The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-09-20
THE RAILROADS.
Seven Months OF Government Oper-
ation--McAdOO's Report To
the President.

atiOn-McAdOO's Report To
the President.
In report to the President made
public Director General McAdoo
tells an interesting story of the
work of the United States Railroad
Administration during the first
seven months of it's existence.
The American transportation sys-
TEN is briefly described as including
steam mileage (all tracks, of
397,O14 miles, owned or controlled
by 2,905 companies, employing L.
700,814. persons. Their property
also comprised various boat and
steamship lines engage in coastwise
transportation and navigating an in
land waterways system which in
cluded some 81 canals, 3,057 miles
in length, as well as many thousand
miles of navigable rivers, lakes,
bays, sounds, and inlets. OF the
1905 railway companies, 1876 oper-
ated major systems, each of which
had an annual operating revenue OF
$1,000,000 or more, 22l were
switching or terminal companies, L.
434 were plant facility roads con-
structed primarily to serve some
particular factory or industry, and
765 are what have come to be de-
scribed as "short-line" railways, de-
pendent upon one or more of the
larger systems for through connec-
tions. 1t is explained that many of
the smaller properties included in
this description of the plexus of
transportation which came under
Mr.. McAdoo's control January 1.
1918, have since been relinquished
as not essential to the purposes that
the Presidents proclamation and the
enabling legislation had in view.
The report concludes with a refer
ence to Mr.. McAdoo's declaration of
policy. These purposes as enumer,
ated by him, we're.
First. The winning of the war
Second. The service Of the public
at the lowest cost, consistent with
the payment of fair wages to the
railroad employees and the malnten-
ance of the transportation system
under control of the Government as
a self-supporting rather than a
money-making agency.
Elaborate traffic statistics are
adduced in support of his claim with
regard to the intensified employment
of equipment.
AS one example of the economy
that has thus been made possible he
mentions the fact that recently dur
ing period of about so days some
$500 cars were re-routed in q GER
tain western territory so as to effect
saving in the mileage travelled by
each car of 1876 miles, equal to a
total of 1,754,805 car-miles.
The report calls attention to the
crippled condition Of the railroads
when they were taken over as re-
suit of the freight congestion and
blockades, and explains the meas.
ures of relief that were successfully
applied to correct these conditions
before any permanent organization
was effected or Congress had passed
enabling legislation providing for
the revolving fund of $500, 900, 900.
which did not become law until
March 81, 1918.
The report asserts that in thus re-
organizing the operating force it
has been possible without any i'm
pairment of efficiency to reduce both
the number of officers required and
the aggregate of the salaries paid
them. A table is submitted showing
that under private control 2,325
officers drawing salaries of $4,000
a year or over were employed. The
aggregate of their salaries was SILL
320,1S7. Under Government con-
troll 1925 officials are employed,
drawing salaries of $4,000 a year or
over. The aggregate of their sal
aries is $16,705,29S and the saving
shown amounts to $4,614,SS9 per
annum.
Under private control, salaries as
high as 100000 per annum were
paid to officers of railroad corpor-
ations. Under Government control
the highest salaries paid are to the
regional directors (of whom there
are but seven) and these salaries
range from $4,000 to $4,000 per
The advance of rs per cent in
freight rates and the establishment
of minimum passenger rate of 3
cents per mile is discussed at length
in paragraph which also deals with
the supercharges of one-quarter and
one-half cent per mile now made for
transportation in tourist and Pull