The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-11-04
Something New
Something Good
Big Pound Cans
Pacific Brand
Species of TUNA
INTERESTING
RAILROAD FACTS
FOR THE PUBLIC
Some Of the Things Accomplished by
the Government in the Running
of the Railroads.

of the Railroads.
1t may be appropriate to mention
al ettey from man who says that l
know that many will complain OF the
discourtesy of railway employees to
the public, but l desire to file COM
plant in regard to the discourtesy OF
the public to railway employees as
emphasizing the need or reciprocity
in politeness in way that many traV-
elers would do we'll to ponder for IL
is undoubtedly true that some OF the
questions that railroad men have TO
answer and some of the demands
made upon them are absurd and eX-
asperating to a degree that even Jop
would have resented.
OF the letters received probably
three-fourths complain of conditions
that are presently unavoidable or OF
regulations the reasonableness OF
which is not apparent to the casual
traveller who fails to appreciate or I'M
derstand the completely of the rail-
road machine or the necessity OF pro-
tecting the public against the lgno-
rance, carelessness, and selfshness OF
some and the dishonesty of others who
feel that it is no sin to evade the pay
ment of their fares or get the best OF
the railroad"
What may be called the convention
al complaints relate chiefly to few
subjects which are dealt with, as fol-
lows, in the order in which they seem
unpermost in the public mind and
have ELECTED the largest number OF
letters.
They are:
l. The crowded condition of the
stations and cars and the delay en-
countered in purchasing tickets.-un-
der this heading there may be consld-
cred practically all the complaints
which arise as a result of the unpre-
cedented increase in the passenger
traffic of late and the shortage in the
ticket-selling forces that is the result
of the draft and the high wages whlch
have attracted many experienced rail-
road men into other positions where
thew can. for the\present at least earn
more than it is possible for the rail-
roads to pay. The enormous increase
in passenger traffic with which the
railroads are now contending Is not
perhaps generally appreciated the
complete comparative statistics Tor
June, 1917, and June, 1918, are not yet
available, but a statement which IN
cludes the passenger traffic of 2OS,9SS
miles of railroads out of total mile
age of nearly 100000 miles shows that
1921 ,OSS, 633 passengers were carried
1 mile in June, 1918, as compared
with 3,Oi9 ,635 passengers carried
l mile in June, 1917. The increase OF
571,2S5,02S passengers carried l mile
is equal to 1917 per cent, and if 1t be
assumed that>the average journey of
each passenger was so miles, which is
probably an approximation to the fact
we shall be justified in concluding
that the railroads reporting had to
carry 11,425,70 more persons in June,
1918, than during the same month in
the previous year, and that there was
an equal increase in the number of
tickets sold AS the roads reporting
include only about two-thirds, but the
most important two-thirds, of the to-
tai mileage in the United States, it is
not improbable that there was an ag-
gregate increase of 100000 in the
number of persons travelling and the
number of journeys made through
out the United States in the month OF
June, 1918, as compared with June
1917. This means an increase of $780,
900 in the number of persons travel
ing each day. The average passenger
car will seat so people, and to carry
10000 persons $4,000 cars filled to
capacity would be required. They are
been built even if they had been or
dered The labor and material me-
cessary are unobtainable. According
to the figures of the Interstate Com
merce Commission there were tex
GLIDING parlor and sleeping cars) only
4O,S7O passenger cars of all sorts In
the United States in the year 1916, ant
the necessity of crowding these cars
in order to transport those who now
desire to travel will at once be apar'
ent even to the statistical tyro.
An average OF about 100000 troops
a month Is now being carried by thu
railroads on orders from the War ant
Navy Departments. A great man!
other soldiers and sailors are travel
ing on their own account and at thel
own expense The mothers. fathers
wives, sweethearts, and friends q