New Iberia enterprise and independent observer., 1913-11-22

| property Is NoTtH dS luucIl DIS tIl'
securities representing 1T; ant
that in the general opinion O1
investors the total value of stocl
and bonds is much greater than
their total face value, notwith
standing the water that has
been supposedly injected in Ger
tain places. Upon the Southern
Pacific Sunset Route efficiency
and safety has always been the
watchword. Mr.. Julius Krutt
schnit, Chairman of the Board OF
Directors of the Southern Pacific
Company, once said, Efficiency
from the railway standpoint may
consist of loading ears and trains
to their capacity and moving
only the minimum number OF
cars and trains to handle busi.
ness. Efficiency from the mana
gers standpoint may involve a
relatively slow movement OF
trains, because the faster engines
are driven the greater amount o!
fuel they consume and the small
Ter the load they can pull, the re-
suit being that the cost of run
ming the train is increased while
the revenue derived from run
ming it is decreased. F" AS the
Southern Pacific Sunset Route
stands today, with all its faults,
it exhibits the highest industrial
efficiency attained by any rail
way in this country. This eff
cheney can only be maintained
where the railroad charges are
sufficient to permit it. Every
body knows that railroads have
been put to greatly increased ex-
pense in recent years, much of it
by legislation, however, wise OF
unwise. This company, like all
others in this State, is seeking
to obey the law, not only the
strict letter of the law but to
| obey it in spirit, and if the pub
lice Of Louisiana, through consti-
| tuted authority, demands certain
measures of safety, certain I'M
provements, certain cOnveniences,
it is entirely within the right Of
the public to express that demand
in the form Of law. But GER
tainly such measures must be
paid for by somebody. Good
service can only be given and
maintained by road that is max
ing money. The people are the
chief sufferers whenever a rail
road is operated at a loss.
Among the enormous drain upon
it's resources which railroad is
forced to suffer is the vast num-
ber of damage suits, a phase
railroad expense that many peo-
pie do not think of, almost all
of them the result Of trespass
upon the company's property.
No one was ever struck by a
railroad train except upon a rail
way track. Newspapers agitate,
commissions order, and lawmak-
ers legislate to reduce accidents
to passengers, minimum, but al
most no one in a position of out
side authority does anything to
reduce the slaughter of trespas-
sers except the railroads them
selves, and public opinion rarely
gives them much assistance. Mr..
Hartman early in his railroad
career realized better than the
public that safety is cheaper
than wrecks and did not hesitate
to install upon the Southern Pa
cific at an enormous expense the
most perfect and efficient electric
block signal syste Unknown. This
investment has saved many times
its cost, and while it has not en-
tirely put an end to wrecks, it
has decreased the human element
in railway operation, which is
the weakest spot, but the man. ,
agement realizes that there is
still huge margin left for furth-
er improvement. And further
Improvement can only come
through an increase Of freight
rates and the maintenance Of the
present passenger rates, or at
east no further disturbance of
hem. The revenue Of the South
,rn Pacific is derived from the
handling of property and passen-
yers, and it cannot pay out more
han it takes in. It already pays
he highest average of wages to
is employees Of any American
abroad. The men who direct .
he activities of the Southern ;
'acific Railroad, who keep the !
intricate wheels of this mighty
lachine constantly in motion, I
nd always at service, receive too |
title public acknowledgements in {
he State of Louisiana for the i
7ork they perform. They are G
mong the most skilled, capable i
nd honest Of our business and Il
Professional men, and they are v
onstantly trying at all times to v
perate this railroad to the ad- il
antage of both the public and |,
ne stockholders. Perhaps the p
reater barrier to the introduc- r,
on OF any system calculated to
,complish savings Of any mag
ltude which will diminish the
amber of employees, il the labor
rganization. Practically every Y
ranch of the railroad service is
rongly organized and strongly
ilitant. Organized labor is +
in its endeavors to ben "a
It its members. but it should I,
lard against the danger Of nm
,ksk4I ~