El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-25
Facts About American Railroad
Rates.

HdISS.
From the new York sun.
Not quite but nearly one-half of the
railroad mileage of the world Is in
North America, II to the railroad
mileage OF North America be added
that OF Brazil and Argentina in South
America, Is, 900 miles collectively, the
total will exceed the mileage Of all
the rest of the world-Europe, Asia
Africa, Australia, and the oth,
South American countries included.
Moreover, railroad building is being
carried on much more rapidly in the
United States than elsewhere. But it
is not oaly in respect of the extension
of its re- ilroad system that the United
States takes precedence, Tor some re-
cent com putations show that the Unit
ed States furnishes to travellers and
shippers the best service at the lowess
cost.
In many states of the country there
are laws fixing the maximum charge
for passengers at 3 cents a mile, while
in some European countries, notably
France, the average rate charged Is in
excess of that figure. The minimum
of some European countries Is higher
than the maximum allowed in the
United States. According to the COM
putAtiou referred to, the average rate
charged for passenger service in the
United States il 2. 10 cents a mile, and
the fact is that in many eastern states
where railroad systems have been long
established rate of IL cents q mile is
the general rule. 1t Is the southern and
far western railroads chiefly which
keep mp the average rate. In Missouri,
for insta1ce, cents q mile Is lawful
charge, and in Arkansas the maximum
is cents. Some Colorado railroads
charge o. cents q mile, and and 3
cents mile on local traffic in the
south Is not unusual, but, taking the
country through, the average rate, as
stated, il 2.l5 cents. In England,
where the mechanical obstaclas in
railroading are comparatively few, the
average rate is go cents mile; In
Belgium, q country In which there are
practically no mechanical obstacles. the
rate is .. %. In Germany IL is 3.Ol
cents, in Austria Hungary it is 300, In
France it Is 3 SO, and in Spain it Is 4. so
In no other country in the world are
the facilities for passengers so many as
in the United States, and the increase
of these facilities aud convenieuces are
constant On many western roads
seats in chair cars, corresponding with
parlor cars on eastern lines, are fur
nished gratuitously. The sleeping car
service is more general and better In
the United States than in any other
country, and light and heat, two es-
sentials OF up-to-dat railroad travel,
are better furnished here than in any
other country.
The freight charges, too, estl mated
on the basis OF carrying a ton OF freight
a mile, are lower here than in otner
cruntries. In England the average
rate is 2 cents. In Belgium it Is LEO,
In France So, and in Germany i .35
cents. In the United States it is 0.97
cent, or less than l cent u mile per tOu
of freight moved, taking the whole
country through. II the average of
American freight rates WAS rs high
as it Is in Germany the people of this
country would have paid the railroads
last year about $3.50, 600 600 more thar
they did II the rates had been as
high as they are in England the PEG.
pie of this coIntrywould have paid the
railways sbouc $50 600, 900 more than
they id. An illu stration OF the ex-
cellence of the service on American
railroads is furnished by the fact thai
althCu Th the collections from freight
are lager In Europe than they are
iu the u nited States, and the numb bel
of passeu gers carried is materially
greater than in this country, the ex
pense OF ma ntenauce of a american rail
roads is 500, 600, 900 more year than
for those operated 10 Europe. And the
American railroad system is improving
all the time, the freight and passenger
rates are being reduced, and the char
acter of the service ven-luxuriou'
passenger travel and quick freight-i
better every year.