The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-06
ALL MINES ARE
IN OPERATION
e. & O. Officials Say That There
s.s, is No Strike in Their .,a
.ss & Territory, III &. ..s.5
PASSENGERS DO NOT 8 PAY. 1
Interesting Paper Showing That
Railroads Lose Oh Passenger
Trains.

President George w. stevens, OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company,
is, in Cincinnati and will not return to
[ Ricllplond until Sunday. s.
/ General Manager Doyle, Of the Chcs-
aapcake and Ohio. said on yesterday that
every coal mine In the New River and
I<anuwha Districts were in full Opera
ton. W.
1t is understood that only fifteen per
cent or the mines OF the New River
District are organized and only about
sixty per cent. In the Kanawha District.
Upon the authority OF the Central Man
Thompson has Issued a pamphlet to show
that tho passenger service OF the country
Is not. self sustaining. i]..
Mr.. Tholnpson's opening shot Is as fol-
lows: a''Al thought tits Incapable OF posi-
tive proof, It Is probably n fact that the
passenger traffic Of the American rail-
ways is carried on at the expense OF the
freight traffic.
This statement has caused general dis
cussion among passenger men, many Of
whom believe that they had outgrown
the position Of head Of the ornamental
branch Of the service, BY the latter
appellatIon the passenger service was
known among freight mon for years.
The passenger representatives have al,
ways taken exception to 1t and have In
sisted that tho passenger business brings
in It's fair proportion of railroad rcvc-l
nues. They also claim that freight men
forgot the fact that It Is the passenger
business which advcrtises n railroad and
that shipper usually ships as he rides,
Mr.. Thompson, however, declares that.
NIL is quih al tn,
that the nvorngc passenger earnings OF 2
cents per passenger mile which the roads
now receive. do not cover tho cost of
Operations, is sufficient justification Sfog
the assertion that the margin between the
two Is 80 small as to leave an Inadequate
SUM for taxes fixed charges and necessary
renewals, to say nothing OF dividends. M
toresting statistics are given to show that
this must BIO the case.
Fl, Mr.. Thompson insists that, although the
railroads have not received more than
an average Of 2,O5s cents IL passenger
mile for eighteen years. 1t would not be
possible to adopt a. maximum Of 2 cents
without forcing the railroads serouslytto
cripple their service sbyrcduGing the num-
Der OF trains, reducing the speed and our
itatling special rates and special service
the public. gi4 tts ~
II One instancc OF the extraordinary cX-
UtllSC 10 Which, OdNlS lGSC sbNS'' put
Of late to maintain such a service as the
public demands is said to be track elc-
walton In Chicago, which has cost $780,
100000 and which will cost IS, 900 more.
IT Is also shown that the cost OF passenger
locomotives has Increased 1o4 per cent.
since 1898, the cost of proac hes GO per cent,
mall cars o.. baggage cars %, wages of
cngincmen 1876, of nrcmen l7.2, OF con-
durtprs IL and OF trainmen q per cent.
/ 1he entire gross earnings OF the pas
sengnr service, including mail and express,
do not exceed 9742 per cent. Of the total
gross earnings OF the nllrpads.f Figures
3nrojtilcn given which, Mr., Thompson says,
arc convincing evidence that tho passen-
ger earnings propcr8do not Some within
s7s,OOO, 600 sof meeting the expenses OF the
service aid that tho revenue OF passenger
trains. including earnings from mall OK
press, etc., exceeds the cost of operation
By only $a3 0o6,1o5
This sum is equal, lie says. 10 slightly
over ] pcr cent on one-thrd tho funded
debt OF thoyrailWays, with nothing left
oyer for dividends Upon an equal propor.
ton OF the stock. thst.