The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-10
RAILROAD NEWS.
Panama Canal Will Help Rail-
way Business in America.
Statistician of Santa Fe Brings
Out New Theory.
DEPEND ON THE RAIL.
ALI Steady Traffic Will Take
Land Route to Coast.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.
,EPEND ON THE RAIL.

canal. far from being an undertaking
opposed by the railroads as a source Of
future reduction in transcontinental
freight rates, is one which will prove
an Immense incentive to transconti-
mental traffic, with no material effects
in cutting down returns on transconti-
mental business Of the railroads, is the
argument presented by James Peabody,
statistician of the Santa F'e railroad, in
the current number of the World To-
day. Mr. Peabody contests recent
statements of Admiral Evans to the eff
feet that the canal was opposed by the
railroads and would prove of tremepd-
Gus Importance to shippers in cutting
down freight rates.
LAS a matter of fact" writes Mr..
Peabody, mo considerable antagonisrn
to the canal has ever existed in the
minds Of the managers of the tranScon-
tinental lines. These men are COM
monty conceded the ability to discern
what is best for their own interests,
and they long ago discovered what Ad-
miral Evans himself sets forth-that
the Panama canal, instead of being a
detriment to the transcontinental
roads. will prove of immense advant-
age to them. They more than anyone
else realize that their interests lie in
the fullest possible development of the
resources of the Pacific coast, and that
the canal will contribute largely to this
end It is for this reason that they
cOulQ 10 ISAOA IlO I'LL" oil clIlCN
charges OF the political press, and even
by their silence apparently acquiesce
therein, to the end that the canal
might sooner be built"
AS to water transportation and the
belief that greater economy is to be
attainable by reason of the, Panama
canal, the railway official continues:
Increased Transportation.
''It is not cheaper in the aggregate,
nor where it moves at the same speed,
and neither is it cheaper in the indtvid-
ual case where the waterway is an
artificial one which, like a railroad,
must first be constructed and after
the aggregate tonnage in the United
States which is tributary to water
transportation is very small The bulk
of the tonnage moved has neither
origin nor destination on the water
way. Either the initial or the final
movement and in most cases both the
initial and the final movement, must
be by rail. This is the factor which
has operated to relegate into disuse the
inland waterway, and which will con-
tinue to control the situation. Another
potent factor is time, and this element
is becoming increasingly important.
Commercial conditions have been reOr-
ganized to accord with more rapid
transportation, and while much in this
direction has been accomplished, the
ing put forth to compel railroads to
reduce the time consumed in transpor-
tation to a minimum.
Millions for Double Track.
He himself admiral Evans) sets the
cost of the canal at $500, 900, 900, a sum
sufficient to build double-track rail-
way of the first-class from New York
to San Francisco, with connecting
branches on the east end to Boston
Philadelphia and Baltimore, and on the
west end to Los Angeles, Portland and
Seattle. In common with other advo-
Gates of%waterways, he ignores in his
comparison of transportation costs the
outlay incident to the construction and
maintenance of the canal as a water
way, although retaining it in connec-
ton with the railways. The interest On
$500, 100000 necessary to build the canal,
and the costs incident to its mainten-
ance and operation after it is built, is
a transportation charge borne by the
people as truly and as completely as
if it were included in the rate. AS
matter of fact, it is not distributed as
equitably as the rail charge. for in the
latter case it is finally borne by the
consumer of the property transported
whereas in the former it bears no such
relations.
while, as already intimated, the
Isthmian canal will without doubt be
of large benefit to the Pacific coast, 1t
will not be because of any reduction in
the actual cost of transportation.
Among the principal costs of rail trans
portation are the interest charges upon
the investment and the maintenance
charges on its roadbed. In like man
ner the interest charges on the $500 000,-
900 involved in the construction of the
canal, say $1600O,0 900, and the annual
maintenance charges of not less than
so, 900. 900, will constitute a transporta-
ton charge on all the property passing
through it. The fact that this charge
is paid by tine government makes it no
less a part of the transportation burden
than if it were proportionateIy assessed
upon each shipment of freight.
Tonnage Will Be Large.
1.-The present total movement by the
railroads between the Atlantic seaboard
territory-namely, east of the Buffalo
Pittsburg lines-and the Pacific coast
terminals in both directions will not
exceed 600, 900 tons per year. The canal
route could not expect to handle all