Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-02-18
PASSENGER sERvlcg FIeuREs.
opinion OF Iowa state hoard of Rail-
road Comnfssfoners

W. W Field, of 0tlebolt, president of the
state agricultural society of Iowa, anx-
lous to enlighten its members on the mer-
its OF the railroad question, sought for
information from the state board of rail-
road commissioners as to the average rate
OF fare in Iowa; the cost to railroads OF
carrying passenger a mile: how the agrf-
culturists may ascertain what rate would
be fair 10 both sides. and asking for the
opinion of the commissioners on the sub
ject.
In reply an open letter has been written
by W. w. Ainswo-th, secretary of the
commission, saying in part:
The questions suggested by you have
recently 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 con-
clusion was that it would be unwise. I'M
warranted and unjust to the railroad inter-
ests Of the state to comply with this re-
quest"
The matters suggested by you have re-
ceiyed our long and careful consideration,
and. unless the questions were presented in
a more formal manner, we doubt the pro-
priety of expressing our own opinion with
freedom. We will state some of the more
salient facts. and these win aid you to form
your own conclusions in the matter.
From the statistics given in the report
of this commission for 1885 it appears the
average amount received by the railroads
doing business in Iowa for carrying one
227 cents.
The returns from which these results are
obtained do not include any passengers
carried free. The large number of passen-
gers who have Travelled upon reduc-
tons or rates permitted by our statutes
ministers OF the Gospel, organizations Of
our military, excursions on holidays, spe-
cial rates to meetings of many organiza-
tions, state and county fairs-are factors
that reduce the average fare to the amount
al tod 10 oh fHsT-o fHv~a hat
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.
In arriving at the cost of carrying one
passenger one mile, as above given, moth
ing 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, bear its
proportion of these expenses, which con-
stitute part of the cost of doing the busi-
ness. From statistics compiled by the in
terstate commerce commission it appears
that to charge the passenger business of
the railroads with its proportionate share
of the fixed charges, not including anything,
however, on account of dividends and cred
iting it with mail and express earnings,
would give us as the actual cost 257 cents.
The statement of the Illinois commits
sion that there has been a general reduc-
ton of passenger 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 "a. Isl: in 1895 1t was 6S,572.
Though the number of passengers carried
was less, the passenger car mileage was
greater in 1896 than in 1890, which, of course.
increased the cost per passenger. In 1893
the total number of miles run by passen-
ger trains in the United States was
2S5, $50 S04 in 1895 it was 81, 565 615. In 1895
the revenues from passenger service in
the United States decreased $33, 103,S 7S as
compared with 1894, though the figures for
1895 INCLUDE 2.O65.2a miles of road more thar
in 1894.
The foregoing statements, which are
based upon the most accurate statistics OBJ
tainable, at this time indicates:
1. That at the present time the average
fare charged in Iowa is less than the Sexual
cost of transporting the passenger.
2. That within the last three or four years
passenger earnings have decreased without
q corresponding decrease in the cost CT do
ing the business.
Some of the considera tons lending to
throw light on this subject are the rates
of fare elsewhere, the density of popula-
ton, the earnings per mile of road derived
from the passenger service, and whether
decrease in the rates would increase traf.
fic so as to render it practicable to per-
form the desired service at the decreased
rate.
Unless changes have 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,
80 cents; third, cents.
France-First class, cents; second,
cents; third, cents.
ItaIy-First class, 3.6 cents; second 2.6
cents; third, LIS cents.
Holland-First class, 80 cents; second,
rs cents; third lie cents.
Belgium-First class, "a cents; second.
is cents: third, 1.2 cents.
Except in England no baggage is carried
free, and the accommoda tons in the small
er foreign countries are in every respect
much inferior to those furnished in Amer
lea.
The density of population also affects
the volume of passenger traffic. Where the
population is dense there will be more travel |
than in sparsely-settled districts. In Iowa |
the population per square mile is about IS: |
in England. 541; Belgium, Eis; Holland. $50: |
Italy, PCS; France. 1S7; New York, 1879; |
Ohio 80; New England, Sc: Illinois, IS; Mis- |
scuri, 49, Wisconsin, 81; Nebraska, Is: |
Kansas, 10; South Dakota, 5.
The population per mile of railroad in !
Iowa is about 247, in Illinois it is about S95; |
New York, S13; New England, 10; Mis- |
souri,, AL: Wisconsin, BOG; Nebraska 209: |
Kansas los; South Dakota, 129.
The average passenger earnings per mile, |
as shown by The last report to this COM
mission of the roads operating in Iowa are |
1890. The Kansas report for 1895 shows
SSi4, the Illinois report 81, $50, and, as shown |
by the report of the interstate commerce
commission, they are APP in New Eng
land $4,513 in New York, and in Ohio 81 951.
1t appears from the report of this COM
mission for 1895 that the average distance
by each passenger over the Iowa
roads during the current year was Bib
miles. The average fare therefore paid
ty each passenger was 79.64 cents If the
fare was two cents mile the average pas-
senger would save "a cents. Whether and
to what extent this difference would induce
people to travel more than they do now on
account of business. necessity or pleas
1re, you can determine for yourself
Other matters worthy of consideration
n this connection are the present eff
cheney of the passenger service, what ee-
ect, If any, decrease in passenger earn
ngs would have upon the passenger service
and especially upon the num-
Der and character of the local trains.
1t is evident that as yet the Iowa rail-
'oads have not been brought up to a proper
physical condition. With scarcely an ex
eption, every line in the state demands
arge expenditures. and some of them in
ne very near future, for ballast ties new
teel, changes in grades, double tracks ana
additional equipment