile /, G 81
shnrt se5 New York, SS New England 71S;
Missouri, Al; Wisconsin, SO6; Nebraska, 2o9;
Kansas, 1903; South Dakota, 129. the a ", ase
'h''.-1' niroc mile shown DY the
iast ra5orfs to this commission, Of the roads
VIBRATING c1SS in Iowa are 1890. The Kansas re-
port for 1895 shows $S4i, the Illinois report
q $50 and, as shown by the report OF the in
s,s.n+a commerce commission, they are "a Az
in ' New New England. s4,5lS in New York and in
Ohio 81, COL"