Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-23

ming Will be made aware of the
fact by the way the signals are
set. He will take provision accord
ingly to avoid the impeding coils
ion.
An Ingenious Feature.
One of the most valuable and in
genlous features Of the system deals
with instructions on the track. Ii a
rail or bridge sahould break, the sig
nals VIII immediately point to. danger
two miles or blocks i'm either direction
from the place where the accident oc-
Cured.
Each block is electrically connected
by a device in the train dispatcher's
office by means of which he can locate
every train on his system at any time;
watch it's progress from block to block
and ascertain the exact time 1t is
making.
At night time signals display bril-
liant lights-white for safety. red for
danger and green for normal danger.
Roads are Disappointed.
The railroads are disappointed over
the showing made in the train load
statistics, and this In the face of the
fact that millions of dollars We're spent
in betterments which were designed
to produce more economical move
ments in traffic. The figures show
that the roads have enjoyed one of the
most prosperous years in their his
tory, but expenses have grown so large
that no great increase is shown in the
net receipts. -
The gross earnings have been over
the average. but in spite Of the care
full design OF the betterment policy the
cheap hauls have not been forthcom-
ing. The whole betterment policy was
founded on the belief that greater
train loads could be hauled if liberal
expenditures We're made in the equip
ment and roadbed.
As to the Milwaukee.
The reports for the fiscal year show
for instance, that the Milwaukee, with
an increase Of 31,0OO,0 900 In tons miles
mostly of low grade freight, reports q
revenue train Of 244 tons, against 25A
tons in 1902. The Great Northern in
creased in train loads by 20 tons. The
Louisville & Nashville, with an II pei
cent increase, barely held its own, and
the Baltimore & Ohio, with all its
to it's train loads.
The result of this showing is that
while the roads will continue to make
desirable improvements, all the bet
terments will be restricted more than
heretofore and they must justify them
selves in profit. The transporta-
ton economies which could be prac-
ticed during the past year can now
be attained. as the abnormal pressure
is at an end and the opportunity is
at hand to operate the roads at q
minimum.
The adverse conditions, demands fol
higher wages, train improvements
construction and congested yards and
tracks have almost entirely disap-
peared and railroad men believe that
they will be able to gain more econ
omy in handling this years traffic
even though the reports show that the
condition of the road is sound and
their gross earnings could fall of
materially without bringing losses II
Color Blindness.
The recent action of the Illinois
Central In discharging twelve of the
Oldest passenger conductors west Of
is, not being able to tell the color Of
the con1pany's money from their owr
lis causing considerable interest
throughout the west. In securing evi.
dence against the men dismissed or
the Illinois Central, a new method
was employed.
The Interchangeable Mileage Burea,
in Chicago was asked to, keep tab OF
the conductors west of Freeport a,
the revenue from that end of the lin,
had shown a decline. After they hat
for an explanation. They were tolt
that the mileage received showed tina
hundreds Of passengers who went tt
one point on other lines always walk
ed over the Central That is, tn,
mileage into the point would be turn