El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-30

CQ0 N6" YORK OSuUTdl. UuS oOSLOu anu
Albany and the Peunsylvanis Contra
lines, although each of them carries
twenty trains where the Southern Pa
ci6c carries one, and are subject to
y~ear-round washouts and to six months
of freezing aud thawing and OF snow
blockades. They are mad safe ave-
nues of travel because nothing Is left
undone for the protection of passeng-
ers and hands, while the Southern
Pacific is An unsafe route, because
nearly everything is left undone."
This displays the fatal weakness OF
the whole articles, and exposes the
writer to the charge of dense ignorance
and utter lsck of discriminating judg-
ment. It destroys the force of his
entire attack. 1 will sum up the reply
to his statement briefly: The roads
sections of the country which are con-
ducive to the msiutainance of good
roadways. The writer of this article
should take q trip east n perhaps he
q get some editorial transportation
for the purpose of study. He would
learn that rains, SHOWS, and thaws are
just the elements needed to construct q
one that is'much less expensive to main
tain, than in either deserts D. noun
tains, devoid of the useful agencies Of
snOw, rain, and thaws. Now here Is an
other fatal defect in the article. The
roads just referred to, are operated
through the richest portions of the
country, where the population is the
most dense, and the fact that ''each of
them carries twenty trains where the
weighty with argument in favor of the
latter road. Train are not operated
for the amusement of the employees.
They are operated for proft-in this
rushing, utilitarian age. Hence, the
operation of twenty trains as against
one. largely of a local, and, therefore,,
more profitable character, in a rich,
highly developed country, densely po-
pui ated, emphasizes the fact that the
roads operating them may make twenty
to one hundred Thousand dollars where
the Southern Pacific makes one thou
sand. This fact will serve to
explain why the New York Central
or Pennsylvania companies can afford
to erect and maintain expensive block
signal systems, which are an absolute
necessity, since they operate perhaps
i6c operates one. The Boston and
Maine railroad, which encircles Bos-
ton with q network of lines, has the
largest and most profitable local traf-
fc in the world. This fact serves to
emphasize the value of local traffic,
in the vicinity of great cities, of which
the Southern Pacific enjoys but com
psrstively light advantages or re-
turns.
Respecting the charge that the
Southern Pacific has not a well equip
ped road, and that it is careless in the
operation of it's trains, the following
paragraph relative to the handling of
q great number of special trains, dur
ing the great Christian Endeavor ex-
o. c. - 1On ~
persuasive weight. 1t is a letter ad-
dressed by the general manager of the
system to his superintendents, and
speaks for itself:
81 wish to make special mention of
n particular instance b q has come
to my notice in the movement of trains
during the period of this great rush, |
showing what can be done when q man |
puts his mind wholly upon his work.
Train dispatcher F. A. Edinger, OF the
division, started train No. |
3 from Sacramento n hour and IF
zen minutes late (late from west) with |
IL cars, and it arrived at Wadsworth |
1873 miles distant, after having met Is
specials, no two at any one station, an
OF one every, ten and q half
late, Notwithstanding the train had
to pick up a a of fruit at
Colfax and set out q sleeper at Rene, |
involving q delay of ID minutes at the
former and 10 minutes at the latter
station. 1 consider this very extraor-
binary work in train dispatching. Had
No. 3 been a light train and running
been SO great a feat, but it having II
cars, a full train, and behind time, and
climbing q grade ranging from 50 to
l16 fee to the mile, exempli6es that
MIR. Ed1nger is a most painstaking man
In his position. There may have been
similar service of this nature perform
ed, just as worthy of commendation,
if it should come to our notice. the
person entitled to the credit will be
duly accorded same, but no equal per-
torrance having been brought to our
1 am impelled to make spe-
cial mention of the splendid york o
Mr.. Edinger in this instance" Does
wonderful feat indicate q
slip-shod road, 'slap-dssh'' manage
or insufficient employees? And
yet no accident occurred.
1t is interesting in connection with
The chronic complaints against rail-
inevitable position between the devil
Ind b deep sea, as it were. On the
one hand is g constantly increasing
for better accommodations,
better equipment, faster. and more nu-
trains. and absolute safety ap-
)liances; on the other q persistent de-
for lower tariffs,-and the
'Scalpers'' are employed by the public
to aid in the effort to enforce their de-
mands in this directions. 1t is ever a
,ase of "Bricks without Straw
Railways are the greatest and most
agents of progress and pros
,erity, and their condition serves as q
rood index of the progress and pros
'erity of the country. Instead of the
public crusade against the railways, all
'fforts should be put forth to strength
n fhaon a-l .loaa 4la-a n 4 L