The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-25
TWO-CENTS- MILE RATE
PASSENGER TRAFFIC. WILL NOT
JUSTIFY SUCH RATE IN INDIANA.
The Wabash Has the Money to BuiId
Its Projected Link from Mont
pelier to Its Main Line

One of the best informed passenger Of
ficials, in speaking of making a two-cent-
a-mile rate for Indiana roads. said the bus
iress in this State would not justify 1t. nor
in either of the States covered by the Cen
trail Traffic Association lines. Where the
two-cent-a-mile rate is used II is through
a much thiclxly populated country
than in this and adjoining States. There
Is no argument. he said in stating that
passenger rates have not been reduced in
proportion 10 freight rates, which, as COM
pared with thirty years ago. have been ma
terially reduced. In the carrying Of pas
sengers many things are to be considered
beside their mere transportation. The ac-
commodations that a bushel of wheat or
a barrel of -four ton OF coal receive
on the railroads In this State have not
materially improved in the last generation.
and the freight depots and freight cars are
no more comfortable than they were
then. 1t is the improvement in the char
acter OF equipment that enables a railroad
company to carry more merchandise in a
single car than IL could transport a quar-
ter or a half century ago. In passenger
service conditions there is a greater diff
ference. Few passengers would be con-
tent to accept the accommodations that
railroads in this section accorded patrons
thirty or forty years ago. The cars must
be larger, airier, cleaner and better up
holstered; they must be better lighted,
heated and ventilated. The rolling stock
must be of kind that will allow transpor-
tation with a minimum of jolt and jar.
De
old conditions. The same number of ac-
commodation trains are run over the prin-
cipal roads. and to these have been added
several express trains, which handle
through business, and that between more
important points. These changes have in
volved large expenditures, and it is this
which largely accounts for the fact that
there has not been a material reduction
In the rate of passenger fares. The Of
fetal named two or three roads running
out of Indianapolis that average the year
through thirteen to eighteen passengers
per coach hauled, and the most careful
statistician Of railway operation says that
under the most favorable circumstances 1t
costs 80 cents mile to run a passenger
train consisting of locomotive and three
cars, and on majority of roads 1t costs
$l.10 per mile to haul an ordinary train.
AT a two-cent-a-mile rate there would be
little money TO the roads handling the bus
mess, and IL II were not for the hand
some revenue received from freight serv-
Ice and the more economical methods of
handling that branch of service, there
would not be sufficient revenue for paying
the present wages to trainmen and other
employees, or for maintaining their high
standard of equipment Another thing, said
the official, is the fact that fully one-third
of the year there are meetings of differ
ent organizations, on which occasions less
than two-cent-a-mile rate is given; added
to this fact that Sunday excursions have
become general, and on at least twenty
two Sundays of each year a person who
wants TO take a short pleasure trip
even business trip, can take advantage of
the days or weeks that such low rates are
offered.