Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-08
RAIL OFFICIALS ASK
OTTAWA DEALERS TO
BOOST RATE RAISE
c.. q. & @. AND c., r. !. 6 p. CHIEFS
VISIT CITY IN INTEREST OF
PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE
FREIGHT coSTs-soME LINES
FACE DEFICIT.

Prominent officials of the c., B. &
G. and c., r. !. & p Railway Com
panies, were in Ottawa Yesterday
afternoon comforting with Ottawa
| shippers in relation to an increase
IN freight rates, which in all proba.
bility will be permitted by the inter
state commerce commission and the
state utility commissions, unless
there is an organized fight against the
increase by the shippers thruout the
country
The railway officials who were here
yesterday We're as follows M. A
Patterson. assistant general freight
agent Rock Island lines; f. A. Tuttle.
division freight agent G.. b. & O.. f..
R. Puter, general freight agent c..
3. & O.. and Harry f. Duvall, division
freight agents Rock Island lines.
These gentlemen arrived in Ottawa
yesterday noon in special car. and
during the course Of the afternoon
visited the Federal Plate Glass Works.
the sand companies and other heavy
Ottawa shippers.
The railways burden is becoming
greater than the railways can carry.
according to statements made by
these officials. Operating expenses
have increased so rapidly that every
railroad in this vicinity is facing a
deficit for the end Of the fiscal year.
! AS an illustration as what confronts
the railroads of Illinois during 1917
the following table of estimated in
crease in operating expenses of the
]. c.. G., b. e Q. and G & E. |. due
to increases in wages, taxes, cost o
fuel and all materials entering into
operation for the year of 1917:
Increase in wages, 1917. S 1854 076. Os
Increase in cost of fuel 40OS529. IL
Increase in cost of ma
teriai ..,.......... 7464, ,117S4
Increase in taxes ..... sos, ,103. .0C
| Total increase now aC
cruing and known SlS,644826. 39
Estimated further increases which are
likely TO accure, account wages, fuel
and material and other items, IS
6t7iif.43.
Total of known and estimated in
creases for railroads shown above is
s24 262 .23775.
During the last two years materia
items used in the construction worl
has doubled and tripled and durin.
the last thirty days some items have
increased fifty per cent Nails hav,
increased from $16S to 1929; ca
axels from $l.33 to $50, casting
from cents pound to cents; ga
vanied sheets from 1888 TO So
barged wire from s219 to $i22; lc
. comotives from $2l777 to $i7 ,696
gondola cars. 50-ton capacity, 5000 t
s2,027 box cars, 1904 to Sl,S25
These are only a few of the item
that are causing the railway official
: to worry The increase asked for /
fifteen per cent and the interstat
, commerce commission has acceede
, to the demands of the railroads bl
1 before the increase becomes afie
a tive the interstate commerce con
mission requires that some action |
o taken by the different utility bodit
G of the various states
- Petitions have been filed with II
% state utilities asking that the inCreas
!. be permitted on state freight TO co
# respond with the rates TO be allowe
a with interstate freight It Is for II
,. purpose of securing the cooperate
q of shippers that the railways ofiCia
a are now making a hurried canvas
, the company.