The Indianapolis journal., 1899-08-22


William Bender Wilson has published
history of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany, with plan of organization, portraits
of officials and biographical sketches. II is
In two volumes and profusely Illustrated,
containing over two hundred portraits
The passenger officials of the Western
Passenger Association are In session at
Chicago and the business will probably keep
them together two or three days. An ef-
fort will be made TO bring all the lines in
the Western territory into the organization.
A high official of the Pennsylvania Com
pany says there is more business offering
than ever before at this time OF the year,
ard an effort is being made TO secure
meeting early in September of the Ieading
presidents TO decide advances in freight
rates.
The Big Four has contracted with the
Rhode Island locomotive works for four
consolidated locomotives. The engines will
weigh in working order 10000 pounds. The
boilers will be seventy-two inches in diam
eter; the engines will have 22x3O-inch cylin-
ders and the tank will carry six thousand
gallons of water
1t seems practically settled that Samuel
FELTON, will. at the proper time. be elected
president of the Chicago & Alton, and will
cent, with him for general superintendent,
he having been largely instrumental in
bringing the Queen * Crescent up to its
present enviable standard.
The directors of the Oregon Railroad and
Navigation Company have ratified the truce
recently concluded by II. +. Hartman, rep
President Mellen, of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company. whereby railroad con-
struction in the Clearwater. country has
been suspended for six months.
One of the members of a large car-bui1d-
ing works says that the prospects for this
fall are good, especially in box car and gon-
dola building. Prices are good: and there here
Is a firm, healthy demand for lumber. The
recent reports about large orders for pressed
steel cars are not worrying boxcar supply
men, because there will always be demand
for wooden cars.
The statement that the Illinois Central has
the largest engine in the world is not cor
rect as is shown by the following figures
vision OF the Lehigh Valley Railroad, run
ming between Coxton and Fairview: Weight
on driver. 202,2 ,232 pounds; weight on trucks,
q, ,S50 tender, 10000 total weight, engine
and tender. 345,OS2 pounds. This is over
1900 pounds heavier than the Illinois Gen.
trail engine.
An idea Of the number of excursionists
handled at the Union Station on Sunday is
shown in the statement of the station Off
cials. In the forenoon seventy-one coaches,
aside from the regular trains, arrived and
sixty-eight departed, all we'll filled. The
Louisville division Of the Pennsylvania lines
ran one train starting from Louisville and
another from Madison, running in three
sections, bringing in twenty-eight crowded
coaches. The Indiana, Decatur & Western
brought in from Decatur, H., nine we'll
filled coaches.
A device to which the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Is giving an extensive trial promises
to relegate to the past the discomforts or
dies project from the window sash. These
easily press together, and by so doing
catch is released, and the window then au-
weights on pullies on the sides. The spring
holds the window down, and once IL is re-
leased the weights do the rest. The sim
plicity of the thing commands 1t, and it
seems likely to become both popular and
permanent.
Canada has its own projected or ru-
mored transcontinental railroad, which 1t is
said will be a competitor of the Canadian
Pacific. The Parliament which just closed
appropriated over nine million dollars for
aid to railroads the largest sum voted for
fifteen years. This goes to several roads,
which, it is said, will ultimately form por
| tions of line from Quebec to Fort Simp-
clude the Great Northern, the Canadian Pa
cific. the Ontario & Rainy River and the
Canadian. Northern, with steamship service
on the lakes.
a transcontinental association which will
embrace the whole territory west of Chicago
to the Pacific coast, and from ST. Paul to
ing in october, and all the large lines are
expected TO join the new association. This
now in existence. it will be formed for the
purpose of making an agreement on Cali
fornia business at least. The western roads
feel that they have strong man in E. o.
Mccormick on the Pacific coast now, and
one who will see the business east fairly di
vided.
The Baltimore C Ohio. within the last
month or two. has tried the experiment of
oiling its road crossings between Washing
ton and Philadelphia as a means of settling
down S the dust has been successfully tested
by the Pennsylvania, The Baltimore e.
Chic made its first experiment at Convention
crossing, eleven miles east of Baltimore.
early in June. A number of barrels of road
bed oil. which is thick and black and made
expressly for that purpose, were purchased.
alnh hpN rn1 tot oh 20
ard costing s.. The oil was put into car
similar to a garden sprinkler.
A general freight agent says: ''The East
ern railroads have learned two things the
past year-that high grain rates cannot be
maintained during the season of navigation,
and that low rates on a big volume of traf-
m e Se earnngs han se ef on s9
never were so high as. since Jan. l, yet
rates were comparatively low. It is true
mainly accounts for the increased earnings
of the railroads. but the all-rail lines from
Chicago to the East have made their prof
the competition ~ the lake lines
1t Is said thst the true animus of the
Erie Railroads action in cutting the rates
get ft''e even with the % Phiiadelpha lines lines Which
refused to permit the Erie to establish
Philadelphia service. The Erie has no
Philadelphia service, and has been ignored
by the Pennsylvania. the Iehigh Valley
and the Baltimore & Ohio. However much
the rate slaShing must be deplOred. Ii must
be admitted that the Erie has made quite
diplomatic hit in announcing a low rate to
New York, on account of tie encampment
at Philadelphia, as thousands of people will
take advantage Of the cut to visit the me-
tropolis.
The situation in the passenger business
cannot be characterized short of coach
famine, as all Ohio and Indiana are long
on passengers and short on coaches. 1t
Is nothing uncommon to see cars run in on
the many special and even regular trains
1aflr .fAlx%
ger officials of the road are ashamed of, and
would not use under any other circum
stances. The date of manufacture or
style Is a small item beside running condi-
ton. And such conditions have crowded
chair and parlor cars this year which have
been running as empties at other times.
People are not only universally able to
which Is shown by the early demand for
sleeping car accommodations long before
going.
Railroad Gazette: I'm our issue of July
2s we gave notes of some very fast runs
over the Nandalia line near Indianapolis.
This report is now supplemented by
count of fast runs with considerably heavier
trains accompanied by profile of the road.
Train No. %. east-bound on July 19. drawn
fore described Schenectady eight-wheeler)
was run from Clayton to the transfer sta
tion west of Indianapolis, eighteen miles,
in eighteen minutes, and the number OF
cars was fourteen, two postal cars, one
combination, eight day cars, one diner and
two sleepers, Carrying altogether $50 pas
sengers. On the next day, with thirteen
(sixty-seven miles an hour. the run from
CoafeSvilie- twenty-six miles being made