The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-12

wsrs purchased al tho railroads had
bought Therefore. the passenger
ing stock dcteiorated.
II had been suggested that the frelgn'
and messenger ra ties be raised, out M
Willard was in favor OF raising tnc
freight rates alone. Inc sofcF"Ia'., 80.
had rcfraintd from raising M
and are short just about one piiioh VI
dollars on the rental
II the raise Of thirty percent lakes
place and as many passengers are aIito =
as Is done at present, with less roilIus
stock, the railroads. he stated "ouiu
be able TO ser their way out
While in Pittsburgh, TUESDAY. ne PC
come acquainted with the fact mat VIC
Canadian Pacific railroad Is oorroWhs
money at one percent leks IN thlS coun-
try than our home roads can porroS.
nurinr the war the Canadian Pa0nc
Was given control OF its rates by lta
government and raised them. the sur
Mus earnings we're loaned 10 tho gov
eminent to help carry on the war.
And now the railroad Is able to norrow
money at a lower rate in the lhhe'
States than the home ROADS.
Mr., Willard in his address stated tha.t
tho Pittsburgh Chamber OF CotnmeIcs
had taken instant action on the ma'ter
.of n raise in rates and stated that ne
would leave Wheeling Tuesday night fof
Cincinnati, where he will speak on Weo-
nesday; he speaks In Chicago, on ihurs:,,
DAY in st. Louis on Friday and VIII
address the state railroad commissioner
of West Virginia on next Monoey.
Mr.. Wizards address containing st@-
tistIcs and figures other than what 'is
smoke in his Introductory address wa
as follows. His address concerned TINS
eastern region OF the railroad systems
Of the United States. In which arc sit-
uatcd IA railway companies or thirty
eight systems. 1900 miles OF track
valued at s9.36S,000 900.
narent that IL the present rates OF oper'
aatIon continue, the high cost Of mater
iaI and labor and there Is no common
surate raise in rates the railroads wont
be able TO pay dividends. operating ex-
penscs or anything else.
And. there is another raise q wages
in sight.
Facts and Figures.
Mr.. Willard submitted summary or
the increases in revenue and eSpenol-
tuers since 1916. showing the erect OF
Increased rates and increased basis OF
expenses as OF March. 1920, applied TO
the total business Of the thirty-ctght
eastern systems during the year 1915
az follows:
Increase In revenues derived from:
!. c. e. authority, IL per
cent case. etc. ....l.....s 1bS,46".9s4
L. & railroad admipistra-
e etGM .re'a ........'..'.. 90 3s7OG.o51
L. !. railroad sdministra-
sS 'sls p pess esIst s,:......s. ss,sOaoss
l. c r. As Ss snf cent. ..... 1e.65i,14s
J. increase. 10 per cent. 4s11.s4s
Ai tImated ....N......... s.e4so11
G aS above 'HseA' ... ,; sos.7ss,sso
Or 3S.3T per cent.
Increase in expenses:
Taxes and rents. rates 1t F.'.
pay tper hour. l0".& -
Fuel. 15i.7s per cent $500. l?s,iSl.72S
Materials, ~ per cent. 156,lpS,0oV
Cost for asp.ira
repairs and Joint facility
operations. etc. ..... l2h.bI 6.5bI
Taxes .................... 4s.31S,ss2
Hire of equipment and joint
facilities rents ......... lh,2sz.dss
Total increase in basis Of
expenses, 1910 pcr cent &1.215.1SS,ft6
Net increase OF costs over
increase OF revenues. 6Oe.40l,s66
1T will be noted that while the ex-
pcnse basis eince lsls has been incrcas-
ed $40 per cent. the revenue basis dur.
ing the same period has heen increased
but 1857 per cfut," Mr.. willard said.
AS result. the ratio OF operating
expenses TO onerating revenues, which
In 1915 was s7.32 per cent.' becomes
s9.T3 per cent, when revenue and eH-
penses are stated on existing cost and
revenue basis. A comparison of these
An1f
AZ audited. indicates that the Increase
in passenger earnings and economics
in operation incident to Increased tram
load, direction Of traffic. etc. made
possible largely by unusual conditions
resulting from the war. including the
Of the military fprces,
enabled the Railroad Administration to
onset, to a substantial degree. the in
creased basis OF expense shown above.
resulting in an operating ratio of $.s'
per cent. for the year 1919. as audited.
Increased passenger business handled