THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT.
13
Passenger Rates
According to the Interstate com
merce commission's system of group
ing the railways of the United States
for statistical purposes, Nebraska lies
in Group VIL, along with Wyoming
and Montana; the north one-third of
Colorado, being all north of a line
drawn east and west through the state
beginning at a point a few miles south
of the southern, line of Nebraska; and
all of the two Dakotas lying west of
the Missouri river. The entire re
ported mileage under operation in this
group for the year ending June 30,
1900, was 11,069.78 miles, and Nebras
ka alonj had over 5,700 miles, or more
than half.
in handling the passenger traffic of
this group, 218 passenger locomotives
and 888 passenger . coaches were employed-
The passenger trains, averag
ing four coaches to the locomotive,
traveled all told 10,535,554 miles in
the year, and in that time carried 5,
100,194 passengers. Each .train aver
aged 39 passengers, or about 10 to the
coach, and each traveler journeyed on
the average 91.48 miles. The railroads
received an average of $2.13 and a frac
tion, from each passenger, carried, or
2.315 cents a mile. An average pas
senger train earned $1.20 for each
mile it traveled, which produced in the
year $1,273.55 for each mile of line In
Hhe group. - -
It is evident that passenger traffic in
this group is far from dense, when we
consider that a locomotive and four
coaches must coTer over ten million
miles In a year to carry five million
passengers less than a hundred miles
each. It is also- evident that with pas
senger rates lowered and put on a
scientific basis,, the passenger traffic
could be increased greatly. The av
erage man cannot afford many trips
at an average cost of $2.13. Owing to
the transcontinental traffic of the
Union Pacific and other roads in this
group the average journey is away
: bove that In the whole United States
27.8 miles, although the trains are
nearly as well filled: 39 in Group VII.
as against 41 in the whole country.
During the ' year 41,323 passengers
passed over each mile of line in Group
VII., which was equivalent to carry
ing 457,441,462 passengers one mile.
The enormous waste of equipment is
best understood when we realize that,
counting Sundays and all, about 13,700
persons were traveling in Group VIL
e ih day. There was a passenger loco
motive to haul each 63 passengers, and
a coach to seat each 15; and the total
earnings for the day amounted to
about $29,075. 1
Suppose we count that one-half the
equipment is not in use while the
other half is. Let us make a flat fare
of 25 cents per trip regardless of dis
tance and figure on the possibilities.
Assuming that each coach will seat 50
persons, the 444 coaches would carry
22,200 persons at one time and have
some vacant seats left. Allow eighty
miles for the average journey (it
would probably be much less) and,
running 20 miles an hour the trains
would cover 480 miles a day, the
coaches emptying about 6 times in 24
hours. Thus, 133,200 passengers could
be handled in a day, producing a rev
enue of over $33,000, with practically
no additional expense.
What applies to Group VII. will ap
ply with even greater force to Nebras
ka. The legislature could prescribe a
25-cent fare for all distances within
the state, and the law would stand the
test of constitutionality in the United
States courts because it would pro
duce greater net revenues than under
the present system. It would shorten
the average journey, because so many
more persons would travel three to
six stations, willingly paying a quar
ter where they will not pay 60 cents
to $1.50. One can send a letter to
Montreal or San Francisco for the
same postage as to Havelook, but the
great mass of letters are sent short
distances just the same. If railroad
fare were free to San Francisco, mil
lions of persons would not go be
cause there are other expenses be
sides railroad fare.
Of course, it is not to be expected
that the present legislature will adopt
any scheme apparently so revolution
ary in character, but the idea is worth
discussing nevertheless. It applies just
as well to freight shipments, which we
expect to discuss at another time.
Those who wish to study the question
should read "A General Freight and
Passenger Post," by James L. Cawles
(G. P. Putnam's Sons. 27 W. 23rd St.,
New York).
J. W. Shepperson, of Casper, Wyo..
had In a consignment of sheep to Nye
& Buchanan Co. of South Omaha last
week, which topped the market. Mr.
Shepperson expresses himself as high
ly pleased with the treatment and ser
vice he received, and did not find the
market as bad as he had expected from
reports.
Opening of Holiday Season.
Larger Stock, Greater Variety and Better Selections
Than We have Ever Shown Before.
MOST INTERESTING
is our store at this season. Every Department is full and com
plete. Assortments are greater and selections are better than
we have ever shown before. In all departments aside from our regular stock, we show goods especially pur
chased for the Holiday Trade.
We are the largest importers of Dolls, Toys and Games in the west, importing direct from European
markets Dolls, Dolls Heads, Toys, Games and Christmas Goods. We 4 show many wonderful Mechanical
Toys, such as Walking Dolls, Dancing Animals, Automobiles, Steamboats, Locomotives, Flying Machines,
Etc. We have all the popular and new Parlor Games, Magic Lanterns, Etc.
Jewelry in an immense assortment which is unequalled in point of variety, quality and artistic taste in
selections. Art Goods Elegant Embroidered Pillows, Pillow Tops, Cushions and Linen Pieces. Lace Toi
let Sets in Pillow Shams and Doilies. Burnt Leather Goods, Work Bags, Laundry Bags, Etc. Glass and
Chinaware in sets or separate pieces. Dainty Japanese Ware, Fancy Lamps, Etc. Books AH the new
popular and standard works. Large line of Juvenile and Presentation Books. Stationery Box or ream
Correspondence Paper in the latest shapes or tints, and handsome Boi Paper put up expressly for Holiday
Trade. Notions Perfume bv bottle or ounce. Ladies Toilet Articles, Hair Brushes, Combs, Etc. Ladies'
and Children's Shoes, always in the latest styles and of the best manufacture. All kinds of warm lined Shoes,
. -- - t , r XA T OMl
or Slippers anc
Wool Shawls,
Robes. Dress Shirts,
CnrReta and Glnves-
with napkins to match, in sets or by the yard. Fancy Towels, Counterpanes, and plain and fancy White
Goods. Carpets, Kugs, Draperies, Lace Curtains, and Curtain ana cnaae materials oi aii smuB uy me vru.
Furs, especially bought for Christmas trade, in Jackets, Collarettes, Scarfs, Muffs, Children's Sets and Fur
Trimmings, Ladies and Misses Cloaks, Jackets, Suits, Dress Skirts, Waists, Dressing Sacques and Robes.
Silk or Wool Dres& Patterns, Velvet, Silk or Wool Dress Goods, Fancy Silk and Wool Waistings.
Our Mail Order Department is the most modern equipped department of it kind in the state, having all
the latest and best appliances for prompt and rapid work. You will find it a satisfactory to buy through it
as to buy over our counters.
1 Leggings. Ladies' Furnishings in Muslin Underwear, lancy uress aprons, usee, ouk. or
Handkerchiefs, Laces, Collars, Ties and Fans. Gents' Furnishings Smoking Jackets, JNight
Underwear, Gloves, Collars, Cuffs, Ties, Mufflers, buspenders, ancy Hosiery, jm.
Corsets of everv Donular make. Kid. wool or silk Gloves or Mittens. Table linen
5end for Samples.
Lincoln, Neb.
Mention This Paper.
Good Roads
With the extension of rural free de
livery the question of good roads grows
amazingly.
"To the rapid and economical exten
sion of rural mail delivery," says Mar
tin Dodge of the agricultural depart
ment, "only one obstacle worthy of
consideration presents itself, but that
obstacle is of such a nature as to
greatly affect its practicability and
economy. 'iais is the present condition
of our country roads.
"Without question one of the first
great movements toward the economi
cal free rural delivery of the mails
should be the construction of passa
ble roads. This is already evident
from the fact that some of the mail
delivery routes have had to be aban
doned on account of bad roads.
"The circumstance that over six mil
lion dollars was appropriated by our
last congress largely to be buried in
our muddy roads in the delivery of
our rural mails, while only the small
sum of ?iu,000 was last year devoted
to meeting the road problem, indi
cates the great need of education re
garding the present necessity and de
mand for vigorous and intelligent road
work.
"As much of these large appropria
tions for rural mail delivery could be
saved if we had good roads, it is ob
vious that an amount equal to a con
siderable portion of these sums could
be spent to goou advantage in edu
cating the people in the work of im
proving our country roads, and thus
forever close a large drain on our na
tional cash box.
"In view of these facts could not a
minion or more be spent to the best
possible' advantage by the national
government in constructing a section
of brick track road near each county
seat throughout the country as an ob
ject lesson in each county in the most
advanced methods of road construc
tion?" Poor roads in the United States are
costing the people annually the enor
mous sum of $650,000,000, which is a
tax of more than seven dollars a year
for every man, woman and child, avers
Mr. Dodge, who is director of the
bureau of public road inquiries, of the
department of agriculture, in Wash
ington. He advocates the construction
of brick track roads with convict la
bor. As a result of the good road move
ment which has been largely stimu
lated by the efforts of the department
of agriculture, the road question is
at present receiving a remarkable de
gree of active interest, as indicated, for
instance, by a movement in the state of
New York for bonding this state for
$80,000,000 to build country roads.
This is wholly in line with a bill be
fore the last national congress by Mr.
Otey of Virginia, for $100,000,000 for
the same purposes.
Mr. Otey declares: "In view of our
willingly having spent $400,000,000 on
the Philippines it is time to do some
thing tangible for our own people.
"This is especially true," comments
Mr. Dodge, "in view of the fact that
we are continually paying an avoidable
mud tax of more than $650,000,000
each year for the privilege of driving
over our dusty and muddy roads. This
enormous expense is better compre
hended by saying it equals a tax of
more than $7 each year for every man
and woman and child in this country."
possessed before that change.
"One hundred years ago the weaver
owned his loom, the shoemaker his
bench. The instruments of production
have been swept into the possession
of the quickest, strongest and most
unscrupulous men, who know how to
take advantage of the marvelous op
portunities of the modern era. There
is literally nothing left In the work
ingmen and women but their hands
and the power of association.
"Men like President Eliot and Rev.
Dr. Hillis, who expressed the same
sentiments as President Eliot, how
ever honest they may be, are holding
the hands of the defenseless masses,
while capitalism robs them of the only
thing they have left union."
The Heroic "Scab"
Henry D. Lloyd, who is acting as
one of President Mitchell's attorneys
for the presentation of the strike case
before the commissioners, spoke in re
ply to the denunciation of union labor
by President Eliot of Harvard. Mr.
Lloyd is the author of "Wealth Against
Commonwealth," and "Country With
out Strikes" and has given much study
to labor conditions. He said:
"The strike breaker or scab is in our
day precisely the same kind of 'good
type of American hero' as the New
England loyalist was in his day when
he did his best to ruin the struggls
of his fellow-colonists for indepen
dence. "The trade union movement is a
movement for the independence of the
working people, who are the only real
people. It is one of the greatest dem
ocratic movements In history, an
emancipation unique in the ages, be
cause it Is self-emancipation. The
working people of the world during
the last century have been chased by
what Toynbee called the industrial
revolution out of the possession of an
economic independence which they
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tlKCOLN. Ka,