The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-07
General Manager On.

General Manager On.
Mr.. H. b. Spencer, general manager
of the Southern Railway Company, was
introduced and examined by Mr.. Thorn
as soon as the commission convened at
Ii o'clock. He went over the operations
OF his system In great detail, and sub
mitted many statistics designed to show
that his company was not In position
to stand any Increase OF rates.
1T costs considerably more to earn a
dollar on branch lines than on the main
line" he said, and then he submitted the
following to show how much was spent
by his various lines in Virginia to get q
dollar backs. b, &
From Washington to Monroe. GAS cents
Richmond to Danville. ......... 6SD3 cents
washington to .Bluemont...... So q cents
Calverton to Warrenton. 500 cents
PIttsvile to Rocky Mount. ....129 900 cents
Average on main lines. 1880. 81 80 cents
Average on branch lines. $500. 1888 cents
Average on entire systenl......7O 1000 cents
Witness testified that It costs more to
do local than through business, and IN
some cases three or four times as much.
He thought in no event the cost was less
than double.
Witness said in local hauls the cars
were not kept loaded, and that the wear
and tear Of stopping and starting was
great. while the cost OF trainmen was
doubled. t+5 $l l$ js 5ff5.
He said on interstate business his conf
pany spent about SO cents to get dollar
He referred to the heavy cost Of Improve
ments to his lines in Virginia, including
double tracking. enlargement Of shops
and round houses, and the purchase Of
(Bnew engines and cars.
A Steady Increase.
! He said for the past ten years the
cost OF the labor to the companies had
| steadily increased. Common labor had
advanced from so and 10 cents to 81 and
s1l5 per day, while operat tors had gone
from ss5 to s45 and $50 per month.
There had been similar Increases among
hremen, conductors and engineers. Here
are some compare tive figures submitted
Cost OF fuel per engine per mile--1S99.
4.99 cents; 1902 i7.33 cents; 1905, S33
cents.
Engine ers and hremen per mile--1so9,
5,34 cents; 1902 $50 cents; 1905, 6.3s
cents.
Growth OF repairs-1s9o, 400; 1902, 5.17;s
1905, $50.
Cost Of bridge timber per thousand
1895, $9.56; 1902, 1882: 1905, $500.
Shop lunber-1s9S. 1898: 1902. sl5.lo;
1905, s2o6O.
Ties (each)-1sos. . cents; 1902, e9.1o
cents; 1905, 33.06 cents
Coal per ton-1sas. sl.7e; 1902, s1,ss;
1905. sl92. Va
Rails per gross ton-1sos SITS; 1902,
$2S: 9o5. s2s.
Steel bridges per pound-1sss, $40
cents; 1902. 1876 cents; 1905, AS cents.
Locomotive engines (ayerage cost s.
1898, $11,392; 1909, $14.407; 1905, s15,962.
Box cars---1sas, s477,s3; 1902, s7l6..a3;5
Fiat cars-lsos, ss4o; 1902. 1904; 1905,
q G AL y a 4. J
Coal cars-ls9s. SECS; 1902, fslA.4s;
1905. $500.
First Snag Struck.
When this point was reached the first
snng of the day arose, and spirited
and brilliant debate followed between
counsel. Mr.. Thorn wished to know Of
the witness what was the tendency of
the verdicts OF juries as to the size Of
yerdIcts In damage suits against rail-
road companies for personal Injuries re-
ceived, but before the witness could an
swer Mr.. Brnxton interposcd nm objec-k
tion. slta3 rvs .-tfttl 4 sa!
EIe did not think this line OF testi-
mony was proper, because the item 81
damage suits should not be put In with
the operating expenses. .i1
"a brakeman is killed through the ne-5
.gligence OF conductor, he said. Who
controls the conductor? The trainmaster.
Who controls the trainmaster? The SUI
rerin tendent. WHO controls the superin-
tendent? The directors. Who controls the
directors? The stockholders. Who con-
trolls the stockholders? Nobody but God
Almighty. and they should be Wadeat to
pay for the. negligence of their. agents.
zone road in this State In, twenty
years has killed three people. Another
has killed hundreds Ono, road kills no.
body and pays nobody while another
kills everybody and makes those left
pay for thetnt' stt M n 4
Mr.. Thorn Answers.
Mr., Thorn argued atssome length that
this line OF questioning was proper. and
he contended that personal injury claims
should be charged to the operating eS-
penses OF the road.
"a very large percentage OF railroad
accidents occur from the nature OF the
service, he continued, "and cannot be
prevented. No man Is wise enough 10
devise scheme by which railroad can
be operated without accidents, and the
philosophy OF the age accepts them as
Incidents OF the business
ut Is the wrong principle 70 lake me
damages for accidents out OF inc proHls
OF the stockholders. and ] am surprised
at the contention of my friend
"The extraordinary conditions under
which railroads are required 10 40 nus!-
ness should be considered when II -
proposed to hX rates and 70 reuuoe
their revenues"
Mr.. BraXton followed. and he wss dras'
tic In some OF his references 10 me ran