Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-20

west and transmissoun region, where
thousands of live animals are denied move
be regarded as alarming; while throughout
the middle west and Atlantic seaboard the
shortage of cars for manufactured articles
and miscellaneous merchandise has be-
come matter of serious concern. In some
cases Il Is simply a lack Of cars, in others
insufficient tracks and motive power, IN
stlll others wholly inadequate freight yards
and terminal facilities.
The larger roads, which have been in
claim, as rapidly as it could be procured,
are in many cases refusing to furnish cars
for loading to points beyond their own
rails, because they are not unloaded and
returned within a reasonable time. FIRE.
quently, 1t Is said, foreign cars are Vir-
| tually confiscated by roads which get them
into possession and keep them In use for
local service. The surprising statement was
recently made by a high Official OF one OF
| the largest and best equipped systems that
| so per cent of its cars was then beyond Its
| control on the lines of other roads.
| The commission is without authority I'M
der any existing law to deal effectively
with this condition. The regulating power
| of congress has not been exercised to con-
| troll the physical operations Of Interstate
| railroads. aside from the safety appliance
| requirements, either as respects the move
| ment of trains or the supply of equipment.
| Nevertheless, the commission, without wait
| ing for further authority, has commenced
/ an Investigation of this subject with view
| to ascertaining It's causes, the conditions
remedies that can be applied, either voun-
tarly by the carriers or by the oompulsion
| of suitable enactments.
! Court Proceedings.
The report shows twenty-one civil cases
pending In the courts for enforcement of
| the regulating statute, and large number
/ of criminal proceedings disposed of or in
5osed upon oorporations and ,n nHeI mII-
| In proceedings involving criminal violat ems
| amount to several hundred thousand dol
| lars, and two persons were sentenced to
| Imprisonment.
Since the last annual report of the
| have been filed with the commission. These
| include both informal and formal COM
| plants, proceedings and Investigations In
| stituted by the commission upon it's own
motion and under resolutions OF congress.
| The number of formal cases and investiga-
tons instituted during the year is eighty
two, relating directly to the rates and prac-
tees of $50 carriers The nature of these
cases and Investigations is set forth in the
Seventy-three hearings and investigations
have been had in Washington and In nu-
merous other cities Of the United States,
conferences have been held with railroad
officials and with shippers concerning the
application OF the amended law.
Statistics of Railways.
For years the commission has published
a brief advance report presenting a con-
densed income account statement for the
operating railway companies in the United
year ending june 80 1865 includes IG io oerta hS
returns for $50 railway companies repre-
senting an operated mileage OF 22OO2s.4.
miles, or approximately 80 per cent of the
mileage that will be covered by the com.
plete statistical report for the year.
| The report shows that the gross earnings
Of the roads described were $2,319,76O $50
consisting of passenger earnings $6l8, $685.
ss4i freight earnings, 8, $40, $40 S63, and mis-
cellaneous earnings. SEQ, 81, 234. The gross
earnings averaged $10,543 per mile This
average is much higher than the like aver.
age for any previous year for which the
commission has published statistical re-