Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-06-29
nENBER or THE ASSOCIATED
HIGH COST or RiILROiDING,

Says the Railway Ago-Gazette:
1.-THE public knows that the prices
Of almost all the things Il buys have
advanced greatly within recent years
II apparently does not realize that
the prices OF most Of the things that
enter into the cost OF living Of the
railways have Increased much more
in proportion than the prices OF com
modities In general. but this is a fact.
aud Il IL the principal reason why
such large advances IN rates are nee
essary. The public knows pretty well
how much the railroad pay roll has
been increased. Here are a few a.
Institutions OF typical Increases in the
prices Of things that railways have 10
buy:
"A locomotive which In 1914 cost
s27.s76 will new cos, s75.75o. an
incrase Of III per cent. In 1914 a
railway had 60 pay only about . per
cent interest on the money Il invested
IN a locomotive. while now Il must
pay IA pre- cent. Therefore. its in
terest charges on locomotive bought
six years ago were Si.39I year.
while on a locomotive bought now
they will be- about S5.6Si a year. an
Increase In fixed charges OF $40 per
cent
IAN average box car bought In
1914 cost about i.0OO. while now II
you'd cost ss.o0o. an increase OF 200
per cent. The interest on the in
vestment In the car In 1914 would
have been about $50 a year, while
now IL would be about SECS a year.
an increase OF $50 per cent.
"The foregoing satisfies Illustrate
the advances which have occurred in
the prices Of equipment and In the
interest that mus, be paid on the
investment In H. The Increases in
the cost Of constructing track and
brIdges have not been so great. hut
they have been very large. In 1915
a nine,y-foot through girder bridge
could be bought and installed-not
including masonry-for s6.2i7. u
would now cost Sl5.ii7, an Increase
NJ 1876 per cent These figures are
based upon records OF the actual ex-
pendltures OF q certain road. In 1915
this road paid sis.250 per mile for
merely the rail track fastenings. ties
and ballast used IN the construction
Of new main track. The same ma
terials would now cost s26.23i. IN
increase OF 10 per cent. For like
classes Of materials used In building
in 1915. the road paid sS.s2o. The
same materials would now cost il6.'
800. an Increase Of 90 per cent.
"one important cause Of the en-
crease IN railway expenses Is the ad.
vance In The prices on all commodltie'
and therefore In the amounts that ih'
railways have 10 pay for loss an,
damage 20 freight. A carload Of ap
pies i'm 1909 was worth 5000 whil'
today Il Is worth t2.3eo. an increas'
Of 1855 per cent. In 1903 the freight
fevenue on a carload 81 apples iron
Yakima. wash. 20 81 Paul. was 1888
while today & Is ssis.5c. an Inereas'
81 only % per cent. n raiiroa'
aid n clsim Tor the complete loss o
a carload OF apples IN 1903. Il tool
he freight revenue from three and
half carloads Of apples. while nov
would take the freight revenue from
seven carloads.
"a certain railway recently wa
psesented a claim for s4.5il for IN
loss OF a carload OF beef. Tho his
value OF the beef was Of course prin
eipaliy due 10 the increases IN price
within recent years. Tue freish
earnings from the shipment wer
gii3.lO. Therefore. II the raii"a