Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-03-18

has not been an entirely fair test
owing to the fact that many of the
roads have entirely or to great OK
tent cut out excursions, which In pre-
vious years they have been eager TO
conduct and have been supposed to
do so at profit. Had all profitable
excursion business been sought for by
all railroads under the two cent law,
the same as befoIe. we believe the
showing would have been even more
strongly In favor of the law.
In the tabulation We first considered
those roads which are now on two
cent basis, namely: the Ann Arhor.
the Cincinnati Northern. the Big
Four, the Grand Rapids & Indiana,
the Grand Trunk, the Lake Shore Il
Michigan Southern. the Michign Gen.
trail. the Pere Marquette and the
Wabash. Considering these ROADS
altogether we find that their aggre-
gate. passenger earnings for the months
named in 1907 exceed the earnings of
same months in 1906 by 1902 "a, a very
small portion of one per cent increase.
AT the same time their freight earn
iugs show a gain of $202. Abs OF a
gain of two and six tenths percent.
While the passenger earnings were
affected 10y the two cent law the
freight earnings of course were not,
but Notwithstanding this it will be
observed that the passenger earnings
have kept practically up with the freieh t
earnings None of the principal
roads above mentioned show any SER
ious reduction which can be traced to
the two cent law. The Ann ArDor
shows loss in passenger earnings of
six and four tenths per cent, but they
also show greater loss in freight
earnings, namely: eight per cent.
The Grand Rapids q Indiana shows
decrease of five and nine-tanths per-
cent in passenger earnings and gain
of two and five tenths percent in
freight earnings. The Pere Marquette.
loss of four per cent in passenger
earnings with gain of eleven percent
in freight earnings. 1t is safe to say
that had either. of these roads followed
their old custom in the matter of push
ing for passenger business by profit
able excursions they would have shown
gain instead of decrease in their
passedger business Notwithstanding
the hard times. The Grand trunk
shows an increase in their passenger
business of six and nine-t enths under
the operation. of the new law and a
gain of thirteen and seven tenths in
their freight business. The Lake
Shore g. Michigan Southern show a
gain Of two and three-fenths ger cent
in their passenger business and de-
crease of twelve and eight-tenths in
their freight business. The Michigan
Central shows a gain of three ana
three-tenths per cent in their passen-
ger business while they have decrease
of two and e-tenths per CEN in
their freight business. The Wabash
shows loss of eleven and six tenths
pei cent for The three months in 1907
as compared with 1906 bat inasmuch
as the road rs on a two cent basis
before the recent two cent law was
passed that a cannot be charged with
the falling off in their gross earnings.
Their freight earnings show an increase
of two fifths of one percent. The big
Four. with a very small mileage in
this State shows the most startling
decrease in passenger revenue of fifty
two and nine-tenths per cent. This is
explained by electric competition.
The Cincinnati Northern withal also
a small mileage in this State show a
serious decrease of nineteen and three
tenths per cent.
We also have figures concerning
the numerous smaller roads in the
State which we're not affected nv the
two cent law and continued to charge
three cents Their figures are not
much different from the fisures shown
by the two cent roads: some of the IN
show an increase and some loss.
The principal ones are the Detroit &
Mackinaw with three precent of gain
on passenger earnings and seven and
four-tenths per cent of loss on freight
earnings and the Pontiac, Oxford 81
Northern with one percent gain on
passenger earnings and three per cent
loss on freight The Upper Peninsula
roads we have also complied and not
withstanding most of these formerly
charged four cents and now limited
to three cents il is to be noted that
in the aggregate they have gain of
$l3, 900 In passenger earnings over the
same period in 1906.
We commend these figures to the
careful consideration mt only of those
In charge of the Michigan roads hut
to the general public and are confident
that further operation under the two
cent law will more clearly demonstrate
are its fairness and practicability.
CASSIUS L. GLASGOW, Chairman.
GEORGE w. DICKERSON