Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-06-29
= A SMALL SALARY

In the Interesting People" depart
ment of the July American Magazine
appear n picture and cketch OF Ric'
cardo Bianchi director general OF the
Italian railways. T3ianchi Is a Yankee
minded hustler who has revamped
wrecked and despIsed system OF State
railways and n making new Italy In
the process. Following IL an extract
from the article:
"Riccard0 Bianchi bosses. with SUI
perative ability, 100000 railway work
ers, and contrives meantime TO keep
four hungry Senator'S. and | don't
know how many deputies, at bay, for
all OF which he receives salary OF
$4,000 year.
"He was captured in the island OF
Sicily, this Regeneration OF the State
railways OF Italy. This land OF lemons
and romance had the best railway
service in all the kingdom--the per-
sonal achievement OF Blanchi. He
had made thorough study OF English
railways and railway methods. not
merely as an investigator, but as q
paid servant. He had been a close
student. through books and perlodi'
Gals. and seems TO have been the one
real railroad man In all Italy.
"A handsome salary. as compensa.
lions go In that country, was offered
him. as an inducement TO become the
director general OF the State railways.
which comprised practically all tue
lines outside Sicily. The amount, !
have been told. was $4,000. Now,
sixty thousand life Is princely salary
over there. But Bianchi declined. The
salary was too large. He was un.
willing to accept more than was paid
cabinet minister, which was. and Is,
$1,000 per annum. A compromise was
accordingly reached, the terms being
one hundred lire less than the cabinet
salary, or $4,000.
"Nine years have passed. Bianch'
has shown his countrymen what a real
railroad Is. He has displayed marked
abilities as financier He has taught
some important lessons In economics
"As n result OF reduced rates upon
both passenger and freight traffic anc
greatly improved serfice. the volume
OF traffic increased by 81 per cent IN
eight years. while the capital invested
was increased by 261 per cent. The
extent OF this growth Is attributed
largely to so-called differential tariffs
applied 10 passenger fares. In ordel
TO promote long journeys, to send thu
Milanese and the Venetians 10 Naples
and Palermo, and the Neapolitans ant
syracusans TO Milan and Venice.
merely nominal rate per mile Is offer
ed the traveller who decides TO extent
his Journey, after a brief stop-oyei
beyond his original destination. Tn
merchant or manufacturer In Milan
for example, pays the normal second
class rate OF one and one-half cent
, per mile to Rome: he decides to pre-
/. coed TO Naples, and finds the addition
/ al Journey costing him next to notl
, ing. This policy reacted very 500
upon the freight traffic. markell
Z stimulating commerce between the e.
. tremities OF the long peninsula. II
. prime object. however. was social an
4 political, and these ends. II would al
A pear. are In a very fair way OF q
9 tainment. The North and the Sout
we're scarcely better acquainted.
more friendly. than our own Mort
and South OF ante-bellum days. The
we're additionally at odds. The ne
director general OF the railways WI
\ ordered. in 1905. to bring them t
n gether. and he is doing 1t. The polio
y OF differentlal rates. his friends sa
d Is OF Bianchi's deyising.'