24 RAILWAY AGE GAZETTE. to relieve the present congestion, as well as to provide for reasonable growth in the near future. The general scheme embraces a passenger station and office building suitably located on available land immediately east of the present passenger station. There will be four passenger tracks, with provision for more when required, separated by wide platforms, between the station and the present freight yard. The passenger tracks are to be raised about 5 ft. above the present track level, to reduce the difference in level between the street and the tracks to about 25 ft. To avoid an inconvenient grade crossing and delays to traffic between the city and steamship wharf, a bridge on the line of Granville street, extended, is to pass over the passenger and freight tracks to the steamship pier and connect directly with passenger accommodations on the pier. An incline is also to be built leading from the west side of this bridge to the wharf giving access to the lower deck of the pier and freight sheds, and the water front. Another viaduct over the tracks is to be built on the line of Burrard street, extended northerly, with an incline giving access to the present Trans-Pacific pier and other portions of the water front. The main entrance of the passenger station will be on Cordova street, with the main waiting room located centrally in the station on the street level. Ticket offices serving the several classes of railway and steamship passengers are at one end of the waiting room, and the baggage checking room, lunch and dining room, parcel room, women's waiting room, men's smoking room, news booth, information booth, and other facilities are all placed immediately adjoining the main waiting room. On the lower floors of the station are the baggage rooms, express companies' space, immigrant rooms, supply rooms, and Stairother station facilities not directly used by passengers. ways and elevators connect the two levels of the station and afford communication with the office floors above. A separate foot bridge is carried over the passenger tracks, directly connected with the waiting room at one end and with stairways leading to the track level, giving access to platforms without crossing tracks at grade. The track platforms are 1,000 ft. long and are to be covered with shelter sheds of the umbrella type. The platform adjoining the station will be used only for baggage, express and supplies. Above the public rooms of the station building the space will be devoted to the general offices of the railway company. The interior arrangement of the office space will be adapted for a unit system of subdivision; that is, each panel will have heating and lighting facilities so that partitions may be placed or removed at will in order to provide for changes in arrangement of office accommodations which may be desired from time to time. The proposed steamship station on the pier is a two-level building, the upper floor being devoted to the passenger business and offices, and the lower floor to freight, baggage and express. There will be double level gangways on the west side of the pier, which will be used for the Victoria and Seattle service, the lower gangway being used for freight, and the upper for passengers; these gangways to be supported on floating pontoons to maintain the landing at a constant level with respect to the boats. On the passenger, or upper, level of the pier are waiting rooms, ticket offices, baggage checking room, customs office, and other conveniences. Separate rooms are provided for outgoing and incoming passengers. Two tracks will be placed on the surface of the pier within the shed and one track on the outside of the building for the direct handling of freight between cars and steamers. The whole design has been to secure easy lines of communication between the railway trains, the steamships and the city. The traffic conditions at Vancouver are unusual as compared with other large terminals on account of the absence of suburban business. The aggregate number of trains is not large, but they are long and frequently are run in several sections and contain a number of classes of traffic. The designs for the terminal have been prepared by Westinghouse, Church, Kerr & Company, in co-operation with the officials of the Canadian Pacific, and the construction of the station and facilities is now being carried out by the same organization. EMPLOYEES' RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN No law, no matter how rigidly enforced, can correct evils that are directly chargeable to failure of employees themselves to do their duty and to exercise due precaution not alone for their own safety, but also for the safety of others. We know that employees often fail to exercise ordinary precaution in the performance of their work. This failure is often a form of thoughtlessness in which the chief motive is haste, and generally it is true that some ease or saving of time to themselves is secured by almost every unnecessary risk they take. . . . I want to bring to your attention the number of derailments reported as due to the negligence of trainmen, switchmen, signalmen, etc. It can be assumed without question that these are preventable accidents. I find that 1,976 of the derailments, or 6.26 per cent. of the whole number that occurred during the five year period, ending June 30, 1910, were caused by the negligence of trainmen, In these 1,976 derailments, 263 perswitchmen, signalmen, etc. sons were killed and 2,264 persons were injured. There was a property loss of $1,413,342; this indicates a yearly average for the period of 395 derailments, causing 52 deaths and 453 inSuch accidents as juries due to the negligence of employees. these are clearly preventable. Employees can and should entirely eliminate them. The employee who leaves a switch open or who fails to flag properly, thereby causing a disastrous accident, is always known, but in minor cases of carelessness you may not be able to trace the particular accident to the man who neglected his work or who failed to perform the proper service, or who discovered a defect and failed to make the necessary repairs. The man who discovered a loose ladder tread or loose handhold, and failed to report or repair it may never know that he was responsible for the death or serious injury of a fellow employee, possibly a thousand miles distant. Inspectors of the commission have found much bad practice. Derails have been found outside of the fouling point on sidetracks. Signals have been found connected by wire in such a way that the breaking of a wire would allow the signal to go to the clear position. Detector bars have been found disconnected and bolt locks to the switches filed until they were useless. On one road it was found that the signals at a drawbridge were so arranged that it was possible to give a clear signal to permit a train to cross the bridge wide open. The use of safety appliances on cars is an important factor in the prevention of accident. The commission's records show that of the total deaths and injuries suffered by trainmen in 1893, 44.33 per cent. were due to coupling and uncoupling cars. This percentage has steadily decreased from year to year until in 1911 it was but 6.3 per cent. A thoughtful and active mind is the first necessity for safety, but in the hazardous occupation of train operation it seems that attention to safety has been secondary and occasional instead of continuous and of prime importance. If we can instill the idea that it is more honorable and more professional to be cautious and prudent than to take unnecessary risks a great reduction in the accident records will result. From an address by H. W. Belnap, Chief Inspector of Safety Appli ances, Interstate Commerce Commission, before a meeting of Baltimore & Ohio employees at Philadelphia. The Texas & Pacific has just adopted the American Railway Association's standard code of train rules. The annual field day of the Traffic Club of Chicago was held at the Midlothian Country Club on Friday, June 28. The Edison medal for achievements in electrical science for the year 1911 has been awarded by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers to George Westinghouse. A large "safety meeting" of officers and employees of the New York Central Lines was held in Indianapolis, Ind., June 26. The principal speaker was G. M. Bradshaw, general safety agent of the New York Central Lines. The annual summer outing of the Traffic Club of St. Louis was held at the Sunset Inn on Saturday, June 29. A special train to carry the members to the Inn was furnished by W. B. Biddle, vice-president of the Frisco Lines. No passengers were killed in train accidents on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy during the fiscal year 1911, during which time 22,014,305 passengers were carried. No passengers have been killed on the Chicago suburban lines during the past five years. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas of Texas was fined $14,500 in the United States district court at Austin on June 27, for 29 violations of the order of the state railway commission, requiring that an extra train be run whenever a regular passenger train is 30 minutes late. Officers of the shop craft unions employed on the railways west of Chicago that have recently organized the Federation of Federations and have taken a strike vote, have addressed a letter to W. A. Garrett, chairman of the Chicago General Managers' Association, asking for a conference. One of the repair shops of the Erie, at Dunmore, Pa., was wrecked by the sinking of a coal mine beneath it on the night of June 25. The damage to the building and contents is estimated at $16,500. The building was of concrete, 60 ft. x 80 ft. No person was in the building when the settling occurred. The committee representing the firemen's brotherhood presenting demands for increased wages and improved working conditions on railways in Eastern territory, has agreed to postpone further conferences with the general managers' committee until after arbitration of the enginemen's demands has been concluded. The Chicago Transportation Association, which now has 1,200 members, formally opened its new club rooms in the old Hamilton Club building, corner Clark and Monroe streets, Chicago, on June 27. The building, after it has been remodeled, will be called the "C. T. A." building. A special program was given in the evening. At the annual convention of the Association of American Railway Accounting Officers held last week at Quebec, M. P. Blauvelt, comptroller of the Illinois Central at Chicago, was elected president, and C. M. Bunting, comptroller of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Philadelphia, and C. B. Seger, deputy-comptroller of the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific, were elected vice-presidents. The Colorado State Railway Commission has begun suit in court against the Colorado & Southern to compel the railway company to resume the operation of its line from Breckenridge to Como, 23 miles. The company declares that the operation of the line would be an unreasonable burden on its treasury. The highest town between Breckenridge and Como is 11,250 ft. above the sea. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy is making a valuation of its physical property. The company has recently made a valuation in Nebraska, on the order of the railway commission, and it has been decided to extend the work to the entire system. Disinterested persons will be asked to determine the values. For instance, in an Iowa city the mayor, a real estate man and two or three other business men were asked to constitute a board of appraisers. The second semi-annual general meeting of the Chicago Great Western Station Agents' Association will be held in Chicago on July 24, at the Stratford hotel. After a business meeting and a session devoted to the reading of prepared papers, the party will be taken on a tour of inspection of the Chicago freight terminals, particularly those of the Great Western and the Illinois Tunnel system. At the annual meeting on June 24, J. H. Howard was elected president; Oscar Townsend, vicepresident, and J. H. Ambruster, secretary. The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, in a circular issued to employees specifically mentioning their faithful work has announced an increase averaging about 5 per cent. in the pay of all the employees in the transportation department of the surface street railways operated by the company. About 5,000 men will receive this increase. The pay of conductors and motormen will vary, according to length and efficiency of service, from 23 cents an hour to 26 cents. The New York, Westchester & Boston, which was opened from its southern terminus in New York City northward to New Rochelle on May 29, was opened on July 1 to White Plains. The White Plains line diverges from the New Rochelle line at Columbus avenue junction, Mount Vernon. There are 56 passenger trains each way daily between New York (180th street) and White Plains, and about the same number between New York and New Rochelle, so that from New York to the junction the trains run at intervals of about ten minutes from 6 a. m. until midnight. The extensive plans for new subways in New York City, which have been a constant subject of discussion for the past two years, are now so near completion and so free from legal and other obstacles that, acccrding to Chairman Willcox, of the State Public Service Commission, contracts will be ready to sign within a month or two, and work can be begun on any or all of the sections of the lines in about three months. The last obstacle was removed by a decision of the court of appeals last week sustaining the state and city authorities in the contracts which they have made with the companies which are to operate the lines and which contracts were challenged in the court because of the alleged granting of undue preferences to the operating companies in interest payments. Reports compiled by the Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of the Chicago Association of Commerce show that the section of Chicago's railway trackage which handles the heaviest tonnage of outbound and inbound freight is the portion of the Chicago & Western Indiana between Forty-seventh and Forty-ninth streets. During one week in January 425,000 tons of road freight were moved over this stretch of track. Records of all freight movements in the city are being prepared for one week in January, March and May, and will be made up for a similar period in August and October. For the purpose of preparing these reports the freight lines of the Chicago terminal district has been divided into over 400 sections, the dividing points between the sections being junction points. During the week in January 31,208,654 ton-miles of freight were moved in the entire district, and the number of locomotive hours for the week was 4,526. Complaints of conductors, brakemen and firemen of the Pennsylvania, which have been the subject of negotiations between General Manager Long and committees of the employees at Philadelphia for many weeks, appear to have been finally settled. The two questions concerning which there were the most serious differences were those concerning freight trainmen on the Monongahela division and passenger men affected by the introduction of electric trains to Church street, New York City. The Monongahela division question-whether the men shall be paid yard rates or road rates-has been referred to arbitration, the railway company selecting four arbitrators, the employees four, and the men so selected to choose a ninth. At New York eight crews were assigned to other duties when the electric train service was established, the contract with the Hudson & Manhattan having stipulated that a part of the crews in the joint service should be furnished by the H. & M. The Pennsylvania has now agreed that the eight crews shall have their grievance attended to twelve months hence, at which time the contract with the H. & M. can be modified. Chicago Freight Handlers' Strike Settled. The strike of the Chicago freight handlers, which was declared on May 4, was called off by a vote of the International Brotherhood of Railway Freight Handlers on June 27, after President E. U. Kimbark, of the Chicago Association of Commerce, had interceded with the railways in behalf of the strikers and obtained an agreement to take at least 1,800 of them back into service by July 31, unconditionally and as individuals. The men at first rejected the offer, but accepted after they were told that the number that would be taken back would be steadily reduced the longer they stayed out. The number who struck was 5,865, but the roads had filled most of their places and declined to dismiss the new men. The strikers on the North Western, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Illinois Central lost their pension rights. The strike has been accompanied by little violence, although there has been some confusion in the handling of freight. The result is a complete victory for the railways. A system of compensation based on tonnage handled will be established at all the freight houses in the city. It is already in effect at some stations. The original demands of the men were for an increase of $5 a month, or one cent an hour, half-holiday on Saturdays with pay, a nine-hour instead of a ten-hour day for freight handlers, an eight-hour instead of a nine-hour day for clerks, time and a half for overtime, and double time on Sundays. These demands were later modified, but the roads rejected both propositions. Double Track, Detroit to Toledo. The lines of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Michigan Central (both controlled by the New York Central) between Toledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Mich., about 60 miles, both single track nearly all the way, are to be operated together as a double track railway. From the Lake Shore station at Toledo to Wagon Works Junction the line, which is owned by the Lake Shore, is double track, and over this the trains of the Michigan Central run to and from the station. From Wagon Works north the Lake Shore and the Michigan Central run approximately parallel with each other for about 51 miles to West Detroit. They are separated most of the way by only a few hundred feet, but at a few points are as much as half a mile apart. It is intended to operate this section as a doubletrack railway, and preparatory thereto two light bridges are being made suitable for the heaviest engine, and a number of track changes and additions have been made. Between Vinewood avenue, Detroit, and Beaubien street, about three miles, the Lake Shore parallels the Bay City division of the Michigan Central, and these two roads are now operated as one doubletrack railway. The Michigan Central Bay City division was already double tracked and one of the three main tracks will now be used as a sidetrack. New Construction in Mexico. The National Railways of Mexico has announced that it will build a total of 1,122 miles of new lines in Mexico. It is stated that there will be no cessation in the work until all of these lines are finished, which will probably be within the next three years. The new lines will open up and develop a large virgin territory, as well as provide transportation outlets for sections at present without these facilities. The construction work in progress and planned is as follows: Branch line from Allende, Coahuila, on the Mexican International division to Las Vacas, on the Rio Grande just opposite Del Rio, Tex., 74 miles. The contract for the grading and masonry on the first 50 miles from Allende to San Carlos has been let, and construction work was started in May. A new line is to be built to connect Tampico with the city of Vera Cruz, about 310 miles. The contract has been let for the construction of about 100 miles of grading and masonry from the Tampico end, and the work was started in May. This line will cross the Panuco river at Tamos on a steel bridge at a point six miles west of Tampico. A branch will be built from a junction with this line to a connection with the Honey branch of the old Mexican Central on the tableland, to be about 75 miles long. On the main and branch 75 lb. rail will be laid. A line is to be built between Tampico and Matamoros, just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Tex., about 264 miles. This line will be built from the Tampico-Monterey branch at a point about 15 miles north of Tampico. A 25-mile branch of the Vera Cruz & Isthmus division from Brisbin, with branches to San Cristobal, 3 miles, and Cerro Colorado, 4 miles, was finished on June 1 and is now in operation. Work is under way on a branch from Rives on the Vera Cruz & Isthmus division, 151 miles south of Vera Cruz, to San Andres Tustla, Vera Cruz, 45 miles; grading and masonry are completed on 35 miles, except on three river bridges. The balance of the road is about 85 per cent. finished. Track on about 30 miles has been laid with 56 lb. rail. This line will be finished by November 1. From Penjamo, on the Guadalajara branch of the old Mexican Central, a line is being built 31 miles west of Irapuato to Ajuana on the Morelia division, 84 miles, with a branch to Cantabira, 3 miles. On the main line the grading and masonry is finished on 55 miles on the Penjamo end and on the branch. The balance of the work is about two-thirds finished. Seventy-five-pound rail is being laid. The line will be finished by November 1. Grading and masonry work is finished and track has been laid on 34 miles of the line from Durango to Llano Grande, Durango, 63 miles. Seventy-five-pound rail is being laid. The line will be finished by October 1. A 166-mile line is being built from Durango to Canitas on the old Mexican Central in the state of Zacatecas, 67 miles north of the city of Zacatecas, with a branch to Sombrerete, 6 miles. Grading has been finished on the first 97 miles east from Durango and 64 miles of track has been laid. The contract has been let for the grading and masonry work on the other 69 miles of main line from Canitas west, and for the 6 miles of the Sombrerete branch. Work on this latter contract began in May. Seventyfive-pound rail is being used. One of the most difficult pieces of construction work involved in the plans as adopted will be on the branch mentioned above from a point on the Tampico-Vera Cruz line to a connection with the Honey division. This line will have to mount from sea level to the altitude of the central plateau, between 5.000 and 6,000 ft. It is stated, however, that an easy grade will be maintained in climbing this height. American Railway Tool Foremen's Association. The annual convention of this association is to be held in Chicago at the Sherman hotel, July 9, 10 and 11. The program includes the following topics for discussion and committee reports: Standardization of Steel for Small Tools; Henry Otto, chairman, W. J. Eddy, A. M. Roberts, C. A. Cook, J. Martin and A. Sterner. Milling Cutters, Their Formation, Tempering, Etc.; A. R. Davis, chairman, Gus G. Stoettner, W. A. Fairbairn, J. A. Shaw, F. W. Luggers and A. W. Meitz. Care of Shop Tools; J. W. Pike, chairman, H. I. Derby, O. H. Dallman, Thomas Grant, E. R. Purchase and G. L. Linck. Checking System; J. T. Fuhrman, chairman, J. B. Hasty, William Greilich, H. E. Blackburn, Gilbert Mitchell and F. Peterson. Treating Steel in Electric Furnaces; G. W. Jack, chairman, B. Hendrickson, J. C. Breckenfeld and C. A. Shaffer. MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS. The following list gives names of secretaries, dates of next or regular meetings, and places of meeting. Ill. AIR BRAKE ASSOCIATION.-F. M. Nellis, 53 State St., Boston, Mass. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS.-Calvin W. Rice, 29 W. ASSOCIATION OF RAILWAY ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS.-Jos. A. Andreucetti, C. & CANADIAN RAILWAY CLUB.-James Powell, Grand Trunk Ry., Montreal, CAR FOREMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO.-Aaron Kline, 841 North 50th ENGINEERS' SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA.-E. R. Dasher, Box 704, Harrisburg, INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY GENERAL FOREMEN'S ASSOCIATION.-L. H. Bryan, INTERNATIONAL RAILROAD MASTER BLACKSMITHS' ASSOCIATION.-A. L. Wood- MASTER BOILER MAKERS' ASSOCIATION.-Harry D. Vought, 95 Liberty St., PEORIA ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD OFFICERS.-M. W. Rotchford, Union Sta- RAILROAD CLUB OF KANSAS CITY.-C. Manlove, 1008 Walnut St., Kansas RAILWAY CLUB OF PITTSBURGH.-J. B. Anderson, Penna. R. R., Pittsburgh, Ohio. RAILWAY SIGNAL ASSOCIATION.-C. C. Rosenberg, Bethlehem, Pa. Conven- RAILWAY STOREKEEPERS ASSOCIATION.-J. P. Murphy, Box C, Collinwood, SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF CAR SERVICE OFFICERS.-E. W. Sandwich, A. & TRAFFIC CLUB OF CHICAGO.-Guy S. McCabe, La Salle Hotel, Chicago; TRAFFIC CLUB OF NEW YORK.-C. A. Swope, 290 Broadway, New York; TRAIN DESPATCHERS' ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.-J. F. Mackie, 7042 Stewart TRANSPORTATION CLUB OF BUFFALO.-J. M. Sells, Buffalo; first Saturday TRANSPORTATION CLUB OF DETROIT.-W. R. Hurley, L. S. & M. S., Detroit, TRAVELING ENGINEERS' ASSOCIATION.-W. O. Thompson, N. Y. C. & H. R., Traffic News. The San Antonio chamber of commerce has decided to organize a freight traffic bureau. The extension of the Western Maryland northwesterly from Cumberland, Md., 89 miles, to Connellsville, Pa., where a connection will be made with the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, is to be opened for business on August 1. Traffic has been resumed on the tracks of the Southern Pacific to and from New Orleans, following a long interruption by the recent floods. An officer of the company says that after the waters had receded it was found that very little damage had ' been done to the roadway. The Texas Demurrage and Storage Bureau during the past three years reports earnings as follows: In each year from 6 to 10 per cent. of the demurrage earnings were remitted or refunded. Freight agents of the Southern Railway at cities in the northern, central and western states have been instructed to report to the freight traffic manager at Washington in regard to possibilities for developing in their several territories, additional markets for agricultural and other commodities produced in the southeastern states, giving any facts available which may be helpful to southern shippers. At the suggestion of the Interstate Commerce Commission the Southern Classification Committee has postponed the effective date of classification No. 39 until August 1, for the purpose of conference with the state commissions and with those shippers who are protesting against the classification or some part of it. The committee will hold a meeting at the St. Charles hotel, Atlantic City, beginning July 8, and has invited the attendance of all persons objecting to any specific item, promising to afford the fullest possible hearing. Firemen, seamen, oilers and other employees of Atlantic coastwise steamship lines in considerable numbers struck last week and on Monday of this week large numbers of longshoremen in New York City struck in sympathy with the boatmen; and according to the leaders of the strikers many thousands of men have walked out. The officers of the regular steamship lines say, however, that the strike has not been so serious as is claimed, at the same time declaring that nearly or quite all of the regular sailings have been made according to schedule. The International Apple Shippers' Association is to hold its Wholesale annual convention in Chicago August 7, 8 and 9. dealers in apples say that the prospects are good for heavy crops of apples this year in all of the states which have large areas devoted to orchards. The crop in the United States last year aggregated 30,000,000 barrels, and this year the experts expect that there will be 50,000,000 barrels. In Washington, Oregon and Idaho they expect that the yield will be from 60 per cent. to 75 per cent. greater than it was in 1910, which they calculate will be enough to fill from 16,000 to 18,000 cars. A temporary organization to be known as the "See America First Association" was formed at a meeting in Chicago on June 28 of passenger traffic officers of western railway and steamship lines. The membership is to include also chambers of commerce, boards of trade, civic organizations and others interested, and the object is to be the exploitation of American scenic wonders. A temporary board of managers was appointed to act until a permanent organization is formed, consisting of the following: W. J. Black, P. T. M., Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; J. W Daly, New York Central Lines; J. Francis, G. P. A., Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; C. A. Cairns, G. P. A., Chicago & North Western; W. J. Cannon, A. G. P. A., Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; F. H. Tristram, A. G. P. A., Wabash, and C. W. Pitts, G. A., Great Northern. Traffic Club of New York. The annual outing and clam bake of the Traffic Club of New York will be held at Witzel's Grove, College Point, L. I., July 20. A return baseball game will be played with the Traffic Club of Philadelphia, and the entertainment committee will arrange some novel features. Car Surpluses and Shortages. Arthur Hale, chairman of the committee on relations between railways of the American Railway Association in presenting statistical bulletin No. 121-A, giving a summary of car surpluses and shortages by groups from February 15, 1911, to June 20, 1912, says: "The total surplus on June 20, 1912, was 73,464 cars; on June 6, 1912, was 89,208 cars; on June 21, 1911, was 165,934 cars. Compared with the preceding period there is a further decrease in the total surplus of 15,744 cars. The decrease in surplus coal cars is general throughout the country except, in groups 5 (Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia. and Florida) and 10 (Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona and Washington). The net decrease in this class of equipment is 16,466 cars. There is a net increase in box car surplus of 2,700 cars. The increase is most apparent in groups 6 (Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Dakotas) and 10 (as above). There is also a decrease in miscellaneous cars general throughout the country. "The total shortage on June 20, 1912, was 5,746 cars; on June 6, 1912, was 2,822 cars; on June 21, 1911, was 2,764 cars. Compared with the preceding period, there is an increase in the total shortage of 2,924 cars, of which 2,227 is in box, 488 in flat and 404 in miscellaneous cars. The increase in box car shortage is general throughout the country except in groups 6 (as above), 9 (Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico) and 10 (as above). Compared with the same date of 1911 there is a decrease in the total surplus of 92,470 cars, of which 26,602 is in box and 2,460 in flat, 53,566 in coal and 9,842 in miscellaneous cars. There is an increase in the total shortage of 2,982 cars, of which 1,502 is in box, 1,055 in flat, 396 in coal and 29 in miscellaneous cars." The accompanying table gives car surplus and shortage figures of groups for the last period covered in the report, and the diagram shows total bi-weekly surpluses and shortages from 1907 to 1912. Changes in Express Rates. The National Dry Goods Association has asked the Interstate Commerce Commission to order modifications in express company rates as follows: That a system of cheap insurance on merchandise packages should be established. The rate of 10 cents a $100 is excessive. A new system should be established to prevent overcharging. At present to aggregate a shipment containing two or more packages from one shipper to one consignee, all packages weighing under 20 lbs. are rated as 20 lbs. A basis of 10 lbs. or less should be adopted. Provision should be made for penalizing express companies for slow deliveries. Return charges on C. O. D. collections should be reduced. Claims against express companies should be settled promptly. It frequently takes two months to settle claims, which it is plainly evident are just. Express company rates are excessive. Either the commission should lower them or action should be taken urging Congress to pass a bill regulating express company service and charges. Total April Revenues and Expenses. The Bureau of Railway Economics, bulletin number 35, is given in part herewith. The railways whose returns are included in this bulletin operate 219,185 miles of line, or 90 per cent. of all the steam railway mileage in the United States. The total operating revenues for the month of April, 1912, *Group 1 is composed of New England lines; Group 2-New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Eastern Pennsylvania lines; Group 3-Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Western Pennsylvania lines; Group 4-West Virginia, Virginia, North and South Carolina lines; Group 5-Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida lines; Group 6-Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas lines; Group 7-Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska lines; Group 8-Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma lines; Group 9-Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico lines; Group 10-Oregon, Idaho, California and Arizona lines; Group 11-Canadian lines. |