The record-union., 1898-12-01

the transport of coal down the rivers
+ of the Ohio Valley, for example, the
river transportation, by reason of the
peculiar methods by which it is con-
Quoted, is cheaper by far than any
possible rail transportation. These and
similar exceptional Instances. however,
do not affect the truth OF the general
statement
1t is of interest to inquire the rea-
sons Why rail transportation in this
country rs so much cheaper and water
transportation is so much more ex-'
pensive than in Europe First and most
important is the larger capacity cars.
and more powerful locomotives of
American railways, permitting the
hauling of heavier trainloads. The
great volume of traffic and the long
hauls make these large cars and long
trains possible and economical, as they
would not be in a country of smaller
area, or one in which the products of
different sections are not interchanged
on such an enormous scale. Only those
intimately familiar with railway mat
ters appreciate the great advancement
that has been made in railway prac-
tice in the United States during the
past two years. American railway
managers have led the world in adapt
ing the railway to the transportation
of the cheapest class of bulk freights.
Compared with American practice, for
eign freight traffic seems like toy rail-
roading.
Another thing which has made pos
sible the cheap movement of freight in
this country is the fact that SO far as
S~~1a+ a. T. 1a roJ /
ways, of the country are operated as
single system. The interchange Of
freight cars between different railway
companies, enabling car to travel
from one end Of the country to the
other without transfer of its lading, has.
saved literally billions Of dollars in the
cost of handling freight traffic since 1t
was established. Nowhere else in the
world is there anything like such
vast system of freight car interchange
in operation.
Still another reason why railroads
have superseded water routes in this
country is that all our machinery for
the production and distribution Of goods
is suited to rail rather than to water
transport. Most American manufac-
turing plants of any size have railway
sidings and spur tracks running into
their yards and often into the buildings
themselves, so that raw material is re-
ceived and finished goods are loaded
without any wagon transportation.
Comparatively few manufactures ex-
cept those in seaboard cities or on the
Great Lakes are located on a water
front
In the United States the railway has
preceded civilization over a large part
of its area. The railway and not the
river was the original avenue of trans
portation, and in the building Of manu-
factories, warehouses, ETC., everything
has been planned with view to the
use of the railway. In Europe things
are quite different. European cities
with their warehouses were built before
the railway era, and convenience to
water transportation routes Influenced
the location of most of them.
The real underlying reason, then, for
the abandonment of barge canals in
this country is not, as has been so fire.
quently asserted, the political and
financial manipulation of the railway
companies. The real reason is that bulk
freights can under American conditions
be carried more cheaply by rail than
they can on rivers or canals.
The average railway freight rate per
ton mile for the United States, accord
ing to "Poor's Manual" was 1.057 cents
in 1855 In 1897 it had fallen to 0783
of a cent Had the freight shippers of
the United States paid the same freight