The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-03-07
Receives Less for Handling Mail
than they Do for Express
EARNINGS PER TRAIN mile
Some Dissertations Made by Mr.. Ju.
Illus Kruttschnitt, of the Hartman
Lines Interesting Figures Given on
the Handling Of the Mall by Passen.
ger Trains.

New York, March 6.-The railways
of the United States not only receive
less compensation for handling the
mails than they receive for handling
express, but in proportion to the cost
incurred by the roads and the value
OF the service rendered by them the
compensation they receive for hand
ling the mails is less than that re-
ceiyed for any other service, declares
Mr.. Julius Kruttschnitt, director OF
maintenance and operation Of the Har-
riman lines and chairman Of the rail-
way mail pay committee of the Ameri-
can Railway association. Mr.. Krutt-
schnitt's statement is based on sta
tistics Just compiled by the railway
mail committee from reports sub
mitted on forms prescribed by the post
Office department by 1877 railways ope-
rating 1870 miles, on which there
are 2,411 mail routes.
For the year ending June 80, 1909,
the average earnings per passenger
train mile was s1.27 while the aver
age per freight train mile was s276.
The average passenger train is 300
feet long, and If it carried mail only
In all its cars would earn only 81
cents per mile, the railways receiving
less from mail than from either ex-
press or passengers-the other SER
vices rendered by passenger trains
while the total from the three is less
than half Of that received fof freight.
These figures are based on the amount
the railways receive for hauling one
foot Of car space one mile in the trans
portation of passengers, mail and ex-
press. In November. 1903, the rail-
ways hauled 1,l53.110,245 feet of car
space one mile In the transportation
Of mail for which they received 3d.
721. 1856; 1,320,10S,5ss feet one mile in
the transportation of express for s5,-
0T5,222, and $780,, $40. $50 feet one mile
in the transportation of passengers for
s43.73S.723. The average revenue per
one thousand foot miles-equivalen to
hauling a train OF twenty fifty-foot
cars one mile--was therefore as fol-
lowsi Mail s2.23; express. 1886;
passenger, SAP; the roads receiving
10 per cent more per foot mile for
hauling express and 81 per cent more
for hauling passengers than they re-
ceived for hauling the mails.
Mr.. Kruttschnitt explains that this
method of comparison was used since
1t is manifestly unfair to compare the
rate per ton on mail and express as
under the regulations and orders Of
the post Office department railway
postal cars are limited to an average
Of about three tons while ex-
press cars carry from 20 to 80 tons.
The post Office department requires
the railways to haul 20 tons of car for
each ton OF mail, while the express
companies comply with the demands
Of the railways that express matter
shall be economically loaded.
In addition the railways carry the
mails between stations and post Office
at six-sevenths Of the mail stops. This
service the postmaster general has
estimated would cost the department
s4.0s3,000 annually II rendered by II.
No such service Is rendered the ex-
press companies. Postal clerks are
carried free while on duty and be-
tween the ends OF their lines and
their homes. and the roads furnish
si.00O,0O0 OF free transport
iation to various postal officials. ALI
these persons have the legal status OF
and the railways are re-
luired to pay damages In case OF in
Jury. The express companies assume
III such liability for their employees.
rhe roads receive pay for every pound
II express they haul, but under the
system OF weighing the mails only
,nce In four years the roads get no
compensation for the carriage Of the
Increase during this period. averaging
per cent or about 100000 worth
II service per year.
From 1907 to 1910 the expenses of
he post Office department increased
bout s40.OOo.OOO but the railroads.
hough they handled % per cent more
nail. received s352.760 less in 1910
has, a. rQo-