The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-11


cal fare Of four cents applying In this
state, there are on sale Two script
books. n In denomination OF ninety
dollars, allowing a net fare OF two
and one-half cents per mile. and the
other for forty dollars. allowing a net
fare Of three cents per mile. These
books are good on any line In the
state, regardless OF the gauge or
length thereof. They can also be
used In the payment OF excess bag
gage. and tickets can be purchased
herewith; or h script will be hon
ored ~ any conductor on any line In
the state. In addition thereto, the
santa Fe system has n three thous-
and mile book. sold for se~venty-hve
dollars, or on a basis Of two and one
half cents per mile. good on all Santa
Fe lines In the state. including the
coast lines west Of Albuquerque. The
Denver a Rio Grande nas thousand
mile book, sold for thirty dollars. or
for three cents per mile. The New
Mexico Central honors -traBscontlnen-
tai scrip on the basis OF three cents
per mile. IL would therefore appear
that. taking all these facts into som
EffAtA hAANNit at HANEfNA AWf NINAf Nl New
Mexico ~ fairly well taken care Of so
far as the passenger situation Is con-
cerned; and while the railways OF tile
state OF Texas charge a fare OF three
cents per mile, II should be under
stood that the population Of that state
In 1910 was 3,s96. SAG. and this is n
prairie or practically sea-level state,
excepting a very small portion
thereof.
Another very important feature In
connection with this situation IL that
the business OF all railroads In the
United states has been on the de-
cline for the past two years; n since
the outbreak of the war in Europe the
freight business OF western lines, par
%ticularly those serving the states OF
New Mexico and Arizona, has prac-
tically been paralyzed. for the reason
that q number OF the great copper
mining industries were compelled to
close down on account Of not being
able 10 export their products. Fur
thcrmore, the alfalfa or hay business
has been adversely affected. As a
matter OF fact, there has practically
been no market for this product for
seven ur eight months, due "a the
European war and other causes. All
thos, conditions naturally had a tend
cncy 10 reduce the revenues OF all
railways operating In this state. and
IL has been practically impossible for
amy Of the railroads 20 borrow money
for hottermcnts or other purposes;
and the result has been that the rail
ways were compelled to retrench in
the way Of reduction In forces and
necessarily 10 lay OF "A great number
OF men.
This Is a condition Of affairs hat n
generally known. and further fact
that II also familiar to the general
public. Is that the interstate com
mcrcc commission a few months ago
granted practically a straight hve per
cent increase In freight rates for all
railway lines operating east of the
Mississippi river; and from paee 90
Of the opinion handed down In that
case. No. $500. decided July 20, 1914.
we quote AZ follows:
increases In passenger fares
have recently been made In New
England. following conferences
between the state commissions.
the carriers. and representatives
of the public. and they appear TO
have oecn cheerfully acquiesced
in by the travelling public. Extra
CHARGES for special accommodate
tons have also been made.
We are confident that II these
statutory fares are clearly shown
to be unduly low 20 the carriers.
the people OF other states viii
cheerfully acauicscc, as the pco-
pie Of New England have done.
in reasonable increases. and that
the necessary Legislative author
ity will be promptly given. The
travelling public Is giving express
sion To its demands for better
service, better accommodations,
and for the adoption by carriers
of an the devices that make for
safety. A public tina: demands
such a service annOt reasonably
object 20 the payment Of "a rea-
sonaole compensation therefor
In line with the suggestion. prac-
tlcally ali the railroads east Of the
Mississippi river have recently filed
tarins showing advances In their pas
souger fairs, and In a great number Of
instances mileage books which. have
been IN effect for a number Of years.
have been Withdrawn. All these adj
vances have been approved by the IN
terstate commerce commission.
Passenger traffic under the most IA
vorable conditions IL unremuneratiye.
Good judges and authorities have fire.
quently given opinions under oath
that the PASSENGER business % any
and all i,aes west OF the A%heghany
mountains does not earn sufficient to
pay Its proper proportion Of oporat-
ing expenses. taxes and hxed charges.
Consequently, when upon a thorough