The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-15
OPINION UPON
RAILWAY RATES
Resolution Adopted By International
Railway Congress.
SOME TECHNICAL SUBJECTS
CONCLUSION REACHED REGARD
ING LOCOMOTIVES.

Washington. May 1.-THE conclu-
sions adopted by the Interna tionai
Railway congress which closed its
seventh session here yesterday were
officially announced today The most
interesting Of the conclusions related
to railroad rates on which. after a pro-
longed discussion in which every coun-
try in which railroads are operated.
was represented, the congress IN
animOUsly expressed its conclusions as
follows:
Tariffs should bes based on COM
mercial principles, taking into account
The special conditions which bear upon
the commercial value Of the services
rendered. With the reservation that
I.rates shall be charged without arbi-
. traTy discrimination to all shippers
alike under like conditions. the making
of rates should. as far as possible
have all the elasticity necessary TO
permit the Development of the traffic
and to produce the greatest results to
the public and to the railroads them
selves.
These conclusions were ratified at
ROosevelt's speeches had been d topic
Of discussion and two days after Sec
rotary Tafts address on freight rates
at the banquet Of the congress.
Experiments Urged.
Regarding methods of treating rail
way sleCpcrs chemically OF otherwise
TO protect them against deterioration
and destruction by wear and by the
elements and in that way to lessen the
draft OF the cOUntTvs forest supply.
II was determined that some method
Of preserving SlccpcrS was dcsiUa bic.
and ii was urged that careful records
OF experiments should be kept.
With regard TO locomotives the con-
cluSlOn was that the power of lOcomO-
tives is more limited i'm Europe than in
America owing to the lowest allow
ance OF weight per axle European
engineers generally agree i'm thinking
that compromising admits of tie con-
struction Of engines giving a maximum
of power and economy"
Heating Trains.
There is d tendency to extend the
use of steamhea ting in many C6Un-
tries, the congress found To obtain
sufficient heat for Iong trains when
the temperature is particularly low it
was deemed advisable to use special
pipes or TO mix compressed air with
the steam
Light railways tbrunch roads, merit
in the highest degree the attention Of
public authorities.
The report concludes: Their con
struction makes it possible to en-
courage the progress and development
of districts which have previously re-
manned In the background. and it is
accordingly not only the intent but the
duty OF the governments to assist them.
It is desirable, therefore. not to adhere
to old types and old methods of con-
strUCtion. operation and regulation. but
to Introduce every facility possible,
adaptable TO local needs and available
resources Tt Is also desirab bic that
state. government and local authori-
tics should accord to light railways.
either under the form of subsidies. re
Taxation Of requirements or other
methods Of assistance. the support
which they need for construction and
for operation. so that all parts of the
country may be adequately served"
Light Trains.
TIE congress expressed the wish
''tnat tho present tendency OF IegisIa-
ton to establish more liberal reguIa-
tons that light trains may become
more general and efforts OF the man
agemeut to equip their light traffic
lines with a more economical OrgaHi-
cation which promise to give remark
able results, be continued"
The movement toward the electrifica-
tiOu of certain American railway lines
lends additional interest to the con-
sideTatiOn by the delegates of auto
motors. The congress declares that
experiments with this class OF vehicles
should be continued
1t may be expected" the cOuclu-
SiouS say that from now on auto
mobile cars and automotOrs hauling
trailers viii constitute "a valuable
means of transportation which on some
lines viii have great future. Owing
to the saving in the number of en-
plOyes required, the probable reduction
in cost Of maintenance, the material
reduction in the cost of traction and
better utilization Of rolling stock and
the smaller extent Of station instalia-
tons required. it Will be possible ma
terially TO reduce the cost of working
lines with little traffic. and will. in the
cases of other lines. result in a ma
terial Improvement in the working of
some classes Of service Their use
viii certainly effect a change in the
system Of operation Tn the case of
great number Of lines and appears to
have a real future before it