The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-15
RAILWAY CONGRESS
ON RATE QUESTION
Resolutions Made at Washing
ton Are Announced
ELASTICITY IS DESIRED
Rates Should Be Fixed to Produce
Results for Public and for the
Ralroads--Future for
Ausomotora.

Washington. May 14-The conclusions
adopted by the International Railway
Congress, which closed its seventh ses-
sion here yesterday, were officially an
nouneed today. The most interesting of
the conclusions related to railway rates
on which, after prolonged discussion, in
which every country in which railways
are operated was represented the con-
gress unanimously expressed its conclu-
sions as follows:
Tariffs should be based on commercial
principles. taking into account the special
conditions which bear upon the CONNER
eial value of the services rendered. With
the reservation that rates shall be
charged without arbitrary discrimination
to all shippers alike, under like condi-
lions, the making of rates should as far
as possible, have all the elasticity neces-
sary to permit the development Of traf-
tic and to produce the greatest results
to the public and to the railroads them
Selves
These conclusions were ratified at the
close of the session after President Roose-
velt's speeches had been a topic of dis
eusslon, and two days after Secretary
Taft's addresses on freight rates at the
banquet of the congress Regarding meth
DDS of treating railway sleepers chemically
or otherwise to protect them against de-
terioration and destruction by wear and
by the elements, and in that way to les
sen present demands on the country's for
est supply, II was determined that some
method of preserving sleepers was deslr
able and 1t was urged that careful rec
ords of experiments should be kept.
Power of Locomotives Limited.
With regard to locomotives, the conclu-
sion was that "the power Of locomotives
Is more limited in Europe than in Amer
lea, owing to the lower allowance of
weight per axle European engineers gen
orally agree in thinking that compound
ing admits of the construction OF engines
giving a maximum of power and econo-
N.Y."
There is a tendency to extend the use
of steam-heating in many countries, the
congress found. To obtain sufficient heat
for long trains when the temperature Is
particularly low, 1t was deemed advisable
to use special pipes, or to mix compressed
air with the steam.
Light railways (branch roads, merit In
the highest degree the attention OF public
"Their construction makes 1t possible to
encourage the progress and development
of districts which have previously re-
manned in the background, and 1t is ac-
cordingly not only to the interest but Is
the duty of the governments to assist
them. It Is desirable, therefore, not to
adhere to old types and old methods Of
construction, operation and regulation,
but to introduce every facility possible
adaptable to local needs, and available
resources. 1t Is also desirable that state
governments and local authorities should
accord to light railways, either under the
form of subsidies or other methods of as
sistance, the support which they need.
because of construction and for opera
ton. so that all parts of the country may
be adequately served"
More Improvements Wanted.
The congress expressed the wish that
the present tendency OF legislation to es-
tablish more liberal regulations for lines
with small traffic and light trains. may
become more general and that the ef-
forts of the arrangements to equip their
light traffic lines with more economical
organization, which promise to give re-
markable results. be continued"
The movement toward the liberalization
of certain American railway lines, lends
additional interest to the consideration
by the delegates of auto motors The
congress declares that experiments with
this class of vehicles should be continued,
cit may be expected the conclusions
say. that from now on automobile cars
and auto motors hauling traiers, will
constitute a valuable means of transport
tation which on same lines will have a
great future Owing to the saving of en-
ployes required the probable reduction
In cost of maintenance. the material re-
=. % tea ne.A hot
ter utilization of rolling stock and the
smaller extent of station installations re-
CURED 1t will be possible to materially
reduce the cost of working lines with lit
tie traffic. and will in the cases of other
lines result in a material Improvement in
the working OF some classes OF service.
Their use will certainly effect a change
In the system of operation in the case of
great number of lines, and the auto
motor appears to- have real future be-
fore 1t