South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-15

been thus done away with. In the
eastern district unessential passen-
I ger trains that used 10 travel 20,
10000 miles per annum have also
( been eliminated. Through travel is
being directed 10 the natural routes
The hauling Of special trains or
: needless private cars has been dis
icoura ged, and the schedules are be-
/ ing revised, 50 that closer connec-
I tions can be made. Railroad tickets
! between points reached by more
than one road are honored by any
route, and a universal mileage book
good in the hands OF bearer upon
any government-co controlled road is
now 20 be had II is sold in units
+ Of 500 nd 1000 miles at three cents
| per mile, plus the government tax
+ of eight percent The coupons it
: contains are also good az their face
value for excess baggage charges.
Consolidation Of Terminals.
Another reform that is being
worked out is the consolidation Of
passenger terminals. The most con
spicuous case in which it has been
iapplied is the use OF the Pennsyl-
wanna terminal in New York for
through trains via the Baltimore &
/ Ohio between Washington and New
York. 1t has resulted in greatly re-
Ilieving the pressure on the Pennsyl-
iVania line, as many who were for
lmerly deferred from travelling by
the Baltimore < Ohio because of the
ferry trip across the Hudson river
that it involved now find it just as
convenient as the route that was
I formerly a favOrite The result has
lbeen a more equable distribution of
1.-THE New York and Washington traf-
! fc which is now carried in fewer
but better filled trains.
! The establishment OF a bureau for
suggestions and complaints through
which the public are invited 10 CO.
operate with the director general
by bringing defects in the service
10 his attention is one OF the latest
and will probably prove TO be one of
the most popular novelties that ne
has introduced. He invites criticisms
and suggestions as well as letters
commencing conspicuously court
eous and efficient employees from all
patrons Of the railroads The es-
Establishment of this bureau may be
regarded as in line with the policy
expressed by Mr.. McAdoo in the
sloan, the public be pleased"
which he first adopted in inaugur-
ating the service in the Hudson tun-
lnels.
Another chapter Of the report re-
lates TO measures that are being
taken TO introduce a uniform freight
classification that will resolve the
confusion that formerly existed un-
der the multiplicity of classification
schedules that were in use.
Store-doOr Delivery.
store door" delivery as adopted
lin New York and Philadelphia and
as it may be extended TO other cities
is dealt with in still another chap
ter in which the stimulant of higher
demurrage rates in intensifying the
iuse of freight cars is also discussed.
The Standardization of freight
cars and locomotives, by which about
NJ types of each will supersede the
two or three thousand types former
Ilv in use is also discussed. The eN-
Ipenditure of nearly a billion dollars
for improvements and betterments.
financial advances 10 the railroads
which aggregate $203,714.O50 up 10
l31st OF July. the economies made
possibly by a consolidation of the
purchasing departments of the vari-
Gus railroads under the direction OF
the division of finance and pur-
chases. are subjects which are in
terestingly dealt with az length in
the report.
The reasons for taking over the
/ Pullman car service and consolidat-
ling the express companies and the
dement's TO the public and the en-
Iployes which are expected 10 result,
I are the subjects of other chapters
lin the report.
: An important feature is the an
lnouncement that the government
will hereafter be its own insurer
against fire loss insofar as the rail
way properties are concerned.
4 An insurance and fire protection
section has been esta blished 10 mini
imize this loss. The railroads have
lpreviously paid I'VE or six million
dollars a year for fire premiums,
which. less the losses hereafter sus-
tanned Will be the saving under the
new system.
other Reforms
q Other reforms that are told Of IN
THE report include the coordination
+ OF the railroad administration with
Iothe~ governmental departments
/ through the appointment OF liaisor
/ oficers. the adoption Of through
waybiIing by which the clerical
labor and delay hitherto resulting
from interline waybilling is elimi-
mated. the introduction OF a uniform
: accounting system. and the issuance
/ OF an order that will preclude suits
lin districts that are inconvenient 10
the defendant and its witnesses, the
"a bolition of car mileage accounting,
/ per diem car rentals. the simplifca-
tion OF interline passenger account
ling. and the creation of a Safety
] Section" established 10 minimize the
risks 10 which those who work and
travel on the railroads are subject