The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-08
THE MONON'SPROSPERlTY
THE ECONOMIES INTRODUCED HAVE
INCREASED EARNINGS.
Views of Traffic Men on the Railroad
Observation-Disclosures and Per-
sonal Railway News.

The owners of the Chicago, Indianapolis
& Louisville Railway are elated over the
handsome earnings the road is showing
and at the economies which have been eff
fected through improvements OF the road
bed and the use Of larger type of loco
motives. They say the only cloud that
hangs over the road Is the Beattyville suit.
which will likely be decided within the next
thirty days. and the attorneys are confident
the decision will be in favor of the Monon.
During the year ending June so. 1899. the
road earned a surplus of s175.Ooe and de-
clared pei cent. dividend payable March
80. 1880. In the first five months Of its pres
ent fiscal year the net earnings increased
s245,OO0, and should the company simply
hold its own for the balance of its fiscal
year 1t will show per cent. earned or the
preferred stock-all that it is entitled to-
and per cent. on the common stock. The
net increase is being maintained fully, so
that the chances are that the final showing
will be better than the above. The man.
agement has greatly improved the condi-
ton OF the road and its equipment and has
thereby brought about striking economies
in transportation. During the last fiscal
year train mile earnings increased from
N.72 to 500 per mile despite decrease in
earnings per ton mile from IA to 7.47 mills.
The average trainload was increased from
go to 26S tons, almost every class of traffic
showing increased tonnage, and the traffic
was well diversified. 1t is already apparent
that still further improvements will be
ings and surplus the present fiscal year, as
the earnings, both gross and net, are large
ly exceeding any corresponding periods in
the history of the road.
Classification Committee Meets.
The classification committee of the
Trunk-line Association met in New
York yesterday to consider the numer-
Gus complaints made by local and
Western shippers at public hearing
on Jan. % last, relative to the classifica-
lions in freight matter for 1900. In addition
to Commissioner Goddard there were pres
ent F. H. Kingsbury. Pennsylvania Rail-
way; George L. Terry. New York Central
Railway; H. B. Chamberlain, Erie Rail-
way: p. j. Flynn. Delaware, Lackawanna
& Western Railway; c. A. Blood, Lehigh
Valley Railway; c. s. Wright. Baltimore
& Ohio Railway; H. z. Billings, Lake
Shore Railway; David Brown, Grand Trunk
Railway; s. b. Knight, Wabash Railway;
II. T. Chaplin, Boston & Albany; III. H. Nc
Leod. Hamilton & Dayton; J. Lowrie Bell,
Jersey Central Railway; Percy Todd. West
SHORE; j. Il. Childs. Ontario & Western
Railway and others.
After the adjournment OF the meeting
Commissioners Goddard stated that the
committee had been carefully considering
the grievances of the shippers There
was submitted by the shippers" said Mr.
Goddard, IAN immense amount of docu-
mentary matter. each shipper having con-
Der OF typewriter statements together
with his complaint. in the way of substan-
tiatfon. The aggregate, when ii is remem-
pered there are several hundred complain
alone TO read 1t al. And when
you appreciate the fact that not
alone has it all TO be read but
each paragraph carefully considered and
will easily be seen that the task is by
no means a small undertaking. But each
complaint will be given careful and COM
piete consideration, and where 1t is found
that injustice or hardship is caused by the
new classification, If it is within the power
or the committee to remedy the existing
evfl, IL shall be done, and If I'm some in
stances IL cannot be changed relief of some
character Will be given. Each shipper can
feel assured that all just complaints will
be remedied. To effect a classification that
viii meet with the APPROVAL of ell shippers
Is impossible. 1t is our intention, however.
70 make as equitable. just and fair a classi-
fication as a score of well-informed and
posted railway men can evolve We will
not Intentionally make hardships or uniust
determinations. The committee has gone
10 work earnestly on this matter and will
stick to 1t ten hours and probably more
each day until IL is completed. Just when
that will be is hard to say. 1t may be fin
ished at the end of a week or ten days or
vii hat l0,,r