The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-12-30
!" 1920 RAIL TRAFFIC
HEAVIEST YET; No
new RATE BOOST
CUYLER
Despite Heavy Payroll and *
pensive Future, No In
creases in Charges Are Ex-
pected, Says Chairman.

New York, Dec. n Omitted News}.
The end Of 1920 finds the railroads
Of the country with a record Of hav-
ing moved the greatest volume OF
. traffic ever known In single year,
with unprecedented expenditures for
reconstruction and added facilities,
with the highest payroll and the most
expensive future in their history
but with no intention Of further bur-
dening the public with increased
rates, according to Thomas De Witt
Cuyler, chairman Of the Association Of
Railroad Executives.
know OF no movement" said
Chairman Cuyler, ION the part Of the
railroads. for a general Increase In
rates. nor do expect any. It is true
that the railroad companies are not
yet receiving from the recently tn
creased rates anything like the per
cent. return needed, but the railway
executives realize that they are trus-
tees of great public interest in the
reduction of railway operating ex-
penses to the lowest possible figure,
and every effort will be made during
the coming year to accomplish this
by further economy and efficiency"
Cuyler Outlines Achievements.
In response to inquiry as to the
outstanding achievements Of the
great railway systems in the full nine
months since the government turned
back the lines to their owners, Mr..
Cuyler listed the following:
l. Increased the average move
ment per freight car per day from
1928 miles to 2S6 miles.
2. Increased the average load
per car from 28.3 to 80 tons.
8. Substantially reduced the
number Of unserviceab1e 1ocomo-
tives.
4. Reduced the accumulation Of
loaded but unmoved freight cars
from 1o3,237 on March 1 last to
21.991 as Of Of December 3.
5. Relocated 10000 box cars
from the east to the west for
movement of farm products
6. Relocated approximately $780,
600 open top cars from the east
to the west to aid in maintaining
coal production.
Z. Moved the third highest coal
production in the history of the
country.
8. Spent more than s5oo,oo0,o00
extra on track. bridge, car and
locomotive improvements.
8. Contracted to spend about
$3.50, 100000, largely out Of earn
ings, for additions and better
ments to promote movement of
cars.
10. Arranged to purchase $4,000
motives and 1000 new passenger
cars.
II. Began the reconstruction Of
thousands of old cars.
II. Moved the largest volume Of
traffic ever recorded in single
| year, with the highest efficiency
yet achieved and with minimum
addition to the vaiue Of the prop
erty on which the public has to
pay a return through rate.
Record for All Systems.
Mr.. Cuyler designates the year now
! closing as record one for practically
| all the American railroad systems
mot only" he says; '9has {: larger
! gross tonnage been moved than ever
before, but new records have been
established for the amount of trans
| S5OllSH Out OIL CdCu car. EVEN
during the war year Of 1918 the high
est performance was 494 ton miles pei
car per day, while for August, 1920
| the average was 557, and for Septem-
| Der and October 565."
And this despite the fact that, be-
cause of the intensive war use OF
cars and locomotives. an unusually
large number Of both were in ba6
order when the railroads were re-
turned to private operation and con-
troll, and despite the fact, too, thai
unsettled labor conditions in the rail
roads produced effects entirely out Of
| proportion to the number Of men who
actually quit work.
| AS evidence Of the efficiency which
has been practiced by the roads, Guy
Ter cites that they have moved a vol
ume of business with available equip
| ment which, If it had had to be &C
commodated by new cars and loco
motives, would have entailed an ex-
penditure of approximately $4,000
| 100000. Cooperation between the
railroads and shippers made this ex.
! pense unnecessary. he said.
NEW CORPORATION WANTS
|