Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-09-17

per train, or what is the
same thing with the passenger
service, increase the number OF
miles Of travel per passenger rms
is the invitation for the investment
of money in reducing grades, straight
ening curves, facilitating continuous
transit, strengthening the bridges,
more powerful engines and larger
cars. This investment last year was
enormous, the increased capitalization
of railroads amounting to $215,, 400 1857,
and represents the cost of
1898 miles of main track.
252 miles of second track.
SO miles of third track.
1,646 miles of sidings.
400 locomotives.
$50 passenger cars.
1854 freight cars.
2,803 service cars.
Of course there were large expend-
lures on roadway and structures to
produce greater efficiency A mere
repetition of figures, however, is I'M
serviceable without showing their rela-
tions to one another. The capital in
creased as above stated, 1891 per cent,
but as a reward to the enterprise OF
the arrangements and to the nerve OF
the financiers behind them the gross
earnings increased $66, 1884, 497 and the
net $27, 2S8,774, or 1857 per cent, on
the increased capitalization. The in
| crease in capitalization in 1898 ovel
| 1897 was $183, 545, $751; and the increased
net earnings for that year amounted
| to $50, 787, 1886, or more than 81 per cent.
on the increased investment.
This army, like those Of Napoleon,
requires three things: First, money;
second, money; third, more money
| But how different the return from the
investment! Such expenditures for this
army mean extension, development,
progress and resulting affiuence.
These expenditures in many cases in
volve almost complete reconstruction
| of track and of structures and absolute
replacement of equipments. Hitherto
the railways effected savings in dull
years by abstaining from making re-
pairs and by reducing wages. The
| first of these is now recognized as alb
solute waste; the latter impracticable.
1t has only recently been learned, and
at great cost, but it is known that en-
terprise and progress are the two
economists, and to make two blades OF
grass grow where one grew before, or,
applied to transportation, to increase
the paying weight of the train is the
test of wisdom and economy of man
agement.
The management of a railway, like
it's trains, must be kept moving. A
dead center" is as abhorrent in the
management as in the mechanism OF
railway and as disastrous. The
soul of the science of transportation
is motion.
The industrial army of a million souls
is not without it's muff1ed drum-beat
it's furled flag, it's reversed arms
There were 2,210 soldiers of this peace
full army killed by accident when on
duty last year and 1928 injured. Out
of every 155 trainmen employed one
was killed and out of every IL one
was injured.
Most of those killed were from fall
ing from trains and engines; most Of
those injured were from coupling anc
uncoupling cars. The second cause il
is hoped to eliminate through the enor-
nous expenditures the railways have
already made and are yet making in
!; fitting their equipments with applian.
ces for automatic coupling. 1t is mex
, plicable how there can have been sc
, many accidents from coupling and I'M
coupling equipment when the fact is
considered that of the total equipmen
, of all classes ON the railways of the
United States, amounting to 1,412,619
there are 1,137,719 fitted with auto
matte couplers and 808,074 fitted will
train breaks. This source Of disaster
so impressed itself upon the manage
ments of railways that even before The
Act of 1893 demanding such appliances
the railways had already equipped 2!
per cent of their rolling stock will
automatic couplers and % per cent
; with train breaks.
How we'll this army cared for it,
} noncombatants is shown by the fac
} that only one passenger in 2,159,0
was killed and but one passenger il
152, 900 injured.
Thisis the epitome of one years cam
paign of an army of this Republic
whose movements and influence have
. made more history, conquered more
! domain-and what is more to the point
, held and developed it-more Widel.
extended civilization and made ou
country greater and more glorious ant
gIorifed than any army of war hal
done or could have done.
It has no romance. 'The romano
, is in the results" in the evolution o