New-York tribune., 1907-01-15
TRACKS BADLY NEEDED.

The limit OF service Of q common carrier has
been reached when IL has moving at all times
over It's system as many cars can be run on
fits tracks with safety and transferred and dis
patched from its terminals and junction points
without unreasonable delay. Beyond that point
increase of business cannot be handled by In
creasing and engines The disparity be-
tween the growth OF traffic and the additions TO
railroad mileage and the extension Of terminals
shown by new mileage OF less than II per cent
a year since 1904. 10 take cars of a traffic In
crease averaging IL per oent a year for ten
lem. Tho best Judgment OF many conservative
railroad men in the country Is that imnedi-
ate addition OF not less than per cent per an
mum to the railroad trackage Of the country for.
say, five years should be made to relieve the cit
uation and put an end TO unreasonable delays
In the transaction OF business
Investigations recently made by public off,
cials and facts accessible before those investi-
cations disclose that the railroads of the coun-
try have been endeavorng to meet the growing
demand upon them. In order TO handle this
enormous addition OF 110 per cent in business
utilized as never before the carrying capacity
of each mile. Not only were there 80 per cent
aepvce n i9o than in 1856 but eoc ensne m
and car did much more work, The passenger miles
travelled a locomotive increased from 1.21s.,,
9G7 to 204S,65S. or more than eS per cent and
the ton miles a freight locomotive from 4.25S.
221 to 6.6e0,1OO. or more than 81 per cent.
Trains run faster cars are larger, locomotives
are more powerful and methods OF handling the
business have 30 improved as to increase the
general efficiency.
minal facilities prevents the free flow OF traffic.
The Great Northern Railway Company has
thirty -four switch engines IN nus, use n IN the Twin
used in hauling freight into and out Of the
same.
COST WOULD BE ENORMOUS.
Suppose that only 20 per cent additional track
with necessary terminals and equipment. max
ing 10 per cent Is to be built during the he61 696
miles Of tracks as the requirement for the coun-
try to meet immediate needs No practical man
would furnish the facilities required, including
additional equipment and termi9al facilities for
less than $4,000 mile. The question of ter
minals alone is almost prohfbitiVe. Terminals
now in use were acquired when property was
cheap, and can be enlarged only by heavy out
laws In many cities it is not even a question
of cost since the necessary to handle rail-
road business properly Is not TO De hao AT any
price.
The new work. then. would amount to $1,000
600 900 fl round numbers, or yearly average
of s1100 900, 900. That is the sum which should
be spent before the commerce or me country
can be moved properly. IL is JUST t"lce the
total amount of the bonded debt OF the United
States after the close OF the civil war 1t Is
more than twice the entire currency IN clrcula-
ton in the country, aud only a little less than
| twice the deposits In all the savings banks in
| the United States put together
Almost all the complaints made to-day, either
| by shippers by operating railroad men. Of
obstacles and dangers in transportation service
are due TO deficient trackage. The average
speed Of a freight train is from twelve to fifteen
| miles an hour. The average distance travelled
II
| dav That is the entire freight equipment of
| the country is employed TO the fair limit of its
| capacity only two hours out OF the tWenty-four
on single track lines freight must waft on sid
| ings while passenger trains have the right or
| way: cars stand for days weeks In yards or
| at transfer points awaiting their turn
The problem and necessity are enormous. Az
| 14O tons 10 the mile 1t would require 2.oooo oOO
tons of steel rails every year 10 furnish the 1900
miles Of track required This Is nearly two
thirds of the product of all the rolling mills in
| the United States. 1t would call for the labor
| Of two hundred thousand men IN grading, be-
| sides track layers bridge builders, and others.
| Labor even for such ordinary extensions and
improvements as now being made, is not to
| Ard ii demands, has been seen, the invest
ment in permanent railroad plant or S1,100.OOu
600 n wear five years TO provide the railroads
NJ the courtry with means TO hapdle properly the
business already in sight. not GLOWING Tor futurt
| growth.
TWO REMEDIES POSSIBLE.
rhte &c the real railroad problem OF the United
| states and It is one which people nave been
| .;ng,,larly slow to perceive and reluctant TO
| T,yo remedies must be found The prohibitory
oxnepse, now attached to enlargement OF TER
n1inoIs If many points, and the absolute lack
ns available space any price. may be met
nv a decentralization of traffic. There must be
-. ~ roints for export more interior markets.
A 6fteen foot canal or channel from 81 Louis
| n New orleans would go fOther to relieve the
entire Middle West and Southwest than any
other WORK that could be undertaken with
such a depth of water single powerful tow
! Continued ON second pags.