The Detroit times., 1914-02-13
UNCLE SAM is
BEST TEACHER
FOR RAILWAYS
Canal Zone Lines Show Cheaper
Operating Cost Than Those
Under Private Ownership
PAY BIGGER WAGES YET
SHOW A GREAT SAVING
Efficient Methods of Firing, Re-
pairs and Handling Makes
IL Possible

ANCON, Canal Zone. Feb lS.-Fls.
urSs made pu0lC ~ CAlol EhsiAe~.
Gostha!s indicate that the federal gov
arnnent has succeeded IN the lasI Two
or three years IN operating the rail-
roads on the lsthmus more cheapiy
and more efficiently than any OF tae
railroad systems OF the United states
have been operatei under private own
ersh!p.
Col. Goethals figures are likely TO
% cited before the Interstate com
nsrce commission at Washington Ia
opposition TO the present application
OF American railroads for authority 10
boost their freigo. rates on the ground
that the roads are run as etficiently as
practicable and that their expenses
nave Increased.
The dala as to operating costs or
the government railroads on the lstn-
mus cover not only the Panama rail-
road proper, with It's 90 miles or SO
OF tracks. but include also the more
than 600 miles CT canal construction
tracks that have been Ia daily service.
An OF these tracks have been under
the direct management of the war de-
aartment. with Col. Goethals In per-
sonal charge.
The figures in his official reports
show that under scientific manage
rnent In 1910 the average cost of re
pairs (upkeep) OF the locomotives OF
standard type was about $1,000 a
year. az against an average on the
he railroads In tL' United States that
ranged from s2.T09 on some systems
70 1882 on others. At the same
lime, according tc Col. Goethals. the
average wages OF gold (American)
mechanics on the Isthmus were over
so per cent greater than the pay OF
mechanics in the United States. The
lowest figure OF locomotive upkeep
submitted to the Interstate Commerce
Commission was $500 In 1910 on the
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad.
and the Eastern roads alluded TO this
as an exceptional case. Even that
low record would have been equailed
or beaten on tiC Government roads
on the lsthmus, Il Is asserted, except
for the differences In wages.
One Of the ways in which the Gov
eminent got more efficient service. az
less cost, was by forming a corps ol
travelling engineers. In 1910 two such
en- gineers were put In service on the
canal construction tracks TO instruct
engineers, fremen. and hostlers on
all divisions In regard TO locomotives
and economy In the use OF fuel and
oil. No repairs TO locomotives were
made except on the recommendation
OF the travelling engineers. After
ward the travelling engineers extend
cd their operations TO Panama Rail-
road. All locomotives we're put on a
daily allowance OF lubricating oils.
etc. The result was a saving OF so
per cent in lubricating oil alone In
1910.
Also there wac a saving In 1910 or
10 per cent, IN coal consumption.
simply by instrrcting all the fremen.
by preventing loss by steam through
safety valves, ty firing on improved
methods, by increasing the train load,
etc. What amounted 70 school for
locomotive fremen was established.
The government next turned Its at
tention 20 econonizing particularly on
oil used for Illuminating and lubricat.
ing. BEGINNING IN the fiscal wear 1910
a departure was made from the regu-
lar railroad practice In the United
states. which consisted In practically
all the roads patronizing one and the
same company Standard Oil subsid-
fairy. This was the original practice
on the isthmus on the plea that mo
other oil would answer the purpose
Col. Cocktails new plan In 1910, was
10 buy oil only under yearly contract
from the lowest bidder In open com.
petition In 1912 he reported that the
new plan had reduced the cost OF
luhricating a locomotive to sl.06 per