New-York tribune., 1920-12-27
Newfoundland Rail
System Placed i'm a
Commission Hands
Narrow Gauge Line of 900
Miles, After Weathering
War Period, Has to Call
Upon Colony for Help

ST. JOHNS, N. F., Nov. 2O.-New-
foundland, isolated from railroad COM
munication with the outer world, has
nevertheless caught the railroad
troubles of operation and finance COM
mon to most countries. It's narrow
gauge line of 900 miles, after running
through the period of the war without
government aid, while railways of
other countries were receiving some
measure of assistance, has been forced
to cali on the colony for help in post
war readjustment.
The immediate result has been the
placing of the railway administration
IN the hands of a Joint commission of
seven, OF which the government has a
majority of the members. The COM
mission, equipped with S1,000,000 of
colonial funds, has been set the task
OF working out the salvation of a rail-
way system, which before the war lost
an average of 100000 a year, and in
the last five years has had to meet
without advance in rates an increase
in expenses, which in the case of coal
was from $164,693 in 1915 to $59O,498
in 1920. and in wages from $o07 ,444 to
81 Az ,512 for the same years. AS one
OF its first problems, the commission
is faced with demand for further
increases in wages ranging from 20 to
80 per cent.
Because Of the geographical and in
dustrial features of the island colony,
which have drawn most Of the quarter
million inhabitants to countless harbors
and ham.cts on the coast where they
ply their fishery pursuits, steamship
service is an essential and cons erable
supplement to the railroad lines.
Monopoly of Transportation
The commission for this reason has
taken over with the railway the whole
system Of Interplay and coastwise
have been operated jointly by the Reid
Newfoundland Company. owners of the
railroad, and the government. Thus in
a country Of few trunk highways and
Of no trolley cars outside of st. Johns,
the commission is administering virtu-
ally monopoly of transportation
mediums both of passengers and
freight
What the eventual result of the COM
missions administration and recon-
mcndations will be is uncertain. 1t is
expected to report to the next session
Of the Legislature, when the question
OF continuing the commission under
further temporary appointment, or Of
adopting permanent plan Of govern
will come up. Working out Of such
plans will involve several problems
that go back to the early history of
the road.
The railway, one of the few narrow
gauge lines remaining in North Amer
ica, originally was built for the colony
by Sir Robert Reid, Of Montreal. Until
the commission took it over the road
was operated by the -Ncwfound-
land Company, in which sons Of the
builder are now the active spirits, un-
der ffty-ycar lease. As payment, the
company chose mail subsidies and land
grants in preference to cash, the land
being regarded of high potential
value because Of its timber and min
eral deposits.
line, travel on which is adventurous at
times, 54s miles run across the island
from st. Johns,- on the east coast, to
q terminal at Port aux Basques, on the
west. Much Of the road lies across
barren wastes, swept by every storm,
blocked BY SHOWS for weeks at time
and subject to waghouts and dcrail-
nentg.
Storms Endangcr Trains
At places the thin trains have had to
he anchored to the rails by special de-
vices as protection against being over
turned by storm. Trains have been
tho and three weeks in making tho bA6~
mile run which in the United States
would be covered in sixteen TO eighteen
hours.
The commission, taking action toward
economy Of operAtion, has taken tho
thrills out Of 'crosB-country travel in
winter, and has decided 70 abandon dur
ing the winter months tho exposed
nid-interior section Of tho road. whore