The First Train to Montauk.

New York, 1895

The first passenger train for Montauk passed over the new track across Napeague Beach Friday evening with President Corbin's son and a party bound for Montauk Point.

The last spike was driven at 6:45 o'clock Friday evening and a few minutes later an engine, drawing a special car, which had reached Amagansett attached to the 6 o'clock express, passed over the newly laid rails. William A. Hedges met the party at the Nominicks, the Indian name for the highlands, a few miles west of Fort Pond, where the terminal point is now located, and drove the party to Mr. Stratton's house. The track will be extended to Fort Pond bay during the summer.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, July 5, 1895, p. 1.

Knocked His Wagon to Pieces.

New York, 1895

William Carey, the express driver of the Long Island railroad company at Southold, narrowly escaped being killed Tuesday night by a locomotive running extra to Greenport. Carey was driving across the track when the locomotive struck the wagon and smashed it into a hundred pieces. Carey jumped from the back of the wagon and escaped injury. The horse was not injured.


Ten Thousand Railroad Ties.

The British tramp steamer Delta arrived in New York Friday morning from Bay Chaleur, Quebec, with a cargo of 10,000 white cedar railroad ties, consigned to the Long Island railroad company.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 8.

FIRED THE TRESTLE FOR FUN.

New York, 1895

A Boy Tries to Destroy Part of the Long Island Railway.

Lucien Haurdberg, 15 years old, employed as a wiper in Lalance & Grosjean's agateware factory in Woodhaven, was held without bail by Justice Hendrickson Wednesday morning on a charge of setting fire to the Long Island railroad trestle at Woodhaven Junction. The fire was discovered in the trestle just before midnight Tuesday by Night Watchman Charles Daggatt.

The last train for the night had crossed when Daggatt saw smoke ascending from the trestle. He and several others clambered out over the string pieces to the blaze and extinguished it. At first it was supposed that the fire originated from a hot coal dropped by a locomotive, but Daggatt eventually discovered what appeared to be a bundle of greasy rags partly burned. They proved to be the remnants of two small pairs of trousers, soaked with oil and grease. Detective Sarvis arrested young Haurdberg, who lives near the trestle with his parents.

To the detective and Justice Hendrickson the boy acknowledged that the trousers were his. Tuesday night, he said, his mother told him to take them out and burn them as they were no longer fit to wear. He thought it would be great fun to get the firemen out, so, with the trousers under his arm and a handful of matches in his pocket, he climbed up the earth embankment. He clambered out on the heavy wooden stringpieces, and, placing the trousers in a convenient corner formed by the beams, he struck a match and set fire to them. Then he hastily retraced his steps. Upon reaching the ground he became a little frightened and ran home and went to bed. Soon he heard the village fire alarm and then he knew his blaze had been discovered.

But for Watchman Daggatt's timely discovery the trestle would probably have been destroyed or the timbers charred and weakened sufficiently to wreck the first train that crossed in the morning.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 21, 1895, p. 1.

She Beat the Company

1895

This Woman Rode Free on a New York Road and Was Surprised.

A woman with red hair and black brows climbed the stairs to a Third avenue elevated station yesterday and searched through her purse for a nickel. She could find none, and the seller of tickets awaited with that impressive patience we learn to expect in every one who takes our money. Finally, after displaying everything in her wallet to the agent, so that he know her possessions as well as she did, the woman took out a bill and laid it before him. He flipped the ticket through the wicket and shoved after it a handful of the smallest coins he had in stock. She swept them into her purse and had started forward when another woman approached from the street. That comforted the ticket seller. He had wanted an excuse for telling his first patron to "step lively." But before he could employ his amiable formula the second woman and the first woman discovered an acquaintanceship — not to say friendly regard.

"Oh, so glad to meet you," said the new woman.

"So am I," was the red haired lady's response. "Never mind your purse. I am just buying my own ticket." And she pushed back a dime and said, "One, please."

"That's Canadian. I can't take it," exclaimed the agent, losing most of the remnant of his temper.

"I just took it from you. I'd like to know" —

"Don't make any difference. I can't take Canadian dimes. The company won't take them from me."

"Neither will I."

"Come, come. You are blocking the way there."

"And I'll block it till midnight if you try to play counterfeit coin on me."

"Madam, I will call" —

"You better keep this Canadian money. You'll need it after a bit, when you run away for embezzlement."

He glared through his wicket, but her red hair conquered him. The crowd behind was impatient and siding against him. A train was coming, and the vitriolic lady seemed nearer and nearer the point of leaping through the window at him. He made an impatient sweep of surrender, and two tickets and a good dime lay before her.

It was only after she and her friend found seats side by side in the train that her dark brows unbent, and she discovered she was 5 cents ahead of the railroad company. — New York Herald.

Not to be Caught Twice

New York, 1895

Twenty years ago Jarvis M. Jarvis was struck by a train on the Merrick crossing of the Long Island railroad and lost a leg. Thursday while driving over the same crossing he was run down by a locomotive, but jumped in time to save the other leg. His wagon was demolished.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, May 10, 1895, p. 1.

The Car Searcher

1895

Not Many Valuables Lost on Trains Considering the Amount of Travel.

At the terminal stations of all railroads the cars of incoming trains are searched for things left by passengers. The methods may vary in detail, but they are substantially alike.

At the Pennsylvania station in Jersey City there are three searchers, two working by day and one at night. Of the day men, one searches the through trains and the other the way trains. The moment the train has halted in the station the searcher stops aboard the rear platform of the last car and works toward the front. He walks straight ahead, following the receding wave of passengers, but though he walks right along nothing escapes his practiced eye. Whatever he finds he takes to the bureau of information. There a record is made of the thing found, containing a description of it, the marks, if any, and the train upon which it was found. Things of little value are kept awaiting the owner's claim for six months. Things of considerable value are kept a year or more. Things finally unclaimed are given back to the searcher, who is, however, called upon to make them good should they be claimed subsequently.

While in the course of a year many things are found in the cars, their number compared with the great number of travelers is small, and as a matter of fact they are generally of small value, usually umbrellas, overshoes and packages of one sort or another. People seem generally to hang on to really valuable things. At the same time there are found in the cars occasionally watches, diamonds, pocketbooks (usually containing small amounts), musical instruments and personal property of almost every possible description.

Valuable things are usually claimed pretty promptly. The loser sometimes goes from the train to a steamer for Europe or on a longer journey. Various circumstances sometimes prevent the prompt claiming of valuables. Claims are sometimes made after the lapse of months or perhaps a year or more. Persons claiming property are required to describe it, with its marks, and to tell upon what train they lost it. When property remaining unclaimed has about it evidences of its ownership, the company endeavors to restore it to its owner.

With the great increase of travel there is an increase in the number of the things found in the cars, but proportionately the number of things so found is not greater than formerly. In this respect the people do not appear to have undergone any change. They are just about as forgetful as they were — no more, no less. — New York Sun.

A Story of the Rail

1895

A rural humorist in Screven county tells this exciting story:

"We were coming at a fearful rate of speed down the hill this side of Waters station when suddenly, as we rounded the curve, and just where the hands had been working that day, the engineer and fireman discovered a tie lying crosswise upon the track.

"It was only about 50 feet away, and as we were making 60 miles an hour there was of course no possible chance to avoid running over it. I was looking out of the window at the time and saw the danger just as the engineer and fireman saw it. In another second we were on to it, and we all three shut our eyes and listened for the awful crash.

"But much to our surprise the engine glided smoothly over, the coach followed in a similar manner, and we rolled safely into the depot."

Why, how in the world did it happen?" shouted all his listeners in a breath.

"Oh, simple enough. You see, the tie that was lying across the track was only a necktie that one of the young girls had dropped that afternoon!" — Atlanta Constitution.


Feast of Reason

"The Feast of Reason" was a name given by the French convention to a great holiday celebration on Nov. 10, 1793. It was attended by many revolting excesses.

The Engineer Was Fired

1895

And It Was Not For Running Off the Track, but For Trespass.

When the railwaymen gathered at their customary resort, they found that Receiver E. O. Hopkins of the Air Line had preempted the most comfortable seat and was busily engaged in conversation with General Manager McDoel of the Monon, who happened to be spending an hour or two in St. Louis.

"I've just been telling Hopkins, here," said Mr. McDoel, "about a little railway in North Carolina. It forms part of the new Southern system now, but it used to be known as the Western North Carolina division of the Richmond and Danville. It runs from Asheville to a jumping off place called Murphy, and beyond all doubt it is, or was, the very worst piece of road in the world. It had every fault that can be imagined — heavy grades, rotting ties, light iron, thin ballast and all the rest of it. Nobody ever boarded a train without taking out an accident policy, and all the insurance companies charged double premiums, the risk being what they called 'extra hazardous.' Of course trains were constantly running off the track and ditching themselves, but there never were many passengers, and the trainmen had acquired, by long practice, the knack of jumping at just the right time, so no great harm was done. A few cars would be wrecked, but probably they would have fallen to pieces in a week or two anyway.

"Well, one day the Asheville cannon ball — it ran fully ten miles an hour when the wind was in its favor — jumped the track and plunged into an adjoining cornfield. The crew, as usual, escaped without injury and sat quietly to await the wrecking train. I may say, by the way, that the wrecking train made regular trips on that road and did more business than all the others.

"After looking over the situation the conductor — name was Joe — sauntered up to the engineer — name was Bill.

" 'Bill,' said the conductor, 'you'll be fired for this day's work. That's what you'll be. It's a sure thing.'

" 'Fire, nothing,' was Bill's reply. 'What have I done? Don't we skip the track most every day? Old man McBee'd be paralyzed if we didn't run off once or twice. What'd I be fired for?'

" 'Bill,' said the conductor solemnly, 'you'll be fired, and I'm sorry for it. You've been trespassing. Running off the track don't count, of course, but you've gone and left the right of way and trespassed on a man's farm. He'll sue the company, and you'll be fired.'

"And he was fired," concluded Mr. McDoel. "The superintendent ruled that an engineer was not privileged, even on that road, to take his train off the right of way, and that trespassing in a cornfield was an offense punishable by dismissal." — St. Louis Republic.

Railroad Men Must Have Good Watches

1895

The matter of time is receiving more attention now from railroad officials than in the past. This refers to watches carried by various employees, such as depot masters, engineers, firemen, switchmen, brakemen, conductors — in fact, everybody who has anything to do with the moving of trains.

Up to quite recently it was a go as you please matter about the class of watch carried and the condition of its machinery. It has been found that delays and even accidents have often been made possible by a small difference between the time indicated on the watches of different trainmen, and to remedy this several roads have adopted a system of strict supervision over all the watches carried by employees.

The Michigan Central a short time ago got in line with the movement. No special make of watch is made compulsory, but all must be up to a certain standard. Every month each employee must submit his watch to an examiner, who makes careful note of its condition and fills out a card giving full particulars. These cards are deposited at the depot in a box and are all examined by an official of the road. In this way the watches of all employees are kept in proper shape, and nobody is permitted to carry one that is out of condition. — Detroit Free Press.

Railroad Track Torn Up

New York, 1895

A Land Company Steals a March on Benjamin E. Valentine.

An abandoned stretch of track, running from the main tracks of the Long Island railroad at Woodsburgh to the old race track of the Cedarhurst steeplechasing and racing association, was torn up Friday night by a gang of fifty Italians from New York. The work was done under the direction of the Hewlett's Land and Improvement company, who by this means seek to prevent the Long Island railroad from continuing in possession of the land over which the track was built.

According to the improvement company, when the land was deeded to the Cedarhurst company on which to build the track a stipulation was made that, should the track at any time be abandoned, the land should revert to its original owners. When the Cedarhurst racing association gave up its grounds the track fell into disuse, and became overgrown with weeds and brush. It was practically abandoned save during the hunt, when a small horse car was run between the station and the Rockaway club's house for the accommodation of the members. Even the switch connecting the branch with the main track had been taken out.

About a week ago, however, Lawyer Benjamin E. Valentine, who is erecting a villa beyond the Rockaway hunt club's house, induced the railroad company to replace the switch, with the intention of using the side track to ship material to where he was building. No opposition was made to the replacing of the switch, but before the railroad has been able to run a train over the track the improvement company has torn it from its bed, and a fence now obstructs free passage over the old roadbed.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, Feb. 1, 1895, p. 12.

Railway Passes

1895

An Exchange of Civilities With Certain New Features.

Those who best know President Newell of the Lake Shore will best appreciate a recent exchange of courtesies between him and President Caldwell of the Nickel Plate, now also general manager of the Lake Shore. President Newell would give a man a $100 bill and never think twice about it. When it came to giving passes over the Lake Shore, he was adamantine in his refusal. Those he did give were so limited to special trains that a number of the officials of the company have never yet ridden on the limited or fast mail trains.

It is the custom of all railroad presidents to interchange annual passes, and on a recent New Year President Newell made up his list of exchange passes and sent them out. Across the end of the one he sent President Caldwell was printed in red ink the words, "Not good on limited fast mail trains."

By return mail came President Caldwell's annual pass on the Nickel Plate for President Nowell. Across its face in flaring red ink and in the bold handwriting of President Caldwell were written the words, "Not good on passenger trains."

This recalls the story of the general passenger agent in Philadelphia or somewhere who was wont to limit excursion tickets so closely that the passengers had to be on the alert in surrendering the return coupon as soon as they entered the car on the return journey lest it turn to dust and ashes in their hands. One day the G. P. A.'s fish dealer got stuck with one of those tickets, the conditions being printed in very fine type, and he determined to get even. So the next fish delivered was carefully selected for its evident lack of freshness, and of course the cook reported it to the G. P. A., but on close inspection the wrapping paper was found to bear the following words: "In consideration of the reduced price at which this fish is sold it will not be good after one hour from the time of delivery." — Railroad Gazette.

Hot Boxes

1895

Those who have traveled much by rail are more or less acquainted with the hot box. A hot box, as it is commonly called, really means a hot journal bearing or a hot journal, or both. It arises sometimes from the use of poor material in the bearing, sometimes on account of imperfect casting and sometimes from too great weight upon the bearing, producing friction and heat.

There are now far fewer hot boxes than formerly. Some of the heaviest cars are now carried upon six wheeled trucks, thus distributing the weight of each end of the car upon six journal bearings, instead of four, and reducing the danger of excessive friction. Better materials are used, and the workmanship upon them is better, weights to be carried are calculated more nicely, and greater care is exercised in operation, so that the hot box is not what it once was. A man thoroughly familiar with railroading, who made not long ago a trip of 10,000 miles, which included points as far apart as the City of Mexico, San Francisco and Chicago, said that he did not encounter a hot box until he was within 20 miles of New York on his return. — New York Sun.

Railroads of U.S. To Advance Rates

1920

WILL ADD BILLION AND HALF TO YEARLY EARNINGS.

Fare to Cost One-fifth More; Freight 25 to 40 Per Cent, Pullmans 50.

WASHINGTON, D. C. — Authority for the railroads of the country to increase their revenues by approximately one and one-half billion dollars has been granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Freight rates will be advanced about one-third, passenger fares one-fifth and Pullman charges one-half.

Coastwise and inland steamship lines and electric railway companies also were granted permission to increase their freight rates in proportion to the increase granted to the railroads serving the same territory. No estimate of the aggregate amount to result from these advances has been made.

May Go Up September 1.

The new rates, which are to continue in force until March 1, 1922, will become effective upon five days' notice by the carriers to the commission and the public, and they must be in operation before January 1. Since the Government guarantee expires September 1, the carriers are expected to bend every effort to put the advances into effect by that date.

Increases granted by the commission are designed to offset the $600,000,000 wage advance awarded by the railroad labor board and to provide the 6 per cent net income on the aggregate value of the railroad properties as permitted under the transportation act.

The aggregate value of all of the railroads was estimated by the commission at $18,900,000,000 as against a book value of $20,040,000,000 given by the carriers.

Increase Is General Thruout U. S.

The 20-per-cent increase in passenger fares, excess baggage charges and milk transportation rates and the 50 per cent surcharge on Pullman fares authorized by the commission will be general the country over.

Freight rate increases will vary according to territory, with 40 per cent in the East, 25 per cent in the South, 35 per cent in the West (from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains) and 25 per cent in mountain-Pacific territory (from east of the Rockies to the Pacific coast, not including Alaska).

The commission held that the increases were justified in view of the rapidly changing conditions as to prices and the necessity for providing adequate transportation facilities during and after the period of readjustment

NEW RATES EASILY FIGURED.

Travelers will have little difficulty in calculating from the present fare rate the amount of the new fare, With no surcharge complication, the new fare is simply one-fifth more than the old fare.

The following table illustrates the difference which the new rates will make in travel between Chicago and other cities:

To New York — Present rate: $29.40; New rate: $35.28; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $45.00.

To Milwaukee — Present rate: $2.75; New rate: $3.20; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $4.02.

To New Orleans — Present rate: $30.38; New rate: $36.45; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $47.39.

To San Francisco — Present rate: $72.12; New rate: $86.54 2-3; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $[*].

The freight rate increase means a levy of $12 per capita a year for every man, woman and child in the country.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 2.

Note: [*] Missing information. The other San Francisco rates are pretty certain.

The Federal Farm Loan Measure

Maine, 1916

After many years of effort on the part of those who were interested in the proper capitalization of the farms of the Country, Congress has passed what seems to be an adequate law that will give the farmer and land owner the same privileges in our banking system that have been enjoyed by other branches of industry for many years.

The grange, both State and National, has been a factor in creating a sentiment that has made the passage of this measure possible, and is seems a matter of great concern that at the hearing on the measure at Augusta, recently, those who had official connection with the grange, or who had commissioned themselves to speak for that body, felt called upon to discourage the Commissioners from trying to locate one of the branch banks in Maine.

Had the farmers, who realize their needs, and who are trying to meet present day conditions on limited capital, been allowed to speak for themselves the result of the hearing would have been different. But they were on their farms, working against great odds, and others spoke for them from knowledge obtained in the class room, in business circles, on the lecture platform and in City counting rooms.

How this hearing emphasizes the necessity of leaders who really realize their responsibilities, and who are able to look at the problems of the farmer from the proper view point.

Is it possible that these men let partisan prejudice warp their judgment? Did they think it improper to judge favorably an act of the present Congress? If such is the case, which God forbid, let me quote a little from the last President of the United States, of the opposite political party:

"The 12,000,000 farmers of the United States add, each year, to the national wealth $8,400,000,000. They are doing this on a borrowed capital of $6,040,000,000. On this sum they pay annually interest charges of $510,000,000. Counting commissions and renewal charges, the interest rates paid by the farmers of this country is averaged at 8 1/2 per cent, as compared to a rate of 4 2/3 to 3 1/2 per cent paid by the farmers, for instance of France and Germany.

"Again, the interest rate paid by the American farmer is considerably higher than that paid by industrial corporations, railroads or municipalities. Yet, I think it will be admitted that the security offered by the farmer, in his farm lands, is quite as good as that offered by industrial corporations. Why then will not the investor furnish the farmer with money at as advantageous rates as he is willing to supply it to the industrial corporations? Obviously, the advantage enjoyed by the industrial corporation is in the financial machinery at its command, which permits it to place its offer before the investor in a more attractive and more readily negotiable form. The farmer lacks this, and lacking it he suffers."

This, from so good an authority as Mr. Taft, ought to be convincing to all who are fair minded and intelligent. It ought to silence for all time the cry of the partisan that this bill has no value except as a political weapon.

The recent happenings in relation to increased freight rates, the arbitrary fixing of prices of his products by the distributors, and the high price of labor have set the farmer to thinking. He now knows that while farm products are higher to the consumer than ever before, his profits are not increasing, in fact, that they are actually decreasing in many instances, and that one great reason for this is the lack of ready capital to take advantage of conditions, and to finance him through the season and enable him to act with his fellows in any co-operative plan that shall tend to lift a portion of his burdens.

Then again, the college of Agriculture which was represented at the hearing, is all the while turning out graduates who ought to be well fitted to take up the business of farming and carry it to a successful standing.

But to do this they have got to have capital and ready means of credit, but very few of them are fortunate enough to have a farm awaiting them on graduation. This higher agricultural education calls for more expensive methods, better animals, more farm machinery, all of which call for money.

And because of the lack of ready capital, many of these young men will drift into other occupations, their services will be lost to the farm, and the college will suffer because more of its graduates are not found on farms.

It would naturally have been supposed that these college representatives would have hastened to put themselves on record as favoring the establishing of one of these land banks where it would have been available for their graduates, instead of remaining silent or actually repelling it.

But the time is coming when the farmers will speak for themselves, when they will no longer be bound by the time-serving policies of their leaders, and self-appointed spokesmen. When that time does come, as it surely will, the farmer shall get his full due, the business will again be prosperous, every man's hand shall not then be against him, and there shall come a lasting prosperity to State and Nation that shall arise from a happy, a contented, a prosperous agriculture. Let us all try to hasten the glad time coming.

B. Walker McKeen.
Fryeburg, September 1, 1916.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 12, 1916, p. 2.

The Right to Strike

1916

Railroads are from their very nature public institutions. They have their being in law, and are governed throughout by legislative enactments. Their rates are limited, and within certain broad lines their duties are prescribed. The advocates of government ownership merely would extend the power of government that now lie latent. Private business may and should control its own affairs; but public business must be subject to such supervision and control as is necessary to protect the rights of the public. This raises the question of the responsibility of labor on railroads or in gas and electric light plants the same as that in a store or factory? A strike in a factory makes little difference to the public at large; and such inconvenience as does follow may better be borne than to interfere with individual initiative. But the strike that ties up a railroad or a gas plant immediately and directly affects the whole public. Clearly the cases are different, and call for different treatment. — The Public.

U.S. Rail Control Is Near

1916

Senator Says Further Railroad Legislation Is Coming.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Simmons, chairman of the finance committee, says that important railroad legislation supplementary to the eight-hour law will be enacted at the December session of Congress. "I have always thought," said the Senator, "that in the near future Government control must be largely extended to secure permanent peace and justice for all concerned. There will be a comprehensive plan of legislation submitted to the next session and it will deal justly with the railroad workers, the owners and the general public."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.

Engineer Stops Train to Do Some Fishing

1916

Lumber Dealer Files Suit for $2,000, His Alleged Loss by Railroad Man's Act.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana. — Admitting that fishing is alluring, but contending, that business is business, Edgar Wright, lumber dealer, has filed suit for $2,000 against an engineer on the Baton Rouge, Hammond & Eastern Railroad.

In his petition Wright alleges he lost a lumber contract worth $2,000 because the engineer halted his train two hours to try his luck at fishing in a pond along the line.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 11.

Jack's Account of It

1901

One of Uncle Sam's able seamen, who was in an "Owl" train that was wrecked, thus described his experience:

"It was a little after two bells this morning and I was smoking my pipe in the 'Owl's' stern galley. The first thing I knew of any happening was when I was thrown violently from my seat. After the pitching and jumping had stopped, I crawled out and saw that the steering gear of the 'Owl' had been carried away, causing her to part amidships. The after end listed badly to starboard and went aground, throwing all hands in a heap to the listed side. No lives were lost, however, though all were badly shaken up and somewhat damaged. One unlucky passenger bunted the glass out of a porthole, cutting her head and face quite badly. After wigwagging the craft coming up behind to change her course, the forward end of our craft picked up the passengers and crew and continued her voyage. As for me, I will be glad when I am safe aboard the Albatross again. This cruising overland is too rough and choppy for me." — Argonaut.

Mustn't "Own" Their Engines

1901

The railroad engineer who "owns" his engine is not in favor with his superiors. Complaints about trivial matters are likely to be made against him and soon he finds himself without a berth. The phrase "owning an engine" does not mean that the engineer has acquired title to his iron horse. The expression is used of a man who has been with a certain engine so long that he becomes a part of it. He knows its every peculiarity, he feels its every protest against a heavy load, and he nurses it and coddles it as if it were his child. He dislikes to run the engine at top speed for fear something will happen to it, and in consequence his train is frequently behind time. He takes a grade at half the rate he should, and he runs cautiously down hill. In a word, he "owns" his engine.

Of course this is all very nice and idyllic, and it is the kind of thing a person likes to read about in stories of the railroad. But plain, practical rail road men look at it differently. They argue that the best engineer is the man who never fails to run his train according to his running time, the man who is never behind and seldom ahead. So it comes about that the engineer who makes a master of that which should be his servant wonders who has a grudge against him. But it isn't a grudge; it's business. — New York Mail and Express.

Comment: I've been thinking about this article for a couple of days. It's a real mindworm! Think of any equipment that you operate, and how you may "coddle" it so it will keep going. My first thought would be that's exactly what you want. But according to this article, just let it rip! And don't worry whether it will stand the test of time.

An Awful Mix-up

1920

By W. D. Boyce (W. D. Boyce's Talks)

Two years ago, when the United States was in the middle of our active part of the European war, the railroads of the United States became so disorganized and inefficient and the service so rotten that the Government had to take them over in order to save the day. Now, when things are getting back to normal again, it is stated that the railroads will be returned to their owners about March 1. Prior to the Government taking them over, the railroads had to do their own financing and prepare for the payment of interest on bonds and dividends on stocks as well as provide for the upkeep, repairs and new equipment. The facts are that they paid out all they took in during the year in interest on bonds and dividends on stock in order to keep up the fictitious values of bonds and stocks. As a result they let the railroads run down so much they were in no condition to supply the needs of the country at the time that the Government took them over.

Now the Government has spent a billion dollars or more on the railroads and has increased freight rates 50 per cent and the railroad officials, if not the stockholders, are glad to get them back. Some of the railroads, however, seem to be disturbed concerning their return and predict they will not get back the same baby that they turned in to the Government hospital. This the cartoonist for The Saturday Blade has tried to show on page 1 this week.

It is a very serious question whether the railroads should be owned by the Government or be restored to private ownership. Private owners have had the chance to demonstrate in times of peace what they could do with the railroads. They had the same opportunity in times of war and made an absolute failure of it. Now they will get the roads back in times of peace, but with a dividend guarantee which will require another big boost in freight and passenger rates. The public will have another chance to watch the operation of railroads by private owners in times of peace, and, unless I miss my guess, after a thoro trial they will insist that the Government take over the roads permanently.

No doubt many things which the railroads should have done under Government operation they did not do. Remember that the Government was obliged to keep at the head of the road those officials who had been at the head of them under private ownership. There is more than a suspicion that many of them did not care to do their best in operating them because they wanted the roads returned to private ownership and if a good showing was made they never would be handed back. Now we will be in the position of Finnegan and it may be a case of "On again, off again, on again, strike again."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 6.