The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-04
N tho articles mentioned about 80 per

on the articles mentioned about 80 pei
cent.
This necessarily brings up the question
OF the pTesept condition of the railways in
The State. Judge Stedman ntimates that
there is a very great discrepancy in the
expense OF operating different lines. He
compares the Cotton Belt and the Fort
/ Worth and Denver. and shows that the
! expense of operation on the latter is less
than on the former. and asks why this is.
| answer hat our repairs on roadway for
| the year 1895 were $i73 900 greater than
| theirs, that our renewal Of ties was s29.-
600 greater: that our bridges and culvert
repairs were $4,000 greater: that our re-
pairs on locomotives was $4,000 greater:
[ that we pay 100000 to engine and round
| house men, 1924 900 more in the train serv-
/ ice. $50 900 in the station service and
/ $4,000 more TO switchmen and watchmcn.
/ The land in tho sect ion of the State through
/ which we run washes much more thsn It
does on their line. We have about 1000
more bridges and trestles than they have.
and they are &C 600 feet longer than the
bridges and trestles on their line. We
have more stations. and therefore more
men; we have competitors AZ almost every
uoint and therefore our divisions with
other lines are smaller than theirs. Our
coal costs us lust about twice as much as
theirs does; and so IT goes through the
cntiro operating account. The truth Is.
ments Of the Cotton Belt save and except
the department of wages to laborers. has
been prarticed to such an extent that II
Is almost parsimony. We can not meet
the reauiremcIJs OF the public and save
single dollar o! expense except by reducing
wages These facts VIII apply in n
greater or less degree to almost any other
line in the State when compared with the
Fort Worth and Denver. 1t is a straight.
level line. with its stations far apart. and
practically only three competitive points
west OF Fort Worth. We are ready to tur-
nsh to the commission any books. papers
or evidence that NAV be demanded showing
the careful and economical conduct OF our
line. Our reports show that win all this
economy we are unable TO pay our oper-
atng expenses fixed charges ana interest
on first mortgage bonds; that interest IL
per cent on $4,000 per mile; so 1t Is
apparent To any unpreiudlced lnlho that
we can not stand Il general reuuc'ioh III
revenue. | am not unmindiul OF the tacl
that IL has been proven that rates In the
State of Georgia and some other States are
lower than they are in Texas. Ihefe are
good reasons why they should be. IN me
first place. their population IL ihuon
greater per mile of railway thah ~ ID ~
Texas, iher labor is 20 per cent cheaper
than ours; their coal about 10 per cent
cheaper; their .n,s Of railway are muon
shorter: their rtslcb have been In existence
longer than ours. are better ballasted and
cost less for maintenance: the price OF
railway rates In Georgia as compared WIN
other things Is not any cheaper than labor
or living generally. / dare say that the
officials Of Georgia do not get as muen as
he officials OF Texas.
If some gentleman will compile the sta
ilstics showing the salary OF officials ana
clerks in the State Of Georgia II might be
Of greater value to the legislature oil the
state OF Texas than a circular showing
the railway rates of that State. which was
the other day hung up in the house OF
Not that I am one VINO
believes In this hue and cry that Is being
raised against official salaries and cler-
ical compensation throughout this country
believe that II Is better for all men 70
be paid high wages In every department OF