The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-02-24
10 England He Is an Authority
on Railroad Economics
sTATUsOF ROADS IN THEU.s
Surprised at Space Given to Criticism
of the Efficiency of Railways.
Hard to Grasp Amount of Money
That Must BE Spent to Keep Pace
With Growing Traffic.

New York. Feb. 23.-Mr. w. NJ.
Ackworth, whose ranR in England as
an authority on railway economics
with that OF President Had
ley, of Yale university, in the United
States, and who from time to time in
spects American railways in the in
terests Of English investors, has re-
Gently returned to England after a
two months inspection of the rail-
ways of the United States.
Just before sailing for England,
Mr.. Ackworth in commenting on the
present status of railways in the Uni
ted States, said in part:
Il have been somewhat surprised
to see the space that has been given
in your newspapers to the criticism
of the efficiency OF your railways. II
has been my opinion that in actual
economy OF operation the railways of
the United States are first in the
world. In the number of tons per
car, cars per train; in the fullest
utilization OF locomotives; in the OBJ
tanning OF the greatest measure OF
result for each unit of expenditure.
they are not equalled by the railways
of any other nation. When the Greek
commanders after the battle of Sa-
lamis voted who should receive the
prize for yalor each put his own name
first. but all put the name OF Themis-
tocles second And Themistocles re-
ceived the prize. So too, though Ger
man. French and English railway
men would, dare say. all put their
own railways first in efficiency they
would all, am sure. put yours sec
ond, end on the voting OF the experts
your railways would come out first.
but further, your nation as a
whole is not in other matters pre-
eminently efficient, No one would
say that your farmers were more
efrfrfert tran those OF France and
England or that your government is
more efficient than the government OF
Prussia. Your railways have reach
ed a higher standard in international
comparison than your farmers or
your government. and under greater
difficulties for in England and on the
continent, employment with a rail-
way company is prize and a man
hopes to remain in the service of the
same company throughout his life.
He is, therefore, obviously more
amenable 10 discipline than the shift
ing and often even foreign force en-
ployed on your railways.
"The investors of Europe and even
your own wall street seem hardly 10
grasp the enormous amount OF money
that must be spent upon railroads to
keep pace with your growing traffic
II your traffic doubles every ten
years. as IL substantially does. you
will need not perhaps 10 double your
facilities every ten Yeas. but TO In
crease them at least by so per cent.
The eleven hundred millions per year
specified by Mr.. III as necessary for
this purpose is none too much. The
inhabitants OF your western and
southern states. your people in gen
eral. must understand that this capt
tai cannot be obtained In their own
communities.
Texas and Oklahoma have no
money to spare for railroad building.
They want II all for their own local
business. Even the east cannot find
all the money required. This money
in large measure must for a long
time to come be raised abroad: and
the investors OF other lines will not
be willing to subscribe Il so long as
there Is a continuance OF the harass-
ing conditions whcih tend 70 impair
the revenues OF your railways, 70
hamper their administration and to
retard their development. II the
railways OF the United States could
reach a time when state Legislators
ceased from troubling and state com
missions we're az rest Il would In my
thinking be good for the railways and
still better for the citizens Of the Uni.
ted States.