New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

South Carolina Railroad, and its success
was soon followed boy others. Matthias
Baldwin. founder OF the Baldwin Locomo-
tive Works. OF Philadelphia. built his first
locomotive. "Old Ironsides,' for the Pnlla-
delphia and Germantown railroad. In 1872.
Tnen came the locomotive of Henry r.
Campbell. with four connected driving
wheels and a forward truck, which was
perfected in 1896 and became known as
the American type The American loco
motives in use to-day are Of this general
type. After this the Improvements in To-
comotive building We're rapid.
Almost from the start the cars here dif-
fered from those I'm England and on tho
continent. There the coach idea was re-
tained. and is still retained 20 this day in
the arrangement of the interior Of the cars
into compartments with doors at ;he sides.
DEVELOPMENT of Vestibul. Train.
The greatest improvement in cars came
with the invention Of George NJ Pullman.
who built the first sleeping car in 1864.
This was soon followed by the buffet and
drawing room car, and later by the dlr!ns
car Here the necessity Of food became
the mother of invention. for II was the
passing Of passengers to and from the
dining car that brought about the vesti-
bule car The first train of veStbule cars
was run IN 1850
The freight cars I'm America. as in Eu-
rope. were az first four-wheel wagons but
the climate uere soon brought about the
box car. and the idea has been followed
to a great extent abroad.
The great development Of railroads 10
their present state would have been I'm
possible without the air brake, an inven-
tion that was due mainly TO the ingenuity
Of George Westinghouse. This device, con-
trolled from the engine. was first used on
passenger trains in 1868, and on freight
trains I'm 1887. and revOluuonized the han
ding Of trains. Another device which was
necessary TO speed and safety on railroads
was the automatic signal system, which
has now reached a high state Of perfec-
ton.
The railroads OF this country and most
Of those in other parts Of the world, are
owned by corporations, which are subject
TO such government control their SER
vice TO the public may require The rail-
way companies have many Stockholders
the Pennsylvania Companv. for instance,
probably the largest in the world, having
nearly $1,000 stockholders.
The business activities Of the great rail
ways are many and require several sep
arate organizations. one force of en-
ployes takes care or the roadvays, an
other takes care OF the rolling stock, am
other does business with the passengers
and shippers while a fourth handles the
money and keeps the accounts. The to-
tai number of employees IN the railway
systems Of the United states IS 10000
To handle tlIeir vast business the rail
ways of this country have I'm use 5000 To-
comouves, $1,000 passenger cars and
21Sooo0 freight cars. The capital stock OF
al the lines is tsGJoGo0000 and the bonded
debt is S900J0l0005 The number of pas
sengers carried last year was OPS 000Ol0: the
quantity Of freight was l.73OCC0Go0 tons.
The net earnings last year we're SS52 100000.
Expansion Of Lines in Europe.
While the railroads Of Europe have not
expanded so much IN mileage a. those in
the United States they have kept pace
with this country in other respects, and in
many instances have Ted in improvements
for fast time and safety Of passengers.
The English people take three or four
times as many trips as Americans, and
although the trips arc shorter, they travel
more miles per capita than Americans.
The BeIgiaus. Germans and French also
take more trips than Americans. The rail-
ways Of Europe also cost more than those
IN me United States. those Of England