The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-06

on this road than on any other enter
ing the Jersey City terminals. In June
the Erie operated 285 fast freights and
but four of these failed to make con-
nections or reach terminals on time.
This is nearly perfect record in this
class of efficiency.
Efficiency on the Erie is the result
OF necessity. If the Erie were wealthy
like some of its competitors it, too.
would probably be wasting money just
as they are in expensive terminals, sta
tons, overmaintenance and in the
numerous ways that waste is absorbed
where credit is good and new capital
can easily be raised. My personal be-
lief is that this waste nearly always
equals the gain that is to be had from
ability to adopt methods tending to-
ward greater economy. The Erie has
as loyal a body of men as is to be
found in the east. and men who are to-
day very proud of the results which
they are helping to produce. This
quality is everywhere apparent out On
the road. 1t is one of the best assets
the Erie management possesses. 1t
saves many dollars for net earnings,
by preventing waste In accidents, de-
lays and in use of material and starts
a whole lot of new revenue in the d.
rection of the company's treasury.
Last February and March, when the
New York Central and Pennsylvania
were badly blocked in the middle west,
owing to heavy snowstormS, and later,
floods. the Erie took their business and
moved it. In the one months it's loaded
cars increased 9 per cent, in the other
Is per cent This was a test of eff
ficiency. Primarily the engines of the
Erie were in better condition then to
stand the strain of bad weather than
were those of its competitors. The
most powerful Mallet engines ever built
are to be found on the Erie hauling
coal trains up the hills at Port Jervfs
and Susquehanna. By means of the
~uymard and the Genesee cutoffs, the
Erie has the lowest potential and about
the lowest actual grades across the
state. BY the use Of them it has been
able to increase its train loads. at par
ticular points, from 40 to 80 per cent
and to cut it's expenditures in half. To
do this has involved the outlay, in the
last four years, of about $1,000; 600 aud
the addition of 70 miles of new line, an
average Of $4,000 per mile, with in
dividual miles costing from $500, 900 to
81, 900, 600
1.-The physical condition of the Erie
bears, in all essential matters. evidence
of careful and ample maintenance.
There is no waste exhibited except
where due to lack Of funds for provid-
ing agencies for economy. This ap-
plies particularly to the shops Of the
company, which have still to be REIN
forced in numbers before the best re-
suits can De OBTAINED. IN the past rev
years several million dollars have been
expended in increasing shop facilities.
But they are still inadequate. The
roadbed is strong, with a large proper
ton of rock ballast on the four track
and double track divisions, 100-pound
and 9O-pound rail- steel bridges and
more solid overhead crossings on the
new lines than one sees in a long
journey.
THAT the Erie has not neglected its
physical body is shown in the COM
parsons below, which give its three
year average Of maintenance of way
and maintenance of equipment, and
that of the four roads whose statistics
have been used to suggest proper Erie
perspective: