Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-07

ARE SCORED
STATE BOARD DECLARES THAT
THE COMPANIES NEGLECT
THE BRANCHES
POOR SERVICE ALLEGED

POOR SERVICE ALLEGED
Annual Report, Filed Yesterday With
the Governor, Says That the Lines
Doing Business in Iowa Should Put
on More Cars - Electric Roads Are
Increasing.
Des Moines, December 5.-The
state railroad commission in it's
annual report yesterday filed with the
governor, took fall out of the rail-
roads of the state with respect to the
neglect of their branch lines and their
failure. to furnish sufficient cars to ac-
commodate passengers seeking to trav-
ell.
The commission severely criticises
the policy of some of the roads with
respect to allowingi branch lines to run
down. While criticisms as to main
lines have been needed, generally
speaking, there has been tendency
to ignore recommendation with re-
spect to branches. This the commits
sion indicates that it Will not tolerate.
The criticism as to the failure of the
railroads to furnish coaches sufficient
to accommodate the travel in Iowa,
especially at holiday and similar occa-
sions, is renewed in the forthcoming
report The condition has improved
somewhat from two years ago, in the
opinion of the board, but it is still
plain that there is room for consider
able Improvement.
The following is the comment of the
board, as made for the introduction to
the report of this year:
What the Board Says.
The commissioners have followed
their previous practice Of inspection
into the physical condition of the rail-
roads in Iowa. Some complaints have
reached the board with reference to
the interior conditions on some of the
branch lines, and it seems, to the COM
missoners that in many Instances the
railroad companies are not keeping
the roadbeds, track and depots on
branch lines in as good condition as
they should. There has been no seri-
Gus defect that the commissioners
have noticed, but the general condi-
ton of many of the branch lines is not
good. In some few instances the COM
missioners have found that there were
conditions on the main lines of some
of the companies that needed atten-
ton, such as inferior ties, frogs and
switches, inadequate depots and their
e. MI condition TIron no of
ton Of the companies being called tc
these matters they have generally
made such Improvements and repairs
as were necessary to remove, at least
some of the causes for complaint.
1t may be said that upon all the
main track lines In this state condi-
tions are improving. Better roadbed
better equipment. and, in most cases
better service seem to be the rule
However, upon some of the branch
lines the commission believes that the
equipment and service afforded have
hardly been adequate to meet the de-
mands. In some of these cases the
board has suggested to the companies
that better train service and better
equipment should be provided, and
many Of these suggestions. made after
careful investigation by the commits
sioners, have been fairly well follow
ed by the companies.
Electric Lines Grow.
During the past year there has been
an increase Of more than sixty-three
miles of electric interhrban railroad in
Iowa and but twenty-three miles OF
steam road. Of the latter, nineteen
miles is that belonging to the Ana
mosa & Northern railroad and running
from Anamosa to Coggon.
But the gross earnings for the year
increased about 100000 and net earn
ings increased per mile from 81, 529 to
$1,677. The railroad employees did not
earn quite so much compensation dur
ing the year, but of the $41 100000 OF
operating expenses more than 5000,
600 went into wages, which were al
the daily average of 5000.
The number of persons injured and
killed in railroad work and accidents
during the past year, decreased mate
rally. The number of killed fell from
215 last year to 190 The number OF
injured fell from 1,74S to LIP. But
the number of passengers killed and
injured fell off very much more than
the total
The Years Business.
Following is a comparative state
ment OF the railroad business for the
past year and the year preceding, as
compiled by the railroad commission
and filed with the governor yesterday:
1905. 1904.
I Mileage :. ...... 9,SO3.52O 9,S2s.77
Earnings -. ..s5a692,095 SIS, 1876, 94s
Expenses, (. 42,694,06O 16,4S2,32s
Net earnings -. 14,99S,Os4 16,482.35s
Net earn, per mile 1929 1877
Number employees 3S,5OS 1858
| Compensation :. 25,328,702 25.177.12e
Average daily wage 2l0 2'03
Number all cars. ). 2s4,748 2S813s
Equipped with
automatic coup.
Ter :. ....:.... 2so55s 2s4,54s
Equipped W 18th
| power or train
| brakes :. :. 237,24S 24607e
Employees killed
| coupling cars -. 10 s
| Employees injured
| couplin. cars rs Al