Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-01-28
The Branch Lines of Iowa


ton of every thoughtful citizen in
the state.
The Branch Lines of Iowa
1t is a we'll known fact that it is
ordinarily much more expensive to
operate branch lines than main lines,
and this is true because of the heav-
Ter volume of business and the longer
hauls on the latter. The total rail-
road mileage of Iowa is 9,998.45
miles. OF this mileage, the four larg-
er companies, the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy Railroad, the Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, the
Chicago & Northwestern Railway and
the Chicago Milwaukee & Saint Paul
Railway own and operate 1887 miles
of which $500 miles-or practically
SO per cent lis what would be
termed branch lines and which upon
the basis of present freight and pas
senger rates in this state 1t is i'm
possible to operate profitably, while
in many instances they are being OPP
Grated at a big loss; and yet, all of
| these $500 miles of branch lines
which belong to only four of the larg-
er systems are vitality essential to the
| agricultural and commercial inter-
ests of the hundreds of communities
which they serve. Surely railroad
has just as much right to expect a
fair return upon the money it has in
vested in branch line as upon that
which it has invested in its main
line which is largely supported by in
terstate business-and when existing
rates render this impossible, ii means
that it cannot give to the people the
adequate and efficient service so nee
essary to agricultural and CONNER
cial growth and development. No
other Central state is so well sup
piled with railroad facilities as is
Iowa-there being few points in the
state which are more than a dozen
miles removed from steam road facil-
tiles and that it is of the highest i'm
portance to people that this network
of railroads be given sufficient income
so they may be maintained in a high
state of efficiency should be apparent
to every thinking man.
AS to whether the railroads of Iowa
are justified in asking for some sub
stantial increase in freight and pas
senger rates, we wish to cite the
recent decision of the Interstate
| Commerce Com. in granting per
cent increase in freight rates to East
ern lines fact with which the reader
is doubtless already familiar. In rem
dering this decision, the Commission
| took occasion to point out the pre-
carious financial conditions which
have been brought about by the great
| foreign war, and which have added
enormously to the former troubles
| of American railroads. So, too, the
| Commission pointed out the unre-
munerative passenger incomes which
obtain almost upon every hand, and
especially upon the local traffic with
| in the different states. II the Com
mission was correct in its view that
| the Eastern lines were entitled to an
increase of per cent in freight rates
and the decision has been applaud
ed in business circles throughout the
Nation-then how much more are
the Western lines entitled to an in
crease? The population per square
mile of Massachusetts is AL, of New
York 204, of Pennsylvania 181, of
Ohio 1872, while in Iowa il is only 40.
In view of these facts, can there be
any doubt of the justice of the plea
made by the railroads of Iowa at this
time?
New York and Pennsylvania
Four years ago, as Governor of
New York, Justice Hughes, of the I'm
tied States Supreme Court, vetoed
two cent passenger rate law enacted
by the legislature on the ground that
is was an arbitrary procedure which
| did not take into consideration fair