Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-04-04

motives TO get greater tractive power
per engine, and could increase the
capacity OF our cars without dispro'
portionately increasing the dead
weight that has TO be drawn in NOV
ing a given train load.
Electric Power aud Its Advantages.
"But perhaps II is chimerioal 70
think now of rebuilding the railroads
OF the entire country and Of replacing
the entire railroad equipment. II SO,
what is the net bxest thlngg
obviously electricity. And be-
lieve that the railroads will have 20
come to that, NOS only for the pur-
pose OF getting large unit of mo-
tive power and OF distributing Il over
the trainload, but on account of the
fuel proposition. That brings up an
other phase OF the existing condi-
tions. We have TO use up fuel to
carry our fuel, and there are certain
Limitations along this line. Just as
much as there are In the matter OF
car capacity or of motive power. par
ticularly when YOU consider the dis
trihution of the coal-produolng re-
gions with respect TO the major ave-
nues of traffic.
The gret saving resulting from
the use of electricity is apparent,
quite aside from the matter OF in
creasing the tractive power and the
ltrainload. but there Is this additional
consideration, that when you are OPP
Grating electricity you are not losing
money when you stop your train
That must not be lost sight OF. The
train makes money when Il Is going
somewhere, when Il is carrying some
thing that somebody wants. When
II stops n ceases to make money and
becomes a losing proposition be-
cause Il goes right on burning up
coSl without doing any work. Your
electric train when II stops isn't
using up any power and the an'y
fuel waste is that incidental to the
maintenance of the system.
IL All Means Greater Expense.
Nov | have gone into these
things In detail TO show you. first that
the railroads In handling the In
creased volume of tranic under pros.
ent conditions, or anything approx
mating them. must do Il at an ever
increasing ratio OF expense that Will
tend some day 90 become prohibltlve
II present rates are 10 be maintained
or fair returns realized for their
shareholders. and. second, that the
only relief which can be obtained
through economies OF physical opera
tion must come through the outlay
OF enormous amounts OF money such
as would be involved In general
electrlhcation or change In guage.
"The railroads are now develop.
ing their facilities Just as fast as con
dltions allow. The necessity Of
double tracking the transcontinental
lines is recognized universally. and
we are all lengthonlng om sldlngs
and our spur tracks IN anticipation
OF the day when We can Joint up the
sections and have two-track roads
across the country. but. do the best
they VIII. the railroads are face 90
face with physical conditions. sucf
as ! have described In a small part
which make u impossible 10 handle
a larger traflc without constantiS
increasing ratio OF expense. II IL dp
TO them and 10 the people whom they
serve 10 devise some means OF more
economical operation n returns are
To be continued 20 their sharehold-
ers. or rates even maintained on their
prosorft basis
But before we go on to that.
there IL one other factor OF Increased
cost that the railroads cannot escape
from. whatever thIlr economies. and
that IL the cost OF labor, not only di-
reetly employed by them. but enter
ing into every item OF their new con-
struction their equipment. or their
improved terminal facilities
IL Is common saying that a rail-
road tie costs nothing: Il IL only the
labor that the tie representa- that
costs money The same thing might
be said for the steel ran without