Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-24

On Aug. u a, special train on the Penn
| sylvania railroad was run from Pierce
ton to Warsaw. Ind, distance of nine
miles. in less than five minutes, or at a
speed of over 100 miles an hour, breaking
all records.
An increase of II per cent in the num-
Der of passengers carried and a decrease
of six per cent in earnings are the net
results of twelve months operation of the
two-cent fare laws on the Chicago and
Alton railroad. Other roads admit in
creased earnings under the two-cent pas
| senger rate.
The granting of permission by the In
terstate Commerce Commission for the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad to resume the schedule of through
freight rates TO points south and west,
which were broken off last March with
all lines but the Pennsylvania and Lee
high Valley ends a quarrel which threat
ened to spread to other lines. Hereafter
the New England business will be divided
among the five lines running southwark
out of New York.
The United States Circuit Court Of
ii
decisions. reversed the lower courts and
sustained the position of the government
as to the safety appliance law. In the
cases against the Santa Fe and Denver
and Rio Grande the court holds that the
recent act of Congress abrogates the COM
mon law rule of reasonable care" which
had hitherto been employed by railroads
in their defense. There is no escape from
the duty of having the coupling appli-
ance in operation.
The Union Pacific has again placed ex-
ira guards on its overland trains for their
protection in the event of holdups. Sew
eral reports of train robberies in the
Northwest are said to be the reason for
this precaution.
Announcement has been made by the
500 railroad that its new Duluth line,
which when completed will extend from
Duluth to Brooten, where it connects with
the main line, is now open for service as
far as Onamia, about ninety miles north
east of Brooten. Shipments of freight are
being received for all intermediate points
along the extension.
In order that western manufacturers
NAV be enabled TO compete successfully
In the eastern markets with eastern man
ufacturers of roofing paper, the 500 line
has made a big slash in the rate charged
for shipping this material. The reduction
is from IS to 16 cents per 100 pounds.
The South Dakota railroad commits
sioners. who have been inspecting the rail-
roads of the State. held a meeting at
Lead to consider the application OF the
business men of the town, who are ask
ing that the standard gauge, lines be ex-
tended to that city to save the reloading
of freight from standard to narrow gauge
lines at Deadwood.
SIason Thompson, in charge OF the
Railway News Bureau of Chicago, sub
mits data to the New York Herald show
ing that recent regulative demands by
State and federal authorities are forcing
tbe railroads Of the United States to pay
over S20,OO0O0O extra expense year.
These figures do not take into account
the loss of revenue due to the lowering
of freight rates by the Interstate Com
merce Commission, but include only recent
burdens added to the. departments of ac-
counting. maintenance and operation,
through regulations, which, according to
Thompson and the opinion of railroad Off
Gals. do not enhance the efficiency of the
service rendered by the common carriers.