Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-08-14
In
the Ranks
By GEORGE CARY EGGLESTON
Copyright. 1901, on 4. s. BurHes & Co.,
Publishers. I5G Fifth irenue.
NctC York
BY GEORGE CARY EGGLEsTON

"Well. then. let me explain and illus.
trate. A little while ago in going over
your accounts. | discovered that the
cotton and grain you shipped from
Cairo to New York mu he five times
transferred from one car to another
That entailed enormous and needless
expense in addition to the delay. \
few weeks ago sugge 'tcd to a confer
snce of railroad nabobs at your house
that you should organize n line of
through freight cars. which should be
loaded at Cairo. st. Louis. Chicago Or
anywhere else In the west and hauled
through to New York Boston or any
where else in the east without breaking
bulk. The saving Of expense was so
obvious that you put hundred thou
| sand dollars into the line and the rail
road magnates made specially good
| terms for the hauling of the car. You
, expect and will get dividends from
| your investment. The railroad men see
profit for their comps Eies in the oper-
alton Of the line. That is all that you
and they foresee of advantage. In my
view that is the very smallest part Of
the matter"
How do you mean"
why, taking cotton as basis of
reckoning, this throu.,h line system OF
transportation. owned independently
If the railroads. will make an impOr.
tant saving in the cost of raw mate
terials to the owners of New England
mills. They will run more spindles
and set more looms agoing than they
would have done without the through
lines cheapening II raw material
| They will pay better wages and reap
larger profits. They will produce more
| goods. and they will sell them at II
smaller price. The farmer in the west
will pay less for his cotton goods and
get more for his grain because OF the
through lines cheapening of transpor-
tation. He and his wife and his chill
dren will dress better at less cost than
they otherwise could do. Bear In mind
that the lines cars will carry other
things than cotton. The people OF the
east will get their br,aIstuffs and their
bacon and their beef far cheaper b.
|
wise could
"Now. again. little while ago you
were in Washington. You found it
| necessary to execute certain papers
and to file them In Chicot county, Ark
before certain t.el date. You or
dered me by telel?,lh to prepare the
papers and bring them to yen in Wash,
ingtOn in the speedirSl way possible In
order that ! might carry them within
the time limit to their destination.
started for Washington within five
minutes by the quickest possible route.
| preparing the pal .rrs on the train.
had to change cars five times between
Cairo and Washin y.on and seven times
more between Washington aud Mem.
phis All that will presently be chang
ed. The railroad Of this country. to.
gether with the Irw ones now build
Ing. will presently he consolidated into
great systems. Transportation. both
as to freight anu as 10 passengers, Is
now done at retail. ana the cost Is
enormous, 1t viii. after while. b"
done mt wholesale and at Il proportions
ate reduction IN cost.
Now. the thought that is In niy
mind Is this: We have got to build III,
great nation an W upon lines markell
out by the event Of the last few years.
The war has by'i. costly. enormously
costly II has sad led the country
with Gcbt Of h1ut $3.000.Oo000O. he
sides til. incalc, !atlc wns'r. but II has
I.