Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-22
Roads of the Country Must Act
Quickly to Save Lives
of Travellers
TWENTY BROKEN IN ONE RUN
Charles M. schwab Declares Cost Must
Be TripIed in Order to Protect the
PubIic-Poor Rails and High Speed
Responsible for Many Disasters
schwab Gives Views.

Pittsburg, May 22.-Tke railroads of
the United States must spend $1,000
100000, perhaps more, for new steel
rails.
Twenty rails broken between New
York and Chicago by one passage Of
the eighteen-hou flyer over the Penn
sylvania railroad was a record made
public Monday by one closely connect
ed with the Carnegie Steel Company,
under whose supervision the inspection
was made right after a fast run. The
Carnegie, who have been busily expert
menting with new rails, desired to see
just how much damage could be done
to the rail of today when a fast train
was run over the line at top speed, and
SO arranged to make an inspection on
each section of the road as the train
swept by.
From a high official of the railroad
the word comes that twenty rails We're
found to be broken by the train and
had to be replaced at once.
Charles NJ. Schwab gave an interview
In which he said that five years ago
he warned all rail-making concerns to
prepare for getting out better rail.
that the increasing weight of cars and
II speed would shortly make the rail
then and now made of no account. At
this time the, Carnegie Steel Company,
according to Mr.. Schwab, evolved an
idea of a sort of alloy rail which would
be somewhat more expensive than the
bessemer or even the open hearth rails,
and the railroads would not stand the
additional expense.
Mr. Schwab tells what is the matter
with the present steel rail. He says:
THE head of the rail is too heavy
and the fange too light, and the i'm
purities which cause the breaking Of
the top of the rail are there, largely in
the case of the bessemer rail, because
the rail has to be rolled while hot. The
heavy top is largely responsible for this
necessity. The superiority of the open
hearth rail will remain, however. even
if a different shape Of rail is adopted
by the bessemer mills.
1T is not to the open hearth rail,
however" continued Mr.. Schwab, that
the railroads and the country must
look for final solution Of the prob-
lem. Its general use will be of some
help, but the railro s are too inn
portant part of our coaatry's wealth,
and human life is far too valuable for
eitherl railroads or the people to be
content with anything short of the
best, and that is to be found in nickel
or some other steel which will cost
largely in, excess of the prices which
are now paid and which, at a guess,
should say would cost three times as
much
Some rails Of this kind have been
used by the Pennsylvania railroad, and
while the results are not entirely salts
factory they showed, 1 think, that a
railsof this kind can be produced which
will surpass all the Others
"A few nickel-steel rails made by the
United States Steel corporation while
was WITH it, are, I believe, still giving
good service on the main line of the
Pennsylvania railroad They were not
made under the best possible condi-
tons as the mills were not equipped
for their production. Such rails
are almost certain to be called for by
the railroads in the near future and
the steel mills will then, of course, put
out the best which it is possible to
make, no matter at what cost.
1.-THE, lives of passengers depend upon
the strength of the rails, and while
breakage can never be made impes-
sible,. it can be reduced to minimum
and that is what both the railroads and
the people of the United States agree
must Ibe done as quickly as possible"