New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-29
NEEDS UNDERSTANDING
SO SAYS Mr.. HARTMAN.
Must Be Cooperation Bet5ceeH Rail
roads. Public and GoUernment.


Edward H. Hartman, president OF the Union Pa
cic has article in the Easter number OF me
Independent" published yesterday. In II MI Har-
riman discusses some of the things he has brought
out IN newspaper interviews. but in this article
his ideas defined more clearly and in way
calculated TO emphasize his conviction that there
must he a better understanding between the gen
eTal public and those who manage the great rail-
way systems OF the country The article begins;
Unless there can be a franker understanding be-
ness OF the railroads we might Just as wen st9P
country. What said in Washington I say now.
that there has got 70 De Pd and on the pbc
and the government on the other we h nave .li9 81
take caTe Of Hesitation by Whatever means might
be most effective. and 10 our su6ord1naIes 20 az ~
We have produced a Hood OF legislation through
and SOC some the result. Of instructed zeal Inspired
by the national administration; and II We are ever
out in the open and tell the people tho railroads
side OF the matter.
FOREIGN DEALS AFFECTED
Take the situation where this Interstate COM
pending arrangements between several laEse cor h
tens % % rabIo tsr,1 80 soon az fhe foreigners
very isEo,1o PIE 'TIS - SoT1r1srcs Commission
was going after the Union Pacific they came al 70
eral were In pretty bad way ard the negotia-
Now II those arrangements had been completed
n would have established standard or creoll
10 raise Funds abroad All that was stopped. for
the time being. by TIE timdity Of , foTeign capital
II We are unable 70 meet the turther qevei9 9o
me en[ co ~ business interests Ne can see the
causes Of this situation II we 60 PACK Hltsen VI
twenty years in railroad development
Mr Hartman then writes Of the period Of rapid
railroad construction prior 1893, which went be-
yonI the ability of the country to support. and re-
suited in the period OF railroad Teceiverships When
the railroads were reOrganized nothing was done
81 A.
try In the last six eight years OF prosperity
the railroads have tried TO provide improvements
that should have been scattered over much longer
period. Mr.. Hartman adds:
Now. how do we find the railroads prepared to
sacites are inadequate to transport with economy
either TO the shipper or The TaiTSadsi, ine g9o1S
point for cooperation between the railroads and
ner 70 handle the business economically has gener
ally been charged up against the railroads. while
has meant less effective service and tendency to
higher rates
After giving an Illustration Of how freight cars
are kept out of use by the slowness with which
they arc unloaded Mr.. Hartman takes up the
problem OF increased terminal facilities He says;
The ability Of the railroads to render service is
absolutely dependent upon the matter OF terminal :
ie6Eh 81 e yapds but the Of tracks and
the capacity of the cars
MORE TERMINAL FACILITIES NEEDED.
For instance u you have hundred cars on
nInted nunoer - 80 MOVE or 49, - is
necessary. in practice to move virtually the entire
hundred. But II You have the total amount Of
freight distributed among fewer cars of larger
greater number OF tracks, there Is proportion
ate reduction Of the number OF that will have
You come now against the fat limitations in this
matter of terminal facilities There Is only given
amount Of space available all the island Of Man
haitian that you can cover with With, tracks s and we
the existing gauge
Mr. Hartman shows what an advantage IL would |
he IL the gauge OF railroad tracks could be in |
creased to a standard OF six or even FIVE feet. /
This would permit broader freight cars and broader
and more powerful engines. But perhaps IL is 4
numerical to think now rebuilding the railroads
of the entire country" he adds. "and Of replacing
the entire railroad equipment. If so. what is the /
next best thing? Obviously electricity And be-
eve railroads will have to come to that. not only
for the purpose of getting larger unit Of motive
mower and Of distributing it over the trainioad but
on account OF the fuel proposition"
Then Mr.. Hartman says;
The railroads are now deyelOping their facilities
conditions allow. The necessity or |
SSo1ne tracking the transcOntnenta lines is rec
ognized univeIsaiy anu oc IN antieination o7 th
sv When we can joint up the sections and have
hest they win. the railroads are face TO faes With
physical conditions sHeh 4, as Ios nS to haDfIs
larger traffic without constantly increaslng rsto
1l they serve to devise some means Of more
Economical operation u returns are 90 ne eontlnu9d
20 OshsrehoIdeTs rates maintained on even their
present basis - - ,Hat .boro d. o,a otbar
e.I. ~ Increased that the railroads cannot
eSDa from whatever their economies. and that
= ~ cost Of labor not only directly employed By
tIa M but entering into every item Of their new
aS struetion their equipment and their improved
Terminal facilities
RATES CANNOT GO DOWN YET
- a., M mora than a fair conclusion that the Il
+.cae1cv az rates for the present az least. must
~ ~ remain level. IL. indeed. increases are not
demanded in some quarters Yet what Is the sit
,,ation an over the country
1Sa agitation against the railroads taken up by Il
tbc iegisatures IN dozen states. IN pursuance Of