The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-17

engineer for fifteen years, and for the last
nine years has been editor of the Locomo-
tive Firemen's Magazine. During his edi-
torship he has developed technical and
educational departments, and made them
valuable to the $1,000 members of the organ
ization.
Z An official of the New York Central says
it is a popular error to ascribe increase in
expenses on the Vanderbilt lines to the
increase In wages put in force in the fall
of 1902. Since the increase in wages totals
not more than 10 per cent, while the in
crease in expenses is over Is per cent. The
falsity of the reasoning is manifest. The
heavy expenses are due more to large ex-
penditures on the roadbed and property
than TO the advance in wages.
Considerable amusement is occasioned in
passenger circles over the. report that at
the next meeting of the Central Passenger
Association a motion will be made to ex-
pei the Pennsylvania, the Lake Shore, the
Erie and the Wabash from the mileage
ticket bureau. This will probably be a
difficult matter, as the association Is con-
trolled by these lines. The roads named
are accused of having met the reduced
rates of the Toledo, st. Louis d Western.
George w. Kittredge, chief engineer Of
the Big Four, was in the city yesterday.
He states that. regardless of weather condi-
tionS, the cutting down of Sunman's hill is
progressing rapidly. The contractor has 500
men at work and twenty steam shovels. He
Is moving 100000 yards of dirt a month and
must continue to do so until August to COM
plete the Improvement by the time set. An
other large gang is at work on the fve-mile
cutoff between Greensburg and Smiths
Crossing.
1t is with the greatest difficulty that the
railways are able to get locomotives re-
CURED for their business. A short time
ago the Big Four secured twenty-five.
which are now arriving, but the company
needs fifty. A superintendent of motive
power says there is not a road in this ter
ritory that Is properly supplied with loco
motives. Old engines have been run to
SUCH an extent and are so hadlv in need OF
repairs that but few Of them can haul two
thirds of their estimated capacity.
The medical examining board of the pen
sion department Of the Pennsylvania lines
west has been in session at Pittsburg for
eligible for pension. Such men are divided
into classes known in railroad parlance as
between the ages Of sixty-five and seventy
years, who have been in the service Of the
company for thirty years, while the latter
are those who have reached the age Of
seventy years, and must be pensioned.
The Interstate-commerce Commission
yesterday gave a hearing on the applications
made by the Erie, Lehigh Valley. Pennsyl-
vania lines west of Pittsburg, New York,
Susquehanna & Western and the Cincinnati,
Hamilton & Dayton railroads for an extern
sion Of time within which to equip their
cars with safety appliances. The commit
tee took the matter under Amusement. The
committee will give a hearing to-day on
the question of recurring railroads to file
III pQOilSu tdIDIS VII eAPOTI lulpOIl
traffic the same as on domestic traffic.
The Belt road company is making ex-
tensive improvements in the eastern part
Of the city and has a large force Of men
employed. The work includes a passing
track 1900 feet In length south of the Gin
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, making three
tracks for quite a distance and three side
tracks 5000 feet in length, which Will give
the Big Four six tracks for quite a distance
and three side tracks 1900 feet In length.
which will give the Big Four six tracks for
quite q distance and will greatly relieve the
congestion at this connection with the Gin
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and the Big
Four's Cincinnati division.
General Manager Sims, of the Baltimore
& ohio Railroad, announced yesterday the
creation or a new grand division, to be
known as the Wheeling system, and which
Ohio River and Wheeling divisions. T. ].
Foley has been appointed superintendent in
charge. The following additional changes
were also announced: j. A. Spielmann, to
be superintendent of the Chicago division;
H. E. Hale. superintendent at Butler, Pa.
William Trapnell, division engineer at
Philadelphia; r. p. Rossiter, assistant d.
vision engineer of the Shenandoah division,
with headquarters at Winchester, Va.
BY lease from the Western Indiana Rail-
road the Chicago & Eastern Illinois has
gained valuable freight terminals in the
downtown district Of Chicago. The lease,
which has just been recorded, is for the
block of property bounded by the Western
Indiana tracks, Twelfth, Taylor and Clark
streets. Some time ago the Western In
diana purchased this property and issued
s2,2S2.O0O worth of consolidated bonds to
cover the purchase price. BY the terms OF
the lease the Eastern Illinois pays s. a year
rental and assumes the interest on the
bonds, the cost of extensions and improve
ments and elevations and Is to pay the
bonds themselves at the end of forty-hve
wears