Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-14
RAILROADS IN SPAIN.
Total Mileage Equal t. Ono OF Our West
ern Com l,nl les.

| eTn Noml'hn1cS.
There is not much celebration of
anything in Spain this year, but if
there was, she might celebrate the
semi-centennial anniversary of the
opening Of the first railroad in that
kingdom. In 1913 the Barcelona Rail-
road, SO called, extending eighteen
miles from Barcelona to Mataro, was
opened to traffic. Mataro is Il small
town on the Mediterranean northeast
of Barcelona, and these eighteen miles
OF road constituted at that time SPANS
only contribution to the railroad mile
age OF the world, the neighboring
country. france. having at the same
period Il railroad mileage OF 400 and
Great Britain 5000. Since then there
has been 4 slowly Intermittent increase
OF what is sometimes grandioscly call
ed The Railroad System" Of Spain.
two obstacles to tue development OF
| which have been the unbusinesslike
methods OF the Inhabitants and enor-
nous engineering difficulties. Spain
has been wholly den,Med OF forests at
the headWatcrs OF rivers, and as a
consequence there arc treatment over
flows. carrying with them railroad
bridges trcsileS. ana! entertainments to
| the constant peril and annoyance Of
| passengers.
| There are Row in Spain 1850 miles
of railroad, less than one-1hird of the
; number in Great Britain, France, or
| Russia. and less than ona-fouIth of the
nun:he in Italy. The relative insight
ncance OF the Spanish railroad ''sys-
| ten appears n::st ii, comparison With
American railroads, a sin Il. line. the
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, hay
ing an aggregate mileage OF 400,
owned. operated. or controlled. or near
| ly as much as ill the railroads Of Spain
! combined. Spanish railroads are pro-
| verbally slow, the rate OF express"
f, trains being twenty five miles an hour
| and OF way passenger trains from
| twelve to fifteen. They seldom run on
scheduled time. and it is tile testimony
Of all travellers that they never make
| connexions. The amou ut of baggage
allowed each first class passenger on :;
Spanish railroad is sixty-siX pounds,
but the railroads are not responsible
for its loss. nor are their officials re-
II.
charges on Spanish railroads are re-
markedly high, beng at the rate CT
cents milo OF lirat-cl;.ss trains,
and cents & mile on second class
trains, about duul l.: the American average.
The railroad lines OF Spain were
built partly by private capital, partly
from the proceeds Of governmental
subsidies. These subsidies have
amounted to over 5000 900, 900 l,00o,-
GOO 600 pesetasl. Although the. rail-
roads of Spain are directly s.na the
control of the Government. and al
though about On.-thin nt their con
slruclion was paid By Inc Government.
they are owned ly private companies,
and about lhree!ifins of The stock OF
the Spanish railroads is owned in
France. French investors have grad
uai!y absorbed tho securities which,
sold at Il depreciation, Pay a high rate
OF interest. French and English en-
gincers supervised generally the con-
strnction of Spanish railroads, but the
Stations" or terminal facilities of the
companies are The predicts Of domestic
industry. rs any obsaVant but forbear-
in" traveller VIII admit.
The railroads of the United States
carry in a year about 900 ,nGu 900 pas
scnsers. and they transport about 500
| 900. 900 tons o! freight. There are SO
Fer cent. more tons; Of fr.iGh; carried
than there are Individual passengers
|-Tne Spanish rail! Dads, despite the in
ferior facilities which they offer to
travellers, depend more upon passcn-
ger. than upon freight ira file, carrying
in 4 year !; much larger number of
passengers ,haN they do tons Of
freight. In 1887 the Spanish rail
roads carried 1860 mo passengers, but
they carried only l2,CO0, 900 tons OF
freight.
The difficulties Of passenger traffic
ron Spanish railroads are enhanced In
| some particulars which are rather
amusing than serious Passengers are
| expected to arrive at the station at
! least lialf All hour before the train
leaves, in order that sufficient allow
ance may be made fer the dilatory pro-
cccdings OF the railway officials. Dur
| ing part of each day and in some cit
| les the larger part Of each day), the
A.'ii"a9 "t''''oi'' go N' "' .'o
| ticket offices do not open until an hour
before the tiEe scheduled for the de-
parture Of the train, closing quarter
OF an hour before it is due.
The hapless tourist. in compliance
with Spanish railroad custom, must
| have his ticket before he is permitted
to enter the waiting ROOM and as this
| ticket must be bought fifteen minutes.
| at least, before the train starts and as
i the train may be any where from an
hour to three hours late, his oppor-
tunities for reasonable complaint are
numerous and are not diminished by
knowledge of the fact that he is pay
ing more for his ticket according to
The distance travelled, than is the rule
4 4 oil. h =