Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-27
COAL TRAFFIC
T.. IS EXPLAINED
Rate Hearing in Chicago Contin-
ues Daily; Mass of Interesting
Testimony
Testimony

Chicago, March 26.-Five cents per
year measures the additional expense
to which each %inhabitant would be put
in the states affected by the proposed
increased rates on bituminous coal
asked by western and southwestern
railways, to render the coal traffic,
considered one of the most unprofit-
able handled by the railways, lore
nearly self-sustaining.
Eugene McAuliffe, General Coal
Agent of the St. Louis and San Fran.
cisco Railroad at st. Louis took the
. stand today before the Interstate
Commerce Commission to describe
the advances asked and the territory
affected, previous to the introduction
by other witnesses Of testimony as to
the abnormal difficulties surrounding
railway operation for the coal traffic.
Large maps were introduced show
ing in great detail the territory Of or
igin at the mines and the territory OF
consumption and the witness present
ed a statement representing ore
years 'busiess based OF an actual
check of weybills in seasons CT rush
and slack traffic on roads which origi-
nate $685. percent Of the coal original
ing in the territory, thus being fully
representative ,
"The average weighted haul" said
Mr.. McAu.iffe; sis 303 miles. while the
average gross revenue is $1.4S Fer ton
under the present rate. This yields
4.S9 mills per net ton mile or 3.42
mills per gross ton mile, while il 80
percent of the empty return haul is
included the revenue is only 2.S4 mills
per gross mile.
"The average increase asked in the
western territory is 7.95 cents per ton.
which would add about 1-40 Of l cent
per net ton mile to the cost If haul
ing. The exact addition would be 1852
mills per net ton mile, 1873 mills per
gross ton mile and .145 mills per gross
ton mile if 80 percent Of the return
haul is included.
THE total amount of the proposed
increase on roads embraced in this
tabulation is $1,080,2S6 per year. In
Guiding all roads affected the total ad.
ditional revenue per year would be
$1,226,l22. This represents IN in
crease of only 5.37 percent and would
entail an addition of 5.37 cents per
capita yearly to the expenses of the
population in the states affected. u"
D''Participating in the increase are
121 roads operating 131,053 miles Of
line. The increase would add to the
revenues of these roads 1886 per mile
yearly" gts% yFt
Mr.. Auliffe testified that the ad.
vance of 1885 cents per ton applied
from mines in Illinois, Indiana, Mis-
souri,, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and Ok
lahoma and some from western Ken.
lucky and Alabama to Iowa, Wiscon.
sin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South
Dakota,,I Nebraska, Missouri, Arkan.
sasl, Kansas, Louisiana, Texas and Ok.
lhonaa. He presented a complete tabr,-
latiof for a one year period covering
1183Gities showing the average haul to
each, the tons of coal consumed in a
year, the average rate per ton, the
gross revenue receivd on tn existing
basis, the average increase per ton
and the amount Of increase which
would be felt by each city during the
course of a year. "
"The popular mind and the railroad
halter should be disabused of the idea