The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-01-15
HILL EXPLAINS THE
RAILROAD PROBLEM
President Of Great Northern, in
Lcng Letter, Points Out
Cause of Trouble.
INSUFFICIENT TRACKAGE
AND TERMINALS FIRST
Country Has Grown So Fast That
Roads Cannot Possibly
Keep Up.

81. PAUL, Jan. l4-poN. johnston
today received long letter from ) ).
Railroad company, in which the mag
nate deals exhaustively with the vari-
Gus phases of the railroad problem,
Mr.. Hill sets out at length what, In
his opinion, is responsible for the eX-
isting situation and what should be
done to remedy 1T. The Western coun-
try has grown so fast that the railroads
have been unable to keep pace with
it, Mr.. Hill says, and he believes the
building of additional trackage is the
best solution of the problem.
He saws it will require permanent
investment Of $1,l00, 100000 year for
FIVE years to provide the railroads OF
the country with means TO handle prop
erly the business already in sight, not
allowing for future growth.
Mr.. Hills letter follows, IN part:
Not Equal to Demands Made.
During recent years the volume OF bust
ness has Increased and Ia increasing with
extraordinary rapidity. while the neces-
sary additional rrackage and terminals
have not been equal 10 the demands upon
them. The resulting situation Is frelsht
blockade of enormous proportions, espec-
tally at the terminal points, How TO rem
edy this is a problem financial, mechan.
ical and physical. No time should ne lost
In applying such measures OF remedy
as may be possible.
The following figures, compiled from
the official reports of the Interstate Com
merce commission and covering the
growth of the railroad business for the
last ten years exhibit the significant
facts;
Figures Show Increase.
For wear lS95-total single track mile
age, 1sO.667, in 1905. 2lslol. Increase
Locomotives In 1895. 35,seo: in 1905. 49,
357. Increase, 95 per cent. -
Passenger cars in 1895, 33,ll2; In 1908.
4o.71s, Increase. % pei. cent; ,oo-
Freight cars In 1895, l,loe.l1 in 1905
]. !Sl 400. Increase, 30 per Gent; ,sc .s
27l; in 1905, 2s.SOo, 1895. increase. %
Freight ton mileage In 1895. SIS. 5.227. .515,-
SOL In 1905, 1856 f63, lo9 $40. Increase us
per cent.
These figures show the cause OF delay
in the national traffic movement when
threatens to bring Industry 10 stand
still. Equipment is being increased as
rapidly as capital and labor c6% do 1t,
There are and will be cars enough TO
be moved but engines and cars must have
tracks on which they may run.
Limit of Service.
The limit of service of a common car
rier has been reached when II has NOV
Ing at all times over Its system as many
safety and transferred and dispatched
from Its terminals and junction points
without unreasonable delay. Beyond that
point increase Of business cannot be
handled by increasing cnrs and engines
The disparity between the growth or traf-
nc and the additions TO railroad mileage
and the extension OF terminals is shown
by new mileage OF less than one ana
one-half per cent a year since 1904 TO
take care OF a traffic Increase averaging
IL per cent year for ten years past 81
rnent Of many conservative railroad men
In the country is that an immediate ad-
dition Of not less than per cent per
annum TO the railroad trackage OF me
country for say five years should be made
10 relieve the situation and put an end 70
unreasonable delays.
Roads Are Doing Their Best.
Investigations show that the railroads
OF the country have been endeaVoring
to meet the growing demand ON, on tnem, mem
locomotives and IS per cent more cars
in service in 1905 than in 1885, but each
engine and car did much more work.
Trains run faster, cars are larger. loco
motives are more powerful and methods
OF handling the business have been so
improved as TO increase the general ef-
fclency.
No additions to equipment and no in
creased efficiency in operation can take
the place Of the imperatively required
new trackage and terminal facilities; The
country must have. as rapidly as 1t can
be built. additional tracks and terminal
facilities,
tract for furnishing the facilities re-
quired. Including additional equipment
and terminal facilities, for less than $50:
900 a mile. The question OF terminals
alone is almost prohibitive. Terminals on
the Great Northern were acquired when
property was cheap, and can be enlarged
only by heavy outlay In many cities
| II IS not even a question OF cost, sNbe
| the area necessary TO handle railroad
business properly is not TO be had at any
| price. The new work, then. would amount
| TO $500. 600, 900 in round numbers, or a
| yearly average Of 900, 900. That is
| the sum which should be spent before
the commerce OF the country can be
moved properly. 1t is just twice the
total amount OF the bonded debts OF the
| United States after the close of the Civil
war, 1t Is more than twice tho entire
| currency In circulation in the country,
and only little less than twice the de-
posits in all the savings banks in the
United States put together.
| The average speed OF n freight trar
is from twelve to fifteen miles an hour
| freight car is about twenty-five miles
| day That Is. the entire freight equip
ment of the country Is employed to the
fair limit OF its capacity but two hour:
| lines. freights must walt on sidings,
| while passenger trains have the right
| OF way; cars stand for days or weeks
| in yards or at transfer points awaiting
| their turn.
Traffic Pressure Increases,
The pressure Of traffic increases In
constant progression. II has reached il
! railroad construction is at the loves
! ehb.
The number of passenger miles trav
eled in this country for each mile o
~